caffeinated alcoholic drink
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A caffeinated alcoholic drink is a
drink A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies a ...
that contains both
alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...
(also known formally as
ethanol Ethanol (abbr. EtOH; also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound. It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol with the chemical formula . Its formula can be also written as or (an ethyl ...
) and a significant amount of
caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...
. Caffeine, a
stimulant Stimulants (also often referred to as psychostimulants or colloquially as uppers) is an overarching term that covers many drugs including those that increase activity of the central nervous system and the body, drugs that are pleasurable and inv ...
, masks some of the
depressant A depressant, or central depressant, is a drug that lowers neurotransmission levels, which is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in various areas of the brain. Depressants are also colloquially referred to as downers as they lower the ...
effects of alcohol. However, in 2010 and 2011, this type of drink faced criticism for posing health risks to their drinkers. In some places there is a ban on caffeinated alcoholic drinks.


Ingredients

The main ingredients in caffeinated alcoholic drinks are
alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...
and
caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...
. The caffeine is often added by ingredients like energy drinks,
coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...
,
tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...
, or dark chocolate, which also can be consumed as side-drinks with any alcoholic drink. Wine column writer
Joe Fattorini Joe Fattorini (born 5 September 1969) is a British radio and television presenter and wine expert. Journalism Fattorini wrote a weekly wine column for The Herald for over fourteen years. He has also contributed to ''Harper's Wine and Spirit'', T ...
hypothesize that there's an individual tolerance to bitter flavors and the link between taste in coffee and
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
stems from the number of
taste bud Taste buds contain the taste receptor cells, which are also known as gustatory cells. The taste receptors are located around the small structures known as lingual papillae, papillae found on the upper surface of the tongue, soft palate, upper e ...
s we have.


Caffeine free energy drinks/alcoholic beverages

*
Guarana Guaraná ( from the Portuguese ''guaraná'' ), ''Paullinia cupana'', syns. ''P. crysan, P. sorbilis'') is a climbing plant in the family Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guaraná has large leaves and cl ...
– compound of plant-based stimulants **
Cult Shaker Cult Shaker, a product of CULT A/S, is a flavored alcohol beverage containing Guarana and cider (5.4% ABV). Unlike most "energy-mix" drinks the Cult Shaker is not mixed with vodka. This is because hard liquor is taxed higher in Denmark, where ...
– a flavored alcohol beverage containing
Guarana Guaraná ( from the Portuguese ''guaraná'' ), ''Paullinia cupana'', syns. ''P. crysan, P. sorbilis'') is a climbing plant in the family Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guaraná has large leaves and cl ...
and
cider Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...
(5.4%
ABV Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) o ...
).


Alternative caffeine intake

Chocolate can be used as a
side dish A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.milk chocolate Milk chocolate is a solid chocolate confectionery containing cocoa, sugar and milk. Chocolate was originally sold and consumed as a beverage in pre-Columbian times, and upon its introduction to Western Europe. Major milk chocolate producers incl ...
contains 20 mg of caffeine, whereas 100 grams of dark chocolate contains 90 mg of caffeine. Additionally,
caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...
can be consumed in tablet or powder form alongside many alcoholic drinks to achieve similar effects.


Pharmacology

* Caffeine's primary mechanism of action is as an
adenosine receptor antagonist An adenosine receptor antagonist is a drug which acts as an antagonist of one or more of the adenosine receptors. The best known are xanthines and their derivatives (natural: caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine; and synthetic: PSB-1901), but ...
in the brain. * Ethanol is an
adenosine reuptake inhibitor An adenosine reuptake inhibitor (AdoRI) is a type of drug which acts as a reuptake inhibitor for the purine nucleoside and neurotransmitter adenosine by blocking the action of one or more of the equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs). This i ...


Health risks

In January 2010, a
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
investigation revealed that
Buckfast Tonic Wine Buckfast Tonic Wine is a caffeinated alcoholic drink consisting of pure caffeine added to fortified wine, originally made by monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, England, now made under a licence granted by the monastery, and distributed by J. Ch ...
had been mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in the
Strathclyde Strathclyde ( in Gaelic, meaning "strath (valley) of the River Clyde") was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government et ...
area of Scotland from 2006 to 2009, equating to an average of three per day. In 2017, Scottish Police reported there had been 6,500 crimes related to the drink in the previous two years. In 2010, the FDA advised that caffeinated alcoholic beverages should not be consumed because of the counteracting effects of caffeine and alcohol. The FDA posited that caffeine often causes consumers to drink more than they normally would because caffeine can mask some of the sensory cues individuals might normally rely on to determine their level of intoxication. This masking of intoxication then leads individuals to engage in behaviors that they would otherwise avoid if they understood their true level of intoxication. However, research has not fully supported this tenet. For example, one study found that Australian students thought they were more intoxicated when mixing caffeine with alcohol than when consuming alcohol on its own for every level of blood alcohol content. Consuming high levels of caffeine was associated with more alcohol-related consequences than when consuming alcohol on its own, even when consuming relatively little alcohol. It may be that caffeine causes individuals to focus on the stimulant effects of the intoxication, which have been associated with greater perceived intoxication than the depressant effects of alcohol. In 2018 the first study of its kind, found that alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks is linked with casual, risky sex among college-age adults.


Research

Universities have conducted studies to compare the outcomes of the consumption of regular alcoholic drinks and of caffeinated alcoholic drinks. The
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
surveyed 802 college students who had mixed alcohol and caffeine, and found they were three times more likely to leave a bar highly intoxicated and four times more likely to want to drink and drive than drinkers who did not consume alcoholic energy drinks. Another study surveyed 697 students from
Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Reynolda Campus, the un ...
and found that the students who had consumed caffeinated alcoholic drinks were more likely to drink and drive, take advantage of someone sexually, or end up needing medical treatment.U.S. Students Mourn Alcohol and Caffeine Drink Four Loko
" ''UK Wired''. 13 Dec. 2010.
From this perspective, it is inferred that caffeinated alcoholic drinks cause one to act in ways that would be less likely if one were drinking non-caffeinated alcoholic drinks. In 2012 the
University at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 1846 ...
's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) found that mixing alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks is linked with casual, risky sex among college-age adults.


Legal status


Australia

In
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy is considering regulation to address the growing concerns over the drinks.


Canada

In
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, regulations restrict the manufacture and sale of caffeinated alcoholic drinks unless the caffeine comes from a natural ingredient such as guarana; caffeine as an ingredient cannot be directly added to an alcoholic drink.


Mexico

In
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, caffeinated alcoholic drinks cannot be sold in bars or nightclubs.


United Kingdom

Several Scottish politicians and social activists have singled out the a caffeinated alcoholic drink
Buckfast Tonic Wine Buckfast Tonic Wine is a caffeinated alcoholic drink consisting of pure caffeine added to fortified wine, originally made by monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, England, now made under a licence granted by the monastery, and distributed by J. Ch ...
as being particularly responsible for crime, disorder, and general social deprivation in certain communities. There have been numerous calls for the drink to be banned (either throughout the country or in certain areas or shops), made more expensive to dissuade people from buying the product, or sold in plastic bottles to reduce
glassing Glassing (or bottling in New Zealand) is a physical attack using a glass or bottle as a weapon. Glassings can occur at bars or pubs where alcohol is served and such items are readily available. The most common method of glassing involves the att ...
incidents.
Helen Liddell Helen Lawrie Liddell, Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke PC (' Reilly; born 6 December 1950) is a British politician and life peer who served as Secretary of State for Scotland from 2001 to 2003 and British High Commissioner to Australia from 2005 to ...
, former
Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...
, called for the wine to be banned. In 2005, Scottish Justice Minister
Cathy Jamieson Catherine Mary Jamieson (born 3 November 1956) is a Scottish business director, currently a director at Kilmarnock Football Club and former politician. She served as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 2000 to 2008. She pre ...
suggested that retailers should stop selling the wine. All of these initiatives have been countered by lawyers acting for Buckfast distributors, J. Chandler & Company, in
Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia * Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Ando ...
.


United States

The adverse effects of caffeinated alcoholic drinks have led to increased regulation. Under the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (abbreviated as FFDCA, FDCA, or FD&C) is a set of laws passed by the United States Congress in 1938 giving authority to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to oversee the safety of f ...
, a substance intentionally added to food (such as caffeine in alcoholic drinks) is deemed "unsafe" and is unlawful unless its particular use has been approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulation. The substance is subject to a prior sanction until the substance is Generally Regarded As Safe ( GRAS)."U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA to Look Into Safety of Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages." Drug Week Newsletter 4 December 2009: page 1622. In order for a substance to be characterized as GRAS, there must be sufficient evidence to prove its safety; this evidence should be generally known and accepted by qualified professionals. The FDA did not approve the use of caffeine in alcoholic drinks, and thus the drinks cannot be legally marketed. As a result, the FDA sent letters to four manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic drinks (Phusion Projects, Charge Beverages Corporation, New Century Brewing Company, and United Brands Company, Inc.) to alert them that the agency would be considering whether caffeine can lawfully be added to alcoholic drinks. These letters also gave the manufacturers fifteen days to stop the addition of caffeine to the alcoholic drinks or to stop selling the drinks altogether. The
Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
(FTC) also took action against the four companies, warning that their marketing tactics might violate federal law and urging them to take swift and appropriate steps to protect consumers.Goodnough, Abby. "F.D.A. Issues Warning Over Alcoholic Energy Drinks." ''The New York Times'' 18 November 2010, final ed.: A25.
CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
recommends against the combination of alcohol and caffeine. The
Dietary Guidelines for Americans The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide nutritional advice for Americans who are healthy or who are at risk for chronic disease but do not currently have chronic disease. The Guidelines are published every five years by the US Department ...
recommend avoidance of concomitant consumption of alcohol and caffeine, as this may lead to increased alcohol consumption, with a higher risk of alcohol-associated injury. In 2009, the FDA required several manufacturers to remove caffeine from their
alcopop An alcopop (or cooler, spirit cooler n South African English">South_African_English.html" ;"title="n South African English">n South African English or malternative n American English is any of certain flavored alcoholic beverages with relati ...
s including City Brewing of La Crosse, Wisc. which makes Hard Wired and 24/7; Gaamm Imports Inc., of Deerfield Beach, Fla. which makes Booya Espresso Silver Tequila and Caffeine, and United Brands Co., maker of Joose, Max Vibe, Max Fury, Max Live and 3Sum. Anheuser-Busch and Miller have stopped making their caffeinated alcoholic drinks,
Tilt Tilt may refer to: Music * Tilt (American band), a punk rock group, formed in 1992 * Tilt (British band), an electronic music group, formed in 1993 * Tilt (Polish band), a rock band, formed in 1979 Albums * ''Tilt'' (Cozy Powell album), 1981 * ...
, Bud Extra and Sparks.
Rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...
was also banned 2009. The day before the FDA sent out the warning letters, Phusion Projects (now
Four Loko Four Loko is a line of alcoholic beverages sold by Phusion Projects of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Four Loko's recipe formerly included caffeine. Phusion operates as Drink Four Brewing Company. Four Loko, the company's most popular bever ...
), a five-year-old Chicago company, said it would stop putting caffeine in the drinks and put a non-caffeinated version of the drink on the market in December 2010. In a statement, the company's founders said that they still believed it was safe to blend caffeine and alcohol but wanted to cooperate with regulators. The FDA continues work with Phusion Projects and other manufacturers to assure their products meet safety standards.


See also

*
Alcoholic drink An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...
* Caffeinated drink


References

{{reflist


Further reading

* Leinwand, Donna. "Alcoholic Energy Drinks Targeted." USA Today 17 Nov. 2010, final ed.: A1. * Johnson, Jenna and Kevin Sieff.
Four Loko Ban Fuels Buying Binge
" Washington Post 18 Nov. 2010, final ed. Alcoholic drinks Energy drinks Caffeinated drinks Caffeinated alcoholic drinks