Experiments on rats have shown that combining energy drinks with alcohol can cause lasting problems with thinking and memory.
Researchers from the University of Cagliari and the University of Catania in Italy gave adolescent male rats alcohol, energy drinks, or a mix of both. They used various tests to study how well the rats learned and remembered things up to 53 days after drinking.
The results revealed that rats drinking the mixture had lasting changes in their ability to learn and remember. The part of the brain responsible for memory, called the hippocampus, showed these changes. This raises concerns about how this habit might affect brain development in young people.
Both alcohol and energy drinks are popular among young adults for different reasons, but this study suggests that mixing them could be harmful in the long term. The study found that while there were initially some brain improvements from the drinks, these benefits didn’t last. Instead, as the rats grew up, their brain functions declined.
The researchers believe these findings could apply to humans, but more studies are needed to confirm this. They also want to explore how these effects might differ between males and females. Overall, the study suggests that consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks during adolescence could have lasting effects on brain function and should be approached with caution.