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Coffee is no Prescription for Sobriety

A night at a party often ends with a strong cup of coffee, a nod to the intent to end the partying and sober up. A new study, however, says that drinking coffee might be a way to increase the effects of alcohol, not reduce them.

Thomas Gould, PhD, a co-author of the study, says that the use of alcohol and caffeine together could actually lead to an increase in poor decisions, and that it is important for people to understand that caffeine does not in any way assist in sobriety.

The study also cautions that the surge in popularity for new “alcohol-energy” drinks is not a good trend. The caffeine in the drinks does not neutralize the effects of alcohol intoxication. The study was published recently in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, which is issued by the American Psychological Association.

Gould cautions that when individuals consume only alcohol, they are more likely to admit that they are drunk and feel sluggish, while those who have also consumed alcohol may feel more awake and misjudge their level of intoxication.

The researchers gave caffeine and alcohol to mice and then tested them for the effects of the substances together, and both substances separately. The doses of caffeine given were the equivalent of one, and up to six or eight cups of coffee for humans. Control mice were given a saline solution.

The mice were made more alert by the addition of caffeine, but it did not mediate the learning problems caused by alcohol, including avoiding known threats to their safety.

The use of ethanol increased locomotion in the mice and reduced anxiety and learning in proportion to the dose given. The use of caffeine alone increased anxiety and reduced learning and locomotion. When compared to the control mice, those given caffeine only were significantly more inhibited, less mobile and less savvy about avoiding unpleasant stimuli.

When caffeine and ethanol were given together, the calming effects of the alcohol overrode the anxious effects caused by the caffeine. However, caffeine did not reverse ethanol’s negative impact on learning abilities. The result was that the mouse might be more relaxed, but they were also less able to avoid threats.

The results indicate that a drunken person may be likely to believe they are not significantly impaired when alcohol is combined with caffeine.

Gould cautions that because drinks with a combination of alcohol and caffeine have “skyrocketed in popularity,” there may be an associated risk in the increase of alcohol-related consequences like drunken-driving citations, sexual misconduct, and injury.

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating the safety and legality of drinks that combine alcohol and caffeine.