Alcohol and Energy Drinks in NSW

Energy drinks and energy ‘shots’ have become increasingly popular in recent years. Many people consume them with the belief that the beverage will assist in endurance, concentration and stamina. To better understand any potential for harm when young people drink alcohol and energy drinks together, NSW Health commissioned independent research. The Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre in Victoria led a research consortium which comprised Australia’s top researchers. The research study included:  an online survey of 16-35 year olds in NSW to determine how common consumption of combined alcohol and energy drink is, target group most affected, characteristics of use and harms of use  a street intercept face-to-face survey of 16-35 year olds in NSW conducted at night times in several Sydney metropolitan sites and Orange and Newcastle  a lab-based experiment to test the effects of combining alcohol and energy drinks on the body, coordination and risk-taking behaviour. The outcome was a good first step in looking at this issue in the Australian setting. The lab-based research undertaken by the consortium has added real knowledge about the body’s response to combined alcohol and energy drinks. Use of alcohol and energy drinks is an emerging issue and a very difficult area to research effectively. As a consequence, caution is needed in interpreting and acting on any findings. The surveys, while containing some unavoidable methodological constraints, provide some consistent social findings. Given the difficult nature of research in this area, these findings cannot easily be generalised to the NSW population and cannot be solely used as a basis for regulatory or other interventions