Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks May Cause Long-term Brain Damage

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Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks May Cause Long-term Brain Damage

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Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks May Cause Long-term Brain Damage: Long-term Brain Changes, Cognitive Function Impairment

A recent study published in Neuropharmacology evaluated the long-term effects of ethanol (EtOH), energy drinks (EDs), and alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AMED) on hippocampal plasticity through behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular methods. The findings revealed that adolescents consuming alcohol and energy drinks together could permanently impact the hippocampus, leading to long-term cognitive function issues.

It appears that the popular “Jager Bomb” might indeed be a bomb to the brain, so it’s best to avoid this intoxicating combination.

Study Details

Researchers selected adolescent rats, post-weaning (21 days old), as experimental subjects and randomly divided them into four groups for different treatments:

1. Control Group (CO): Rats were given tap water via gastric intubation.
2. Ethanol Group (EtOH): Rats received 3.2g/kg of a 20% ethanol solution, roughly equivalent to 1.5-2 glasses of a drink containing 12g of ethanol for a 70kg human.
3. Energy Drink Group (ED): Rats were given a commercially available energy drink, equivalent to two cans for a 70kg human.
4. Mixed Group (AMED): Rats were given a mixture of 20% ethanol solution and energy drink, administered at 10ml per kg.

From postnatal days (PND) 28 to 37, the rats underwent intermittent gastric intubation every four days (two days of intubation followed by two days off). Behavioral, electrophysiological, biochemical, and molecular analyses were conducted on PND 40, PND 60, and PND 90 to assess cognitive function.

Experimental Process and Results

The results showed that the spontaneous motor activity of the ED group rats was significantly higher than the other three groups, even at PND 90. This indicates that heavy consumption of energy drinks during adolescence can lead to long-lasting hyperactivity into adulthood.

Interestingly, when energy drinks were mixed with alcohol, the hyperactivity induced by ED appeared to counteract the depressive effects of EtOH. However, the negative impact of alcohol intoxication persisted, and the consumption of energy drinks reduced the subjective perception of alcohol intoxication, misleading individuals into thinking they could drink indefinitely, thereby increasing ethanol-related risks.

Additionally, heavy consumption of energy drinks impaired the rats’ ability to recognize new objects. At PND 40, the cognitive and discrimination indexes of the ED group were significantly lower than the other groups.

Impact on Brain Function

Researchers further explored the impact on the brain through electrophysiological experiments, investigating whether alcohol, energy drinks, and their mixture would alter the function and long-term plasticity of hippocampal excitatory glutamatergic synapses in CA1 pyramidal neurons.

The results were intriguing. At PND 40, the long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus was significantly increased in the ED and AMED treated rats. However, by PND 60 and PND 90, LTP levels had significantly decreased in the EtOH, ED, and AMED groups.

In other words, while short-term consumption of energy drinks and alcohol might seem to enhance certain brain functions, these benefits do not last. Over time, cognitive abilities actually decline with age.

BDNF Levels and Synaptic Plasticity

This outcome was consistent with measurements of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. At PND 40, BDNF protein levels significantly increased in the ED and AMED groups compared to the control and EtOH groups. However, by PND 60, BDNF levels had notably decreased in the ED and AMED groups.

BDNF plays a crucial role in promoting synaptic plasticity and LTP formation in the hippocampus, aiding in learning and memory processes. Caffeine might induce BDNF downregulation, disrupting synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neuronal networks.

Researchers suggested other possibilities. Initially, caffeine in energy drinks might increase glutamate release in the CA1 region, leading to presynaptic LTP. However, long-term heavy consumption leads to opposite effects. To compensate for caffeine’s blockade of adenosine, adenosine receptors upregulate, reducing hippocampal LTP levels. Moreover, caffeine intake might induce superoxide dismutase elevation, negatively affecting hippocampal LTP.

Conclusion

In summary, heavy and mixed consumption of alcohol and energy drinks during adolescence can negatively impact the long-term synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus, impairing learning and memory regions, resulting in persistent changes that last into adulthood.

While further research is necessary to confirm if these results apply directly to humans, this study serves as a cautionary note to adolescents and heavy drinkers. Mixing alcohol with energy drinks or coffee can significantly harm both brain and body. Avoid letting “heady drinks” turn into “brain-damaging drinks.”

Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks May Cause Long-term Brain Damage: Long-term Brain Changes, Cognitive Function Impairment

Reference:

[1]Biggio F, Talani G, Asuni GP, Bassareo V, Boi M, Dazzi L, Pisu MG, Porcu P, Sanna E, Sanna F, Serra M, Serra MP, Siddi C, Acquas E, Follesa P, Quartu M. Mixing energy drinks and alcohol during adolescence impairs brain function: A study of rat hippocampal plasticity. Neuropharmacology. 2024 Aug 15;254:109993. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109993. Epub 2024 May 11. PMID: 38735368.

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