A study
shows the potent combo is linked to an increase in casual sex among college
students.
Energy
drinks cause hyperactivity, and booze lowers your inhibitions—so it's perhaps
not entirely shocking that combining the two would lead to an increase in casual sex, especially among college students.
A new
study from the University of Buffalo reveals that students who consume alcohol
mixed with energy drinks (AmED's)—such as Red Bull and vodka, orFour Loko—are more likely to report having a casual partner
and/or being intoxicated during their most recent sexual encounter.
Previous
research has linked alcoholic energy drink consumption with dangerous behaviors such as binge drinking, drunk driving and fighting—and
now getting drunkenly laid, with a risk of STI's, can be added to the list.
"Mixing
energy drinks with alcohol can lead to unintentional overdrinking, because the
caffeine makes it harder to assess your own level of intoxication," said
study author Kathleen Miller.
"
AmEDs
have stronger priming effects than alcohol alone.
In other
words, they increase the craving for another drink, so that you end up drinking
more overall."
Miller
says the increased popular of alcoholic energy drinks may be contributing to
the "hook up culture" that is prevalent on college campuses.
However,
the study found that AmED's do not lead to an increase in risky sexual
behavior, such as unprotected sex.
Participants
in the study were more likely to use a condom during sex with a casual partner
than during sex with a steady partner, regardless of their AmED use.
No comments:
Post a Comment