Energy drinks and drink problems

Students often drink so-called energy drinks, which contain large amounts of caffeine, so they can either study or stay up longer socialising. However, new research by scientists at the University of Maryland suggests that they could also lead to more students developing a drink problem. The researchers studied more than a 1,000 students who were asked about their consumption of energy drinks and alcohol over the last year. Those who drank energy drinks once a week or more were more likely to get drunk at an earlier age and drink more per drinking session, and were more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who used them less. The researchers thought that this was in part because the energy drink counteracted some of the effects - if not the damage - of the students' drinking.