The Deadly Mix: How Caffeinated Cocktails Can Kill You

Avoid caffeinated cocktails if you value your health and want to lose weight

It was 4am on a Sunday. Two of my buddies and I are still at a club. I being the health freak worked out earlier that afternoon and was utterly exhausted by that time. But my two buddies’ were still bobbing their heads to the deafening house music. Their eyes were still wide open but bloodshot. (Note: They did not take any recreational drugs.) I could tell that they were just as exhausted. But what they had before did not allow them to feel tired. This was all thanks to the eight Jägerbomb they had before.

If you are like my buddies and often order cocktails that include some form of caffeine such as Jägerbomb, Black Russian, Vodka Redbull, Kahlua or even Bourbon Coke, you need to read this.

We all know that alcohol consumption is not the quickest way to lose weight. The detrimental effects that alcohol have on our fat loss plans include the body burning the byproduct of alcohol  – acetate – as a form of energy instead of body fat. Not to mention the lowering of testosterone reducing the muscle building effect of your workouts. When you mix alcohol together with a caffeinated element, this dramatically adds a health threatening aspect.

Alcohol and caffeine both have completely different opposite effects on the body. Alcohol is a depressant whilst caffeine is a stimulant. Alcohol relaxes and caffeine perks you up. While some people think that drinking both together neutralises each other’s negative effects, they’re wrong.

Whatever side effect that alcohol has, the introduction of caffeine makes it worse.

Below are four reasons how you should never mix alcohol with caffeine:

1. Severe Dehydration:

Caffeine and alcohol are both diuretics in that they deplete the body of fluids. When both are consumed, your body loses water twice as fast. When dehydration happens, your kidney functions are affected. Because of this, your liver has to work overtime to help take on the load of the kidney and at the same time clear the alcohol in your body. If excessive alcohol causes liver disease, adding caffeine in your cocktails is a surefire way to get you there – faster!

In addition, the Truman State University also warns that the combined diuretic effect of alcohol and caffeine promotes hangovers, lethargy and fatigue because of dehydration.

2. Increased blood pressure

The stimulating effects of caffeine increases blood pressure in the body. Alcohol on the other hand, when consumed, dilates the blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. When a beverage containing both substances reaches our body, our heart has to adjust with the constant variation of blood flow due to the dilation and reduction of blood vessels. This ultimately results in a rise in blood pressure.

3. Double alcohol damage

Alcohol has a relaxing effect on the body. When you  experience a state of intoxication and fatigue, that is your body’s way of indicating to you that you have had enough alcohol and need to stop. If you add caffeine into the mix, you will be led to a false sense of sobriety and alertness. Thinking that you’ve sobered up, you will likely consume more alcohol than what you can handle. This is how you get a massive hangover the next day.

By the way, you can only get rid of alcohol in your body through excretion or absorption. Taking a shot of espresso while you are tipsy does not mean alcohol is no longer in your system.

4. Heart Strain

Caffeine on its own puts your body under a stressed alert mode. During this time, your blood pressure increases, adrenalin kicks in, your pupils dilate and your muscles tense up. At the core of all these activities, your heart works doubly hard to maintain these stimulating effects of caffeine.

Throw in alcohol and the combination of these two substances will disrupt your metabolism and the absorption functions of your body. Because of this, the caffeine in your blood stream will stay longer in your body resulting in prolonged stress of your heart.

Here are some of the popular caffeinated cocktails that you should avoid:

1. Jägerbomb: Jägermeister with Redbull
2. Black Russian: Vodka with Kahlua
3. White Russian: Vodka with Kahlua and cream
4. Espresso Martini
5. Any cocktail with Redbull
6. Any cocktail with Coke or Pepsi
7. Any cocktail with green tea
8. Any cocktail with Kahlua

One of the quickest ways to lose weight is to abstain from alcohol as much as possible. But we all know there will always be those special occasions where it won’t be as fun without a few beers or cocktails. Besides, what good is losing all that weight and looking great if we can’t party and have fun?

We can still have a life and party hard on certain nights. Just make sure whatever you mix with your alcohol is not caffeinated.