A to Rutgers University - Research Proposal Example

The proliferation and popularity in recent years of energy drinks and caffeinated alcoholic beverages has inspired a generation of young people to indulge in these potentially dangerous drinks. While caffeine and alcohol taken individually pose health risks, the combination of the two can create a uniquely risky dynamic. Reduced inhibition combined with a diminished ability to accurately judge levels of intoxication makes it more likely for consumers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages to put themselves and others in dangerous situations, including driving while impaired. On college campuses, a high concentration of the age group likely to use these beverages is found, putting universities in a unique position to provide educational and preventative interventions. Short- and Long-Term Risks of Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages: A Proposal for Raising Awareness on the Rutgers University Campus On November 17, 2010, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued written warnings to manufacturers of alcoholic beverages with added caffeine (FDA, 2010). The FDA had both reviewed existing medical literature and conducted independent lab tests on the beverages, and in the process found them to be representative of a significant public health concern (FDA, 2010). As more data surface suggesting the health risks associated with these beverages, it is necessary to evaluate how their use and availability on college campuses could impact students’ health and well-being. Based on an analysis of recent peer-reviewed studies, this literature review will: provide a background context from which to view the issue; contribute to the identification of methods and interventions that will raise awareness on the Rutgers campus; contribute suggestions for reducing the harm that results from the use of alcoholic caffeinated beverages. Alcoholic beverages with added caffeine are relatively new products. In 1997, the first energy drink to achieve mainstream popularity was introduced (“Red Bull”) (Malinauskas et al., 2007). The first Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages (CABs) entered the market about five years later in 2002 (CDC, 2010). The beverages saw a very rapid and sharp increase in popularity, with 337,500 gallons sold in their first year and 22,905,000 gallons sold in 2008 (CDC, 2010). What was at one time a niche product is now available in retail outlets and convenience stores, and by 2008 there were 25 brands selling the beverages (CDC, 2010). The advertising industry has capitalized on the drinks’ attractiveness to young people by creating ad campaigns that are similarly attractive to that age group (CDC, 2010). With names like “Sparks,” “Tilt,” “Joose,” and “Four Loko,” the beverages seem to have a language and culture all their own (Cloud, 2008). Besides the packaging and advertising looks, even the flavors and appearances of the liquids themselves seem to speak directly at young people (Cloud, 2012). One of the beverages (“Joose”) looks and tastes like a strawberry flavored soft drink, despite it being one-tenth alcohol (Cloud, 2012). This overtly youth-targeting strategy has resulted in an explosion in sales on and near college campuses, which places universities in a unique position to positively intervene (Arria & O’Brien, 2011). How CABs Work The combination of ingredients in a typical CAB (including sugar and flavorings in addition to caffeine and alcohol) results in an exceptionally dangerous combination (Cloud, 2008). There are several distinct effects resulting from the ingestion of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage. First, there are the alcohol related effects, and there are also the caffeine related effects. There are a whole different set of effects at work when the beverage also counts energy enhancers like guarana or ginseng in its ingredients (Cloud, 2008). Finally, there are the unique effects caused by the combination of high caffeine doses and alcohol. The effects of alcohol consumption are well documented and researched, as are the secondary effects on the society—or campus—in which alcohol use occurs. Alcohol is consumed for its intoxicating effects, but those same effects are responsible for increased rates of injury, motor vehicle accidents, and assault on campuses (Avci & Fendrich, 2010). Beyond those short-term increases in risk, alcohol use is also tied to serious health complications (American Cancer Society, 2012). Cancers of the liver, mouth, esophagus, colon and breast (among others) are associated with alcohol use, and the more the drinker consumes the higher the risk (American Cancer Society, 2012). Alcohol also causes inflammation of the liver, organ damage to the pancreas and brain and elevated blood pressure (American Cancer Society, 2012). Clearly, alcohol use is a practice that carries numerous risks on a multitude of levels. Like alcohol, there are a variety of risks associated with caffeine intake. These risks have been studied with a new perspective due to the introduction of “energy drinks” into the retail market, and some even suggest that nonalcoholic energy drinks may pose as much as a threat as their alcoholic counterparts (Arria & O’Brien, 2011). Besides caffeine, these beverages also have added amino acids, herbs, vitamins, taurine, and plant-based stimulants such as guarana to boost energy (Crane, 2011). The research of Attila and Cakir (2011) indicated that college students were completely unaware of the ingredients in energy drinks, and sometimes even confused them with sports drinks. Research describes how these drinks are linked to problems with sleep and high blood pressure, and pregnant women that drink these beverages exhibit increased risks of miscarriage, low birth weight of babies, and other complications (Arria & O’Brien, 2011). Despite caffeine’s reputation as a harmless stimulant, these studies suggest that this is an inaccurate description of the drug. Furthermore, caffeine in large doses can cause anxiety, jitters, stomach upset, and the sensation of a racing heart, and these effects can occur after drinking just one or two energy drinks (Crane, 2011). Caffeine overdose is also possible, and these symptoms are further exaggerated during overdose, making the subject dizzy, start to sweat and shake, and exhibit signs of irritability (Medina, 2011). These facts demonstrate that caffeine drinks are made even more dangerous by their highly attractive image of working as performance enhancers for tired students, who may not realize the potentially serious impact excess caffeine can have on their physical well-being. Instead of getting the sleep their bodies truly need, college students perpetuate the myth set forth by a popular energy drink advertisement, that “nobody ever wishes they’d slept more during college” (Carskadon, 2011). Figure 1. Amount of caffeine per container, caffeinated alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages Note. The data on caffeine in Fig. 1 is based on information from McIlvain et al., Crane, and Canning. Even in the absence of alcohol abuse, nonalcoholic caffeinated beverage use seems to predict certain behavioral patterns that are related to alcohol (Rose, 2011). Notably, the consumption of nonalcoholic energy drinks has been associated with higher rates of alcohol abuse and earlier age of onset for drinking (Rose, 2011). Products like Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar may not contain alcohol, but there is a relationship between regular consumption of the beverage and alcohol dependence (Rose, 2011). The use of these beverages is also a predictor for alcohol related risks including driving under the influence (Rose, 2011). This seems to confirm that individuals who are likely to use energy enhancing beverages are also likely to use alcohol to excess. While caffeine and alcohol in moderation may not pose serious risks, their combined and excessive consumption can prove to be a deadly mixture. Howland et al. describe how the consumption of CABs may “increase risk-taking behaviors,” and how the high dose of caffeine can serve to mask understanding of one’s true level of impairment by intoxication (2010). The tendency for CAB consumers to engage in risky behaviors is the main reason the FDA considers the drinks a public health risk (2010). On college campuses, the results of these risks can have an absolutely devastating impact. Universities Respond to CABs With the presence of caffeinated alcoholic beverages making such an impact on college campuses, universities have had to establish guidelines and restrictions concerning their availability. McIlvain et al. (2011) recommend interventions for students aimed at filling in gaps in information. Students should be educated on caffeine, as well as its interaction with alcohol (McIlvain et al.). As Universities identify significant numbers of their students as frequent users of the beverages, the importance of preventing harm should be evident (Malinauskas et al., 2007). Being institutions that specialize in the educating of young adults, universities are uniquely positioned to be experts in preventative interventions and to provide their students with the knowledge necessary for maintaining health and safety. References American Cancer Society (2012). Alcohol use and cancer. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from the website: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/DietandPhysicalActivity/alcohol use-and-cancer Arria, A.M., & O’Brien, M.C. (2011). The “high” risk of energy drinks. JAMA, 305 (6): 600- 601. Attila, S., & Çakir, B. (2011). Energy-drink consumption in college students and associated factors. Nutrition, 27(3), 316-322. Canning, Andrea. Four loko drops caffeine from controversial alcoholic energy drink. Retrieved May 6, 2012, from http://abcnews.go.com/US/loko-removes-caffeine-energy- drink/story?id=12167659 Carskadon, M. A. (2011). Forget As, Bs, and Cs--what students need is more zzzzs. Chronicle of Higher Education, 58(14), A22-A22. CDC (2010). Fact sheets- Caffeinated alcoholic beverages. Retrieved May 6, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/cab.htm Cloud, J. (2008). Alcoholic energy drinks: A risky mix. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from the website: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1810802,00.html Crane, C. (2011). Energy-drink alert. Scholastic Choices, 27(1), 12-14. FDA (2010). FDA warning letters issued to four makers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from the website: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm234109.htm Howland, J., Rohsenow, D.J., Arnedt, J., Bliss, C.A., Hunt, S.K., Calise, T., &… Gottlieb, D.J. (2011). The acute effects of caffeinated versus non-caffeinated alcoholic beverage on driving performance and attention/reaction time. Addiction, 106 (2), 335-341 Malinauskas, B. M., Aeby, V. G., Overton, R. F., Carpenter-Aeby, T., & Barber-Heidal, K. (2007). A survey of energy drink consumption patterns among college students. Nutrition Journal, 6, 35-41. McIlvain, G.E., Noland, M.P., & Bickel, R. (2011). Caffeine consumption patterns and beliefs of college freshmen. American Journal of Health Education, 42(4): 235-244. Medina, L. (2011). What happens if you absorb too much caffeine? Retrieved March 2, 2012, from the website: http://www.livestrong.com/article/466931-what-happens-if-you-absorb-too-much-caffeine/ Rose, G. (2011). Shocking facts about energy drinks. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from the website: http://www.livestrong.com/article/426006-shocking-facts-about-energy-drinks/ Read More