Energy drinks can be far more dangerous than many consumers realize when combined with certain foods and beverages. Alexey Panov, Associate Professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Industrial Pharmacy of RTU MIREA and a candidate of chemical sciences, issued a warning in an interview with Life.ru.
According to Panov, energy drinks contain caffeine, taurine, and sugar, which strongly affect both the cardiovascular and nervous systems. These effects are magnified when energy drinks are consumed with alcohol, tea, coffee, fatty foods, or citrus fruits.
The Most Dangerous Combination: Alcohol and Energy Drinks
“Alcohol acts as a depressant, while an energy drink is a stimulant. This clash can mask the sensation of intoxication, leading people to continue drinking until they suffer severe alcohol poisoning,” Panov explained.
Beyond alcohol, energy drinks mixed with fatty foods create unpredictable effects and significantly strain the liver. When combined with citrus fruits, they irritate the stomach lining, while pairing them with coffee, tea, or chocolate increases the risk of caffeine overdose.
Panov emphasized that while energy drinks may give a temporary boost, careless combinations with other substances can trigger serious health problems, ranging from liver overload to dangerous cardiovascular strain.
