An evaluation of different methodologies employed to investigate the effects of mixing alcohol with energy drink

The increase in popularity of AMED consumption among young people in the past decade has led to public health concerns regarding its use. It has been suggested that the stimulant effects of caffeine in energy drinks may counteract the sedative effects of alcohol, resulting in consumers feeling less impaired and less intoxicated than they actually are, and therefore more likely to consume further quantities of alcohol and engage in risker behaviour. However, the early research supporting this theory has several limitations. To advance the scholarship of AMED research, the publications included in this thesis have provided sequential methodological improvements to better inform the safety of its use. The findings have been broadly consistent across the different methodologies employed. AMED consumers have been shown to differ from AO consumers across a range of characteristics, including higher alcohol intake and risk-taking behaviours. However, within-subject comparisons have indicated that among AMED consumers mixing alcohol with energy drinks does not significantly increase total alcohol consumption, subjective intoxication or negative alcohol-related consequences compared to consuming alcohol alone. This thesis proposes that AMED consumption may be one of several manifestations of an underlying trait for greater alcohol consumption along with a cluster of other risky behaviours. Therefore, AMED use may be a valuable indicator for healthcare practitioners to identify individuals who may benefit the most from risk and harm reduction strategies for excessive alcohol consumption per se. However, the research findings to date do not justify the restriction of AMED over other forms of alcohol