What happens when you mix alcohol and caffeine

0
336

[ad_1]

The answer depends on how much you drink.

New Africa / Shutterstock.com

Both alcohol and caffeine can have adverse effects on your heart, but their combined effects depend on how much you consume of both at the same time.

Sure, a negative Negroni with prosecco might be the drink of the moment, but don’t forget that the espresso martini is still in demand. But if you’re still on the espresso martini train, you may be wondering what happens when you mix alcohol and caffeine.

Both alcohol and caffeine can affect your heart and its functions, but their combined effects depend on how much you’re drinking.

By now, you probably know that caffeine can increase your heart rate and raise your blood pressure. That’s where there is a limit to how much you should have per day (400mg by the way). Caffeine is a stimulant, so this all makes sense, but alcohol actually does the same thing. Just don’t freak out about your espresso martinis just yet.

The combination of alcohol and caffeine can exacerbate each other, leading to a greater increase in blood pressure and heart rate than if you had just one or the other. But using them together doesn’t increase their effects as you might think.

Susan A. Stoner, Ph.D, a research consultant at the Institute on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, spoke with Oneself about the effects of the two and explained that there is no evidence to suggest that mixing alcohol and caffeine greatly increases the effects. but what matters is how much you drink of both.

If you’re already drinking enough caffeine or alcohol to feel those heart effects, the combination of the two could make things worse. Basically, if you’ve had a coffee before a night out or already had two or three cocktails, skip the espresso martini in the evening.

If you love an espresso martini and are hoping the caffeine might help you feel more sober, you may want to reevaluate your drink choice. But as long as you’re not sensitive to caffeine or have underlying health issues, an occasional espresso martini should be fine.

[ad_2]