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Professor states energy drinks and alcohol harms “downplayed”
An academic has voiced concerns about research into energy drinks and alcohol, which he claims may be downplaying harms.
Miller identifies energy drinks giant Red Bull as a company which funds research into the effects of alcohol and energy drink consumption
Peter Miller, associate professor at Deakin University’s School of Psychology, in Australia, has written a paper published in the British Medical Journal outlining his worry that industry research does not consider the realistic level of consumption of energy drinks and alcohol.
He also claimed that much of the research into the effect of heavy drinkers mixing alcohol and energy drinks has been commissioned by energy drinks companies and that it is possible such research “raises questions of propriety”.
Concern have been prevalent for a number of years that heavy drinkers mix alcohol and energy drinks so that they may drink for longer and achieve higher levels of intoxication.
According to Miller, around 40% of people on Australian city streets are heavily intoxicated and nearly a quarter of these drinkers would have consumed more than two energy drinks each.
However, a considerable amount of research looking at the effects of the combination of alcohol and energy drinks concludes that both industry professionals and consumers should not be concerned that energy drinks “facilitate intoxication and increases the risk of alcohol-related injuries and assaults”.
Yet, according to Miler, epidemiological studies show that drinkers who consume energy drinks are more likely to record a higher breath alcohol concentration than those who do not, adding that: “the role energy drinks may play in facilitating intoxication is under-researched”.
In particular, the paper states: “Many of the researchers who draw reassuring conclusions from this research have been funded by a major producer of energy drinks, Red Bull.
“These researchers have presented their findings at special sessions on alcohol and energy drinks at international conferences where, because of limited disclosure requirements, audiences may not be aware of the extent of their industry sponsorship.”
Miller noted that at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Drugs Conference in 2012, four out of five researchers who presented papers on alcohol and energy drinks had received financial support from Red Bull.
Stating this was not uncommon practice, Miller has called for all researchers who receive financial backing from industry members to declare their interests.
“Having the same speakers funded to attend conferences around the world by a company with strong financial interests raises questions of propriety and the presentation of research findings being used as a commercial marketing strategy,” he said.
“It is critical that the public can be confident in the findings of research on these products.”