Jägerbomb alert as drinking booze and Red Bull increases risk of physical and sexual violence, scientists warn
DRINKING booze mixed with Red Bull makes people more likely to be violent, scientists say.
The combination of alcohol and energy drink – as found in Jägerbombs – increases someone’s risk of physical, verbal and sexual aggression, according to a new study.
Researchers in the US found those who knock back these beverages were six times more likely to get into a fight than people who consume only alcohol.
They were also twice as likely to “take advantage of another sexually”
The report, published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review, examined 17 studies conducted globally between 2002 and 2023.
It looked at the drinking habits of men and women aged 25 and under.
In participants who guzzled alcohol-energy drink mixers, brawls, bullying, victimisation and sexual violence were the most common behaviours.
Study co-author Professor Amie Haas, from Palo Alto University in California, told MailOnline: “We know that alcohol-energy drink mixes are different from drinking alcohol only.
“Adding an energy drink covers up the sedating effects that happen at moderate-to-higher levels of intoxication.
“This is something called ‘wide-awake drunkenness’.”
But she said this was most prevalent in people who are violent even when they don’t drink.
So they may be just as aggressive during the day as they are on nights out – not just when glugging Jägerbombs (drinks made by dropping a shot of Jägermeister into an energy drink, typically Red Bull.).
“It is not solely attributed to drinking alcohol-energy drink mixes,” Professor Haas added.
Experts reckon the number of violent incidents would decrease if pubs and clubs stopped selling spirits mixed with energy drinks, but they aren’t calling for an outright ban.
Instead they want warnings of the dangers displayed to the public.
Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of the charity Alcohol Change UK, said: “The real picture here is that alcohol is a major factor in violence across society, across all age groups, and is a risk factor for both victims as well as perpetrators.
“Our police forces spend millions of hours dealing with alcohol-related incidents, our courts are clogged up processing alcohol-related crimes, and tens of thousands of people’s lives are permanently affected by these crimes.
“Yet much of this could be prevented if we took simple, sensible actions to reduce alcohol harm.”
He wants to see marketing and promotion limitations in supermarkets and online.
Dr Piper also believes minimum unit pricing should be introduced in England, as it has been in Scotland and Wales.
In both areas, alcohol cannot be sold for less than 50p per 10ml unit of pure alcohol.
So, a 75cl bottle of wine at 14 per cent ABV, which will contain 10.5 units, will not be found on sale for less than £5.25.
In England, similar products can be found on sale for less than £4.
The NHS recommends people drink no more than 14 units per week, spread across three days or more.
This works out at around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or six pints of four per cent beer.