Quantitative determination of caffeine and alcohol in energy drinks and the potential to produce positive transdermal alcohol concentrations in human subjects.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether non-alcoholic energy drinks could result in positive "alcohol alerts" based on transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) using a commercially available electrochemical monitoring device. Eleven energy drinks were quantitatively assayed for both ethanol and caffeine. Ethanol concentrations for all of the non-alcoholic energy drinks ranged in concentration from 0.03 to 0.230% (w/v) and caffeine content per 8-oz serving ranged from 65 to 126 mg. A total of 15 human subjects participated in the study. Subjects consumed between 6 and 8 energy drinks over an 8-h period. The SCRAM II monitoring device was used to determine TACs every 30 min before, during, and after the study. None of the subjects produced TAC readings that resulted in positive "alcohol alerts". TAC measurements for all subjects before, during and after the energy drink study period (16 h total) were <0.02% (w/v). Subjects in the study consumed a quantity of non-alcoholic energy drink that greatly exceeds what would be considered typical. Based on these results, it appears that energy drink consumption is an unlikely explanation for elevated TACs that might be identified as potential drinking episodes or "alcohol alerts" using this device.

[1]  M. Kotler,et al.  Effects of amino acid energy drinks leading to hospitalization in individuals with mental illness. , 2008, General hospital psychiatry.

[2]  Brown Dj,et al.  The pharmacokinetics of alcohol excretion in human perspiration. , 1985 .

[3]  Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi,et al.  Unsuspected Ethanol Ingestion Through Soft Drinks and Flavored Beverages , 1996 .

[4]  A. Laconti,et al.  Studies on a wearable, electronic, transdermal alcohol sensor. , 1992, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research.

[5]  R. Swift,et al.  Transdermal measurement of alcohol consumption. , 1993, Addiction.

[6]  D. J. Brown.  The pharmacokinetics of alcohol excretion in human perspiration. , 1985, Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology.

[7]  K. Clauson,et al.  Safety issues associated with commercially available energy drinks. , 2008, Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA.

[8]  M. Leveritt,et al.  An examination of consumer exposure to caffeine from retail coffee outlets. , 2007, Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association.

[9]  Randall C. Baselt,et al.  Disposition of toxic drugs and chemicals in man , 1982 .

[10]  S. Kerrigan,et al.  Fatal caffeine overdose: two case reports. , 2005, Forensic science international.

[11]  E. Cone,et al.  Caffeine content of energy drinks, carbonated sodas, and other beverages. , 2006, Journal of analytical toxicology.

[12]  Victor G. Aeby,et al.  A survey of energy drink consumption patterns among college students , 2007, Nutrition journal.

[13]  B. Logan,et al.  Ethanol content of various foods and soft drinks and their potential for interference with a breath-alcohol test. , 1998, Journal of Analytical Toxicology.

[14]  S. Pompéia,et al.  Effects of energy drink ingestion on alcohol intoxication. , 2006, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research.

[15]  R. Swift,et al.  Direct measurement of alcohol and its metabolites. , 2003, Addiction.

[16]  Edward J Cone,et al.  Caffeine content of specialty coffees. , 2003, Journal of analytical toxicology.

[17]  R. J. Long,et al.  Validity of transdermal alcohol monitoring: fixed and self-regulated dosing. , 2006, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research.

[18]  S. Kerrigan,et al.  Comparative alcohol concentrations in blood and vitreous fluid with illustrative case studies. , 2005, Journal of analytical toxicology.

[19]  Steve S. Chung,et al.  New-onset seizures in adults: Possible association with consumption of popular energy drinks , 2007, Epilepsy & Behavior.