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Text: Little Fish
Editor|Little Fish
——【· Preface ·】——》
In a joyous gathering, the clinking of glasses often masks the potential danger. But have you ever thought that the mixing of certain beverages can be a "ticking time bomb" for your brain?
Studies have shown that mixing two common beverages together can cause long-term damage to the brain, like an undercurrent that is undetectable.
They may be a frequent occurrence at your party, but you definitely don't want to inadvertently drink such a "poison". So, what exactly are these two drinks? What is the hidden truth behind them?
A mixed drink with a hidden secret
In modern society, mixed drinks have become the first choice for many people to socialize. Colorful cocktails are not only pleasing to the eye, but also satisfy different tastes. However, just as people are immersed in this colorful world of drinks, researchers at the University of Cagliari in Italy have discovered a shocking fact.
In August 2024, this group of diligent scientists published a groundbreaking study in the prestigious journal Neuropharmacology. Their discovery was a wake-up call for people who were immersed in the illusion of mixed drinks.
Studies have shown that mixing alcohol with energy drinks may cause more serious long-term damage to the brain, rather than mitigating the negative effects of alcohol. The main participants in this study are a group of young and promising neuroscientists.
Their leader, Professor Marco · Pisano, has been studying the effects of alcohol on the human body. By chance, he noticed that more and more young people liked to mix alcohol with energy drinks. This phenomenon alerted him and prompted him to undertake this 53-day in-depth study.
Covert experiments in adolescent rats
To gain insight into the effects of mixed drinking on the brain, the research team selected adolescent male rats as test subjects. This choice was not accidental, but a deliberate decision. Adolescence is a critical time for brain development and the age at which many people begin to be exposed to alcohol.
By looking at rats from this period, the scientists hope to reveal the potential harm to the brains of young people when mixed drinking. The experiment was divided into four groups: the control group drank tap water, the second group drank only alcohol, the third group drank only energy drinks, and the fourth group drank a mixture of alcohol and energy drinks.
The researchers carefully designed the drinking dose to ensure that it corresponded to the actual amount of drinking in humans. Each day, the rats received a dose equivalent to 18-24 grams of alcohol, or two cans of energy drink, for a 70-kilogram adult. During the 53-day experiment, the researchers closely observed the behavioral changes in these rats every day.
They record every subtle reaction, every abnormal performance. Over time, rats in the mixed drinking group began to show some worrisome symptoms. Their behavior becomes more nervous and agitated, and their ability to adapt to their environment decreases significantly.
The silent cry of the brain
After the experiment, the researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of the cognitive function of these rats through advanced brain scanning techniques and a series of sophisticated behavioral tests. The results were striking: rats in the mixed drinking group showed significant deterioration in learning and memory.
Of particular note is that the hippocampus of these rats was severely affected. The hippocampus, a key region of the brain responsible for learning and memory, has a decline in function that implies long-term cognitive impairment.
The researchers found that the rats in the mixed drinking group had significantly lower levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which directly led to a decline in their learning and memory functions. These discoveries are like a hammer that wakes up the scientific community. They not only reveal the potential harms of mixed drinking, but also sound the alarm about human drinking behavior.
Researchers speculate that this harm may stem from the interaction of caffeine in alcohol and energy drinks. Caffeine, as a stimulant, may mask the inhibiting effects of alcohol, causing the drinker to unknowingly consume excessive amounts of alcohol, which can exacerbate the damage to the brain.
The multiple crises of mixed drinks
However, mixing alcohol with energy drinks isn't the only combination to be wary of. The researchers took a closer look at other common ways to drink and found that each combination had different potential health risks.
Mixing alcohol with carbonated beverages, which may seem to improve the taste, is actually a dangerous trap. The carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks irritates the stomach lining and accelerates gastric emptying, allowing alcohol to be absorbed more quickly by the small intestine.
This not only leads to a rapid increase in blood alcohol concentration, increasing the risk of drunkenness, but may also induce acute gastroenteritis and even aggravate pre-existing gastrointestinal diseases.
There are also pitfalls associated with mixing tea with alcohol. Theophylline in tea has a diuretic effect that may cause acetaldehyde that has not yet been completely broken down to enter the kidneys prematurely, causing an unnecessary burden on kidney function. This combination is even worse for people whose liver and kidney functions are already impaired.
The combination of coffee and alcohol can be a big blow to the heart. Both stimulate the central nervous system, and when combined, exacerbate the stimulation of the adrenal glands, causing blood vessels to dilate, increasing the burden on the heart.
For people with a history of heart disease, this combination can be an invisible killer of acute heart disease.
The smart choice to protect your health
In the face of these troubling discoveries, should we ban alcohol altogether? The researchers, according to the researchers, are responsible and scientific drinking. They have come up with a series of recommendations designed to help people enjoy life while minimizing the health hazards of alcohol.
Remember not to drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Moderate intake of foods, such as vegetables, meat, or yogurt before drinking, can effectively slow down the absorption of alcohol and provide some protection for the gastrointestinal tract. Secondly, it is necessary to develop the habit of drinking slowly in small sips.
This not only allows people to better taste the taste of alcohol, but also provides the liver with sufficient time to metabolize and reduce the impact of alcohol on the body. During and after drinking, it is crucial to drink plenty of plain water. Water helps to dilute the concentration of alcohol in the blood and promotes the metabolism and elimination of alcohol.
Some people also recommend drinking some honey water or sugar water after drinking alcohol, as sugars can promote the metabolism of alcohol in the liver to a certain extent, while also relieving the symptoms of hypoglycemia that may occur after drinking.
Most importantly, try to avoid mixing drinks. Whether mixed with energy drinks, carbonated drinks, or tea or coffee, drinking it can pose unexpected health risks. If you can't avoid it, take extra care to control the amount you drink and keep an eye on how your body reacts.
——[· Conclusion ·] ——"
This study sheds light on the hidden health risks behind mixed drinks, particularly the potential damage to cognitive function in the brain.
It reminds us that the focus on physical health should not be neglected in the pursuit of taste and excitement. Drinking rationally and scientifically is not only responsible for oneself, but also a manifestation of responsibility for one's family and society.
Let us cherish and protect our health while enjoying life, and toast to a better future.
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