You may have heard of different ways to reduce blood alcohol levels (BAC) to avoid failing a breathalyzer test. And one of the tricks you may have come across is drinking coffee. So, does this work?
Here is what to know about caffeine and alcohol levels:
It does not work
The idea behind coffee helping someone drunk is that alcohol causes drowsiness whereas caffeine increases mental alertness and physical energy. This has nothing to do with how the body metabolizes alcohol. One may feel alert and less drunk, but their BAC level won’t be lessened.
What about other caffeinated drinks?
Like coffee, other caffeinated drinks, such as energy drinks, have also not been proven to reduce BAC levels. It’s not uncommon for people to mix alcohol with energy drinks to mask the depressant effects of alcohol. However, this can be riskier.
Firstly, it can increase the chances of binge drinking. If someone takes too long to experience the depressant effects of alcohol, they are likely to drink more.
Additionally, mixing a depressant and a stimulant can potentially damage the heart since they both affect blood pressure. Alcohol typically decreases blood pressure at first before increasing it after some time, while energy drinks increase it. Mixing alcohol and energy drinks can raise blood pressure considerably, which can lead to irregular heartbeat, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath or a heart attack, especially after a long-term excessive use of the combination.
Thus, one may end up dealing with more problems than failing a breathalyzer test.
Time is the only way to reduce BAC levels. Your body needs time to metabolize alcohol. If you fail a breathalyzer test, learn more about your defense options to protect your record.
