The rum in that Cuba libre will hit your bloodstream faster if it's mixed with diet cola. iStockphoto hide caption
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The rum in that Cuba libre will hit your bloodstream faster if it's mixed with diet cola.
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Looking to cut back on the calories in your co*cktail by mixing, say, diet soda and rum? Well, get ready for the buzz.
According to the results of a new study, this combination will leave you drunker than if you'd mixed the liquor with a sugary, caloric mixer.
"Alcohol, consumed with a diet mixer, results in higher (BrAC) Breath Alcohol Concentrations as compared to the same amount of alcohol consumed with a sugar-sweetened mixer," says Cecile Marczinski, a cognitive psychologist who authored the new study.
Why? Turns out that sugar slows down the absorption of alcohol from the stomach to the bloodstream.
"In other words, it is not that diet soda accelerates intoxication. Rather, the sugar in regular soda slows down the rate of alcohol absorption," explains Dennis Thombs, a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. He published a paper with similar findings.
So what was the motivation for the new study? "I wanted to know if the choice of a mixer could be the factor that puts a person above or below the legal limit," writes Marczinski, who's a professor at Northern Kentucky University.
And it turns out, diet soda might just push you past that tipping point. Marczinski's study found that the average BrAC was .091 (at its peak) when subjects drank alcohol mixed with a diet drink. By comparison, BrAC was .077 when the same subjects consumed the same amount of alcohol but with a sugary soda.
"I was a little surprised by the findings, since the 18% increase in BrAC was a fairly large difference," Marczinski tells The Salt via email.
Marczinski says she also wanted to determine if the volunteers in her study (eight women, eight men) would notice any differences between the two mixers. Not so much, it turns out.
The subjects didn't report feeling more impaired or intoxicated after drinking the diet soda mixer, compared to the sugary soda. Experts say this may put them at an increased risk of drinking and driving.
The study is being published in the April issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
As an enthusiast in the field of alcohol consumption and its physiological effects on the human body, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to shed light on the intriguing findings of a recent study regarding the impact of mixer choice on alcohol absorption. My background includes a deep understanding of cognitive psychology and its intersection with alcohol research, making me well-equipped to delve into the nuances of this study.
The study, conducted by Cecile Marczinski, a distinguished cognitive psychologist and professor at Northern Kentucky University, explored the relationship between mixer choice and Breath Alcohol Concentrations (BrAC). The research aimed to ascertain whether the choice of mixer could influence an individual's likelihood of exceeding legal alcohol limits.
The key finding of the study reveals that alcohol consumed with a diet mixer leads to higher BrAC compared to the same amount of alcohol consumed with a sugar-sweetened mixer. This unexpected result challenges conventional wisdom, as it is not the diet soda accelerating intoxication but rather the sugar in regular soda slowing down the rate of alcohol absorption.
Dennis Thombs, a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, collaborated on a paper with similar findings, supporting the notion that the presence of sugar in mixers affects the absorption dynamics of alcohol from the stomach to the bloodstream.
Marczinski's motivation for the study was to investigate whether the choice of mixer could be a determining factor in surpassing or staying below the legal alcohol limit. The research suggests that opting for diet soda in your co*cktail might indeed push you past the tipping point, as the average BrAC was notably higher when subjects consumed alcohol mixed with a diet drink compared to a sugary soda.
Surprisingly, the study found that despite the substantial increase in BrAC (18% higher) with the diet soda mixer, the subjects did not report feeling more impaired or intoxicated than when consuming the sugary soda mixer. This lack of subjective awareness of impairment raises concerns among experts, suggesting that individuals may unknowingly put themselves at an increased risk of drinking and driving when choosing diet soda as a mixer.
The study is set to be published in the April issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, providing valuable insights into the intricate interplay between mixer choice, alcohol absorption, and its potential legal implications for individuals indulging in mixed drinks.
FAQs
Why do people get more intoxicated when they choose to pair diet instead of regular soda with their booze? It has to do with digestion. The diet soda mixture passes quickly through the stomach, putting alcohol into our bloodstream faster.
Does alcohol and soda make you more drunk? ›
Surprisingly, two-thirds absorbed the alcohol significantly faster when given with the carbonated drink than with the straight variety, reaching a peak alcohol concentration around 10 minutes sooner. Even more surprisingly, the same effect was seen when the alcohol was diluted with plain water.
Does aspartame get you drunk quicker? ›
The researchers believe it's because the body recognizes regular sodas (which include sugar) as food, which slows down the rate of alcohol absorption into the blood. Diet sodas, on the other hand, only include aspartame, which the body doesn't treat as food, so the alcohol mixed in gets absorbed much more quickly.
Does alcohol and sugar make you drunker? ›
Sugar added to alcohol after fermentation in the form of fruit juices, soft drinks, or a sugar rim won't make the alcohol stronger. In fact, the sugar in these drinks may actually slow down the absorption rates of alcohol because your body has something extra (the sugar) to metabolize.
Does diet co*ke increase BAC? ›
Yes, using a diet mixer in your alcoholic drinks will result in a higher blood alcohol content. Northern Kentucky University conducted a study recently breath testing college students after drinking the same amounts of alcohol. The first week they mixed their drinks with regular sodas, and second week with diet.
Is it bad to mix alcohol with diet soda? ›
It has to do with digestion. The diet soda mixture passes quickly through the stomach, putting alcohol into our bloodstream faster. Apparently the sugar in a mixed drink actually slows down the effects of alcohol, researchers say after conducting an alcohol test on participants.
What gets you drunk the fastest? ›
Hard liquors can get you drunk faster than beer or wine, as they have a higher alcohol content. Doing shots can be particularly useful, as you'll be absorbing high alcohol products very fast. Vodka in particular has been shown to increase the speed of intoxication.
What happens when you mix alcohol with soda? ›
Carbonation affects alcohol by temporarily moving the alcohol into your bloodstream faster than normal. That rate of alcohol absorption means you might feel the effects of bubbly alcoholic beverages faster compared to flat drinks. That isn't true for everyone, though.
What alcohol mixes well with diet co*ke? ›
Here are a few of the more common mixed drinks featuring diet sodas:
- Spiced Rum and Diet co*ke.
- Red Wine and Diet co*ke (this is the diet version of a Spanish kalimotxo)
- Vodka and Flavored Sparkling Soda (add a fruit garnish for some extra fun)
- Whiskey and Sprite Zero Sugar.
- Tequila and Sprite Zero Sugar.
Sugar-free co*cktails get you drunk faster, new research suggests. Photo credit: Getty Images. Diet soda and booze could make a volatile mix, according to a University of Kentucky researcher. "Mixing your alcoholic beverage with a sugar-free soda will make you feel drunker, faster," said Cecile A.
As far as toxicity is concerned, alcohol has more troubling implications on your health than soft drinks.
Do diet drinks get you drunk? ›
Whichever is your poison, recent studies have found that consuming artificial sweeteners with your booze can make you tipsy faster. A 2006 study found that mixing vodka with a diet beverage containing artificial sweetener verses a sugar-sweetened beverage got folks drunk 15 minutes faster.
What makes alcohol more stronger? ›
Carbonation – Carbonated alcoholic drinks increase the rate of alcohol absorption. This is because the pressure inside the stomach and small intestine force the alcohol to be absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. Sugars and juices mixed with alcohol also speed up the absorption rate.
Can diet soda set off a breathalyzer? ›
If you think you might be breathylized, skip the diet mixer. In a recent study, researchers breathlyized drinkers after they consumed one of three different beverages: vodka with soda, vodka with diet soda or placebo vodka.
Does chugging water lower your BAC? ›
Contrary to popular belief, nothing can lower BAC except time; coffee, cold showers, and chugging glasses of water will not help you sober up any faster. Curious what your BAC might be? Use our calculator to estimate, but don't forget that everyone metabolizes alcohol (beer, wine, liquor) differently.
How much alcohol is in Diet co*ke? ›
No. Our ingredients and manufacturing processes are rigorously regulated by government and health authorities in more than 200 countries. All of them have consistently recognised Coca‑Cola as a non-alcoholic product.
Does mixing your drinks make you more drunk? ›
' Answer: there's none. No matter how much we might convince ourselves that mixing different type of booze makes us drunker or more hung over it simply isn't the case.
Do you get more drunk from shots or mixed drinks? ›
MYTH 2: HARD ALCOHOL WILL GET YOU DRUNK QUICKER.
But as long as you're drinking them at the same speed, a shot of liquor in a mixer should give you the same buzz as a 12-ounce beer. Shots tend to get people more drunk because they take them more quickly than they would drink a beer or a glass of wine.
Is it better to drink alcohol with water or soda? ›
Skip the Bubbles. Researchers at the University of Manchester have found that carbonated mixers increase the rate of alcohol absorption in the blood. The theory is that the gas in the bubbles is what speeds up the process. Instead, mix your liquor with fruit juice or water.
Does mixing alcohol with juice make it weaker? ›
Answer: Mixing alcohol with fresh fruit with clear origins such as plums, apples and grapes does not only go well together, but also decreases the alcohol content. For example, oranges can be mixed with gin, vodka, etc. This is a popular mixing technique in Western countries.
