Acute and Residual Effects of Caffeinated Beer

NCT ID: NCT00515294

Last Updated: 2017-06-28

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE1/PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 154 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2006-10-31
• Study Completion Date: 2009-10-31

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to develop information about the acute and residual effects of a new product being targeted to young adults. Using a double placebo-controlled 2 X 2 factorial model study design, we will compare the acute and residual effects on driving impairment of caffeinated alcohol, non-caffeinated alcohol, caffeinated placebo, and non-caffeinated placebo. Under the alcohol conditions, participants will receive sufficient alcoholic beverage to attain a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .12 g%. Participants will be 144 undergraduate and graduate students, and recent college graduates.

Detailed Description

Caffeinated alcoholic beverages target young adults with the promise that the caffeine will counteract the sedating effects of alcohol and thus let the consumer remain alert and active longer, while continuing to drink. It is likely that in the minds of some young people, this promise also translates into the idea that mixing caffeine with alcohol allows one to drive more safely than would be possible after having consumed an equivalent amount of non-caffeinated alcoholic beverage. These are dangerous assumptions because (1) alertness may not indicate the absence of impairment under intoxication and (2) next-day impairment from the residual effects of heavy drinking may be exacerbated by mixing caffeine and alcohol. We will compare the acute and residual effects of caffeinated and non-caffeinated beer in terms of a highly relevant outcome - the ability to drive safely.

The long-term objectives of this program of research are to investigate factors that predict or contribute to performance decrements after alcohol ingestion, with a focus on behaviors most relevant to public health, such as driving. The primary specific aims of the proposed work are:

AIM 1: To compare the acute effects of caffeinated alcohol, non-caffeinated alcohol, caffeinated placebo, and non-caffeinated placebo on driving-related impairment, as measured by performance on a driving simulator and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT), a test of sustained attention/reaction time. We hypothesize that caffeinated beverage will result in less impaired simulated driving ability and better PVT performance acutely, compared to non-caffeinated beverage, but that performance on these measures following both caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverage be impaired relative to placebo beverages.

AIM 2: To compare the residual effects of caffeinated alcohol, non-caffeinated alcohol, caffeinated placebo, and non-caffeinated placebo on next-day driving-related impairment, as measured by a driving simulator and the PVT. We hypothesize that caffeinated beverage will result in greater impairment in next-day simulated driving and attention/reaction time, relative to non-caffeinated beverage, and that performance following both caffeinated and non-caffeinated alcoholic beverages will be impaired relative to corresponding placebo beverages.

AIM 3: To compare the acute effects of caffeinated alcohol, non-caffeinated alcohol, caffeinated placebo, and non-caffeinated placebo on self-rated ability to drive, as measured by a self assessment of ability-to-drive questionnaire, and estimate of blood alcohol concentration (BAC). We hypothesize that caffeinated alcoholic beverages will result in greater confidence in ability to drive and lower estimates of BAC, compared to non-caffeinated alcoholic beverages, but that for both alcoholic beverages, confidence in driving ability will be lower and estimates of BAC will be greater, relative to placebos.

AIM 4: To compare the residual effects of caffeinated alcohol, non-caffeinated alcohol, caffeinated placebo, and non-caffeinated placebo on self-rated ability to drive. We hypothesize that caffeinated alcoholic beverage will result in lower confidence in ability to drive and higher estimates of BAC, compared to non-caffeinated alcoholic beverage, but that for both alcoholic beverages, confidence in driving ability will be lower and estimates of BAC will be greater, relative to placebo.

Conditions

Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Drug Related Sleep Disturbance; Alcohol Intoxication

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

1Caffeinated Alcoholic Beer

Caffeinated Alcoholic beer

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Caffeinated Alcoholic Beer

Intervention Type: DRUG

Alcoholic Beer plus Caffeine Citrate powder.

2Non-Caffeinated Alcoholic Beer

Non-Caffeinated Alcoholic beer

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Non-Caffeinated Alcoholic Beer

Intervention Type: OTHER

Alcoholic Non-Caffeinated Beer

3Caffeinated Non-Alcoholic Beer

Caffeinated Non-Alcoholic Beer

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Caffeinated Non-Alcoholic Beer

Intervention Type: DRUG

Non-Alcoholic Beer plus Caffeine Citrate powder.

4Non-Caffeinated, Non-Alcoholic Beer

Non-Caffeinated, Non-Alcoholic Beer

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Non-Caffeinated, Non-Alcoholic Beer

Intervention Type: OTHER

Non-Alcoholic Beer

Interventions

Caffeinated Alcoholic Beer

Alcoholic Beer plus Caffeine Citrate powder.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Non-Caffeinated Alcoholic Beer

Alcoholic Non-Caffeinated Beer

Intervention Type: OTHER

Caffeinated Non-Alcoholic Beer

Non-Alcoholic Beer plus Caffeine Citrate powder.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Non-Caffeinated, Non-Alcoholic Beer

Non-Alcoholic Beer

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

69mg caffeine/12oz glass of regular beer; 69mg caffeine/12oz glass of non-alcoholic beer; Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• College students, graduate students, or recent graduates
• Between the ages of 21 and 30 years inclusive (as verified by valid drivers license)
• Who, if a student, reports good academic standing
• Have not been diagnosed with a sleep disorder
• Are not daily smokers
• At least occasionally in the past month, consume five drinks (for men) or more (four or more if female [based on Flannery et al 2002]) during a single drinking episode
• Have a valid drivers license, so as to include only people who know how to drive.

Exclusion Criteria

• Scores of 5 or more on a screening measure for alcoholism (the short version of the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test [SMAST])
• A history of counseling or treatment for chronic substance abuse by self-report
• Daily smoker (to mitigate confounding of caffeine by nicotine withdrawal, or acute nicotine administration, smokers will be excluded from participation)
• Current use of medications that affect the sleep/wake cycle or daytime alertness or that are contraindicated for alcohol
• Presence of a health condition that contraindicates alcohol
• Diagnosis of a sleep disorder (sleep apnea, narcolepsy, periodic limb movement, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorder, and insomnia)
• Use of recreational drugs (e.g., marijuana) while participating in the study
• Working overnight shifts
• Female and pregnant, nursing, or not using reliable birth control
• Participants who have traveled across two or more time zones in the last month will be rescheduled for later participation (minimum of 1 month from time-zone travel)
• On average consume greater than 4 cups of coffee per day (>400 mg/day)
• Participants who report ever getting motion sick during screening or become motion sick after practicing on the driving simulator during Session 1.
• Weigh more than 230 Lbs.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 21 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 30 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Brown University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Michigan

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Boston University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Jonathan Howland, PhD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Boston University

Locations

General Clinical Research Center, Boston Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Countries

United States

References

Howland J, Rohsenow DJ, Arnedt JT, Bliss CA, Hunt SK, Calise TV, Heeren T, Winter M, Littlefield C, Gottlieb DJ. The acute effects of caffeinated versus non-caffeinated alcoholic beverage on driving performance and attention/reaction time. Addiction. 2011 Feb;106(2):335-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03219.x. Epub 2010 Dec 6.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 21134017 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

R49CE000946

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

H-26002

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id