College students pulling all-nighters are usually familiar with energy drink Red Bull, but a study shows the popular practice of mixing it with alcohol may have dangerous results as Red Bull does not actually mask drinkers’ drowsiness.

The report, which will appear in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that when people mix Red Bull with alcohol they often think they feel less drunk, yet the drink does not have this effect on drinkers and does not reduce their blood-alcohol levels.

Professor David Rosenbloom, the director of the Alcohol Prevention Center at Boston University, said the study confirmed what he long-suspected.

“[Test participants] reported that they felt better and had fewer side effects [with the Red Bull mixed drink], but when they were tested, their blood alcohol levels were the same as if they hadn’t had any caffeine,” he said. “The caffeine has absolutely no effect on your measurable blood alcohol content and performance.”

Rosenbloom added that people who report feeling better and experiencing less of a hangover with Red Bull are possibly fooling themselves.

“The question is did they feel better because it was a placebo or because the caffeine was treating the headache or hangover?” he said.

Patrice Radden, the director of Red Bull Communications, said that although it is safe to mix the energy drink with alcohol, Red Bull is not designed to counteract the sedative effects of alcohol as many people assume.

“There is no reason why Red Bull energy drink should not, like any other drink, be mixed with alcohol … as long as people do not underestimate that alcohol consumption might impair their mental and physical activities,” she said.

Red Bull’s website claims that when consumed on its own, the energy drink increases “performance, concentration and reaction speed” and “improves vigilance and emotional status and stimulates metabolism.”

The site also explains that, contrary to popular belief, Red Bull does not re-hydrate the body. This would create a potentially dangerous situation when mixed with alcohol, which increases a person’s need for water.

Radden said the intended benefits of the energy drink would be hurt when mixed with alcohol.

“We do not promote Red Bull energy drink as a mixer with alcohol as this might impair the positive effects of Red Bull energy drink as advertised,” Radden said.

Despite the study’s findings, bar-goers convinced of Red Bull’s energizing effects will still be likely to order up a dose of caffeine with their alcohol.

T’s Pub bartender John Macmillan said the bar generally serves Red Bull with vodka and sometimes with Jägermeister.

“[Clients] probably have the same amount of [Red Bull and vodka] as any other drink,” Macmillman said. “Supposedly, the higher the caffeine, the quicker the alcohol gets to the bloodstream, but I don’t seem to notice a huge difference in the [clients’ behaviors].”

College of Communication freshman and international student Sophie Hoeller said that Red Bull and vodka was popular in Germany.

“Red Bull and vodka is all that anyone drinks in Germany in clubs,” Hoeller said. “Since alcohol is a depressant and Red Bull is a stimulant, I guess you don’t get as tired.”