Does Coffee Counteract the Effects of Alcohol?

We think we can counteract the effects of excessive alcohol with caffeine; But research shows that it is not that easy.


The sedative effect of large amounts of alcohol has been proven. In the first hour and a half after drinking alcohol, the person feels aroused because the alcohol content in the blood is high. Within 2-6 hours after drinking alcohol, drowsiness increases. Caffeine creates the opposite effect. For this reason, it is common to believe that drinking coffee after drinking alcohol will eliminate the effects of alcohol.

But unfortunately the situation is not that simple. Laboratory studies investigating the effect of caffeine on drivers who have consumed alcohol have in the past yielded conflicting results. Some concluded that caffeine eliminated the delayed reaction caused by alcohol, while others concluded that it had no such effect.

A study published in 2009 examined the effect of caffeine on alcohol in more detail. The mice were first given alcohol, and then they were given coffee, equivalent to eight human cups. After coffee, the mice became more alert, but still performed worse than sober mice when trying to navigate the maze.

Process Alcohol

So, it can be said that caffeine eliminates the feeling of fatigue caused by alcohol. This may be the reason why people drink coffee after meals. However, it does not eliminate the intoxication and decreased perception caused by alcohol. Because it is necessary to metabolize alcohol for its effects to wear off. Our body processes alcohol in various ways. Most of it is broken down by two enzymes in the liver. It is then removed from our body as water and carbon dioxide.

Our body metabolizes one unit of alcohol in about an hour. This period may increase or decrease depending on the genetic structure of the person, the amount of food they eat and how often they drink alcohol. Caffeine does not speed up this process. But depending on which function you look at, different effects can be seen. For example, one study showed that excessive amounts of caffeine eliminated the negative effects of alcohol on memory, but dizziness continued.

However, there are also those who claim that caffeine has negative effects. When you feel tired, you realize that you have consumed too much alcohol; But when caffeine eliminates some of that fatigue, you still feel like you're sober.

The findings of a study conducted among high school students in America in 2008 pointed to this. It has been observed that students who consume caffeine-containing beverages in addition to alcohol are much more likely to be injured in an accident or to accept getting into a vehicle driven by someone who is drunk.

To put it briefly, it is possible to eliminate the effects of alcohol not with caffeine, but only by passing the time required for the body to process it.