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| quote: | Originally posted by Mrs.Spice
lol u cant call alcohol and caffeine uppers and downers....they're not true drugs. and by the way....they do cancel each other out.
why do you say its not a good idea anyways? |
The word “downer” is slang for a large group of drugs called depressants. Downers, in general, fall into two main categories: tranquilizers and sedative-hypnotics. The term “tranquilizer” needs little explanation. “Sedative-hypnotics,” though, refer to the sedative or calming effect of all downers as well as hypnotic or sleep-inducing effect. This sedative-hypnotic property of downers is a result of their ability to slow or depress the central nervous system (CNS). In general, the effects of CNS depressants are similar to the effects of alcohol: each produces relaxation and decreased inhibition, slowed motor coordination, and lethargy.
Medically, caffeine is useful as a cardiac stimulant and also as a mild diuretic (it increases urine production). Recreationally, it is used to provide a "boost of energy" or a feeling of heightened alertness. It's often used to stay awake longer -- college students and drivers use it to stay awake late into the night. Many people feel as though they "cannot function" in the morning without a cup of coffee to provide caffeine and the boost it gives them.
Caffeine is an addictive drug. Among its many actions, it operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines, cocaine and heroin use to stimulate the brain. On a spectrum, caffeine's effects are more mild than amphetamines, cocaine and heroin, but it is manipulating the same channels, and that is one of the things that gives caffeine its addictive qualities.
Alcohol and caffeine do not necessarily cancel out each others effects. Depending on how fast each of the elemtns is metabolized,
they can lead to a rollercoaster of effects. You can have very quick modulations in heart rate, cardiac output, and blood pressure. One aspect in which they 2 drugs amplify their effects is that they both lead to increased urine output (you lose more water). You therefore need to be very careful with dehydration when mixing caffeine with alcohol...esp if you are dancing

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