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Reach a mug of coffee may be the worst thing you can do to try to sober up, a study suggests.

Research on mice shows that drinking can make you feel that you come to your senses – but it is only an illusion. Actually makes it harder for people to realize that they are under the influence of alcohol. The study by Temple University in Philadelphia, appears in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience.

Lead researcher Dr. Thomas Gould said:”The myth of coffee’s sobering responsibilities is particularly important to debunk because the common use of caffeine and alcohol can actually lead to poor decisions with disastrous results.

“People who feel tired and drunk after drinking alcohol may be more inclined to acknowledge that they are full.

“Conversely, people who have consumed both alcohol and caffeine to feel awake and competent enough to handle potentially dangerous situations such as driving while intoxicated or to place themselves in dangerous social situations.”

The researchers tested how well adult mice were able to navigate their way around a maze to avoid unpleasant stimuli such as light and loud noises.

Nasty shock

The animals were given doses of alcohol and caffeine in various combinations, and their performance on the maze were compared with others who received a neutral salt solution. Alcohol made the animals more relaxed and less able to avoid unpleasant shocks. Animals that received caffeine were slightly better to navigate the maze, but was more alert and nervous.

The combination of alcohol and caffeine appeared to produce relatively alert, relaxed animals was still incompetent to circumvent unpleasant shock. Scientists believe that humans, the combination can cause people to feel that they are not full when in fact they still are. The doses of caffeine administered to mice was up to the human equivalent to eight cups of coffee.

Dr. Gould said,”The bottom line is that despite the appeal of being able to stay up all night and drink, all the indications are serious risks associated with caffeine-alcohol combination.”