By Taylor Johnson (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: November 28, 2012
Ask almost any student on campus how they unwind during this stressful time of year and most will respond with “a few friends, a good drink and a place to party!” With holidays and the end of semester right around the corner, there is all the more reason for students to cast aside the textbook and get out their party shoes. Jagermeister and Vodka are typical party members who mix well with pop, juices, energy drinks and, in recent headlines, nitrogen gas. No longer are Rum and Coke or Vodka Seven the popular party drinks, but instead Jägerbombs, Vodka Redbulls and Nitro Jagermeisters.
The problem is, liquid nitrogen isn’t exactly as benign as orange juice. Not by a long shot.
The highly reactive gas has potentially dangerous effects, and its consumption led to one young U.K. girl, Gabby Scanlon, having her stomach removed – a surgery which her doctor reported to the Daily Mail saved her life. What caused this healthy 18-year-old’s stomach to virtually explode at her birthday celebration? No, not a combination of drugs or medication, but a highly reactive gas used for preserving liver tissue. Her drink of choice was a Nitro Jagermeister, a spooky-looking martini, which if infused properly with nitrogen creates a stunning visual effect. Cloudy vapours pour over the side of the glass, while sub-zero temperatures chill the drink instantly. It sounds like a cool drink to enjoy on a night out with friends, however nitrogen vapours are not meant to be consumed.
Dr. Robert A. Enns is a clinical professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology. He also works on various committees and editorial boards in regards to gastroenterology. He studied medicine at UBC and specialized at the University in Calgary. For the last 15 years he has been practicing at St. Paul’s Hospital, UBC. His other areas of expertise are therapeutic endoscopy, which he studied at Duke University, technology advancement and clinical research.
Dr. Enns stated that liquid nitrogen freezes any tissue it comes on contact with, like your tongue or esophagus. It also releases vapours and expands up to one thousand times its original size. These vapours, he states, can expand within the stomach. After a meal or consumption of drinks there may be little space for more pressure in the stomach. In extreme cases, the expansion can possibly cause a gastrointestinal perforation, the tearing of the stomach walls. Stomach acid can then leak out of the stomach and cause serious damage to the surrounding area. Dr. Enns recommends that the consumption of nitrogen gas be avoided.
While nitrogen cocktails are not as widely available here in Canada, popular drinks like Jägerbombs and Vodka Redbull can be equally as dangerous. Dr. Enns also warns that energy drinks by themselves contain high levels of caffeine which increases blood pressure and heart rate. Combined with alcohol, those risks are multiplied. Increased heart rate can result in tachycardia, a dramatic increase in resting heart rate to over 100 beats per minute. Dr. Enns states that with high blood pressure and heart rate there comes many other health risks which may arise. His main concern, however, is the immediate effects of combining alcohol with high levels of caffeine. Alcohol, he states, results in a loss of inhibitions. While high levels of caffeine result in an increase of alertness, the combination can lead a person to feel more able then they actually are. They may feel they can do things, such as drive; however the alcohol has tainted their judgement and that can lead to accidents.
With holiday events right around the corner, it’s important to stay safe and enjoy the holidays wisely.
