You have probably been there. A late night, lots of call outs and your phone rings again with someone else in trouble. If you are one of those people who turn to high-energy caffeine drinks to get you through the night then you might need to think again. A new study of these products by the US National Safety Commission has shown that an hour after drinking the drink, drivers are likely to experience short lapses in concentration and slower reaction times as the drink wears off.

The report goes on to point out that excessive caffeine consumption can actually cause what it terms “caffeine intoxication”, with symptoms similar to being drunk on alcohol, such as irritability, nervousness, irregular heartbeat and rambling speech.