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Energy drinks and alcohol? Not a good mix, doctors say, especially if they are being consumed by teenagers.

A new report, published in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics in Review, looks at existing research and concludes that the caffeine-laden beverages cause a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, obesity and other medical problems in teenagers.

When energy drinks are combined with alcohol, the potential harms can be severe, including insomnia, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, and digestive problems.

"I don't think there is any sensationalism going on here. These drinks can be dangerous for teens," said review lead author Dr. Kwabena Blankson, a U.S. Air Force major and an adolescent medicine specialist at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va. "They contain too much caffeine and other additives that we don't know enough about. Healthy eating, exercise and adequate sleep are better ways to get energy."

The study noted that consuming a can of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage may be equivalent to drinking a bottle of wine and a few cups of coffee.

Teens who mix alcohol with energy drinks are unable to actually feel how drunk they are because of the high caffeine quantity, leading them to underestimate just how much they've consumed.

Sixteen-ounce cans of Red Bull, Monster Energy Assault and Rockstar hold about 160 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, according to the report. However, a much smaller container of the drink Cocaine -- briefly banned in 2007 -- has 280 mg in just 8.4 ounces. By contrast, a typical cup of coffee packs a caffeine punch of about 100 mg.