Just one energy drink can trigger ‘life threatening’ changes to your blood pressure and heart rhythm, experts warn
JUST one energy drink can trigger potentially “life threatening” changes in blood pressure and heart rhythm, new research has warned.
A study showed a single supersize 946ml can sparked more "abnormal" electrical heart activity than when the same amount of caffeine is consumed.
Researchers warned that people also had higher blood pressure six hours after drinking the beverage, while those simple drinking caffeine did not.
In the US the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally considers caffeine in doses of less than 400mg safe.
But energy drinks often contain not only caffeine but a host of other stimulants including taurine, guarana, and ginseng.
And with more than 500 brands of energy drink on the market, there has been a surge in people ending up in A&E after guzzling them.
There have even been deaths reported, prompting questions over their safety, the researchers warned.
Dr Emily Fletcher, a deputy pharmacy flight commander at the US Air Force who led the study, said: “There are currently more than 500 energy drink products available on the market purported to boost physical and mental alertness.
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"In line with their increased popularity is a coinciding rise in energy drink-associated emergency department visits and deaths, which has led to questions about their true safety profile.
"Due to the fact that multiple ingredients in energy drinks have the ability to alter electrophysiological properties, their sole and concurrent use needs further scrutiny.
"The long-term use of energy drinks also needs particular attention.
"Certain populations may consider exercising caution when consuming energy drinks."
Eighteen healthy volunteers took part in the study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
They had their blood pressure and heart monitored before and after drinking 946ml of energy drink or a mix of fruit juice, syrup and fizzy water.
Both drinks contained 320mg of caffeine and the volunteers drank them within 45 minutes.
Researchers at the David Grant US Air Force Medical Center, in California, then gave the volunteers the alternative drink six days later, and repeated their experiments.
Their findings showed people typically had more "abnormal" electrical heart activity two hours after drinking the energy drink, compared to the control drink.
Their blood pressure was also higher after six hours.
High blood pressure can be life-threatening, increasing a person's risk of heart disease, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.
The difference in electrical activity - known as QTc intervals - can cause the heart to beat abnormally, which researchers warn "can be life-threatening".
The researchers warned more damage could be done when energy drinks are mixed with booze.
Dr Fletcher said: "The consumption of energy drinks with alcohol is another practice common in some social settings.
"Caution should be exercised as combining alcohol or illicit substances with energy drinks may trigger or exacerbate untoward cardiovascular events."
The researchers would not name the energy drink they used in their experiments, and said more research is needed to look at the effects of individual ingredients.
In line with their increased popularity is a coinciding rise in energy drink-associated emergency department visits and deaths, which has led to questions about their true safety profile
Dr Emily Fletcher
Dr Fletcher added: "Our findings are concerning since caffeine likely does not affect the QTc interval based on previous studies."
Gavin Partington, from the British Soft Drinks Association, said the caffeine levels in energy drinks are no different to that in coffee.
"So these findings are somewhat odd," he told The Sun.
"The European Food Safety Authority latest opinion confirms the safety of energy drinks and their ingredients and therefore does not provide any scientific justification to treat energy drinks any differently to the main contributors to daily caffeine intake including tea, coffee and chocolate."
Past studies have raised concerns over energy drinks.
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