Energy drinks are consumed by people from all walks of life. They are common among the physically active, among busy professionals and among those with an active social life. Many energy drink brands cater to these various groups by promising more energy without any serious side effects. Scientific evidence suggests, however, that certain people are at risk of serious side effects if they consume energy drinks.
Function
Energy drinks serve the simple purpose of boosting your energy levels. Certain energy drinks cater to exercise-conscious individuals and promise more endurance for physical activity, such as running or strength training. Other energy drinks are targeted at professionals who need an extra boost to get them through their working day, and some energy drinks are marketed for social scenes. Some energy drinks contain as much as 80 mg of caffeine and 1,000 mg of taurine. The two combined can impact heart function.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations are typically not dangerous but can be signs of a more serious heart condition. Palpitations are characterized by rapid and pounding, sometimes fluttering heartbeats, lasting usually only for short periods of time. Palpitations may be a symptom of arrhythmia in more serious cases. While heart palpitations can be caused by a number of factors, such as stress, exercise or medication, energy drinks also have the ability to spur them on. The stimulating effect energy drinks have can make the heart beat irregularly or quickly. This effect is commonly triggered by an energy drink's caffeine and taurine combination.
Heart Conditions
If you have an existing heart condition, energy drinks could raise your heart rate significantly, according to FoxNews.com. People with heart disease are also more susceptible to high heart rates. In a study conducted by Wayne State University, participants who consumed two cans of an energy drink saw their systolic blood pressure increase by 9.6 percent and their diastolic blood pressure by 7.8 percent within four hours after consuming the drinks. Their heart rate increased by 11 percent. The participants were physically inactive during the observation period, which indicates that blood pressure and heart rate could increase even more if consuming energy drinks while active. This could be an especially concerning issue if you have a heart condition and consume an energy drink during or after exercise.
Alcohol
Some energy drinks are commonly used as mixers for alcoholic beverages. The energy drink seemingly lessens the effect alcohol has on you, however, the alcohol in your system can still impair you. The energy drink merely masks any impairment through its stimulating agents -- namely caffeine and taurine. Your heart rate can become elevated by an energy drink's stimulants alone, but adding alcohol into the mix can further increase the risk for heart palpitations and arrhythmia. Your blood pressure can also be affected by the mixed signals the body is receiving from the energy drink's stimulants and alcohol's depressants.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Heart Palpitations; April 2011
- FoxNews.com; Study -- Energy Drinks Risky for People with Heart Problems, High Blood Pressure
- State University of New York; Mixing Alcohol & Energy Drinks May Spell Disaster; Keith Cambrel
- Mail Online; High Energy Drinks Raise Heart Rate and Blood Pressure; Jenny Hope; November 2007
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