The energy drink market is exploding with sales of $12.5 billion annually. Men, Hispanics and those with children in the household are the largest users. The majority of this group is made up of young to middle-aged adults who are entering the age where risk factors for heart disease are starting to appear. Yet, few people report their energy drink usage to their doctors. Why should they? Isn’t a can of Red Bull or a shot of 5-hour Energy just a simple pick-me-up to get through the day? Not if you are at risk for heart disease.
Almost all energy drinks (96%) contain caffeine, typically with about 10 milligrams of caffeine in each ounce. Energy shots are more potent and carry more caffeine in a smaller dose. Excessive caffeine can lead to a massive release of calcium within heart cells. Calcium helps the heart to contract so that it can pump efficiently and use oxygen. If this pumping system is disrupted, arrhythmias (an irregular heartbeat) may result.
Overdoing energy drinks can lead to caffeine syndrome – a fast heart rate, tremors, anxiety and headache. For people with heart problems large intakes of caffeine can worsen their condition with possible fatal consequences. Though rare, there have been reports of unexplained sudden death and heart attacks that have been tied to energy drinks. People with pre-existing heart conditions or those at risk for heart disease because of a family history need to be aware of the potential dangers of regularly using energy drinks.
