High blood pressure, anxiety and chest pain are just some of the symptoms doctors are seeing in young people consuming caffeinated energy drinks, as a new study links the beverages with heart problems.<\/p>\n
The drinks and workout supplements are disproportionately linked to serious cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, in research to be presented at the American Heart Association\u2019s Scientific Sessions on Friday.<\/p>\n
A review of more than 28,000 adverse events reported to the US Food and Drug Administration between 2017 and 2025 showed caffeinated drinks were linked to heart problems far more often than regular beverages.<\/p>\n
Cardiac issues were found particularly among adults aged 18 to 34, a group not usually considered at high risk of cardiovascular events.<\/p>\n
While it is generally considered safe to drink about five cups of coffee a day (around 44mg of caffeine), some energy drinks<\/a> contain three times that amount.<\/p>\n Pre-workout supplements, meanwhile, are potentially even more problematic and are loaded with 12 times as much caffeine for each fluid ounce as regular coffee.<\/p>\n Dr Gregory Marcus, chairman of the American Heart Association, called for more research to understand the full effect of caffeinated drinks on young people.<\/p>\n \u201cThis study raises concerns that products with very high amounts of caffeine may be harmful to the cardiovascular system,\u201d Dr Marcus said. <\/p>\n \u201cAlthough there are biological reasons why that connection could be possible, the study does not prove that caffeine products cause these events, because other factors may have influenced the results found in this analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n Heart attacks<\/p>\n Cardiac arrest was reported about 11 times more often in connection with caffeinated drinks compared with caffeine-free products.<\/p>\n Reports involving energy drinks and supplements were about 4.5 times more likely to include heart attacks and four times more likely to include abnormal heart rhythms or palpitations.<\/p>\n Elevated heart rate, chest pain and fainting were more than twice as common in people who used products containing caffeine or other stimulants.<\/p>\n Almost half of reports linking caffeinated products with cardiovascular events involved people aged 18 to 34, with similar patterns among men and women.<\/p>\n Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine analysed data from a US government database to compare reports of adverse reactions related to caffeine products, including soft drinks, meal replacement shakes, protein bars, smoothies and vitamins. <\/p>\n Their research noted many products were marketed as everyday pick-me-ups and sold in stores next to soda and bottled water without warning labels.<\/p>\n