One energy drink can harm a young healthy heart

Blood pressure and stress hormone levels increase just half an hour after an energy drink.

Energy drinks are beverages that supposedly boost physical and mental performance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), energy drinks are regularly consumed by around 31% of teenagers aged 12-17 and 34% of adults aged 18-24.

It is believed that caffeine is the most harmful substance in most energy drinks and a single can or bottle can contain between 80 mg and 500 mg of caffeine. For sake of comparison, a 500 mg cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine.

Energy drinks also have a high sugar content.

A research done by Dr. Anna Svatikova, a cardiology fellow at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, US found a rise in BP and stress hormone levels after consumption of energy drinks and concluded that energy drink consumption may “predispose an increased risk of cardiac events even in healthy people.”

Dr. Svatikova further adds, ‘These results suggest that people should be cautious when consuming energy drinks due to possible health risks. Asking patients about energy drink consumption should become routine for physicians, particularly when interpreting vital signs in the acute setting.’

One has to be careful about consuming energy drinks because a 2013 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found the number of emergency department visits in the US due to energy drink consumption doubled from 10,068 visits to 20,783 in the 5-year period (2007-11).

The alternative to energy drinks is just plain water, being active the whole day, eating right (avoid fast foods and processed foods) and sleeping well.

Leave the energy drink for the day when you intend to work out for over an hour or are participating in an endurance sport like running a marathon. Try just plain water and banana instead of energy drinks the next time you workout; these are healthier options.