The issue of the harm caused by energy drinks is becoming increasingly discussed in the scientific community and in the press, which is related to their incredible popularity, rapid increase in product variety on store shelves, and real facts of serious consequences of consumption, especially among the younger generation.
Some might argue: “They are no more dangerous and harmful than an ordinary cup of coffee!”
Most energy drinks do indeed contain NO more caffeine than a cup of coffee from Starbucks.
However, the question is not only about caffeine but also about other ingredients, more precisely – their combination.
In this article, we have gathered scientific facts about the harm of energy drinks, as well as expert opinions on the matter.
Main thoughts:
Regular consumption of sweet energy drinks increases the risk of developing diabetes by ~30%
Expert Opinions on the Harm of Energy Drinks
The opinions of experts below are taken from the website CNN from a piece dedicated to journalists’ investigation of the harm caused by energy drinks.
“Over the years of research, we have come closer to understanding the dangers of energy drinks to health,” says Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist from McGregor Medical School.
The American Beverage Association argues: “…we are confident in their absolute safety, as the ingredients in their composition are also found in other products and are natural, and their safety has been thoroughly researched.”
Energy drink manufacturers: “the ingredients in their composition are also found in other products and their safety has been thoroughly researched“
The benefits, harms, and uselessness of a particular product are determined by what is inside it.
The composition of energy drinks from various manufacturers is quite similar and usually includes:
- caffeine;
- sugar;
- B vitamins;
- legal stimulants such as guarana (a plant from the Amazon rainforest);
- taurine – an amino acid that is naturally found in fish and meat;
- L-carnitine – a substance better known as fat burner, one of whose functions in the body is to convert fats into energy (scientific studies, by the way, do not confirm the effectiveness of L-carnitine for weight loss).
“The reason for concern is that all these vitamins, amino acids, and plant ingredients are present in them in larger quantities than in their natural form in foods or plants, and that their combination with caffeine significantly enhances the stimulating effect,” says Katherine Zeratsky, a dietitian at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Higgins, who has long studied the harm of energy drinks to the body, confirms:
“As for caffeine, sugar, and stimulants, more thorough research is needed on what negative consequences their combined action may lead to.
It’s somewhat like a black hole… we know very little about how their combination works.”
Dr. Higgins: “The ingredients in energy drinks and how they act in combination is somewhat like a black hole… we know very little about how their combination works“
“People need to be aware of this. For certain categories, energy drinks can be very dangerous; this primarily concerns teenagers under 18, pregnant women, those with heightened sensitivity to caffeine or who do not regularly consume caffeine, or those taking certain medications.”
Representatives of the American Beverage Association argue:
“People around the world have been consuming energy drinks for 25 years and no one has been harmed yet… all their ingredients are found in many other natural products.”
When it comes to the harm of energy drinks, the quantity is of colossal importance and dangerous consequences arise from uncontrolled consumption in excessive amounts. Remember this thought.
And how much is too much?
Read on to find out.
The main reason for the dangerous side effects of energy drinks is their consumption in excessively large volumes
13 facts about the harm of energy drinks based on scientific data
The side effects of energy drinks have much in common with the side effects of caffeine, but they also have their own specifics.
1 Harm of energy drinks to the heart
You may have noticed that after consuming energy drinks, your heart starts to beat faster.
One possible side effect of energy drinks is disruption of heart rate, as well as distortion of the cardiogram (the duration of contraction and relaxation intervals of individual areas of the heart), in both adolescents and adults 3,4.
How dangerous is this?
One scientific report states that from 2009 to 2011, there were about 5,000 cases of emergency medical assistance due to serious heart damage after consuming energy drinks 2. 51% of the affected individuals were adolescents under 18 years old (statistics from the USA).
Almost all energy drinks contain caffeine, a powerful stimulant of the nervous system.
Caffeine has a lethal dose. It is individual for each person.
Caffeine overdose can occur even after two cans of energy drinks. This applies to those who have heart problems.
“Increased heart rate can pose a real and serious risk, as energy drinks not only raise stress levels, heart rate, and blood pressure, but also make the blood thicker” – says Dr. Higgins.
“The viscosity of blood increases, likely due to the specific joint action of caffeine and taurine: the amino acid taurine is known for its ability to remove fluids from the body along with some minerals.”
“Guarana, which is very often found in energy drinks, is a natural source of caffeine: its addition further increases its concentration.”
In the past 2 years, over 5000 cases of emergency hospitalization due to serious harm from energy drinks to the heart have been reported in the USA.
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Real examples
“There are known cases where after consuming more than one can of energy drinks, cardiac arrest occurred 14, 15: in the first case, the young man was saved, in the second – death occurred.
The results of the autopsy and blood analysis showed no other causes except for very high levels of caffeine and taurine in the blood.”
“In another case, a 28-year-old man was hospitalized with cardiac arrest after consuming 8 cans of energy drink.
According to doctors, his heart arteries were completely blocked.
After rehabilitation, all tests showed that the only issue was a very high level of caffeine and taurine in the blood 16.”
“One of the side effects of the combined action of caffeine with other ingredients in energy drinks may be a disruption of arterial function, namely, their ability to dilate.
This is particularly important during exercise, when the increase in vessel diameter allows more blood to flow to the muscles. Disabling this regulatory mechanism forces the heart to work harder to supply nutrients.”
During the autopsy of a young man who died after consuming more than one can of energy drink, doctors found no other causes except for very high levels of insulin and taurine in the blood. The same result was found during the rehabilitation of the young man after complete cardiac arrest.
2 Headaches and Migraines
Consuming large doses of energy drinks can lead to severe headaches.
Moreover, it seems that the frequency of headaches is influenced by not the dosage size, but its abrupt change (drinking continuously, getting used to it, then suddenly stopping).
This phenomenon is known as “caffeine withdrawal syndrome” and is very similar in nature to a hangover after alcohol.
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3 State of unexplained anxiety, fear, and stress
The state of internal anxiety is a characteristic psychological side effect of caffeine.
In some categories of people with certain genetic disorders, large doses of energy drinks and other caffeine-containing beverages can even cause panic attacks 7.
Additionally, the consumption of energy drinks can induce a state of stress. One of the reasons is hormonal: scientists have found that their consumption increases the level of the stress hormone norepinephrine by 74% 9.
4 Insomnia
One of the reasons people take energy drinks is to fight sleep. They are quite effective at this.
The problem, however, is that even after stopping consumption, the effects of sleep disruption may continue.
Lack of healthy, full sleep disrupts productivity, primarily mental activity.
This is especially important for drivers to keep in mind, as a sleepless night on energy drinks today can lead to an accident tomorrow or the day after.
5 Type 2 Diabetes
According to scientific studies, those who consume 1-2 sugary drinks a day have a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes 5.
The reason for this is the peculiar “wear and tear” of the pancreatic gland, which is responsible for insulin secretion, whose function is to control blood sugar levels.
Chronic “sweetening” of the body over time can lead to the development of insulin resistance, more commonly known as type 2 diabetes.
Regular consumption of sweet energy drinks increases the risk of developing diabetes by ~30%
6 Interaction with medications
The ingredients of energy drinks can interact with medications, most often with antidepressants.
7 Addiction
Those who regularly consume caffeine may develop an addiction to it. This also applies to energy drinks.
Addiction manifests itself in the absence of internal motivation to do anything without consuming a dose.
An indirect unpleasant side effect of this condition is the necessity to regularly buy several cans of energy drinks every day. In monetary terms, this amounts to: 1-3$ a day (a 0.25 ml can of Red Bull costs about 1.5$), 30-90$ a month, 360-1080$ a year…
8 Formation of harmful habits and socially dangerous behavior
According to scientific research, regular consumption of energy drinks provokes 6:
- the formation of an addiction to cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol;
- makes behavior more aggressive, increases the tendency to resolve conflicts with fists rather than words;
- encourages other forms of dangerous behavior such as unprotected sex, a tendency towards extreme sports, and other forms of risk.
Everyone knows how this can end.
9 Hand tremors and nervousness
A consequence of consuming energy drinks can be uncontrollable hand tremors and emotional instability 7.
As a result, it becomes difficult to perform certain types of work that require fine motor skills, and emotional volatility harms both the individual and the surrounding society.
10 Vomiting
If too many energy drinks are consumed at once, it can trigger a vomiting reaction.
The consequences of this process are not limited to just an unpleasant characteristic “aftertaste.” Vomiting leads to dehydration, and acids from the stomach, entering the oral cavity, destroy tooth enamel.
It is clear that the more often this occurs, the worse it is.
11 Allergy
Numerous obvious and hidden ingredients in energy drinks can cause allergic reactions, ranging from simple itching to airway obstruction (anaphylactic shock).
12 High blood pressure
Caffeine-containing products, including energy drinks, increase blood pressure by about 6% 9. Despite seeming insignificant, this is a considerable amount.
For healthy individuals, such a change is not a major problem. However, for those whose blood pressure regularly “jumps,” large doses of energy drinks can lead to a significant increase in the risk of heart attack 8.
If we compare the negative impact of energy drinks on blood pressure with that of other caffeinated beverages with equivalent caffeine content (such as coffee or tea), then the harm from energy drinks is significantly greater 10.
This fact indicates that in energy drinks, it is the combination of ingredients that amplifies their negative effects.
The impact of energy drinks on blood pressure is significantly stronger than that of coffee or tea with an equivalent dose of caffeine
13 Vitamin B3 Overdose
B vitamins, along with caffeine and sugar, are added to almost all energy tonics.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) is present in small doses, which can even be beneficial for health.
However, if other dietary supplements or multivitamin complexes are taken in addition to energy drinks, the risk of vitamin B3 overdose increases.
Symptoms of vitamin B3 overdose 11:
- skin flushing;
- dizziness;
- rapid heartbeat;
- vomiting;
- itching;
- gout;
- diarrhea.
Vitamin B3 overdose can even lead to the development of non-viral hepatitis. One case was recorded of a man who consumed 5-6 cans of energy drink every day for three weeks 13.
Regular consumption of energy drinks can lead to vitamin B3 overdose and even the development of hepatitis
Conclusion
Consuming any product, even the most beneficial one, in very large quantities can harm health. This is especially true for products that stimulate the nervous system, particularly energy drinks.
The composition of energy drinks mainly includes natural substances, which when consumed in moderate amounts should not pose serious health risks. They can even be beneficial. This applies to caffeine, L-carnitine, and B vitamins.
At the same time, caffeine and guarana are stimulants of the nervous system, which should be consumed with caution.
To avoid the negative consequences of energy drinks, it is important to understand which ingredients are harmful and to avoid their overdose. This primarily concerns caffeine, sugar, guarana (a source of caffeine), and vitamin B3 (niacin).
Consider their intake from other foods and dietary supplements and do not exceed the recommended daily dosages.
