What Energy Drinks Are Really Doing to Your Heart

Energy drinks have emerged as a “go-to boost” drink for millions of people around the globe, ranging from students who are studying for final exams to professionals who need to meet a deadline during the night.

Beneath the flashy packaging and aggressive marketing push, there is a serious question begging to be answered: What is happening to your heart because of these drinks?

The Stimulant Cocktail

The typical energy drink contains a hardcore combination of caffeine (usually 80-300 mg per serving), sugar, and other stimulants, such as taurine and guarana; all of these are aimed at giving an instant push to the energy level. Although the moderate dose of caffeine itself can be safe, consuming lots of energy drinks exceeds the recommended dose significantly, and additional additives can enhance its effect on your cardiovascular system.

Instant Jerk—Instant Effect on Your Heart

Most of the studies substantiate the fact that energy drinks can raise the heart rate and blood pressure in the short term after consumption. Studies also indicate that these drinks often lead to a rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure—up to 20 beats per minute or more—and are capable of distorting the heartbeat. An increased heartbeat is not a simple case of the jitters; the alteration of the blood pressure and heart rhythm can result in palpitations, tachycardia (an increase in heartbeats), and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) even in healthy individuals.

Why Your Heart Feels It More Than You Think

Caffeine and other components have a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system.Rising Blood Pressure: Repeated spikes may lead to weakening of blood vessels over time, increasing cardiovascular risk in the long term.

• Electrical Rhythms Gone Awry: Irregular heart rhythms involving prolonged QT and intervals—a common risk marker of arrhythmias—have been observed in numerous studies.
• Potential of Serious Events: Cases of severe heart-related events are reported to occur upon taking the energy drinks, particularly in patients who have not been diagnosed with heart-related conditions, though these instances are relatively few.

A single can of energy drinks can cause an immediate boost of energy, but intensive and regular consumption of energy drinks is bad. Acute strokes of stimulants may cause permanent hypertension, vascular stress, and susceptibility to heart disease and stroke in old age.

Make Your Heart Your Priority, Not Your Buzz

It is not necessarily fatal to indulge in an energy drink occasionally, but a daily dose of it will overwork your heart even before you can suspect anything. To use safely, consume occasionally, check labels carefully, and think of other sources of healthier energy, such as good sleep, balanced diets, sufficient hydration, and natural caffeine from tea or coffee.Your heart works 24/7 on your behalf; you need to pay it back.