What is the story about?
Do you reach for energy drinks like they’re the only thing keeping you going? If yes, this might be a good moment to slow down. They can give you a quick burst of energy, sure, but doctors say the long-term impact can be far worse than most people realise.
A recent case has sparked global concern after a man, otherwise considered “healthy”, suffered a major stroke. His daily intake? Up to eight energy drinks.
The incident has pushed health experts to renew calls for stricter rules on how these drinks are sold and marketed.
Here’s why these colourful cans are drawing serious attention from doctors.
A man in his 50s, otherwise fit and healthy, was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke in his thalamus, the part of the brain that helps control movement and sensory signals. He turned up with weakness and numbness on his left side, and he struggled to walk, balance, swallow, and speak. Doctors identified these symptoms as ataxia.
When he arrived, his blood pressure shocked the medical team: 254/150 mm Hg, a dangerously high reading. They immediately began treatment to bring it down, and his systolic pressure eventually dropped to 170 mm Hg. But once he went home, his blood pressure began to spike again and stayed high, even as doctors kept increasing his medication.
That’s when they dug deeper into his daily routine. The answer was unexpected. He told them he drank around eight energy drinks a day, each with about 160 mg of caffeine. That meant he was consuming 1,200–1,300 mg of caffeine daily, far above the CDC’s recommended limit of 400 mg.
Doctors asked him to cut out energy drinks completely. Soon after, his blood pressure returned to normal, and he no longer needed blood pressure medication. But the stroke left its mark.
“I obviously wasn’t aware of the dangers drinking energy drinks was causing to myself. I have been left with numbness in my left hand, foot, and toes even after eight years,” he said.
Based on his case, doctors warn that drinking energy drinks heavily, both in the short and long term, can significantly raise the risk of heart problems and strokes, even for people who appear healthy.
Earlier this year, the UK government announced plans to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s, saying products like Red Bull, Monster and Prime have “no place in children’s hands.”
A new case study published in the journal BMJ Case Reports has increasingly linked energy drinks to potential heart risks, especially when people consume them too often or in large amounts.
A recent systematic review found that these drinks, usually loaded with caffeine and other stimulants, are associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, elevated heart rate, and poor blood vessel function.
Over time, repeated spikes in blood pressure can strain blood vessels, weaken their walls, and lead to long-term damage. This, researchers warn, may increase the chance of serious problems such as stroke, heart attack, or abnormal heart rhythms.
One review even noted reports of major events, including heart attacks, restricted blood flow, and sudden cardiac arrest, in people who were otherwise healthy but had regularly consumed large amounts of energy drinks.
And it isn't just about caffeine. Many of these drinks are packed with sugar and additional stimulants like taurine, ginseng, and guarana. Drinking them frequently can also contribute to metabolic stress, weight gain, and insulin resistance, all of which raise the risk of chronic diseases.
With input from agencies
A recent case has sparked global concern after a man, otherwise considered “healthy”, suffered a major stroke. His daily intake? Up to eight energy drinks.
The incident has pushed health experts to renew calls for stricter rules on how these drinks are sold and marketed.
Here’s why these colourful cans are drawing serious attention from doctors.
What happened?
A man in his 50s, otherwise fit and healthy, was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke in his thalamus, the part of the brain that helps control movement and sensory signals. He turned up with weakness and numbness on his left side, and he struggled to walk, balance, swallow, and speak. Doctors identified these symptoms as ataxia.
When he arrived, his blood pressure shocked the medical team: 254/150 mm Hg, a dangerously high reading. They immediately began treatment to bring it down, and his systolic pressure eventually dropped to 170 mm Hg. But once he went home, his blood pressure began to spike again and stayed high, even as doctors kept increasing his medication.
That’s when they dug deeper into his daily routine. The answer was unexpected. He told them he drank around eight energy drinks a day, each with about 160 mg of caffeine. That meant he was consuming 1,200–1,300 mg of caffeine daily, far above the CDC’s recommended limit of 400 mg.
Doctors warn that drinking energy drinks heavily, both in the short and long term, can significantly raise the risk of heart problems and strokes, even for people who appear healthy. Image courtesy: File image/Reuters
Doctors asked him to cut out energy drinks completely. Soon after, his blood pressure returned to normal, and he no longer needed blood pressure medication. But the stroke left its mark.
“I obviously wasn’t aware of the dangers drinking energy drinks was causing to myself. I have been left with numbness in my left hand, foot, and toes even after eight years,” he said.
Based on his case, doctors warn that drinking energy drinks heavily, both in the short and long term, can significantly raise the risk of heart problems and strokes, even for people who appear healthy.
Earlier this year, the UK government announced plans to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s, saying products like Red Bull, Monster and Prime have “no place in children’s hands.”
What does science say?
A new case study published in the journal BMJ Case Reports has increasingly linked energy drinks to potential heart risks, especially when people consume them too often or in large amounts.
A recent systematic review found that these drinks, usually loaded with caffeine and other stimulants, are associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, elevated heart rate, and poor blood vessel function.
Over time, repeated spikes in blood pressure can strain blood vessels, weaken their walls, and lead to long-term damage. This, researchers warn, may increase the chance of serious problems such as stroke, heart attack, or abnormal heart rhythms.
Research over the past few years has increasingly linked energy drinks to potential heart risks, especially when people consume them too often or in large amounts. Image for Representation
One review even noted reports of major events, including heart attacks, restricted blood flow, and sudden cardiac arrest, in people who were otherwise healthy but had regularly consumed large amounts of energy drinks.
And it isn't just about caffeine. Many of these drinks are packed with sugar and additional stimulants like taurine, ginseng, and guarana. Drinking them frequently can also contribute to metabolic stress, weight gain, and insulin resistance, all of which raise the risk of chronic diseases.
With input from agencies
