ENERGY DRINKS ARE A WASHOUT!
Caffeinated boosters can hurt your heart
CHUGGING energy drinks may be a recipe for cardiac disaster, experts warn.
Swilling the popular pickme-ups daily can lead to early-onset heart disease, scientists say.
“A specific example is atrial fibrillation — a type of arrhythmia — leading to blood clots and increased risk of stroke and heart failure,” says Hannah Drake of the Heart Foundation.
The caffeine-fueled boosters have been linked to high blood pressure, irregular heart rates and other ailments — and one health professional dubbed them “death in a can!” Drummer Sage Weeber,
24, revealed on TikTok he downed energy drinks like water for two years, consuming at least 800 milligrams of caffeine a day — double the recommended safe limit. He says without the beverages he suffered bouts of fatigue and severe migraines. Earlier this year he was hit with a massive chest spasm and diagnosed with angina and early-stage coronary artery disease.
The energy drinks were likely a contributing factor, according to physicians who did not treat the musician. “Excessive consumption is going to lead to a higher risk of increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure,” says Dr. Sanket Borgaonkar, a cardiologist at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. “Those things lead to the progression of heart disease.”
Since studies have shown higher heart rates experienced by energy drink consumers can last for four hours, those folks are “more vulnerable to abnormal rhythms that can lead to sudden cardiac death,” adds Dr. Sachin Shah, of the University of the Pacific. Experts point out caffeine content can vary widely between products, making it easy to consume more than intended. People’s tolerance can also build up — with more caffeine required to generate a previous effect. One in every five heart attacks in the U.S. are silent — meaning the patient isn’t aware of it.
“But damage to the heart is done,” Drake explains, which leaves those individuals more vulnerable to another cardiac event.