An analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database found that energy drinks were linked to an 11-fold increase in reports of cardiac arrest in the agency's records, Medical News Today writes. The news was reported by infohub.kz.
Consuming energy drinks and stimulant-containing dietary supplements is associated with a higher incidence of dangerous cardiovascular disorders in young people, according to US researchers who presented the results of their FDA database analysis at the scientific sessions of the American Heart Association.
The researchers examined more than 28,000 adverse-event reports submitted to the regulator between 2017 and 2025. Of these, they identified 854 cases involving products containing caffeine and various stimulants. Reports on energy drinks and stimulant supplements mentioned cardiac arrest 11 times more often, and myocardial infarction 4.5 times more often, than reports on soft drinks, protein bars and vitamins. In addition, these patients were four times more likely to experience ventricular arrhythmia and tachycardia.
About 45% of all recorded cardiovascular incidents involved young people aged 18 to 34, which is unusual for cardiac events. Experts attribute this to hidden heart conditions, the use of stimulants before intense workouts, or mixing them with alcohol. Cheng-Han Chen, director of the structural heart disease program at the Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, explained that the combination of high doses of caffeine, taurine and guarana overloads the sympathetic nervous system.
The authors stress that the study identifies a statistical association, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship.