Dive into the underlying health issues & problems that can arise from energy drink consumption. This goes for high stim pre-workouts as well.
This might be a hard pill for some of you to swallow. But the truth is, energy drinks & pre-workouts, even some of your favorite ones, may not be the best thing for you to be intaking on a day to day basis.
Let’s dive straight into potential risks:
Cardiovascular health risks
- Intaking energy drinks can cause a significant increase in heart rate, which is tachycardia. Energy drinks can affect blood pressure, causing hypertension to the content of high stimulant & caffeine.
- Extensive research has found that consuming energy drinks can lead to blood pressure issues. Systolic & diastolic blood pressure spikes. This will increase the risk of hypertension, leading to heart strain.
- Excessive caffeine & stimulants like guarana, taurine, and green tea extract can overstimulate the heart, leading to irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) & palpitations.
- Here is a study from the Journal of American Heart Association that links energy drink consumption to increased blood pressure & increased heart rate, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease: https://www.:.org/doi/10.1161/jaha.118.011318?utm_
- Energy drinks prolong the QT interval, which is the measurement of the time it takes for the heart's ventricles to depolarize and repolarize.
Increase in heart attack & stroke
- Energy drinks are vasoconstrictors. These means that they narrow the blood vessels, which inevitably reduces oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart & brain.
- This will increase the possibility of blood clots, strokes, & heart attacks. This has higher prevalence in those who have underlying health/heart conditions or consume energy drinks regularly.
- The heart has to work harder to pump more blood due to the vessels narrowing. You can see how the heart can easily overwork from this. Overtime, this can be a serious problem.
- The endothelium (lining of blood vessels) plays a key role in blood flow regulation. Research has shown that energy drinks impair endothelial function, reducing the body's ability to properly circulate blood.
- A study from 2021 in Cardiology talks about the significance of blood vessel dilation decreasing just from one energy drink. https://karger.com/crd/article/146/2/258/80547/Energy-Drink-Effects-on-Hemodynamics-and?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Blood clots
- Increased platelet aggregation, potentially increasing the risk of blood clotting.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), stroke, & other clot disorders can arise. Especially those that are predisposed to CVD.
- This study observed that energy drinks are associated with increased platelet activity via arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation within one hour of consumption. This heightened platelet aggregation may provide a mechanism by which energy drinks increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26188956/
- This review discusses how certain studies indicate that energy drinks have pro-aggregatory effects, which may be associated with an elevated risk of thrombosis. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691519300997?utm_
Ventricular Arrhythmias
- A study from 2017 in the International Journal of Health Sciences reports the caffeine in energy drinks that can lead to a catecholamine surge, sensitizing dopamine receptors and resulting in supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias and death: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5501707/?utm_source
- This randomized trial investigated the impact of energy drinks on heart rhythm in healthy children and adolescents. The study found that consumption of caffeinated energy drinks at a dosage of 3 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight was associated with an acute increase in supraventricular extrasystoles (SVES). This suggests that even in healthy young individuals, energy drinks can induce changes in heart rhythm.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8834195/?utm_
- This case report discusses an instance where a patient developed atrial fibrillation following the consumption of energy drinks. The authors highlight that while caffeine is a known stimulant, the combination of high caffeine content and other ingredients in energy drinks may have a synergistic effect, potentially triggering arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillationhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7641491/?utm_
Nervous System & Mental Health Issues
- Ancients + Overstimulation: High caffeine intake can overstimulate the central nervous system, leading to anxiety, jitters, and restlessness.
- Increase in panic disorders & other stress related conditions. This is from prolonged cortisol elevation from chronic consumption.
- This comprehensive review analyzed multiple studies and found a positive association between energy drink consumption and symptoms of mental health problems, including increased stress, anxiety, and depression. The authors highlight the need for further longitudinal research to establish causation. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299544710_A_Review_of_Energy_Drinks_and_Mental_Health_with_a_Focus_on_Stress_Anxiety_and_Depression
- This literature review discusses the psychological effects of energy drinks, noting that while some studies report improved cognitive performance and reduced fatigue, others indicate potential negative outcomes such as increased anxiety and stress, suggesting a complex relationship between energy drink consumption and mental well-being.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3280075/?utm_
Sleep disruption
- If consumed later in the day, they can significantly affect sleep quality. Half life of caffeine is up to 6 hours.
- Poor sleep is directly correlated to recovery, cognitive function, cardiovascular health, & metabolism.
- Regular energy drink consumption can lead to caffeine dependence, causing withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, irritability, and mood swings when intake is stopped.
- This study found a positive association between energy drink consumption and sleep disturbances in young adult females. The researchers observed that frequent energy drink users experienced significantly reduced functional status due to drowsiness and had a higher likelihood of insomnia compared to non-users. The study emphasizes the need for intervention strategies to curb energy drink use among young adults, particularly females. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10195404/?utm_
Metabolism & blood sugar
- Added sugars & artificial sweeteners negatively impact insulin sensitivity & blood sugar levels.
- Frequent consumption of sugary energy drinks increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- This study indicates that both regular and sugar-free energy drinks can induce metabolic syndrome, characterized by insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. The findings suggest that even sugar-free versions may contribute to metabolic disturbances.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8067378/?utm_
- Research demonstrates that consuming caffeinated energy shots leads to a significant increase in blood glucose and insulin levels in adolescents, indicating acute insulin resistance. This effect raises concerns about the potential long-term metabolic consequences of energy drink consumption in younger populations.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7766305/?utm_
Hydration & kidney function
- Caffeine is a known diuretic. This can increase urination & contribute to dehydration if the intake of fluids is not balanced.
- Dehydration leads to impacted blood flow, electrolyte balance, & kidney function. This can lead to the risk of kidney stones & renal stress.
- This experimental study on diabetic rat models found that chronic consumption of energy drinks significantly increased the risk of impaired kidney function, suggesting potential long-term renal risks associated with these beverages.https://pharmacyeducation.fip.org/pharmacyeducation/article/view/2630?utm_
- This report describes a case where a patient developed acute kidney injury associated with energy drink consumption. The study highlights the need for awareness of potential renal complications linked to these beverages.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1060028014541997?icid=int.sj-full-text.similar-articles.6&utm_
Long term Consequences
Liver Damage
- Some reports suggest excessive intake of energy drinks may contribute to liver toxicity, particularly when combined with alcohol or medications that stress the liver.
- Ingredients like caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and acids in energy drinks can cause acid reflux, ulcers, and digestive discomfort.
A study on the effects of blood pressure & heart rate in healthy children & teenagers: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2022.862041/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com
peer review articles:
Effects of energy drinks on the cardiovascular system
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5714807/?utm_
"The Effects of Energy Drink Consumption on Kidney and Liver Function: A Comparative Study"
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369638146_The_Effects_of_Energy_Drink_Consumption_on_Kidney_and_Liver_Function_A_Comparative_Study?utm_
"Energy Drinks and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease"
https://www.cureus.com/articles/7289-energy-drinks-and-the-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease-a-review-of-current-literature?utm_
"Impact of High Volume Energy Drink Consumption on Electrocardiographic and Blood Pressure Parameters: A Randomized Trial"https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/jaha.118.011318?utm_
"Energy Drink Effects on Hemodynamics and Endothelial Function"https://karger.com/crd/article/146/2/258/80547/Energy-Drink-Effects-on-Hemodynamics-and?utm_
"Energy Drink-Associated Electrophysiological and Ischemic Abnormalities: A Narrative Review"https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.679105/full?utm_
"Sudden Cardiac Arrest Occurring in Temporal Proximity to Energy Drink Consumption"https://www.heartrhythmjournal.com/article/S1547-5271%2824%2900189-9/abstract?utm_source
