Energy Drinks Harmful for Heart: Study

Energy drinks, touted as instant energy boosters, can be quite harmful in reality. Researchers say  these caffeinated drinks  only 'intensify heart contractions.'

A latest study by researchers at University of Bonn, Germany, found energy drinks make contractions of the heart more forceful. They observed 18 people (15 men and three women) for the study. Their average age was 27.5 years.

These participants were given a cardiac MRI 60 minutes after they consumed 400mg/100ml of taurine and 32mg/100ml of caffeine.

The researchers found that consuming high-caffeine beverage made the chamber that pumps oxygenated blood into the body contract harder. "Until now, we haven't known exactly what effect these energy drinks have on the function of the heart," study lead researcher Dr Jonas Dorner told the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

"There are concerns about the products' potential adverse side effects on heart function, especially in adolescents and young adults, but there is little or no regulation of energy drink sales," he added,

The researchers, however, found no long-term impact on people consuming energy drinks. "The amount of caffeine is up to three times higher than in other caffeinated beverages like coffee or cola," Dr Dorner explained. "There are many side-effects known to be associated with a high intake of caffeine, including rapid heart rate, palpitations, rise in blood pressure and, in the most severe cases, seizures or sudden death."

He also advised people with cardiac arrhythmias to refrain from drinking such beverages as it could aggravate the problem.