American Heart Association points to higher heart risks in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports tied to energy drinks and stimulant supplements.
A recent study found energy drinks and stimulant supplements showed up disproportionately in FDA reports of cardiac arrests, heart attacks and other heart problems in adults ages 18 to 34, the American Heart Association said.
The American Heart Association said the FDA data covered 28,345 reports over eight years, with cardiac arrest showing up about 11 times more often when people consumed those products than products without those ingredients, the group said.
Heart attacks were about 4.5 times more likely to involve the products and ventricular arrhythmias were about four times more likely, the association said.
The study also found more reports of elevated heart rate, chest pain and fainting.
About 45% of all cases came from adults ages 18 to 34, the American Heart Association said.
The study looked at products by type, not brand, and included ingredients beyond caffeine, such as methylxanthines like theobromine, guarana, yerba mate, and green tea or coffee extracts, along with sympathomimetics like synephrine, yohimbine, ephedra, DMAA, and higenamine.
“The results cannot prove that these products directly caused any heart conditions or events,” the American Heart Association said.
Because energy drinks and supplements fall under the food and supplement categories, they do not undergo the same safety testing as medications, the American Heart Association said.
“Our findings support the case for more systematic safety monitoring of caffeine- and stimulant-containing products. In addition, healthcare professionals should remember to ask their younger patients who have palpitations, chest pain or fainting spells if they recently or regularly consume these products,” study author Sai Samayamanthula said.
The organization said up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is usually safe for most people or up to five 8-ounce cups of regular coffee. It also said energy drinks can have up to three times that amount per ounce, while pre-workout supplements may have 12 times as much caffeine.
Sales of caffeinated energy drinks more than doubled over the past decade to $20 billion in 2024.
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