New Adelaide study finds link between energy drinks and heart problems in under-40s

DO you enjoy guzzling down an energy drink to stay awake? Or like mixing a can with vodka on a Saturday night? Think again.

DO you enjoy guzzling down an energy drink to stay awake? Or like mixing a can with vodka on a Saturday night? A new study may make you think again.

The University of Adelaide study has discovered an association between energy drink consumption and hospital admissions for adverse heart reactions.

The researchers found drinking more than two energy drinks per day is associated with heart problems that include a fast heartbeat, heart palpitations and chest pain.

In a survey of 60 patients aged between 13 and 40 who attended an emergency department in South Australia with heart palpitations, the study found 36 per cent had consumed at least one energy drink in the previous 24 hours.

Study co-author Dr Scott Willoughby said the study found eight patients had consumed more than five energy drinks and one had consumed 12 energy drinks with alcohol.

Overall, 70 per cent of the patients had consumed at least one energy drink in their lifetime.

“Those patients who were heavy consumers of energy drinks were found to have a significantly higher frequency of heart palpitations than those who consumed less than one per day,” he said.

“And importantly, fast heartbeat, heart palpitations and chest pain was seen in energy drink consumers who were healthy and had no risk factors for heart disease.”

Bartender Jess Anderson mixes an energy drink with spirits.

Dr Ian Musgrave, of the university’s Discipline of Pharmacology, said there was increasing concern among medical professionals and researchers that consuming energy drinks was harmful.

“Energy drinks have become enormously popular in the past decade and half are consumed extensively by people who wish to reduce fatigue, increase wakefulness, and improve concentration and performance,” he said.

“The major stimulant in these drinks is caffeine, which is generally safe when consumed at the recommended levels. However, some people appear to be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine, and the combination of ingredients in these energy drinks may pose a further threat to those who consume large quantities.”

Dr Musgrave said different brands of energy drinks contained a mixture of ingredients that create a “toxic combination” and are even more harmful when consumed with alcohol.

“Different brands of energy drinks contain different ingredients, but most of them combine high levels of caffeine with large quantities of sugar as well as vitamins and herbal extracts,” he said.

Dr Musgrave said more research was urgently needed to determine what ingredients in energy drinks lead to adverse heart reactions.

The study was published today in the International Journal of Cardiology.