A new study suggests that people who skip the caffeine but consume more energy drinks regularly have higher resting blood pressure, thus increasing their cardiac risks.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic recruited 25 participants between ages 19 and 40 for the study. Their blood pressure and heart rate were measured prior to consuming a can of energy drink or placebo drink. Thirty minutes later, the researchers measured their blood pressure and heart rate again to track changes.
The same experiment was conducted on participants who consume 160 mg of caffeine or less than a cup of coffee per day versus the regular coffee drinkers.
The analysis showed that those who consumed energy drinks experienced a sudden rise in blood pressure compared to the placebo drinkers. The rise is even higher, almost double, for those who consume less than a cup of coffee per day.
The researchers recommend moderate consumption of energy drinks to lower one’s risk of suffering from a cardiac event. High blood pressure is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems.
"We know that energy drink consumption is widespread and rising among young people. Concerns about the health safety of energy drinks have been raised. We and others have previously shown that energy drinks increase blood pressure," lead author Anna Svatikova, cardiovascular diseases fellow at the Mayo Clinic, said in a press release.
"Now we are seeing that for those not used to caffeine, the concern may be even greater. Consumers should use caution when using energy drinks because they may increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, even among young people."
The findings were presented on March 14 at the American College of Cardiology's 64th Annual Scientific Session in San Diego.
