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NEW YORK (CNN) – Energy drinks could be stimulating, but experts are increasingly worried that their ingredient cocktails pose unwanted health risks.
A study published Wednesday in the journal of the American Heart Association found that caffeinated energy drinks altered the electrical activity of the heart and increased blood pressure.
The magnitude of these electrical changes – which signal that the chambers of the heart are crowding and relaxing – is "generally considered soft," according to the study's author, Sachin Shah, a professor of pharmacy. at the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences of the University of London. The pacific. However, people who take certain medications or who have a particular type of heart disease may be at increased risk of fatal arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, he added.
"Unlike drugs, supplements and consumer products are not necessarily subject to a safety test," Shah said in an email.
The American Beverage Association defends the safety of energy drinks by stating that many of their ingredients are also present in common foods and have been rigorously researched to ensure their safety.
But health experts such as the World Health Organization say that they "may pose a danger to public health". Children "should not consume them," warns the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Nevertheless, the global energy drink market continues to grow. It was worth $ 39 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach $ 61 billion by 2021.
What exactly are in these drinks and what impact do they have on your body?
Over the years, concerned experts have been on the cusp of answering these questions, said Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist at the McGovern Medical School of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston .
Most energy drinks usually contain large amounts of caffeine. added sugars; vitamins, such as B vitamins; and legal stimulants, such as guarana, a plant that grows in the Amazon; taurine, an amino acid naturally present in meat and fish; and L-carnitine, a substance in our body that helps turn fat into energy.
"Overall, the concern is that these vitamins, amino acids and medicinal plants are often at higher concentrations than naturally in foods or plants, and the combined effects, particularly with caffeine, can be magnified," he says. Katherine Zeratsky, Dietician at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota,already told CNN.
Higgins, who has conducted numerous studies on energy drinks and their effects on health, agrees.
They are kind of a black box. We really know little about them.
-Dr. John Higgins
With caffeine, sugar and stimulants, Higgins had earlier told CNN that more research was needed to determine how these ingredients might interact to have adverse health effects.
"They're kind of a black box, we really do not know much about them," Higgins said of energy drinks.
"People need to be aware of this," he said. "For some groups, this could be potentially dangerous, such as for under-18s, pregnant women, caffeine-sensitive people, people who do not consume caffeine on a regular basis, and people who take certain medications, such as Adderall for attention deficit (disorder). "
Rachel Hicks, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, previously issued a statement from the group that many people around the world have been consuming energy drinks safely for over 25 years.
"Many of the ingredients in energy drinks, such as B vitamins and taurine, are naturally found in many foods," the statement said.
"Nonetheless, energy drinks have been widely studied and confirmed to be safe for use by governments' security authorities around the world, including a recent report by the European Energy Authority. The leading US manufacturers of energy drinks will voluntarily go beyond all federal requirements for responsible labeling.Marketing practices, including the display of total caffeine content – of all sources – on their packaging, "the statement said. "As recently as 2015, EFSA again concluded that it is unlikely that energy drink ingredients such as taurine will adversely interact with or enhance the effects of caffeine." .
According to experts, here are some parts of your body that can be affected after consuming more than the recommended amount of energy drink.
After drinking an energy drink, you may notice an increase in your heart rate.
Your heart that beats quickly could pose a health risk because "it has been shown that energy drinks increase the level of stress, increase the heart rate, increase blood pressure, they have also been shown to make the blood a little thicker, "said Higgins.
The impacts that energy drinks may have on your heart and cardiovascular system could be due to the way caffeine interacts with other ingredients, such as taurine, said Higgins.
Taurine, a common amino acid, can affect the levels of water and minerals in your blood. Pieces of guarana, the Amazon factory, are commonly added to energy drinks andalready contain caffeine, which can increase the total amount of caffeine in a beverage.
"Several cases of people who had cardiac arrest after consuming more than one energy drink were described.When they conducted further analysis of these individuals, they were not able to find anything abnormal, apart from the very high levels of caffeine and taurine in toxicology, "Higgins said.
"In one case, a 28-year-old man who had drunk eight cans of energy drink had suffered a cardiac arrest and had discovered that the arteries of his heart were completely blocked.When they managed to open them, all the tests carried out have revealed no problem with this person, apart from high levels of caffeine and taurine, "he said.
The possible interaction of caffeine with the other ingredients of energy drinks can impact the function of your arteries by preventing them from dilating properly, especially during exercise, Higgins said.
"During exercise, the blood vessels in the heart must get bigger and they expand and grow so that more blood flow reaches the heart," he said.
Large amounts of caffeine can affect not only your body, but your brain as well.
According to an article published in 2015 by the International Journal of Health Sciences, doses of caffeine equal to or greater than 200 mg may be associated with caffeine intoxication. Symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal irritation, contractions, agitation and periods of inexhaustible.
"To give you an idea of products containing caffeine, Java Monster contains 100 milligrams per serving, 5 Hour Energy contains 200 milligrams per serving.Do not forget that this does not include the amount of. Other stimulants found in energy drinks that can increase the effects of caffeine, "said Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr, a nutrition specialist and vice president of the nutrition department at the University of California at Davis.
The US military has even warned that troops consuming too much energy drinks are associated with sleep disturbances, resulting in periods of fatigue during briefings or guards.
According to a 2010 study, service members who drank three or more energy drinks a day were more likely to sleep about four hours or less on average per night than those who drank two or fewer drinks a day.
The Consortium for Health and Military Performance advises service members, Marine sailors, to limit their caffeine intake to no more than 200 milligrams every four hours and no more than 800 milligrams a day, according to the Navy's Public Health Center. of the marine body,.
Some documents and research have linked the consumption of energy drinks to an increased risk of symptoms of mental health problems. However, a review article published last year in the Journal of Caffeine Research suggests that there is not enough evidence to determine the causality or direction of the effect.
Now that energy drinks are becoming more popular, especially among teens, many health experts worry about the consequences this could have on young consumers.
The abundant amount of caffeine that energy drinks tend to contain is why the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended children to avoid consuming them.
For teens ages 12 to 18, the academy recommends not to exceed 100 milligrams of caffeine per day, according to the CDC.
Caffeine consumption in excess of 100 milligrams a day has been associated with high blood pressure in adolescents, CNN's Zidenberg-Cherr has already said.
How often do you use energy drinks?
According to the CDC, approximately 1,145 Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 were admitted to emergency rooms for health emergencies related to energy drinks. That number climbed to 1,499 in 2011.
As for most adults, up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day appear to be safe, according to the Mayo Clinic.
"Healthy adults who choose to drink energy drinks should not exceed one can a day," said Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic.
Some parents and children may not even be aware of the potential health risks associated with energy drinks because of the way they are marketed, Zidenberg-Cherr said.
"There is no regulation on the marketing of energy drinks targeting young adults," she said.
Energy drinks are popular among young athletes, especially for an extra boost of energy. However, the National Federation of Secondary School Associations recommends that they not be used for hydration before, during or after physical activity.
In addition, a common ingredient in energy drinks, guarana, is listed in the NCAA 2016-2017 Prohibited List, provided online.
Higgins, Houston's sports cardiologist, said he saw a woman with a 12-pack of Red Bull while he was shopping in a grocery store this Saturday morning. His son, who according to Higgins seemed to be about 11 years old and wearing football gear, was standing nearby.
They were queuing at the cash register.
"She had a conversation and the boy said:" Oh, yes, our team will be doing really well today when we get the Red Bull at halftime. "And I thought just, wow, nowadays we had oranges, bananas, water and fruit juice, and they drink energy drinks, "Higgins said.
"It just said that the mother obviously did not understand that they are not oranges, bananas or even fruit juice," he said. "It's a completely different beast, and that's part of people's confusion."
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