The Impact of Energy Drinks on Heart Muscle Function

The Impact of Energy Drinks on Heart Muscle Function

In a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Ivan Rusyn at Texas A&M University, the effects of various ingredients in energy drinks on heart cells were evaluated. The research, published in 2017, shed light on the potential risks associated with these popular beverages.

The study involved 18 subjects who were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was given a popular energy drink containing 108g of sugar, 320mg of caffeine, and other compounds. The other group received a drink with the same amount of caffeine, plus lime juice, cherry syrup, and carbonated water.

The results were striking. Treating cardiomyocytes (heart cells) with seventeen popular energy drinks led to an increased heartbeat rate, which could cause cardiomyopathy, increased blood pressure, and other heart conditions in a human heart.

While caffeine is the most prominent stimulant in energy drinks, other ingredients such as taurine and guarana also pose concerns. Taurine, an amino acid, has been linked to heart problems and possible promotion of cancer progression in some recent studies. Guarana contains caffeine itself, adding to the total stimulant load, which can exacerbate heart strain.

Sugar content in energy drinks is often very high, contributing indirectly to heart problems by promoting obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, all risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Three specific ingredients—theophylline, adenine, and azelate—were associated with prolonged QT intervals. The QT interval is a measure of the pause between one heartbeat and the start of the next. While ten milliseconds may not seem like a big deal, medications that affect the heart's QT interval by just six milliseconds require a warning label.

The study findings suggest that it's not just caffeine and sugar in energy drinks that are causing harm. Other health problems, including kidney problems, are also linked to these beverages due to the presence of theophylline and the fact that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to kidney damage.

Energy drinks are tied to an increased risk of stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts, as well as an increased likelihood of substance abuse. If you're looking for natural energy-boosters, there are resources available online.

In conclusion, the combination of these stimulants and high sugar levels in energy drinks can lead to elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, abnormal heart electrical activity, and can potentially cause serious cardiovascular conditions. It's crucial to be aware of these risks, particularly with excessive or prolonged consumption, especially in adolescents, young adults, or those with underlying health conditions.

[1] Rusyn, I., et al. (2017). The effects of popular energy drinks on human cardiomyocytes. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. [2] Fletcher, E. A., et al. (2017). The health effects of energy drinks: a systematic review. Journal of the American Heart Association. [3] Malik, V. S., et al. (2017). Sugar-sweetened beverages and the risk of coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Circulation. [4] Mozaffarian, D., et al. (2017). Added sugars intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults. JAMA Internal Medicine. [5] Wong, A. S., et al. (2016). Energy drinks: a review of the physiological and psychological effects. Journal of the American Academy of Paediatrics.

1. The study by Dr. Ivan Rusyn highlights the potential risks associated with energy drinks, particularly in relation to heart health, as treatments of heart cells (cardiomyocytes) revealed increased heartbeat rates, a possible cause of cardiomyopathy and other heart conditions.
2. The research also indicates that other ingredients like taurine and guarana in energy drinks pose concerns for heart health, as taurine has been linked to heart problems and the promotion of cancer progression in recent studies, while guarana contributes to the total stimulant load, exacerbating heart strain.
3. The high sugar content in energy drinks is indirectly contributing to heart problems by promoting factors such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, all risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
4. Furthermore, the study findings suggest that energy drinks may lead to elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, abnormal heart electrical activity, and could potentially cause serious cardiovascular conditions, especially when consumed excessively or over a prolonged period, particularly in adolescents, young adults, or those with underlying health conditions.

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