This Is Your Heart on Energy Drinks: Your heart responds to the high levels of caffeine in energy drinks in more ways than one. By Jennifer J. Brown, PhD, Everyday Health Staff Writer. Highly caffeinated energy drinks and energy shots may enhance sports performance or keep you alert and attentive. But hidden in their promise is the risk of getting too much caffeine — and that can endanger your heart. Drinks like Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar, or shots like 5-Hour Energy, are not the same as sports drinks or coffee. Energy drinks and energy shots contain up to 500 milligrams (mgs) of caffeine per can or bottle compared with 100 mgs in a typical cup of coffee, or about 50 mgs in a 12 oz. caffeinated soda. Many energy drink labels don't accurately disclose caffeine levels, found a Consumer Reports investigation, and they're not FDA regulated. As the number of energy drink-related emergency room visits is spiking — from about 1,500 in 2005 to over 20,000 cases in 2011, according to a recent government report — experts also worry about toxic combos of energy drinks and illicit drugs. Though energy drinks are popular with young people, the largest increase in emergencies was for people over 40. Here are several ways energy drinks may endanger your heart — and your life.
No comments:
Post a Comment