Ganolife Coffee Is Better For Your Heart Part 2

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. Energy Drinks Pump Up Blood Pressure and Heart Rate. The caffeine in energy drinks doesn't just pump up your nervous system. It also gives your heart a kick by raising blood pressure and heart rate, which is risky for people with heart disease. "People with heart conditions should absolutely avoid all energy drinks and energy shots," said Kevin R. Campbell, MD, a cardiologist at the University of North Carolina and president of K-Roc Consulting in Raleigh. In people who have heart disease, high doses of caffeine raise risks for heart attacks and stroke, according to Dr. Campbell, and can prompt potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorders. Also, the taurine in energy drinks may overload the heart with calcium, which can cause irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, and sudden cardiac death.