Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. That is a sobering fact. And while many things affect your heart health, what you drink every day is one of them.
Three cardiologists were asked to name the drink they worry about most. They all gave the same answer: energy drinks.
What Makes Energy Drinks Hard on the Heart
Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, puts it plainly. High blood pressure, he says, is one of the most serious risk factors for heart disease. And what we eat and drink plays a real role in keeping it under control.
Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine. That caffeine raises blood pressure and makes your heart work harder, says Dr. Hosam Hmoud, a cardiologist at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital. When the heart works harder over time, he explains, the muscle can thicken and that can lead to heart failure.
Higher blood pressure also speeds up plaque buildup in the arteries that feed your heart. It affects blood vessels in your neck and brain, too, raising the risk of stroke.
And caffeine is not the only problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many energy drinks also contain added sugars and stimulants such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine. All of these can push blood pressure and heart rate higher.
How Much Is Too Much
A little caffeine is fine for most people. The FDA says under 400 milligrams a day is considered safe. Dr. Blair Suter, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, notes that caffeine is the most widely used pharmacologically active substance in the world and is considered safe in small or moderate amounts.
The trouble is that energy drinks often contain large amounts of caffeine well beyond what a cup of coffee delivers. One here and there is probably not going to cause lasting harm in an otherwise healthy person, Dr. Chen says. But drinking them daily or several times a day is a different story.
Dr. Chen says regular energy drink use could lead to clinical high blood pressure and a higher risk of abnormal heart rhythms. People who have too many may notice heart palpitations, chest pain, or lightheadedness. If those symptoms show up, he says, it may be time to seek medical attention.
For anyone who already has a history of arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm, Dr. Suter adds that high doses of caffeine can make symptoms worse, including palpitations and a racing heartbeat.
Better Ways to Get Your Energy
Looking for a morning boost that is gentler on your heart? Dr. Hmoud recommends one cup of tea or coffee per day. Tea, he points out, brings antioxidants along with its energy lift.
Dr. Suter agrees. Tea or coffee with minimal sugar is the better bet, he says. He also encourages people to get familiar with what is actually in their drinks; the calories, the caffeine amount, and any added sugars or stimulants.
A simple cup of tea or coffee. That is not a bad trade for protecting the heart that has been keeping you going all these years.
