Energy drinks affect the heart

Holy crap. Only drink water... No soda, no energy drinks. Maybe a beer or glass of wine.... (I say this while I down a glass of home made kombucha.)

Sugary energy drinks packed with stimulants like caffeine and guarana might give you an edge at the gym, but they can take a toll on the heart, increasing blood pressure and the risk for arrhythmia. In a new study, researchers asked 27 adults under 40 to consume one of three kinds of beverage every six days for three weeks: either two energy drinks; the equivalent amount of a beverage containing panax ginseng, a common ingredient of energy drinks; or a placebo. Participants who drank the energy drinks had a slight rise in blood pressure and a significant increase in a marker of abnormal heart rhythm known as the QTc interval, which heightens the risk for stroke and sudden cardiac death. These effects persisted for up to two hours after the energy drinks were consumed. “Our findings suggest certain energy drinks may increase the risk of having an abnormal heart rhythm when consumed in high volumes,” researcher Sachin Shah tells MedicalDaily.com. “While we wait for more data, some consumers should exercise caution and not blindly follow the buzz.”

Taken from the March 25, 2016 edition of The Week Magazine.