Energy drinks can feel like a life-saver for mid-day slumps or late-night deadlines. But a new study has found that even one single energy drink could harm your blood vessels’ function.
The Study on Energy Drinks
For many men, reaching for a jolt of caffeine from a sport drink is a regular coping method for getting through an afternoon dip in energy or an all-nighter that requires focus. But a team from the McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that even people with otherwise health blood vessels could be negatively affected by an energy drink.
The researched looked at the blood vessel function of 44 young, healthy participants who didn’t smoke, then gave them each an energy drink. After 90 minutes, they looked at the participants’ blood vessels again.
They found that the blood vessels, which had started at about 5.1% diameter dilation dropped to 2.8 percent diameter dilation after consuming the energy drink.
The team theorized that the combination of caffeine, taurine, sugar and herbal stimulants impaired vascular function enough that the scientists question if even one energy drink is safe to consume.
“As energy drinks are becoming more and more popular, it is important to study the effects of these drinks on those who frequently drink them and better determine what, if any, is a safe consumption pattern,” said the study’s lead, Dr. John Higgins.
Dr. Higgins and his colleagues presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2018.
Another study on energy drinks
A previous study from the Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland found a strong correlation between regular consumption of energy drinks among young adults and a risk of developing substance abuse problems.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, men between 18 and 34 consume the most energy drinks among all the adult populations.
