News Desk Energy drinks have become popular among young people. Students use them to stay awake during examinations, workers drink them to get through long shifts, and athletes and gamers take them for an extra boost.
But new research is raising concerns about their possible effects on the heart, particularly when consumed in large amounts.
Researchers who presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2026 in Chicago analyzed 28,345 adverse-event reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2017 and 2025.
Of these, 854 involved energy drinks and dietary supplements containing caffeine or other stimulants. The remaining 27,491 involved products without those ingredients.
Cardiac arrest appeared about 11 times more often in reports involving stimulant-containing products. Heart attacks were about 4.5 times more frequent, while ventricular arrhythmias and heart palpitations appeared about four times more often.
Young adults accounted for a significant share of the reports. About 45% of those involving cardiovascular problems and stimulant-containing products concerned people aged 18 to 34.
FDA Adverse-Event Reports by Product Type
Reports involving products with and without caffeine or other stimulants, 2017–2025.
Cardiovascular Events: Relative Reporting Frequency
Reported frequency involving stimulant-containing products compared with non-stimulant products (1× baseline).
Young Adults Account for 45% of Reports
Share of cardiovascular reports involving stimulant-containing products among people aged 18–34 and other age groups.
Important: These figures describe adverse-event reports, not confirmed cases or the actual risk among consumers. The findings do not establish that energy drinks caused the reported conditions.
The findings require careful interpretation. The study relied on voluntary reports, which cannot establish that energy drinks caused the medical emergencies or determine the actual risk among consumers.
Still, the results add to concerns about excessive caffeine and stimulant consumption, particularly among young people.
What energy drinks do to the heart
Most energy drinks contain caffeine and sugar. Some also include guarana, taurine, green tea extracts and other ingredients marketed for their effects on alertness and physical performance.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and can raise heart rate and blood pressure. Depending on the amount consumed and a person’s sensitivity, it may also cause palpitations and interfere with sleep.
Large amounts, especially when combined with other stimulants, may affect the heart’s electrical activity and trigger abnormal rhythms. Some serious ventricular arrhythmias can prevent the heart from pumping blood effectively, leading to cardiac arrest.
A heart attack and cardiac arrest are different conditions. A heart attack usually results from a blocked artery that cuts off blood supply to part of the heart muscle. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively, often because of an electrical disturbance. A heart attack can trigger cardiac arrest, but the two do not always occur together.
Young people are not immune
Heart problems are often associated with older adults, but young age does not guarantee protection.
Some people have undiagnosed conditions affecting the heart’s structure or electrical system. Heavy stimulant consumption may pose additional risks, particularly when combined with strenuous exercise, dehydration, lack of sleep or other substances.
A 2026 review published in The American Journal of Medicine examined the cardiovascular effects of energy drinks among young people, including changes in blood pressure and heart rhythm.
Another review, published in Current Cardiology Reports in 2025, examined 37 studies involving 1,597 participants. It found that energy drink consumption was associated with changes in heart rate, blood pressure and electrical activity recorded through electrocardiograms.
These findings do not mean that everyone who drinks energy drinks will develop heart problems. They do, however, provide reason to be cautious about frequent or excessive consumption.
How much caffeine is too much?
The US FDA says that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is generally not associated with harmful effects for most healthy adults.
This is not a recommended daily target or a guarantee that the same amount is safe for everyone.
Caffeine content varies widely among energy drinks. According to FDA estimates, a 12-ounce serving may contain between 41 and 246 milligrams. Larger containers may contain more than one serving.
Consumers should also count caffeine from coffee, tea, soft drinks and dietary supplements.
For teenagers, the advice is clearer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents avoid energy drinks.
These products should not replace sleep, proper meals or water. Feeling more alert after drinking one does not mean the body has recovered from exhaustion.
Why Filipino consumers should pay attention
Energy drinks are readily available in Philippine supermarkets, convenience stores and neighborhood shops. For students preparing for examinations, workers facing long shifts and young people with demanding schedules, they can seem like an easy way to fight fatigue.
But consumers may not always know how much caffeine they are taking, particularly when they combine energy drinks with coffee or other stimulant products.
Parents should pay attention to how often their children consume these beverages. Schools and sports organizations should also explain why energy drinks are not substitutes for water and proper hydration.
Young adults who repeatedly experience palpitations, chest discomfort, dizziness or fainting after consuming energy drinks should seek medical advice.
Chest pain, severe difficulty breathing or fainting requires urgent medical attention. If someone suddenly collapses, becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, call emergency services, begin CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available.
An extra boost comes with risks
The AHA findings do not prove that energy drinks cause heart attacks or cardiac arrest in otherwise healthy young adults. More research is needed to determine the actual risks among consumers.
But they raise an important question: Do people know how much caffeine and other stimulants they are putting into their bodies?
Energy drinks may temporarily improve alertness, but they cannot replace sleep and rest. Drinking more does not necessarily improve concentration or physical performance.
Consumers should read product labels, keep track of their caffeine intake and avoid excessive consumption.
Works Cited:
American Heart Association. “Energy Drinks, Stimulant Products Linked to Cardiac Arrest, Heart Attack in Young Adults.” American Heart Association Newsroom, 2 Nov. 2026, https://newsroom.heart.org/news/energy-drinks-stimulant-products-linked-to-cardiac-arrest-heart-attack-in-young-adults.
“Energy Drinks in Youth: Cardiovascular Risk and a Call to Action.” The American Journal of Medicine, Aug. 2026, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2026.08.001.
“The Effects of Energy Drinks on the Cardiovascular System: A Systematic Review.” Current Cardiology Reports, Springer Nature, Nov. 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-025-02293-w.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?” FDA, https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.
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