Energy drinks are a heart-killer, expert says: ‘death in a can’

There are better ways to find a boost than energy drinks.

It can be easy to reach for these popular beverages when you’re feeling like an afternoon pick-me-up, but specialists urge you to think twice, as it could severely affect your heart health over time.

Hannah Drake, a spokesperson for the Heart Foundation, has responded to a viral TikTok from a user claiming he developed early onset heart disease after drinking energy drinks everyday for two years.

“People want to know, is this real? Can it actually happen?” she said in the clip, which has now been viewed over 3.6 million times. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yes.”

The consumption of energy drinks has been linked to high blood pressure, irregular heart rates and stroke, among other health conditions, according to Drake.

“A specific example is atrial fibrillation which is a type of arrhythmia. It can lead to blood clots and increase your risk of stroke and heart failure,” she explained in the TikTok.

Drake explained that the content of energy drinks are largely considered dietary supplements, which means their ingredients are not preemptively screened by the US Food and Drug Association. And while the FDA does put a cap on what they consider a safe limit to caffeine consumption — 400 milligrams or less per serving — it’s hard to know exactly how much caffeine is actually being consumed in energy drinks.

“Discussing caffeine and energy drinks is difficult because there is such a wide range of caffeine content as well as serving sizes and additional ingredients,” she said, with reference to a 2016 study on caffeine content in energy drinks. “There have even been discrepancies regarding the amount of caffeine that’s listed on an energy drink and the amount of caffeine that the energy drink actually contained.”

Some brands are known to push caffeine content to the limit, at a range of 80 milligrams to over 315 milligrams per serving. But it’s some of the other unregulated ingredients, added to amplify the effects of caffeine, that give Drake pause.

“Some energy drinks make it very easy to consume more caffeine than intended,” she explained, which may exacerbate underlying heart conditions.

In 2021, the American Heart Association reported that approximately 20% of all heart attacks in the US are “silent” — meaning the person might not even know that they’re having a heart attack.

“But the damage to their heart is still done,” she continued. “And they’re left even more vulnerable to having a second heart attack. So there are plenty of people who could be at risk and might not even know it.”

Viewers were shocked by Drake’s PSA, with some swearing off their daily energy drink habit. Others shared similar anecdotes to the viral TikTok that inspired the discussion.

“A cardiologist I worked with called it ‘cardiac death in a can’. I never drank an energy drink after that,” one wrote.

“I used to drink 3 Red Bulls a day. I now have heart issues as well,” another commiserated.

“Worked with a guy that drank 3 or 4 a shift… Died of a heart attack at 26,” read one sobering comment.

It’s important to remember energy drinks are not a substitution for food, Drake addd, reminding people to always talk to your doctor about your personal health as well as your family health history.

“You’re never too young and it’s never too late to start living a more heart healthy lifestyle,” she said.