Energy Drinks could Damage Blood Vessels - New Findings

Researchers say caffeine - laden energy drinks may make the blood vessels of its consumers less efficient. Findings of a new study presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA) in Chicago on November 12, showed that energy drinks reduced the diameter of blood vessels and in effect, restricted blood flow and oxygen delivery to various parts of the body.

Therefore, people under 18 years, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, caffeine-sensitive individuals and those taking stimulants or caffeine-based drugs or those with heart disease should stay away from energy drinks, warned the lead researcher of the study, Dr. John Higgins, who is a professor of medicine at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Previous studies have showed that energy drinks have been linked to heart, nerve and stomach problems.

This negative effect on blood vessels may be related to ingredients in the energy drink, such as caffeine, taurine, sugar and other herbals, the researchers suggested.

Taurine is an amino acid touted as increasing energy and was originally extracted from bull semen — hence the name Red Bull, the researchers said.

Reacting to the development, lead researcher Dr. John Higgins who is a professor of medicine at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Centre in Houston, lamented that a lot of young kids use energy drinks when they exercise, a time when arterial function is at its top. On the contrary, he said, “Exercise and sports require maximum blood flow so oxygen can get to cells quickly.

“It’s more work for the heart and less oxygen supply for the heart. This could explain why there have been cases where kids have had a cardiac arrest after an energy drink.” Plus, people often chug energy drinks so they get the full effect in one shot, and that might be dangerous, Higgins said.

Speaking further, Higgins warned, “These drinks are not intended for children. The study included 44 healthy, non-smoking medical students in their 20s.

The researchers tested the effect of a 24-ounce energy drink on cells lining blood vessels, called endothelial cells. The function of these cells was tested before and after the participants consumed the energy drink, and again 90 minutes later. The researchers looked at artery flow-mediated dilation — an ultrasound measurement that is an indicator of overall blood vessel health.

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