Effects of energy drinks on blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiographic parameters: An experimental study on healthy young adults

Abstract

Objective:To evaluate the effects of the consumption of energy drinks on cardiovascular parameters in a group of healthy young individuals.Methods:In a quasi-experimental study, 44 healthy adult participants aged between 15 and 30 years were evaluated. The blood pressure (BP) as well as electrocardiographic indices, including heart rate (HR), PR interval, QRS duration, corrected QT (QTc) interval, and ST-T changes were recorded before consumption of a caffeine-containing energy drink and at the specific time points over a 4-h test duration.Results:We found statistically significant HR decline (p=0.004) and more frequent ST-T changes (p=0.004) after the participants consumed the energy drink. However, readings for systolic BP (p=0.44), diastolic BP (p=0.26), PR interval (p=0.449), QRS duration (p=0.235), and QTc interval (p=0.953) showed no significant change post-consumption.Conclusion:In conclusion, we demonstrated that the consumption of energy drinks could contribute to HR decline and ST-T change in healthy young adults.

Energy Drinks and Their Impact on the Cardiovascular System: Potential Mechanisms

“…Differential acute cardiovascular responses across the various studies could also result from differences in the volume of the ED ingested, thereby reflecting differences in the water load, as well as in the amount of active ingredients consumed (Table 2). Indeed, the 30% lesser volume of the EDs used in the study by Ragsdale et al (31) and Hajsadeghi et al (38) than that used in our study (250 compared with 355 mL) could have contributed to the lack of a significant increase in blood pressure measured over 120 min. Furthermore, although in the study by Worthley et al (32) 250 mL of a sugar-free ED was found to elevate mean blood pressure at 60 min postconsumption, the increase in mean blood pressure (;3.5 mm Hg) was less than that observed at the same time point in our study with 355 mL of Red Bull (;5 mm Hg at 60 min postconsumption) (17).…”

“…It is well established that posture has a significant impact on blood pressure variables and heart rate in a resting condition (42)(43)(44), as well as in responses to specific cardiovascular maneuvers (44), an effect that was suggested to be caused by changes in the intrathoracic blood volume (44). A recent publication investigated the cardiovascular impact of an ED in young healthy subjects and observed that heart rate was significantly lower at 30 and 120 min postconsumption than at baseline levels (38). In this study, heart rate was measured discontinuously at 30, 120, and 240 min postconsumption by using a Cardioline AR1200 with the subject in a supine position, whereas blood pressure variables were measured in a sitting position after a resting period of 5 min, which indicates a change in body posture between heart rate and blood pressure measurements (38).…”

“…For example, in a double-blind experiment, Ragsdale et al (31) randomly assigned 68 participants to consume either 250 mL of an ED or a control drink, but they reported no changes in blood pressure over a 120-min postconsumption period with blood pressure assessed by arm cuff only at 0, 60, and 120 min postconsumption. Similarly, by using a mercury sphygmomanometer to assess blood pressure variables, Hajsadeghi et al (38) investigated the cardiovascular impact of 250 mL of an ED in young healthy subjects and showed no significant changes in blood pressure at 30 min and at 120 min postconsumption. In light of our findings that both systolic and diastolic blood pressures peak at 80-100 min postconsumption, one cannot disregard the possibility that an increase in blood pressure at 60 min postconsumption of the ED in the study by Ragsdale et al (31) and at 120 min postconsumption in the study by Hajsadeghi et al (38) may have been detected as a significant increase if blood pressure had been measured continuously over the 120-min test period.…”

“…In this study, heart rate was measured discontinuously at 30, 120, and 240 min postconsumption by using a Cardioline AR1200 with the subject in a supine position, whereas blood pressure variables were measured in a sitting position after a resting period of 5 min, which indicates a change in body posture between heart rate and blood pressure measurements (38). Therefore, it is possible that a posture change during measurements as well as the position itself [i.e., a sitting position in our studies (17)(18)(19) compared with a supine position in the studies of Hajsadeghi et al (38) for heart rate assessment] influence the heart rate response to ED ingestion.…”

Psychopathology Related to Energy Drinks: A Psychosis Case Report

“…However, cardiovascular effects, such as supraventricular tachycardia, long QT syndrome, or myocardial infarction, have also been described after ED intake [26–29]. In addition, a number of investigations have focused on the hemodynamic effects and endothelial functions of the consumption of energy drinks [30–33]. For this reason we hypothesize that the complication described in our patient could be multifactorial and not only related to antipsychotic drugs.…”