How energy drinks affect blood viscosity

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Thrombosis – a dangerous condition of the cardiovascular system in which one of the blood clots can break off and block the blood flow. A number of factors increase the risk of developing thrombosis, including a sedentary lifestyle and improper diet.

For example, energy drinks can trigger blood clots. The Journal of Surgical Research published a study in which scientists proved that even sugar-free energy drinks pose a threat.

In particular, scientists found that popular energy drinks are associated with a number of diseases, including heart rhythm disorders, myocardial infarction, and other complications in the cardiovascular system.

Experts have suggested that energy drinks increase the risk of heart disease due to increased platelet aggregation, which is the fusion of platelets into blood clots. With an excessive amount of platelets, an ideal environment is formed for the formation of gel-like blood clots.

Scientists conducted their study with the participation of volunteers aged 18 to 40 years. The experimental participants were given bottled water and sugar-free energy drinks on two separate occasions with an interval of one week. The two drinks had to be drunk in the morning within 30 minutes.

The experts then measured blood clotting and platelet function before and one hour after consuming each drink. Scientists did not find a cardinal difference, but they noticed that the consumption of energy drinks led to an increase in the number of platelets sticking to each other. This activity of blood cells was recorded within an hour after drinking the drink.

Scientists concluded that new studies are needed for further conclusions. However, even preliminary results demonstrate the danger of frequent consumption of energy drinks, which contain not only excessive amounts of sugar, but also other dangerous components that affect blood viscosity.