How safe is Red Bull and other energy drinks?

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The promoter of evidence-based medicine MED GOblin shared on his page in Facebook with knowledge about how energy drinks affect the human body.

Energy drinks are drinks, the basis of which is usually caffeine. Depending on the manufacturer, it is supplemented with various other substances, such as baboon, guarana, carnitine, yohimbine, aladin, etc.

Their purpose is to stimulate the nervous system of people (especially at night). Therefore, these drinks are loved by students during the session, IT professionals, and professional drivers. And they are also very much appreciated by teenagers. According to some data, approximately three out of 10 teenagers drink energy drinks in the United States on a regular basis.

As shown by the results of a meta-analysis involving almost 100,000 participants conducted last year, energy drinks can cause various side effects , at the same time – not so rare. Among them:

• over 60% – tachycardia and heart rhythm disorders;
• 21% – digestive disorders;
• 14% – pain in the back and muscles;
• 35% – dizziness.

These data refer to adults. In children who regularly use energy drinks, the situation is slightly different:

• 20% – chest pains;
• 14% – abdominal pains;
• >21% – headache;
• 8% – tremor.

However, even more alarming adverse events are insomnia (in a third of the study participants) and depressed mood, thoughts about suicide (in every fifth child).

The negative effect of energy drinks is dose-dependent: suicidal risks increase from 5 cans a week.

According to the American Journal of Cardiology, the use of even one can of energy drinks can lead to heart disorders – almost all types of arrhythmias have been registered , most of which are atrial fibrillation (a study looked at the side effects of drinking Red Bull).

Another study looked at whether caffeine itself is causing this negative effect on the heart. Its results are presented in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Participants were divided into two groups: an energy drink and water with caffeine (at the same time, the dose of caffeine in the groups was the same). Violations of the electrical conductivity of the heart and an increase in blood pressure were significantly more in the group that used energy drinks. And this is connected with other supplements that negatively affect the state of the cardiovascular system.

Another group of researchers found that the use of energy drinks also leads to damage to the endothelium – the inner lining of blood vessels, which can have even worse consequences consequences than tachycardia. In some studies, energy drinks are associated with myocardial infarction, circulatory arrest, aortic aneurysm, etc.

Today, there is enough evidence that any energy drinks are dangerous drinks that cause significant damage to health. MED GOblin hopes that in the battle between business and children's health, common sense will prevail, and a complete ban on the sale of these drinks to children will not have to wait 50 years, as was the case with smoking.