The Hidden Heart Risks of High-Caffeine Drinks

Popular energy drinks and fitness supplements may carry hidden risks for young, healthy hearts.

A preliminary study analyzed more than 28,000 reports from a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety database between 2017 and 2025. Researchers found that reports involving caffeinated energy drinks and stimulant supplements showed a higher frequency of sudden cardiac arrest compared to non-caffeinated foods and supplements.

Young Adults at Highest Risk

Energy drink sales reached more than $20 billion in 2024. They’re frequently marketed as quick daily pick-me-ups and sold alongside soda and water. However, their health impact can be far more serious.
About 45 percent of all safety reports linking energy products to heart issues involved young adults between the ages of 18 and 34.

Reports showed that those who consumed energy drinks were more likely to:

• Experience heart attacks, chest pain, and fainting spells
• Have irregular heart rhythms (ventricular arrhythmias) or fluttering sensations (heart palpitations)
• Report an abnormally fast heart rate
• Experience increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure

Coffee Versus Energy Drinks: What’s the Difference?

The American Heart Association notes that consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, roughly five standard 8-ounce cups of black coffee, is generally safe for most healthy adults.

However, energy drinks and workout powders differ significantly from traditional brewed coffee:

• Higher concentrations: While brewed coffee allows up to five 8-ounce cups per day within the recommended caffeine limit, some energy drinks pack up to three times as much caffeine per fluid ounce. Pre-workout powders are even more concentrated, containing up to 12 times as much caffeine per fluid ounce.
• Added stimulants: Many energy products blend caffeine with additional herbal stimulants like guarana, green tea extract, yohimbine, or synephrine.
• Fewer safety checks: The FDA regulates energy drinks as dietary supplements or foods rather than medicines. Because of this, manufacturers don’t have to conduct pre-market safety testing before selling them to the public.

What Doctors Recommend

Because these findings are based on voluntary self-reports, researchers emphasize that the study shows an association rather than direct proof of cause. Factors like rapid consumption, combining drinks with alcohol or intense physical activity, or underlying genetic heart conditions, known or unknown, can play a role.

Health experts advise consumers to check product labels for combined caffeine and stimulant ingredients. Anyone who experiences unexplained heart fluttering, chest pain, or dizziness after drinking energy products should speak with a doctor right away.