‘It’s important for people to know that there may be a risk of cardiovascular harm with these products’
Reports involving energy drinks and supplements were around 4.5 times more likely to include heart attacks, according to the study
Energy drinks may be responsible for a surge in heart attacks among young adults, new research suggests. Products containing high levels of caffeine or other stimulants were associated with more reporting of cardiac arrests and heart attacks – particularly for adults aged 18 to 34, a group not usually considered at high risk.
American researchers found caffeinated energy drinks and stimulant supplements appeared “disproportionately” more often in official reports of serious cardiovascular events, especially among young adults.
Sales of caffeinated energy drinks have more than doubled over the past decade. While research on energy drinks and other stimulant-containing supplements is limited, available evidence indicates that high doses of caffeine are associated with cardiovascular harm.
Healthcare professionals have also described cases of irregular heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias, or sudden cardiac death in people who had consumed the products, many of them young adults with no known heart disease risks.
Consuming up to 400mg of caffeine per day – the equivalent of up to five regular cups of black caffeinated coffee – is generally safe for most adults, according to an American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement on caffeine and cardiovascular disease earlier this year.
However, compared with brewed coffee, some energy drinks contain as much as three times more caffeine per fluid ounce, while some pre-workout supplements contain more than 12 times as much caffeine per fluid ounce. Study author Sai Samayamanthula said: “These products are marketed as everyday pick-me-ups and sold next to soda and bottled water, so most people assume they carry no real risk.
“For many healthy people, if these products are consumed occasionally, the risk is probably small. However, individuals who consume energy drinks or other stimulant-containing supplements regularly can quickly exceed the recommended daily limit for caffeine, so it’s important for people to know that there may be a risk of cardiovascular harm with these products.”
Researchers analysed data from a government safety database to compare reports of adverse reactions related to products containing caffeine and other stimulants compared to regulated foods and dietary supplements such as soft drinks, meal replacement shakes, protein bars, smoothies and vitamins.
The data included 28,345 reports from people aged 13 or older between 2017 and 2025. A total of 854 reports mentioned caffeine or stimulant-containing energy drinks or dietary supplements.
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Researchers compared them with 27,491 reports about products without caffeine or other stimulants. Cardiac arrest was reported around 11 times more often in connection with caffeine- and stimulant-containing products compared to products without those ingredients.
Reports involving energy drinks and supplements were around 4.5 times more likely to include heart attacks and four times more likely to include ventricular arrhythmias – abnormal rhythm in the heart’s lower pumping chambers – or heart palpitations.
Similar patterns existed between consumption of caffeinated energy drinks and stimulant supplements and reports of other heart conditions, including elevated heart rate, chest pain, and fainting. Just under half (45%) of reports linking caffeine- and stimulant-containing products to cardiovascular events involved adults ages 18 to 34. Similar patterns were observed in reports involving both men and women.
The research team emphasised that the analysis’ design only identified associations between caffeinated products and cardiac events voluntarily self-reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the results can’t prove that the products directly caused any heart conditions or events.
But Mr Samayamanthula, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said: “Our findings support the case for more systematic safety monitoring of caffeine- and stimulant-containing products.
“In addition, healthcare professionals should remember to ask their younger patients who have palpitations, chest pain or fainting spells if they recently or regularly consume these products.”
The findings are due to be presented at a meeting of the AHA in Chicago next week. Professor Gregory Marcus, chair of the 2026 AHA scientific statement on caffeine and cardiovascular disease, said: “This study raises concerns that products with very high amounts of caffeine may be harmful to the cardiovascular system.
“Although there are biological reasons why that connection could be possible, the study does not prove that caffeine products cause these events, because other factors may have influenced the results found in this analysis.”
Prof Marcus, who was not involved in the study, added: “More research is needed to understand whether these stimulant products are truly responsible for the reported heart-related events.”
