RESEARCHERS found that a single can
of energy drink increased blood pressure and stress hormone responses among
young adults.
First author Dr. Anna Svatikova, a
cardiology fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and colleagues found that
young adults who consumed one 16-ounce energy drink showed a rise in blood
pressure and an increase in stress hormone responses within 30 minutes, which
may raise cardiovascular risk.
The team presented their findings at
the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2015 on Sunday.
Energy drinks – marketed as
beverages that can boost physical and mental performance – are growing in
popularity, particularly among adolescents and young adults in the US. According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), energy drinks are
regularly consumed by around 31 per cent of teenagers aged 12 to 17 and 34 per
cent of adults aged 18 to 24.
But with the rise in energy drink
consumption comes an increase in public health concern; the beverages have been
linked to a number of severe side effects. A study reported by Medical News
Today in 2013, for example, linked energy drinks to altered heart function.
What is more, a 2013 report from the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found the
number of emergency department visits in the US involving energy drink
consumption more than doubled between 2007-11, from 10,068 visits to 20,783.
Caffeine is believed to be the most
harmful ingredient in energy drinks; a single can or bottle contains anything
from around 80 mg of caffeine to more than 500 mg. For comparison, a 500 mg cup
of coffee contains an average of 100 mg of caffeine.
Energy drinks also have a high sugar
content and may contain other plant-based stimulants that produce side effects
comparable to those of caffeine.
Source: ngrguardiannews
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