Energy drinks change the way your heart beats: study

A new study has revealed that all that caffeine and taurine in energy drinks can effect the functioning of the heart. Findings showed more forceful heart contractions after the drink, especially in the left ventricle, which is the chamber that pumps blood around the body.

If you rely on energy drinks to give you a buzz, researchers have news for you. According to a new study, all that caffeine in the drinks can alter the way your heart beats.

A team from the University of Bonn in Germany imaged the hearts of 17 people an hour after they had an energy drink containing caffeine and taurine. Findings showed more forceful heart contractions after the drink, especially in the left ventricle, which is the chamber of heart that pumps blood around the body.

"Until now, we haven't known exactly what effect these

energy drinks

have on the function of the heart," said researcher Jonas Dorner in a statement. "The amount of caffeine is up to three times higher than in other caffeinated beverages like coffee or cola."

Caffeine

levels in drinks such as Monster, Red Bull and Rockstar range from about 6 milligrams to 242 milligrams per serving, and some containers have more than one serving. By comparison, an 8-ounce/236.5 mL cup of coffee has about 100 milligrams.

Dorner and his colleagues have presented their findings at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

"We've shown that energy drink consumption has a short-term impact on cardiac contractility," he said. "We don't know exactly how or if this greater contractility of the heart impacts daily activities or athletic performance." His team advises that children and adults with an irregular heartbeat avoid energydrinks altogether.

A recent report in the journal Pediatrics found that up to 50% of US adolescents and young adults drink energy drinks on a regular basis.