Do Energy Drinks Pose Heart Risks? Study Finds 11-Fold Higher Reporting of Cardiac Arrest - Video

Energy drinks and stimulant supplements may be linked to serious heart problems, with new research identifying unusually high reporting rates of cardiac arrest and heart attacks, particularly among young adults.

The preliminary study, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2026, examined suspected cardiovascular reactions involving products containing caffeine and other stimulants.

Researchers from the University of Virginia analysed 28,345 adverse event reports submitted to a US Food and Drug Administration database between 2017 and 2025.

Of these, 854 involved energy drinks or stimulant supplements, while 27,491 involved products without these ingredients.

The findings revealed that reports involving stimulant products were approximately 11 times more likely to mention cardiac arrest than reports involving non-stimulant products.

Heart attacks were reported about 4.5 times more frequently, while ventricular arrhythmias and heart palpitations appeared roughly four times more often.

Researchers also observed nearly three times the reporting frequency of rapid heartbeat, 2.71 times for chest pain and twice for fainting.

Importantly, adults aged 18 to 34 accounted for approximately 45% of cardiovascular reports involving caffeine and stimulant products.

The researchers suggested that concentrated caffeine intake, frequent supplement use and other lifestyle factors might contribute to these patterns, although the reasons remain uncertain.

However, these figures represent differences in reporting frequency, not actual increases in the likelihood of developing heart problems.

Because the database relies on voluntary reports, researchers could not determine how many people consumed these products safely or whether the products directly caused the reported events.

The findings highlight the importance of assessing energy drink and stimulant supplement consumption in patients reporting palpitations, chest pain or fainting.

Researchers called for stronger safety monitoring and further studies to establish potential cardiovascular risks. The study has not yet undergone formal independent peer review.

REFERENCE: American Heart Association. "Energy drinks linked to 11 times more reports of cardiac arrest." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2026