The effects of Red Bull and Monster brand energy drinks on artery function and athletic performance.
Are There Benefits of Energy Drinks?
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Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Given the “global popularity” of the multibillion dollar energy drink industry, it’s critical we figure out if there are any potential adverse effects. “There are currently more than 500 energy drink products [for sale] on the market today.” “The most popular, and most studied…is Red Bull”—a single can of which was found to bump blood pressure by three or four points within 90 minutes of consumption. What about all the other energy drinks? Studies show they similarly increased blood pressure three or four points on average.
Oh, but come on: three or four points? What’s the big deal? 20% higher risk of dying from a stroke is the big deal, and 12% higher risk of dying from a heart attack. Yeah, but that’s if you have elevated blood pressure day in, day out. To see if Red Bull can increase your day-long average blood pressure you’d have to…put it to the test. A “comparison of the effects of energy drink versus [just] caffeine supplementation on…24-hour…blood pressure.”
“The FDA imposes a limit” on caffeine in soda, but the way energy drink manufacturers get around that is by claiming that their carbonated sugar water is not soda, but a “natural dietary supplement…” But, Red Bull doesn’t have any more caffeine than a cup of coffee. The question is, what are the effects of all the other proprietary ingredients they add to the energy drinks? So, they gave people four of the small cans of Red Bull, or four cups of coffee—same amount of caffeine—and then measured their blood pressure over the entire day. Same amount of caffeine, yet significantly higher average blood pressure by about five points over the coffee. So, maybe it’s the taurine, or some other combination of added ingredients, in energy drinks that makes them so harmful?
Energy drinks may also impair artery function. One big can of Monster Energy drink, and a significant drop in your arteries’ ability to relax normally within 90 minutes. The biggest risk, though, is likely the EKG changes that signal an increase in the risk of our hearts flipping into a fatal heart rhythm. And indeed, there are cases of young people suffering cardiac arrest after consuming like seven or eight cans in a row, or even just three cans back-to-back. Some people are just more susceptible. Yeah, there are a number of case reports highlighting “multiple potentially fatal cardiac side effects from high-energy drinks in the general population.” But, it’s the “families with a history of sudden cardiac death” or fainting that education about the risks are “even more critical,” as energy drinks may unmask a “potentially life-threatening genetic condition such as LQTS”—long QT syndrome, which occurs in about one in 2,000 people.
Yes, there are safety issues, but do the benefits outweigh the risks? Unfortunately, “[l]ittle evidence exists…to support [any] beneficial effects.” What about for athletes, though? That’s who energy drinks were originally marketed for. And boy, did that marketing work, with 80% of college athletes reportedly drinking them. So, does it help? You don’t know…until you put it to the test. And, as you can see by the title, “pre-exercise energy drink consumption does not appear to improve endurance.” But it does seem to increase inflammation. Twenty-five mile simulated road race, and they could not find any “ergogenic potential”—any athletic performance-enhancing potential of Red Bull above that of just straight sugar water and caffeine. “In addition, the data indicate that [Red Bull] induced greater inflammatory-related responses than did just [straight caffeinated sugar water or placebo].”
No apparent effect on resistance training either—not just endurance sports. And, those hoping energy drinks will help rev up their metabolism to lose weight may be disappointed to learn you can get the same stimulatory effects with straight caffeine. Or, maybe they won’t be disappointed—black coffee or tea is way cheaper.
No wonder there was no change in athletic performance, because unlike nitrate-rich vegetables, energy drinks don’t change oxygen utilization or ratings of perceived exertion. But, what they do is raise your resting blood pressure. So, the opposite of vegetables likes beets and greens, which both improve athletic performance and reduce blood pressure at the same time—whereas “[e]nergy drinks [appear to] have no therapeutic benefit.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Thorlton J, Colby DA, Devine P. Proposed actions for the US Food and Drug Administration to implement to minimize adverse effects associated with energy drink consumption. Am J Public Health. 2014;104(7):1175-80.
- Manchester J, Eshel I, Marion DW. The Benefits and Risks of Energy Drinks in Young Adults and Military Service Members. Mil Med. 2017;182(7):e1726-e1733.
- Grasser EK, Yepuri G, Dulloo AG, Montani JP. Cardio- and cerebrovascular responses to the energy drink Red Bull in young adults: a randomized cross-over study. Eur J Nutr. 2014;53(7):1561-71.
- Fletcher EA, Lacey CS, Aaron M, Kolasa M, Occiano A, Shah SA. Randomized Controlled Trial of High-Volume Energy Drink Versus Caffeine Consumption on ECG and Hemodynamic Parameters. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017;6(5).
- Shah SA, Chu BW, Lacey CS, Riddock IC, Lee M, Dargush AE. Impact of Acute Energy Drink Consumption on Blood Pressure Parameters: A Meta-analysis. Ann Pharmacother. 2016;50(10):808-15.
- Franks AM, Schmidt JM, Mccain KR, Fraer M. Comparison of the effects of energy drink versus caffeine supplementation on indices of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Ann Pharmacother. 2012;46(2):192-9.
- Grasser EK, Miles-chan JL, Charrière N, Loonam CR, Dulloo AG, Montani JP. Energy Drinks and Their Impact on the Cardiovascular System: Potential Mechanisms. Adv Nutr. 2016;7(5):950-60.
- Enriquez A, Frankel DS. Arrhythmogenic effects of energy drinks. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2017;28(6):711-717.
- Gray B, Das k J, Semsarian C. Consumption of energy drinks: a new provocation test for primary arrhythmogenic diseases?. Int J Cardiol. 2012;159(1):77-8.
- Schwartz PJ, Dagradi F. Red Bull®: Red flag or red herring?. Int J Cardiol. 2017;231:179-180.
- Higgins JP, Yang B, Herrin NE, et al. Consumption of energy beverage is associated with attenuation of arterial endothelial flow-mediated dilatation. World J Cardiol. 2017;9(2):162-166.
- Berger AJ, Alford K. Cardiac arrest in a young man following excess consumption of caffeinated "energy drinks". Med J Aust. 2009;190(1):41-3.
- Seifert SM, Schaechter JL, Hershorin ER, Lipshultz SE. Health effects of energy drinks on children, adolescents, and young adults. Pediatrics. 2011;127(3):511-28.
- Clauson KA, Shields KM, Mcqueen CE, Persad N. Safety issues associated with commercially available energy drinks. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2008;48(3):e55-63.
- Phillips MD, Rola KS, Christensen KV, Ross JW, Mitchell JB. Preexercise energy drink consumption does not improve endurance cycling performance but increases lactate, monocyte, and interleukin-6 response. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(5):1443-53.
- Eckerson JM, Bull AJ, Baechle TR, et al. Acute ingestion of sugar-free red bull energy drink has no effect on upper body strength and muscular endurance in resistance trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2013;27(8):2248-54.
- Hoyte CO, Albert D, Heard KJ. The use of energy drinks, dietary supplements, and prescription medications by United States college students to enhance athletic performance. J Community Health. 2013;38(3):575-80.
- Miles-chan JL, Charrière N, Grasser EK, Montani JP, Dulloo AG. The thermic effect of sugar-free Red Bull: do the non-caffeine bioactive ingredients in energy drinks play a role?. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(1):16-9.
- Peveler WW, Sanders GJ, Marczinski CA, Holmer B. Effects of Energy Drinks on Economy and Cardiovascular Measures. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(4):882-887.
Image credit: Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay. Image has been modified.
Motion graphics by Avocado Video.
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Given the “global popularity” of the multibillion dollar energy drink industry, it’s critical we figure out if there are any potential adverse effects. “There are currently more than 500 energy drink products [for sale] on the market today.” “The most popular, and most studied…is Red Bull”—a single can of which was found to bump blood pressure by three or four points within 90 minutes of consumption. What about all the other energy drinks? Studies show they similarly increased blood pressure three or four points on average.
Oh, but come on: three or four points? What’s the big deal? 20% higher risk of dying from a stroke is the big deal, and 12% higher risk of dying from a heart attack. Yeah, but that’s if you have elevated blood pressure day in, day out. To see if Red Bull can increase your day-long average blood pressure you’d have to…put it to the test. A “comparison of the effects of energy drink versus [just] caffeine supplementation on…24-hour…blood pressure.”
“The FDA imposes a limit” on caffeine in soda, but the way energy drink manufacturers get around that is by claiming that their carbonated sugar water is not soda, but a “natural dietary supplement…” But, Red Bull doesn’t have any more caffeine than a cup of coffee. The question is, what are the effects of all the other proprietary ingredients they add to the energy drinks? So, they gave people four of the small cans of Red Bull, or four cups of coffee—same amount of caffeine—and then measured their blood pressure over the entire day. Same amount of caffeine, yet significantly higher average blood pressure by about five points over the coffee. So, maybe it’s the taurine, or some other combination of added ingredients, in energy drinks that makes them so harmful?
Energy drinks may also impair artery function. One big can of Monster Energy drink, and a significant drop in your arteries’ ability to relax normally within 90 minutes. The biggest risk, though, is likely the EKG changes that signal an increase in the risk of our hearts flipping into a fatal heart rhythm. And indeed, there are cases of young people suffering cardiac arrest after consuming like seven or eight cans in a row, or even just three cans back-to-back. Some people are just more susceptible. Yeah, there are a number of case reports highlighting “multiple potentially fatal cardiac side effects from high-energy drinks in the general population.” But, it’s the “families with a history of sudden cardiac death” or fainting that education about the risks are “even more critical,” as energy drinks may unmask a “potentially life-threatening genetic condition such as LQTS”—long QT syndrome, which occurs in about one in 2,000 people.
Yes, there are safety issues, but do the benefits outweigh the risks? Unfortunately, “[l]ittle evidence exists…to support [any] beneficial effects.” What about for athletes, though? That’s who energy drinks were originally marketed for. And boy, did that marketing work, with 80% of college athletes reportedly drinking them. So, does it help? You don’t know…until you put it to the test. And, as you can see by the title, “pre-exercise energy drink consumption does not appear to improve endurance.” But it does seem to increase inflammation. Twenty-five mile simulated road race, and they could not find any “ergogenic potential”—any athletic performance-enhancing potential of Red Bull above that of just straight sugar water and caffeine. “In addition, the data indicate that [Red Bull] induced greater inflammatory-related responses than did just [straight caffeinated sugar water or placebo].”
No apparent effect on resistance training either—not just endurance sports. And, those hoping energy drinks will help rev up their metabolism to lose weight may be disappointed to learn you can get the same stimulatory effects with straight caffeine. Or, maybe they won’t be disappointed—black coffee or tea is way cheaper.
No wonder there was no change in athletic performance, because unlike nitrate-rich vegetables, energy drinks don’t change oxygen utilization or ratings of perceived exertion. But, what they do is raise your resting blood pressure. So, the opposite of vegetables likes beets and greens, which both improve athletic performance and reduce blood pressure at the same time—whereas “[e]nergy drinks [appear to] have no therapeutic benefit.”
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Thorlton J, Colby DA, Devine P. Proposed actions for the US Food and Drug Administration to implement to minimize adverse effects associated with energy drink consumption. Am J Public Health. 2014;104(7):1175-80.
- Manchester J, Eshel I, Marion DW. The Benefits and Risks of Energy Drinks in Young Adults and Military Service Members. Mil Med. 2017;182(7):e1726-e1733.
- Grasser EK, Yepuri G, Dulloo AG, Montani JP. Cardio- and cerebrovascular responses to the energy drink Red Bull in young adults: a randomized cross-over study. Eur J Nutr. 2014;53(7):1561-71.
- Fletcher EA, Lacey CS, Aaron M, Kolasa M, Occiano A, Shah SA. Randomized Controlled Trial of High-Volume Energy Drink Versus Caffeine Consumption on ECG and Hemodynamic Parameters. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017;6(5).
- Shah SA, Chu BW, Lacey CS, Riddock IC, Lee M, Dargush AE. Impact of Acute Energy Drink Consumption on Blood Pressure Parameters: A Meta-analysis. Ann Pharmacother. 2016;50(10):808-15.
- Franks AM, Schmidt JM, Mccain KR, Fraer M. Comparison of the effects of energy drink versus caffeine supplementation on indices of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Ann Pharmacother. 2012;46(2):192-9.
- Grasser EK, Miles-chan JL, Charrière N, Loonam CR, Dulloo AG, Montani JP. Energy Drinks and Their Impact on the Cardiovascular System: Potential Mechanisms. Adv Nutr. 2016;7(5):950-60.
- Enriquez A, Frankel DS. Arrhythmogenic effects of energy drinks. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2017;28(6):711-717.
- Gray B, Das k J, Semsarian C. Consumption of energy drinks: a new provocation test for primary arrhythmogenic diseases?. Int J Cardiol. 2012;159(1):77-8.
- Schwartz PJ, Dagradi F. Red Bull®: Red flag or red herring?. Int J Cardiol. 2017;231:179-180.
- Higgins JP, Yang B, Herrin NE, et al. Consumption of energy beverage is associated with attenuation of arterial endothelial flow-mediated dilatation. World J Cardiol. 2017;9(2):162-166.
- Berger AJ, Alford K. Cardiac arrest in a young man following excess consumption of caffeinated "energy drinks". Med J Aust. 2009;190(1):41-3.
- Seifert SM, Schaechter JL, Hershorin ER, Lipshultz SE. Health effects of energy drinks on children, adolescents, and young adults. Pediatrics. 2011;127(3):511-28.
- Clauson KA, Shields KM, Mcqueen CE, Persad N. Safety issues associated with commercially available energy drinks. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2008;48(3):e55-63.
- Phillips MD, Rola KS, Christensen KV, Ross JW, Mitchell JB. Preexercise energy drink consumption does not improve endurance cycling performance but increases lactate, monocyte, and interleukin-6 response. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(5):1443-53.
- Eckerson JM, Bull AJ, Baechle TR, et al. Acute ingestion of sugar-free red bull energy drink has no effect on upper body strength and muscular endurance in resistance trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2013;27(8):2248-54.
- Hoyte CO, Albert D, Heard KJ. The use of energy drinks, dietary supplements, and prescription medications by United States college students to enhance athletic performance. J Community Health. 2013;38(3):575-80.
- Miles-chan JL, Charrière N, Grasser EK, Montani JP, Dulloo AG. The thermic effect of sugar-free Red Bull: do the non-caffeine bioactive ingredients in energy drinks play a role?. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(1):16-9.
- Peveler WW, Sanders GJ, Marczinski CA, Holmer B. Effects of Energy Drinks on Economy and Cardiovascular Measures. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(4):882-887.
Image credit: Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay. Image has been modified.
Motion graphics by Avocado Video.
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Title
Are There Benefits of Energy Drinks?
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
What’s that QT thing? In case you missed my previous video, see: Are There Risks to Energy Drinks?
What about sports drinks? Check out: Are Sports Drinks Safe & Effective?
What can we do for athletic performance and recovery?
- Reducing Muscle Fatigue with Citrus
- Reducing Muscle Soreness with Berries
- Preventing Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress with Watercress
- “Veg-Table” Dietary Nitrate Scoring Method
- Fennel Seeds to Improve Athletic Performance
- Foods to Improve Athletic Performance and Recovery
- Ground Ginger to Reduce Muscle Pain
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