A popular beverage has been linked to a heightened risk of heart and kidney issues, as well as anxiety, in young people. Studies have also indicated that these drinks can lead to insomnia, elevated blood pressure, headaches, and stomach pains.
Energy drinks have surged in popularity, becoming a go-to source of energy for many, with around 31 per cent of Brits reportedly consuming them regularly. While they may boost alertness, health professionals are raising concerns about the potential dangers these drinks pose, particularly to the younger demographic who are the primary consumers.
Annabel Gipp, a dietitian writing for the British Dietetic Association (BDA), highlighted the adverse effects of energy drinks, attributing many of them to the high caffeine content, which is especially harmful to children and young adults. Gipp detailed: “Increased caffeine consumption in children and adolescents results in increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, headaches and stomach aches. Self-reported injury due to hyperactivity has also been reported.”
She further cautioned: “Adolescence is also the time of maximum bone deposition and caffeine interferes with the absorption of calcium in the small intestine and so may lead to reduced calcium deposition in bones. This may also be as a result of energy drinks being consumed instead of calcium-containing drinks such as milk.”
Recent scientific research has raised concerns about the potential health risks of long-term energy drink consumption, especially for young people.
Heart and kidney issues
According to a 2023 review published in the Nutrients journal which assessed 18 reports on the adverse health effects associated with energy drinks among individuals under 18 years old, nearly half of these incidents impacted the cardiovascular system including heart arrhythmia and arterial hypertension, neuropsychological problems accounted for a third, while other organs like the kidneys were also affected in 22 percent of cases.
The study found that pre-existing medical conditions featured in 44 percent of the reviewed cases. Researchers pointed out that “Cardiovascular adverse health events were reported in 45 per cent of cases, including cardiac arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, acute coronary artery vasospasm, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection.”
Of the two instances where there were possible triggers or existing health problems, the patients had consumed large amounts of energy drinks over several days. Still, one case showed a patient suffering from significant cardiovascular effects after drinking what was considered a moderate quantity.
“One healthy male adolescent displayed spontaneous coronary artery dissection after the consumption of a reasonable energy drink amount (80 mg of caffeine),” highlighted the authors. The adverse impacts on cardiovascular health are thought to be “partially” related to the high caffeine levels found in these drinks.
Moreover, the study pointed to the kidneys as another area for concern, referring to an incident from 2011 where a teen suffered acute renal failure after consuming energy drinks.
The high levels of taurine found in energy drinks are believed to be the cause, with the study authors explaining: “It is suggested that 95 per cent of taurine is metabolised in the kidneys,” However, they also highlighted that consuming these beverages can lead to arterial hypertension, sugar metabolism disorders and excess weight, all known risk factors for chronic kidney disease.
Anxiety
In a more recent study published last year in the Public Health journal, it was revealed that energy drinks are linked to an increased risk of mental health problems among children and young people. These include anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
The research analysed data from 57 studies involving over 1.2 million children and young people across more than 21 countries.
Dr Shelina Visram, senior lecturer in public health from Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health at Newcastle University, and co-author of the study, expressed deep concern about the findings. She said: “We are deeply concerned about the findings that energy drinks can lead to psychological distress and issues with mental health. These are important public health concerns that need to be addressed.”
Researchers have long complained about the lack of action, and now argue that energy drinks are so freely available to children and young people that they are doing harm. The lead author of the study, Professor Amelia Lake, said: “Energy drinks are marketed to children and young people as a way to improve energy and performance, but our findings suggest that they are actually doing more harm than good.
“We have raised concerns about the health impacts of these drinks for the best part of a decade after finding that they were being sold to children as young as 10 years old for as little as 25 pence. That is cheaper than bottled water.
“The evidence is clear that energy drinks are harmful to the mental and physical health of children and young people as well as their behaviour and education. We need to take action now to protect them from these risks.”
