For many people, an energy drink is an easy way to get through the day. You open a can, get a quick boost, and carry on with whatever needs to be done. You probably don’t spend much time thinking about how it affects your heart.
But new research has raised concerns about the possible connection between energy drinks and serious heart problems, especially among young adults.
The new findings give us a reason to take a closer look at what goes into these drinks and how they affect our bodies.
What Scientists Found After Reviewing More Than 28,000 FDA Safety Reports?
Researchers looked at 28,345 reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2017 and 2025. They wanted to see how often serious heart problems appeared in reports involving energy drinks and stimulant supplements compared with other food and supplement products.
The results raised some serious questions. Cardiac arrest appeared about 11 times more frequently in reports involving caffeine and stimulant products. Heart attacks and abnormal heart rhythms also appeared much more frequently.
According to the American Heart Association, the researchers examined 854 reports involving caffeine or other stimulants and compared them with 27,491 reports involving products without those ingredients.
Which Heart Problems Appeared Most Often in the Reports?
Cardiac arrest showed the largest difference, but it wasn’t the only concern. Researchers also found higher reporting rates for heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, chest pain, and fainting.
Heart Problems Reported With Caffeine and Stimulant Products
How many times more frequently each problem appeared in FDA reports involving stimulant products compared with other products.
Cardiac arrest 11 times
Heart attack 4.5 times
Abnormal heart rhythm or palpitations 4 times
Elevated heart rate Nearly 3 times
Chest pain 2.71 times
Fainting About 2 times
Cardiac arrest means the heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked. Both are serious emergencies, although they are different medical conditions.
The study also found more reports of palpitations, when someone feels their heart racing, pounding, or beating irregularly. Such symptoms can have many causes, but they deserve medical attention when accompanied by chest pain, fainting, or other warning signs.
Why Are Younger Adults Getting So Much Attention?
One of the more surprising findings concerns age. Around 45% of the stimulant related cardiovascular reports involved people between 18 and 34 years old.
Young adults aren’t usually the first group people think about when discussing serious heart problems. Yet they are also among the consumers who may use energy drinks before workouts, during late shifts, or when studying.
Researchers haven’t established why so many reports involved younger adults. Greater use of stimulant products, combining them with alcohol or other substances, intense exercise, and previously undiagnosed heart conditions could all play a role.
Does That Mean Young Adults Face a Higher Risk?
Not necessarily. The 45% figure describes the age distribution of reports involving stimulant products and cardiovascular problems. It doesn’t mean 45% of young energy drink consumers develop heart problems.
Researchers would need information about how many people use these products, how much they consume, and their medical histories before estimating the actual risk.
What the Study Cannot Tell Us Yet?
The findings sound alarming, especially the 11 times figure. But there’s an important difference between finding a pattern in safety reports and proving that a product caused a medical emergency.
Anyone can report a suspected adverse reaction to the FDA, including consumers, healthcare professionals, and manufacturers. The reports aren’t all independently verified, and researchers don’t know how many people consumed the same products without experiencing problems.
The researchers also grouped energy drinks with other stimulant supplements, including products containing ingredients such as guarana, synephrine, and yohimbine. The results therefore cannot be attributed to energy drinks alone or to a specific brand.
The study hasn’t yet undergone peer review. It is scheduled for presentation at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November 2026.
Still, the findings are important because they raise questions about products many people use without giving much thought to their ingredients.
Earlier research on coffee and heart health found that moderate coffee consumption is generally safe for most adults. The evidence is less reassuring for highly concentrated energy drinks and stimulant supplements.
So, Should We Stop Drinking Energy Drinks?
The new research doesn’t mean everyone who drinks energy drinks is going to develop heart problems. But it does give you a reason to pay more attention to how much caffeine you’re consuming.
According to the FDA caffeine guidelines, up to 400 milligrams a day is generally considered safe for most healthy adults. A single 16-ounce energy drink can contain anywhere between 54 and 328 milligrams. Add another can or a couple of coffees, and you could easily go over that amount.
Not everyone reacts to caffeine the same way, either. Some people experience a racing heartbeat, anxiety, trouble sleeping, or headaches after consuming too much. Others are more sensitive because of existing health conditions or medications.
Chest pain, fainting, or a racing heartbeat accompanied by dizziness or shortness of breath should never be ignored. Severe symptoms need immediate medical attention.
Researchers still have more work to do before they can say exactly how energy drinks affect the heart over time. The latest findings don’t answer every question, but they make one thing clear. Knowing how much caffeine is in your drink matters, especially when that one can turns into two or three.
