Study Links Energy Drinks to Increased Cardiac Arrest Risk in Young Adults

A new study has linked energy drinks and other caffeine-based stimulant products to increased reports of cardiac arrest, heart attacks and irregular heartbeats among young adults, particularly those aged 18 to 34. The research found that cardiac arrest was reported about 11 times more frequently in connection with products containing caffeine or other stimulants than in reports involving products without these ingredients.

The findings raise concerns about the cardiovascular effects of highly caffeinated beverages at a time when consumption of energy drinks has nearly doubled over the past decade. Researchers analysed 28,345 adverse-event reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2017 and 2025. Of these, 854 involved products containing caffeine or other stimulants, while 27,491 concerned products without these ingredients.

The study found that heart attacks were about 4.5 times more likely to be reported in connection with stimulant products, while irregular heartbeats were approximately four times more frequent. Reports of increased heart rate were nearly three times higher, and chest pain was reported 2.71 times more often. Notably, nearly half of the heart-related reports involving stimulant products concerned adults aged 18 to 34—a group generally considered to have a lower risk of serious cardiovascular problems.

Researchers said several factors could help explain the pattern, including higher energy drink consumption among young adults, use of stimulant products before intense exercise, mixing them with alcohol or other drugs, and previously undiagnosed heart conditions. The potency of these products may also play a role: some energy drinks contain up to three times more caffeine per ounce than brewed coffee, while certain pre-workout supplements contain more than 12 times as much.

Gregory Marcus, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said the findings raise concerns about the potential cardiovascular effects of high caffeine consumption but do not establish that these products directly cause heart problems. The research is preliminary and based on adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA. It does not establish how frequently such events occur among all consumers or account for people who use these products without experiencing health problems—limitations that underscore the need for caution in interpreting the results.

The findings are scheduled for presentation at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2026. Researchers say further studies and improved safety monitoring are needed to better understand the relationship between stimulant products and cardiovascular events. They also recommend that healthcare professionals ask younger patients experiencing chest pain, fainting or a racing heartbeat about their use of energy drinks and other stimulant products, so that potential risks can be identified and addressed early.

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