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Energy drinks and supplements containing stimulants have been linked to the risk of serious heart problems, including cardiac arrest and heart attack, especially in young adults.
This is according to a new study published by the American Heart Association, which will be presented at the AHA Scientific Sessions in Chicago, November 6-9, 2026.
A retrospective observational analysis examined more than 28,000 reports submitted to the FDA regarding cardiovascular events, including cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction (heart attack), ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal rhythms), palpitations, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), chest pain, and syncope (fainting).
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Cardiac arrest occurred in reports involving products containing caffeine and stimulants about 11 times more often than in reports involving products not containing these ingredients.
Heart attacks were reported about 4.5 times more often, while ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) or palpitations were reported about four times more often, according to the AHA.
Energy drinks and supplements containing stimulants have been linked to the risk of serious heart problems, including cardiac arrest and heart attack, especially in young adults. (iStock)
Elevated heart rate, chest pain and fainting also increased among the group using these substances.
Approximately 45% of reported cardiovascular events associated with stimulant products occurred in adults aged 18 to 34 years.
“We don’t know how many people consumed these drinks and didn’t report symptoms, or how many people may have had symptoms and didn’t report them.”
The stimulants included in the study were caffeine, methylxanthines, guarana, yerba mate, synephrine, yohimbine and other compounds. They were consumed in products such as soft drinks, meal replacements, protein bars, smoothies and vitamins.
Caffeine and heart risks
Colin Kane, MD, pediatric cardiologist and chief of staff at Children’s Health and professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, said the findings build on previous case reports on potential heart risks from high caffeine consumption.
“We know from case reports and anecdotal evidence that caffeine in large amounts can be potentially dangerous for people with underlying heart conditions and even those with normal hearts,” Kane, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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It is generally safe for adults to consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to up to five 8-ounce cups of regular black caffeinated coffee, according to a 2026 scientific statement from the American Heart Association on caffeine and cardiovascular disease.
“Some energy drinks contain up to three times more caffeine per fluid ounce than brewed coffee, and some pre-workout supplements contain more than 12 times more,” lead study author Dr. Pamela Benavidez, a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist at Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.
Approximately 45% of reported cardiovascular events associated with stimulant products occurred in adults aged 18 to 34 years. (iStock)
“This means that a small portion can easily exceed the recommended daily limit, or even more.”
Benavidez also warned that these products often contain other stimulants like synephrine, yohimbine and methylhexanamine.
“These may interact with caffeine in ways that are not fully understood, particularly in young, healthy people,” she said.
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Researchers recommend that young people carefully monitor their caffeine intake and watch for heart-related symptoms, such as palpitations, chest pain or tightness, dizziness, fainting, or fast or irregular heartbeat during or after using these products.
“If you notice any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately,” Benavidez advised. “If you have a known heart condition, have a family history of sudden cardiac events, or are taking medications that are classified as stimulants or may affect your heart rate/rhythm, you should talk to your doctor before using these products.”
“Some energy drinks contain up to three times more caffeine per fluid ounce than brewed coffee, and some pre-workout supplements contain more than 12 times as much,” said the lead researcher. (iStock)
Kane identified people with underlying heart conditions, particularly those with potentially dangerous heart rhythms and older adults with coronary heart disease, as groups requiring special attention.
“And there’s a whole group of people who may have an underlying heart condition that they haven’t been diagnosed with yet,” he added.
Limitations of the study
The results are preliminary and have not yet been published as a full peer-reviewed manuscript.
As the study was observational, it could only show an association and could not prove that the products caused the cardiac events.
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“We don’t know how many people consumed these drinks and didn’t report symptoms, or how many people may have had symptoms and didn’t report them,” Kane said.
Additionally, because the FDA reports were voluntary, they may contain incomplete, inconsistent, or selectively submitted data.
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It is possible that other factors, such as alcohol or drug use, strenuous exercise, and undiagnosed heart disease, contributed to the cardiovascular events.
“Any time you mix stimulants and other substances or medications, it can definitely present a potential risk,” Kane said.
Industry response
The American Beverage Association, based in Washington, D.C., sent the statement below to Fox News Digital in response to the study.
“Energy drinks have been enjoyed by billions of people around the world for more than 30 years and are recognized as safe by government food safety agencies around the world. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority all relied on the highest quality science when determining that a moderate daily intake of 400 milligrams of caffeine from all sources is safe for adults.”
Researchers recommend that young people carefully monitor their caffeine intake and watch for heart-related symptoms. (iStock)
“Energy drinks contain less caffeine than coffee from coffee shops, and no regulatory agency has found that their other ingredients interact harmfully with caffeine,” the statement concludes.
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Andrea Wong, scientific director of the Council for Responsible Nutrition in Washington, DC, also reacted to the study’s findings.
“Because the analysis does not take into account how many consumers actually used these products, whether they were overused or misused, or even the amount of caffeine (or other ingredients) per serving, it cannot determine the incidence of cardiovascular events or quantify the associated risk,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“It is important to note that the reported 11-fold difference in cardiac arrest reporting does not mean that consumers are 11 times more likely to experience cardiac arrest.”
Gn Health
