Do you drink energy drinks to perk up?
A 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that just 3 cans a week increased the risk of arrhythmia by 35%.
Cardiologist John Mandarola told the CardioNerds podcast:

"Energy drinks are Russian roulette for your heart. Caffeine plus taurine is an explosive mixture."
The story of a Texas student , Jake, has rocked social media. He drank two cans of energy drink every day before exams until he collapsed with a heart attack in the library.
"I thought it was safer than cocaine," he wrote.
Neurologist Andrew Huberman explained:
"Taurine overloads the nervous system, causing the heart to beat twice as fast. It's like driving a car into the red zone of the tachometer."
But why then are energy drinks sold in every store in Japan? Scientists from Osaka University have revealed the secret: Asian brands use guarana instead of synthetic caffeine, and also add B vitamins.
Blogger @TokyoEnergy drank 5 Japanese energy drinks in one day and said: “I felt like a superhero, but I couldn’t close my eyes at night.”
The controversy reached NASA. Astronaut Scott Kelly admitted in his memoir Endurance that he drank energy drinks during his mission: "You can't do without them on Mars."
But his colleague Peggy Whitson criticized this: “In zero gravity, arrhythmia is deadly.” Red Bull’s makers responded: “Our drinks were tested on fighter pilots.” But cardiologist Lisa Mariek said: “Fighter pilots wear special suits, and you don’t.”
Is it worth the risk? If you, like gamer Ninja, are addicted to energy drinks, choose sugar-free options and drink them with L-theanine to reduce anxiety.
But remember the writing on the wall at the Mayo Clinic: "Adrenaline is a rush to the finish line, but the heart is not infinite."