Do energy drinks cause heart issues?

MINNEAPOLIS — Energy drinks have been around since the 1940s, and in recent years, they've become all the buzz — especially with young people.

But studies have shown they may not be as popular with our hearts. So do energy drinks cause heart issues? Good Question.

Caffeine and college students — it's almost a prerequisite to get through the day.

"During the semester, it's definitely a lot more frequent. I drink a lot of coffee and when it gets real bad, I drink some monsters," said Bete Collins, a student.

Energy drinks are all the buzz these days, but studies have raised concerns.

"It's not a huge risk, but its enough of a risk where the upside just isn't there regarding the health benefits of the energy drink in the first place," said Dr. Michael Ackerman.

Akerman is a genetic cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and has studied this himself.

"I think it's the fact that its caffeine at higher levels," Ackerman said.

Most energy drinks have around 200 milligrams of caffeine — the equivalent of two cups of coffee. But many also contain a dozen or more other ingredients, including sweeteners, B vitamins, taurine and other herbal extracts.

"A lot of levels of caffeine combined with those other chemicals, in the wrong heart, is probably not a very good combination," Ackerman said.

Ackerman says certain people should avoid them.

"Anybody with hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, coronary heart disease and anybody especially with a genetic heart disease that makes them intrinsically more vulnerable to sudden cardiac death," he said.

So how often should we be consuming energy drinks and how much is too much?

"In a healthy person like you and me, we can handle an energy drink no problem," Ackerman said. "For my patients with sudden death genetic heart disease, their energy drink consumption needs to be zero."

Ackerman says young people should be drinking much less.

"There's just not a ton of upside," he said.

Ackerman says it's important to talk with your doctor about your energy drink consumption and listen to your body.

The FDA says healthy adults can have up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day without experiencing negative effects — that's about five cups of coffee. However, Ackerman cautions that still may be too much for some.