EXCLUSIVEDoctors reveal why energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull are so dangerous - and how the damage could be fatal
Juggling the demands of work, family and friends leaves most of us feeling like we need a boost from time to time, so it's no surprise that sales of energy drinks are soaring.
New figures from data company Statista show Britons currently consume one billion litres of sports and energy drinks - but health experts are now warning that ingredients in pick-me-ups such as Red Bull and Monster Energy may not only cause sleep disruption and palpitations but also increase the risk of heart attacks and even stroke.
'There are increasing concerns, for example, that the combination of caffeine and another ingredient, taurine [a naturally occurring amino acid which is produced in the body] may be increasing a [theoretical] risk of heart attacks and strokes even in younger, otherwise healthy people,' says Dr Gareth Nye, a lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of Salford.
One problem is that drinks such as Monster Energy, one of the most popular brands, are no longer being used for their original purpose, explains Kevin Whelan, a professor of dietetics at King's College London.
'When they were first launched, they were targeted at gym-goers and those doing a lot of exercise and high-intensity training to use before working out to improve performance.
'However, they are increasingly being consumed like regular soft drinks by the general population whenever they think they need a pick-me-up.'
It's a particular problem for young people - in 2022 research by University College London and the University of York found that up to a third of children in the UK consume caffeinated energy drinks on a weekly basis and that young people in the UK were the biggest consumers of energy drinks in Europe for their age group.
And this 'habit' has the potential to seriously impact their sleep.
Energy drinks such as Monster contain 160mg of caffeine and the equivalent of around ten teaspoons of sugar
Dr Gareth Nye, a lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of Salford, says adults who consume energy drinks should do so sparingly
Last year a study published in The BMJ Open found that young people aged 18 to 35 who consumed the drinks every day slept around half an hour less than those drinking them occasionally or not at all.
On top of this, energy drink consumption by young people was found to have a negative effect on their mental health (possibly due to disrupted sleep and hyperactivity) and was also associated with increased risky behaviour such as substance abuse, violence end unsafe sex, according to research by Newcastle University and published in the Public Health journal last year.
So how worried should we be about drinking energy drinks?
To get a better understanding, we spoke to experts about the effects and impact of the main ingredients of the most popular options, Monster Energy Original - many of these ingredients are typically found in similar drinks.
Caffeine
A 500ml can Monster Energy Original contains 50 per cent more caffeine than a mug of instant coffee (Monster Energy contains 160mg, a mug of instant coffee 100mg).
Dr Glyn Thomas, a consultant cardiologist at the Bristol Heart Institute, explains: 'Caffeine has a direct effect on the central nervous system [which includes the brain and spinal cord and which manages everything the body does].
'As a result - though it varies from person to person - this increases the resting heart rate, blood pressure and pulse, as well as causing extra [or ectopic] heart beats, which can be uncomfortable.
'Caffeine also has a diuretic effect, encouraging the loss of water and salts such as potassium - which in turn can exacerbate arrhythmia [an irregular heartbeat].
'Certainly, if you have a tendency to high blood pressure, arrhythmia or any heart condition at all I would avoid these kinds of stimulant drinks.'
The UK Food Standards Agency says intakes up to 400mg are unlikely to cause harm to adults.
In the UK, the recommended safe limit of caffeine in children and teenagers is 3mg/kg body weight.
So a child weighing 30kg should have no more than 90mg caffeine per day (two cups of weak tea) - this drink contains almost double that.
What's more, caffeine consumed up to six hours before going to bed can also disrupt much-needed rest by blocking the action of hormones such as adenosine and melatonin in the brain which would both normally work to help make us sleepy in the evening.
Last year a study by the universities of Bergen and Oslo in Norway found that even just the occasional energy drink - a can, one to three times a month - was linked to a heightened risk of disturbed sleep.
Monster Energy drinks - like many - carry warnings about potential issues, both on their cans and their website. It states: 'Not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women or people sensitive to caffeine (30mg/100ml).'
Sugar
Sugar content is another major concern - a 500ml can contains the equivalent of around ten teaspoons (55g) of sugar.
According to the Food Standards Agency, 'free sugars' (added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit juice) should make up no more than 5 per cent of our daily energy intake.
'As well as being bad for our teeth, we already know that even consuming 100 per cent fruit juices as well as any kind of sugary drinks can increase incidence of Type 2 diabetes,' says Dr Dushyant Sharma, a consultant diabetologist at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
'The 55g of sugar in a can of drink is a lot and the body has a limited ability to metabolise or process such high levels, particularly if consumed in one go.
'So when consumption of such drinks happens on a regular basis, there's a potential for a person to develop glucose intolerance [higher than normal blood sugar levels] and insulin resistance - when your muscle, fat and liver cells don't respond as they should to the hormone insulin, which can ultimately lead to type 2 diabetes.'
A Harvard University study in 2019 found that drinking two sugar-sweetened beverages a day can increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 26 per cent.
The other problem, adds Dr Sharma, is that the initial sugar rush is addictive.
'Then once it's gone you're left feeling tired and with brain fog because of fluctuating blood sugar levels and you want more to relieve that feeling.'
There is a sugar-free Monster Energy drink, which contains the sweeteners erythritol and sucralose instead - but research has found that regularly consuming foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners is linked with a greater risk of heart and circulatory diseases.
Taurine
This amino acid is commonly found in meat, fish and eggs and is needed for example for a healthy metabolism and to balance fluids.
It is added to energy drinks to improve mental performance and give an energy boost.
While there is currently no official recommended daily intake for taurine, studies suggest that a typical dosage ranges from 500mg to 2,000mg in our diet.
A can of Monster Energy Original contains 1,000mg - so the issue again is over-consumption which can cause symptoms, such as vomiting.
What's more, there are fears that too much taurine may lead to heart problems.
'Studies have shown that patients who have coronary artery disease have much higher systemic taurine levels in their blood when compared with normal patients - suggesting there is an underlying physiological process here which taurine is a big part of,' says Dr Nye.
Research in the Journal of Exploratory Research in Pharmacology last year suggested taurine might destabilise plaques - the fatty deposits that can build up in arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in certain cases.
As long as you eat enough protein (which most of us in the UK do), your body gets all the taurine that it needs.
Vitamins
The addition of B vitamins, essential for helping to convert food into energy, is also added to help pep you up but can impact on liver or kidney function if taken in excessive amounts, although the amount in this can is not stated.
Other ingredients include Panax Ginseng Extract, traditionally used in herbal medicine to boost energy and reduce stress, as well as L-Carnitine L-Tartrate, a compound used in supplements to help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery.
The expert verdict
Should we be steering clear of the likes of Monster Energy altogether?
Dr Nye suggests adults who drink them should do so sparingly.
As for young people (under 18), he adds: 'We might not be seeing heart attacks and strokes in teenagers caused by these drinks yet, but we will be seeing them more commonly in people under 40, potentially even under 30 if these drinks are easily accessible to children and young people because the damage they cause is progressive and accumulates over time.
'As a parent of a teenager, I know all too well how easily energy drinks can be purchased and in my opinion there should be much more in the way of stopping this in order to protect young people from serious medical conditions.
'Exercising, drinking more and having a good night's sleep - and reducing screen time - will ultimately have the same impact on your body and your energy levels and actually benefit the body more in the long run.'
On its website, Monster says: 'We support the responsible sale of energy drinks - we do not market, sample nor promote energy drinks to under-16s. This product is age restricted to 16 years or over.'
However, with many young people going unchallenged when buying the drinks and like adults overindulging in their consumption, the potential for problems is, says Dr Nye, deeply worrying.
