Sales of caffeinated energy drinks have more than doubled over the past decade, reaching over $20 billion in 2024, and new preliminary research suggests these products may carry serious cardiovascular risks, particularly for young adults. An analysis of more than 28,000 adverse-event reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2017 and 2025 found that caffeinated energy drinks and stimulant supplements were linked to cardiac arrest and heart attacks far more often than other products.
The study, to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2026, examined 854 reports involving caffeine- or stimulant-containing products and compared them with 27,491 reports about products without these ingredients. Cardiac arrest was reported about 11 times more often in connection with the stimulant products, while reports involving energy drinks and supplements were about 4.5 times more likely to include heart attacks and four times more likely to include ventricular arrhythmias or heart palpitations. Elevated heart rate, chest pain, and fainting were also reported more frequently.
About 45% of the reports linking these products to cardiovascular events involved adults ages 18 to 34, a group not usually considered at high risk for heart problems. “These products are marketed as everyday pick-me-ups and sold next to soda and bottled water, so most people assume they carry no real risk,” said study author Sai Samayamanthula, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “For many healthy people, if these products are consumed occasionally, the risk is probably small. However, individuals who consume energy drinks or other stimulant-containing supplements regularly can quickly exceed the recommended daily limit for caffeine.”
According to a 2026 American Heart Association scientific statement on caffeine and cardiovascular disease, consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is generally safe for most adults. However, some energy drinks contain as much as three times more caffeine per fluid ounce than brewed coffee, and some pre-workout supplements contain more than 12 times as much. Since the FDA regulates these products as foods or dietary supplements rather than medications, they do not undergo the same premarket safety testing required for drugs.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence about the potential harms of high-dose caffeine. The American Heart Association has previously reported on the risks of drinking 2 or more cups of coffee daily may double risk of heart death in people with severe hypertension and noted that drinking caffeinated coffee has both beneficial and harmful short-term health effects. Separate guidance has addressed Top Health Experts Release New Drink Recommendations for Kids and Teens’ Overall Health, and a Caffeine and Cardiovascular Disease fact sheet provides further context.
Gregory M. Marcus, M.D., chair of the 2026 American Heart Association scientific statement, cautioned that the study does not prove causation. “Although there are biological reasons why that connection could be possible, the study does not prove that caffeine products cause these events, because other factors may have influenced the results,” he said. The researchers also noted that the reports were voluntarily submitted and cannot establish how many people consumed the products without experiencing cardiac events.
Still, the study authors argue for more systematic safety monitoring of caffeine- and stimulant-containing products and for healthcare professionals to ask younger patients about their consumption. The full abstract is available, and the findings will be discussed at Scientific Sessions 2026 in Chicago. For more information, visit heart.org.
