A 54-year-old man, previously in good shape, experienced a stroke due to severe hypertension. His blood pressure reached alarming levels, leading to his urgent admission to a clinic. He had no history that would suggest such a health event: he was a passionate runner with no vices, and he didn't smoke, drink, or use drugs, said Dr. Sunil Munshi, lead author of the medical report on this warehouse worker from Sherwood, Nottingham, whose case was published in the journal BMJ Case Reports. Munshi explains that hypertension is a "silent killer" that often goes unnoticed. “His left side was numb, and the CT scans showed he had suffered a stroke in the deepest part of the brain, the thalamus, which explains his instability. He was admitted and we treated him with five different medications until his blood pressure dropped to 170,” he said.

Dangerous Drinks with Adverse Effects

The patient revealed his daily consumption of eight very potent energy drinks, containing a total of 1200 to 1300 milligrams of caffeine. This far exceeds the UK and FDA recommendations, which suggest a limit of 400 milligrams per day. Energy drinks are not only high in caffeine, they also contain other ingredients such as taurine and ginseng that can raise blood pressure. These additives, combined with the high sugar content, pose a considerable risk to cardiovascular health, especially in young people. “When platelets clump together, especially in cases of high glucose, they can produce blood clots,” CNN quoted Munshi as saying. “Young people are often willing to try energy drinks, especially in combination with other drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine, which have similar effects.”"And all these drugs together can wreak havoc," he added.

Call for Regulation

Dr. Munshi advocates for greater regulation of the sale and advertising of these drinks, which are commonly targeted at a younger audience.

The increasing potency of these energy drinks demands greater scrutiny and awareness among physicians and consumers about their potential dangers.

How Energy Drinks Affect Young People

Energy drinks affect young people more intensely due to their greater sensitivity to caffeine and other stimulants, while older adults tolerate them better due to physiological differences.

Young people experience acute symptoms such as palpitations, tachycardia, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and nausea due to the high caffeine content (up to 80 mg per can) and taurine, which overstimulate the developing nervous and cardiovascular systems. In addition, the excess sugar increases the risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and addiction, with Studies show higher consumption (up to 48% in adolescents) and worse academic and mental health impacts.

In older adults, consumption is lower (11-22% in groups 35+ years old) and causes similar, but less intense, effects, such as hypertension or irritability, which are aggravated if mixed with alcohol. Their slower metabolism reduces dependence, although cardiovascular and mental health risks persist with excessive use.

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