Energy Drinks: The Effects on Heart Rhythm and the Vegetative Nervous System in Children: A Pilot Study

Background: The popularity of Energy Drinks (ED) among children and adolescents is well-established. Although conjectures hint at potential cardiovascular repercussions of these beverages, a comprehensive examination of their acute impact on the pediatric cardiovascular system is evidently lacking in the existing literature. This study thus aimed to scrutinize the acute cardiovascular ramifications of energy drink consumption in a cohort of healthy children and teenagers.

Methods: A cohort of twenty-six children and adolescents, with a mean age of 14.49 years, was administered a commercially available energy drink (ED) and a placebo on two successive days, adhering to the maximal recommended caffeine dosage as stipulated by the European Food Safety Authority. Prospective in design, this investigation adopted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical approach to evaluate heart rhythm and electrocardiographic time intervals.

Results: Following ED ingestion, there was a significantly higher incidence of supraventricular extrasystoles (SVES) relative to the placebo, with no instances of supraventricular tachycardia or malignant ventricular arrhythmias observed. Intriguingly, the mean heart rate (HR) exhibited a significant reduction post-ED consumption. Conversely, QTc intervals remained impervious to the influence of EDs. While the examination of heart rate variability (HRV) did not yield statistically significant distinctions in this modestly sized cohort, the trends revealed an irregular HRV pattern, alongside a notable alteration in the LF/HF-ratio (low/high frequency) after ED consumption. These indicators suggest a potential sympathetic-parasympathetic disbalance.

Conclusion: This pioneering trial represents the inaugural effort to assess the cardiovascular and rhythmological effects of EDs in minors. Significantly, the findings underscore an association between ED consumption and adverse effects on heart rhythm. The question of whether higher dosages or consumption among children with preexisting conditions might provoke potentially harmful pathophysiological states lies beyond the purview of this preliminary investigation and warrants exploration in forthcoming trials.

Publication History

Article published online:
13 February 2024