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A widely consumed non-alcoholic beverage, popular among children and young adults, is under renewed scrutiny as experts highlight a growing body of research linking energy drinks to serious health risks including heart issues, kidney problems, and mental health concerns.
Consumed regularly by around 31 per cent of Americans, energy drinks are often used to combat fatigue or boost focus. However, their widespread popularity—particularly among young people has raised alarm among health professionals.
Writing for the British Dietetic Association (BDA), dietitian Annabel Gipp warned of the effects caffeine can have on developing bodies. “Increased caffeine consumption in children and adolescents results in increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, headaches and stomach aches,” she said. “Self-reported injury due to hyperactivity has also been reported.”
She added that caffeine may interfere with calcium absorption, affecting bone development during adolescence. “Adolescence is also the time of maximum bone deposition and caffeine interferes with the absorption of calcium in the small intestine… This may also be as a result of energy drinks being consumed instead of calcium-containing drinks such as milk.”
A 2023 review published in the journal Nutrients analysed 18 reports of adverse effects in under-18s. Of those, 45 per cent involved the cardiovascular system, with issues like cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and coronary artery dissection. Even moderate consumption triggered problems in some cases. “One healthy male adolescent displayed spontaneous coronary artery dissection after the consumption of a reasonable energy drink amount (80 mg of caffeine),” researchers noted.
Kidney-related issues were also identified. One 2011 case linked energy drinks to acute renal failure in a 17-year-old boy, potentially due to the drink’s taurine content. “It is suggested that 95 per cent of taurine is metabolised in the kidneys,” the study said.
Beyond physical health, a growing concern is the impact on mental well-being. A Public Health journal study last year involving over 1.2 million young people across 21 countries found that energy drinks were linked to anxiety, depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts.
“We are deeply concerned about the findings,” said Dr Shelina Visram of Newcastle University. “These are important public health concerns that need to be addressed.”
Professor Amelia Lake, lead author of the study, added: “Energy drinks are marketed to children and young people… but our findings suggest that they are actually doing more harm than good. The evidence is clear that energy drinks are harmful to the mental and physical health of children and young people.”
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