Summary: Laboratory exposure to certain energy drinks increased the beat rate of human heart cells and altered measures of cardiac function, according to researchers. These findings suggest some energy drinks could affect human cardiomyocytes and may carry implications for heart health.
Source: Texas A&M
Researchers from Texas A&M University have found that several popular energy drinks can adversely affect human heart muscle cells.
A team led by Dr. Ivan Rusyn, professor in the Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Department at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, published the study in Food and Chemical Toxicology. The researchers exposed human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes—laboratory-grown human heart cells—to 17 commonly available energy drinks and observed changes in beating behavior and other indicators of cardiac function.
In vitro, some drinks consistently increased cardiomyocyte beat rate and produced alterations that, when considered in the context of whole-body physiology, align with clinical reports linking energy drink consumption to irregular heart rhythms, cardiomyopathy, elevated blood pressure, and other cardiovascular issues.
Dr. Rusyn emphasized the public health relevance: with global energy drink sales climbing and estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, understanding unintended cardiovascular effects is essential—particularly because these products are sold over the counter and are broadly accessible across age groups.
“Consumption of these beverages is largely unregulated and widespread, so potential adverse cardiovascular effects merit careful study,” Rusyn said. He noted that evidence from human clinical trials remains limited and difficult to compare because trials often enrolled small numbers of participants, tested only a few drink types, and used different cardiovascular assessment methods.
The team combined chemical profiling with functional testing. They quantified concentrations of six common ingredients—caffeine, taurine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, adenine, and L-methionine—using liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). They also performed untargeted analyses using liquid chromatography with ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS), detecting roughly 300 distinct features across beverages and identifying about 100 of them.
Using a dilution series in the cardiomyocyte assays, the researchers measured beat rate (chronotropy), ion channel function (including QT interval–related changes), and cytotoxicity. Some energy drinks produced notable increases in beat rate; QT prolongation was also observed at relatively low concentrations. To link these effects with specific constituents, the team applied concentration addition models and multivariate prediction modeling. Their analyses pointed to potential roles for theophylline, adenine, and azelate as contributors to QT-prolonging effects observed in the lab model.
The study does not prove that any specific drink will cause heart disease in people, but it does identify biologically plausible effects on human cardiomyocytes that align with clinical observations and prior reports of cardiovascular events following energy drink consumption. The authors call for additional research to investigate the ingredients highlighted by their analyses and to better define risks, especially for people with pre-existing heart conditions or other vulnerabilities.
“Our in vitro data indicate that some energy drinks can affect human cardiomyocytes,” Dr. Rusyn said. “These results corroborate observations from human studies and suggest consumers should weigh the short-term performance benefits against potential cardiovascular risks. We also hope regulatory agencies will consider further review of labeling, age-related guidance, and other safeguards for susceptible populations.”
About this neurology and cardiovascular function research news
Source: Texas A&M
Contact: Jennifer Gauntt – Texas A&M
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Original Research: Closed access.
“Relationships between constituents of energy drinks and beating parameters in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-Derived cardiomyocytes” by Ivan Rusyn et al. Food and Chemical Toxicology
Abstract
Relationships between constituents of energy drinks and beating parameters in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-Derived cardiomyocytes
Energy drink consumption has been linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, yet the specific ingredients responsible are not well defined. This study characterized the chemical composition of 17 widely available over-the-counter energy drinks, quantified six common constituents (caffeine, taurine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, adenine, and L-methionine) using LC-MS/MS, and conducted untargeted LC-IMS-MS analyses revealing roughly 300 features across samples with about 100 identified. The functional effects of whole beverages and select ingredients were tested on human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Measurements included beat rate, ion channel function relevant to QT prolongation, and cytotoxicity across concentration ranges. Several energy drinks produced adverse in vitro effects, most consistently increasing beat rate; QT prolongation occurred at low concentrations in some samples. Concentration addition modeling and multivariate prediction implicated theophylline, adenine, and azelate as candidate contributors to the observed QT-prolonging effects on cardiomyocytes. These findings support further investigation of specific energy drink ingredients and their potential cardiovascular risks, particularly for susceptible individuals.