Energy drinks aren’t automatically dangerous for healthy adults, but they’re far from harmless. Harvard Health and doctors at Northwestern Medicine say one can once in a while is the ceiling, never a daily habit. Anyone with high blood pressure or heart disease, pregnant or breastfeeding women and kids should skip them completely.
That skip list is longer than most people realize. Countries from England to Norway are now carding teenagers at the register. Yet the warning that matters most for Black adults is one almost nobody puts on the label.
How much caffeine is in energy drinks?
The FDA considers up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day safe for most healthy adults. Energy drinks range from about 50 milligrams to more than 500 milligrams per container, depending on size. A 12 ounce Celsius carries about 200 milligrams. A 12 ounce Red Bull has about 114.
Caffeine isn’t the whole story. Many cans stack it with taurine, guarana, ginseng, B vitamins and plenty of sugar. Northwestern Medicine internist Dr. Asantewaa Ture told Everyday Health that taurine can speed up caffeine’s effect on heart rate and blood pressure. Guarana seeds add even more caffeine of their own.
What do energy drinks do to your heart?
Research cited by Harvard Health shows people who drink them can have higher blood pressure and abnormal electrical activity in the heart for hours afterward. The FDA has received reports linking energy drinks to deaths and serious reactions, including convulsions and heart rhythm problems. Mixing them with alcohol adds another layer of risk, because caffeine can mask how drunk someone feels.
Why should Black Americans watch energy drinks closely?
Here’s the connection that rarely gets made. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure affects 62.3% of Black men and 59.2% of Black women. It usually causes no symptoms, so many people live with it and never know.
Harvard Health and the doctors interviewed by Everyday Health all say people with high blood pressure should avoid energy drinks. Put those facts side by side and a large share of Black adults land in the do not drink group, often without realizing it. Long shifts, side hustles and early commutes make a cold can feel like a necessity. For a lot of folks, it may be the one habit their body can least afford.
Are other countries banning energy drinks for kids?
Yes, and fast. England confirmed in July that it will ban sales of high caffeine energy drinks to anyone under 16 by April 2027. Quebec passed a similar under 16 law in June. Norway’s ban took effect in January, and Croatia barred sales to minors in June.
The United States has no federal age limit. Meanwhile, poison center cases involving young people and energy drinks rose about 24% from 2022 to 2023. Caffeine related emergency room visits among middle schoolers roughly doubled from 2017 to 2023. Experts say kids shouldn’t drink them at all.
What should you drink instead of energy drinks?
Start with water, since fatigue is one of the earliest signs of dehydration. Black coffee in moderation is a better bet, and it has been linked to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke and liver disease. Green and black tea give a gentler lift.
If you need an energy drink every day just to function, doctors call that a red flag. Constant fatigue despite enough sleep can point to an underlying health problem. So before cracking the next can, get a blood pressure check. The number that matters most isn’t printed on the can. It shows up on the cuff.
