The Impact of Energy Drinks on the Genesis of Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Narrative Review

This narrative review aims to synthesize research on energy drink use and the development of arrhythmias among healthy individuals without preexisting conditions.A special focus is given to the electrocardiogram (EKG) following beverage consumption.A literature search was conducted on the Web of Science, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases for original, peer-reviewed studies that reported EKG findings following energy drink consumption.Secondary research and studies that had subjects with preexisting cardiac conditions were excluded.Ten controlled experimental studies and seven case reports met the inclusion criteria.Currently available evidence from controlled experimental studies involved one-time, one-day intake of energy drinks.Beverages varied in volume, content, and consumption rates across studies.Some acute EKG changes, including prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc) interval, have been reported in prospective studies in relation to energy drinks.However, no clinically significant arrhythmias were recorded.Although the studies in this review suggest that limited use of energy drinks is unlikely to cause an arrhythmia in healthy individuals, their arrhythmogenic potential cannot be ruled out.Case reports related to otherwise healthy individuals demonstrate a potential relationship between energy drink usage and the development of atrial fibrillation, especially with the co-ingestion of alcohol.The presence of confounding factors in these case reports makes it unclear whether energy drinks alone, or with the presence of additional triggers, may precipitate an arrhythmia.Future research should focus on energy drink use over time and on the contribution of lifestyle factors to better assess the impact of energy drinks on arrhythmia genesis.