Seemingly harmless popular drink linked to kidney problems and anxiety in young people

Millions of people in the US regularly consume this drink, which could be harmful to the body in excessive amounts.

A popular non-alcoholic drink consumed by millions of young people has been linked to an increased risk of heart and kidney problems as well as anxiety. Research has also shown these beverages could cause insomnia, increased blood pressure, headaches, and stomach aches.

In recent years energy drinks have become a staple for many people. It is estimated that in the US around 31 per cent of people regularly drink them.

While this may help keep energy levels up, there are some potential health risks associated with the drinks. In particular, experts are concerned about the impact they could have on young people – who are among the biggest consumers of energy drinks.

Writing for the British Dietetic Association (BDA), dietitian Annabel Gipp explained that many of the negative physical effects of energy drinks come from its caffeine content. This can be particularly adverse in children and young adults.

She explained: “Increased caffeine consumption in children and adolescents results in increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, headaches and stomach aches. Self-reported injury due to hyperactivity has also been reported.

“Adolescence is also the time of maximum bone deposition and caffeine interferes with the absorption of calcium in the small intestine and so may lead to reduced calcium deposition in bones. This may also be as a result of energy drinks being consumed instead of calcium-containing drinks such as milk.”

Scientific studies have delved into some of the risks associated with long-term energy drink consumption.

Heart and kidney problems

A review, published in Nutrients journal in 2023, analysed 18 existing reports of adverse health effects of energy drinks in people under the age of 18. Of these, 45 per cent affected the cardiovascular system, 33 per cent the neuropsychological system, and 22 per cent other organs including the kidneys.

In 44 per cent of cases the patient had pre-existing medical conditions. Study authors noted: “Cardiovascular adverse health events were reported in 45 per cent of cases, including cardiac arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, acute coronary artery vasospasm, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection.”

In the two cases where there were potential triggers and/or pre-existing health conditions, “very large” energy drink amounts were consumed over multiple days. However, in one case an affected patient had consumed a “reasonable” amount of the drink.

“One healthy male adolescent displayed spontaneous coronary artery dissection after the consumption of a reasonable energy drink amount (80 mg of caffeine),” they said. It was noted that the adverse cardiovascular health effects can be “partially” attributed to their high caffeine content

The scientists also found that excessive energy drink consumption could affect the kidneys. A case from 2011 linked the drinks with acute renal failure in a 17-year-old boy.

This was thought to be due to the “large amounts” of taurine found in these drinks. “It is suggested that 95 per cent of taurine is metabolised in the kidneys,” the study authors said.

However, they added that energy drink consumption can lead to arterial hypertension, sugar metabolism disorders and excess weight, “all of which are known risk factors for chronic kidney disease”.

Anxiety

A more recent study, published in the Public Health journal last year, showed that energy drinks are associated with an increased risk of mental health issues among children and young people, including anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. This study analysed data from 57 studies of more than 1.2 million children and young people from over 21 countries.

Co-author Dr Shelina Visram, senior lecturer in public health from Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health at Newcastle University, said: “We are deeply concerned about the findings that energy drinks can lead to psychological distress and issues with mental health. These are important public health concerns that need to be addressed.

“There has been policy inaction on this area despite government concern and public consultations. It is time that we have action on the fastest growing sector of the soft drink market.”

Lead author Professor Amelia Lake added: “Energy drinks are marketed to children and young people as a way to improve energy and performance, but our findings suggest that they are actually doing more harm than good.

“We have raised concerns about the health impacts of these drinks for the best part of a decade after finding that they were being sold to children as young as 10 years old for as little as 25 pence. That is cheaper than bottled water.

“The evidence is clear that energy drinks are harmful to the mental and physical health of children and young people as well as their behaviour and education. We need to take action now to protect them from these risks.”