Energy drinks jolt blood pressure

clipped from www.abc.net.au Will Dunham High-caffeine soft drinks may do more than give people a jolt of energy. They may also boost heart rates and blood pressure levels, researchers say. The results of a small study prompted the researchers to advise people who have high blood pressure or heart disease to avoid energy drinks because they could impact their blood pressure or change the effectiveness of their medications. The drinks generally have high levels of caffeine and taurine, an amino acid found in protein-rich foods like meat and fish that can affect heart function and blood pressure, the researchers say. "We saw increases in both blood pressure and heart rate in healthy volunteers who were just sitting in a chair watching movies. They weren't exercising. They were in a resting state," says James Kalus of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, who led the study. The increases did not rise to dangerous levels in the group of 15 healthy volunteers, whose average age was 26, the researchers say.

There are warnings on these drinks which tell consumers to limit the number of drinks per day, but these are more seen to be suggestions. Often they are consumed in large numbers even if only to maintain the 'buzz' Of course caffeine is a traditional means of achieving the same effects, but very often the negative effects of caffeine and taurine combined are not considered, because they do not seem to be relative to young and healthy people. The caffeine and taurine with their diuretic effect can make the drinker thirsty. While the effects were considered to be of more concern for people with already high blood pressure and heart problems, the volumes that are consumed, and the likely continued use warrants more study. There is the chance that benefits can be seen from the studies. For example they could be used in cases of low blood pressure.