From cardiovascular diseases to psychosis: the dark side of energy drinks

The popularity of energy drinks continues to grow, despite persistent warnings from medical professionals and numerous media articles on this topic. People increasingly resort to this method of quick stimulation when tired and experiencing decreased performance, ignoring potential health risks.

Meanwhile, energy drinks represent a concentrated cocktail of stimulating substances, containing an impressive dose of caffeine - from 30 to 50 mg per 100 ml. Specialists note that by this measure, one can of such a drink is equivalent to a double shot of espresso.

It is no coincidence that in several European countries, energy drinks have been completely banned. Denmark, France, Norway, Austria, and New Zealand have completely prohibited their sale in their territories. By the way, in these countries, energy drinks have acquired the ominous name - "death cocktail".

According to the "Temporary Sanitary Norms and Rules for Energy Drinks," in Azerbaijan, these products should be sold only to persons over 18 years of age. However, in practice, the opposite can often be observed - teenagers freely purchase energy drinks in markets. Undoubtedly, this situation causes serious concern among both ordinary citizens and representatives of government agencies.

The Price of Alertness

Medical professionals repeatedly warn that consuming energy drinks in large quantities can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Commenting on this topic, cardiologist Azad Hajiyev told Media.Az that taking stimulants is associated with accelerated metabolism and an increased risk of developing diabetes.

"This leads to certain pathological changes at the level of the endothelium (an active endocrine organ diffusely scattered throughout all tissues; it synthesizes substances important for controlling blood clotting, regulating tone and blood pressure, kidney filtration function, cardiac contractile activity, and metabolic support of the brain). In addition, everyone knows that the caffeine contained in energy drinks affects the human body much more aggressively than that in hot beverages. This also has an extremely negative impact on the cardiovascular system," the expert noted.

A. Hajiyev also commented on the assertion by some specialists that cardiac arrest resulting from excessive consumption of energy drinks occurs more often in women than in men.

"The increased vulnerability of the fairer sex is directly related to the characteristics of their hormonal background. The physiological features of the female body make the heart more susceptible to the effects of energy drinks, which significantly increases the risk of negative consequences," the doctor explained.

The expert also recommends abstaining from consuming energy drinks during the period of active hormonal development - childhood and adolescence. The undeveloped cardiovascular system of young people is particularly vulnerable to the effects of these drinks.

"Consumption of energy drinks can provoke a sharp increase in pulse rate and spikes in blood pressure, which poses a serious threat to health. It's important to remember that the process of body formation continues until the age of 21," emphasizes A. Hajiyev.

According to him, during adolescence, when organs and bone tissue are actively forming, the body is especially sensitive to external influences. It is during this period that metabolic processes occur with increased intensity, making the consumption of energy drinks particularly risky.

"Even adults are recommended to limit their consumption of energy drinks to once a week - this will help avoid negative effects on the body. However, it's important to remember individual characteristics: reactions can vary from immediate to more moderate, depending on the metabolic features of a specific person," adds the cardiologist.

Our interviewee warns: regular consumption of popular drinks