Heart attacks are typically something we associate with older people, people with underlying health conditions, and those who are otherwise living unhealthy lifestyles. We don’t tend to associate them with people who exercise regularly, eat well, and haven’t even reached 30 yet. Tragically, this isn’t always the case. Lori Barranon, a mother from Florida, has been left devastated after her 28-year-old daughter Katie Donnell passed away suddenly from a heart attack back in 2021. Lori is now speaking out about what she believes may have contributed to her daughter’s untimely death: The overconsumption of energy drinks.
A Mother’s Grief
On a normal night back in 2021, Katie Donnell was out with her friends. While out, she suffered a major heart attack. Despite her friends acting quickly and being rushed to the hospital, the doctors could not save her. She spent 10 days on life support before the medical staff informed her mother, Lori Barranon, that the brain and heart damage was too much and that Katie wouldn’t make it. She then had to make the horrific decision to switch off her daughter’s life support on August 9, 2021. Lori describes her daughter as “the epitome of health”, and avid gym goer with no underlying heart or health conditions.
Concerns Over Energy Drink Consumption
What Lori has learned since her daughter’s death was that Katie was consuming a lot of energy drinks, and therefore a lot of caffeine. She would regularly have pre-workout before her early-morning gym session each morning, have two or three energy drinks throughout the day, and in addition to this she consumed a fair amount of coffee. According to Katie’s boyfriend, she would consume a four-pack of energy drinks every two to three days.
“She would start with a pre-workout before she went to work to supposedly wake up or she went to the gym and did cardio at five in the morning,” Lori said she learned of her daughter’s energy drink consumption. “I didn’t realize how much she was drinking until after she passed. Her boyfriend said she would buy a four-pack every two to three days. Not to mention she was drinking a lot of coffee and doing the pre-workout… One of her friends said she’d hardly see Katie without an energy drink in her hands. When I cleaned out her car after she passed it was full of cans, at least three or four in there.”
It is this excessive consumption of energy drinks that Lori believes caused her daughter’s early death. Now she is actively speaking out against them, warning others not to fall into the same trap that her daughter did.
Calls for Awareness and Caution
Lori is now calling for a ban on energy drinks and other caffeinated products, and she has warned others about the potential dangers of excessive consumption. She shared her daughter’s passion for fitness and clean eating, emphasizing that Katie was otherwise in perfect health, except for her energy drink consumption.
“At 28, you just don’t see people dropping dead of a heart attack,” Lori said, devastated. “She was a workout queen, she ate real clean, she ate organic food, she was the epitome of health other than [having energy drinks]. Doctors said they see this happen a lot with people that do a lot of pre-workout or energy drinks but they wouldn’t give the cause of death to that. I know for a fact that was what was wrong with her. I beg people to counsel your kids and watch what they’re doing, I think energy drinks should be banned.”
The Medical Perspective
While Lori firmly believes that energy drinks were a significant factor in her daughter’s heart attack, Katie’s doctors were hesitant to put the blame entirely on the drinks. Health experts have said that while there is a link between excessive energy drink consumption and cardiovascular problems, there is not yet an established cause-and-effect relationship. These heart problems include high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, and heart attacks. One thing that can be certain, is that many of these energy drinks contain far more caffeine than is considered healthy. Some of these drinks contain more than 500mg of caffeine per drink, whereas both American and European health authorities consider the upper limit of caffeine intake to be 400mg per day. On top of that, energy drinks and pre-workout supplements are unregulated and therefore can contain other ingredients that may also be dangerous for your health.
Energy Drinks: A Threat to Your Child’s Health
Energy drinks have become increasingly popular among young adults, athletes, and even children in recent years. Energy drink companies claim that their drinks will boost energy levels, enhance mental acuity, and improve physical performance. However, these shiny promises come with a dark side. A 2023 review indicates that excessive consumption of energy drinks can lead to various adverse effects on human health, particularly impacting the cardiovascular and neurovegetative systems. There are concerns of cardiovascular problems, nervous system disorders, and even the potential for addiction associated with the highly caffeinated beverages. The other issue? These drinks not only contain high levels of caffeine, but also other legal stimulants like guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine.
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Energy Drinks Are Sending Young People to Emergency
Reports show that the rise in energy drink consumption has resulted in an increase in young individuals seeking emergency medical attention for a variety of concerns. These range from more mild concerns such as anxiety, nervousness, and tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) to more severe, life-threatening problems such as rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and even cardiac arrest. The review found several cases where energy drink consumption was linked to fatalities, proving the serious risks associated with these beverages. These risks increase exponentially when consumed in excess.
As already mentioned, one of the biggest problems with these drinks is that they are not well-regulated. Along with often obscene levels of caffeine, they contain plenty of other ingredients that may have detrimental effects on health, natural or not. The marketing for these drinks, however, makes them seem cool and necessary for performance. Many people who work out regularly will tell you that they never go into a session without first having their pre-workout supplement or an energy drink. There is a call out for the FDA to put stricter regulations on energy drinks and sports supplements in order to better protect people, especially the youth.
Problematic Ingredients in Energy Drinks
As already discussed, there are many problematic ingredients in energy drinks. These ingredients can be unhealthy for anyone, but especially for children and teens. These are the ingredients that make energy drinks problematic:
Caffeine
Caffeine is not necessarily dangerous when consumed lightly. When consumed in excess, however, it can lead to many health problems, even ones that can be potentially fatal. One of the main substances in energy drinks, caffeine, can lead to insomnia, increased anxiety, elevated blood pressure, and higher heart rates when consumed in excessive amounts. Recommended caffeine intake varies based on factors such as age, body weight, and health conditions. For most adults, the suggested upper intake is 400mg per day.
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Added Sugar
Excessive intake of sugar is one of the leading causes of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health problems in the United States. High levels of added sugar in energy drinks can lead to various health issues, including weight gain, dental problems, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Most energy drinks contain far more added sugar than anyone should be consuming, especially children.
Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Alcohols
In order to decrease their sugar content and appear healthier, many energy drink companies have switched to using artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. These substitutes may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and potentially a whole host of other issues. They are not necessarily beneficial for overall health, and especially not for children and teenagers who are growing and developing.
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Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are good for you, right? Well, not necessarily, if consumed in excess. Some energy drinks contain excessive amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, well beyond the recommended daily intake. Consuming such high levels of these nutrients may lead to imbalances and adverse health effects. You don’t need 200%-300% of your recommended intake of any vitamin or mineral – 100% will suffice.
Energy Drinks Brands To Avoid vs Ones That Are Okay
Let’s be clear: There isn’t necessarily an energy drink out there that we would consider consuming on a regular basis. There are just so many unknowns, and with the complete lack of testing and regulations for these drinks, it is hard to know which do and do not contain questionable ingredients. That being said, these are some of the most common energy drink brands and whether or not you should drink them.
Red Bull
It gives you wings, right? It also gives you 150mg of caffeine and 51 grams of sugar. On top of that, the amount of vitamins B6, B12, and Niacin it contains far exceeds the recommended amounts. Status: Avoid.
Monster Energy
Probably Red Bull’s biggest competitor, it contains even more caffeine (160mg) and even more sugar (54g). That’s 108% of your recommended daily intake of sugar. It also contains obscene and unnecessary amounts of vitains B6, B12, and Niacin. Status: Avoid.
Rockstar Original
Rockstar contains a whopping 63g of sugar and 160mg of caffeine. The only positive is that it contains 100% of the B6, B12, and niacin that you need in a day, which is at least better than Red Bull and Monster. Status: Avoid.
5-hour Energy
There are various 5-hour energy products that range in the amount of caffeine that they contain. This goes from just 6mg in their decaf version to 230mg in just one shot. Take two of these in a day and you are already at or have exceeded your caffeine intake for the day. It also contains artificial sweeteners, other chemical ingredients, and extreme amounts of vitamins and minerals that are just unnecessary. Status: One, every once in a while, okay. Do not take two in one day.
NOS Energy
NOS contains 51g of sugar per serving, along with food dyes and other artificial ingredients. In fact, sugar is the first ingredient listed. It also contains high fructose corn syrup, too much salt, and so many other things that make it not worth it. Status: Avoid.
Full Throttle
There is a reason why Full Throttle is not recommended for children, young adults, and pregant women. The caffeine levels are far too high to be healthy. It also contains 55g of added sugar. Status: Avoid.
Zoa
This is the energy drink belonging to Hollywood’s nicest guy, Dwayne Johnson. It is high in caffeine at 160mg, but is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium instead of sugar. While intake of artificial sweeteners is considered safe for adults, they should be avoided by children. At least with this drink it only contains 100% of your recommended intake of B6, B12, and Niacin. Status: Use with caution.
Alani Nu
Another 0 sugar energy drink due to the use of sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, this drink has become somewhat popular on social media. It contains 200mg of caffeine, which is the equivalent of about two cups of fairly strong coffee. Again, this is not good for children and teens. Status: Use with caution.
Focus Aid
Focus Aid is not an overly well-known brand, which is a shame considering it is actually not bad. It contains just 100mg of caffeine, making it a safer option for 12-17 year-olds. Keep in mind that 100mg of caffeine is the upper limit for that age group. Also, instead of relying on sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, they do use sugar, but only about 7g per can. You should still be wary of the vitamin levels, however, as some are still much higher than necessary. Status: Fine in moderation.
Celsius
Celsius is one of the better options out there, however, it still isn’t great. It contains 200mg of caffeine, making it a no-go for teens. It has zero sugar, but that is because it uses artificial sweeteners. It also exceeds the recommended percentages for B6, B12, and Niacin. Status: Use with caution.
The Bottom Line
Years later and Lori is still grieving the loss of her daughter, Katie. While doctors hesitate to put the blame of her heart attack completely on her energy drink consumption, it is certainly considered to be part of the equation. The reality is that energy drinks and highly caffeinated supplements are dangerous to your health, especially for younger people. You probably don’t drink 6 cups of coffee per day, and yet people regularly consume two to three energy drinks a day, in addition to coffee, tea, and perhaps other supplements such as preworkout. On top of that, these drinks are not regulated and therefore can contain a whole range of other potentially harmful ingredients. Your best bet? Avoid them entirely. If you really want to still include them, look for ones like Focus Aid, which don’t contain too much caffeine and sweeten with reasonable amounts of natural sugar.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is for information only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about your medical condition and/or current medication. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking advice or treatment because of something you have read here.
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