Energy drinks and stimulant-containing supplements are associated with a markedly higher share of serious heart events than other products reported to the Food and Drug Administration, according to research released by the American Heart Association. The study is set to be presented at the association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago in November 2026, and its authors stress that it shows a link rather than proof that the products cause the events.
The researchers conducted a retrospective observational analysis of more than 28,000 cardiovascular event reports submitted to the FDA. They examined cardiac arrest, heart attack, arrhythmias, palpitations, tachycardia, chest pain and fainting. Cardiac arrest was about 11 times as common in reports involving stimulant products, heart attacks were about 4.5 times as common, and arrhythmias or palpitations were about four times as common.
The stimulants studied include caffeine, guarana, yerba mate, synephrine and yohimbine, found in a wide range of products beyond traditional energy drinks, including sodas, shakes, protein bars, smoothies and vitamins. Roughly 45 percent of the stimulant-linked events involved adults aged 18 to 34, a finding that the researchers highlight given the age of the people affected.
The AHA's 2026 statement recommends that adults consume no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. Some energy drinks contain about three times the caffeine per ounce of coffee, and some pre-workout supplements exceed twelve times that amount, which the study presents as a concern for consumers who may not track their total intake.
The research has clear limits. It has not yet been peer-reviewed, and FDA adverse event reports are voluntary, meaning the data may be incomplete or selectively submitted. Because the number of people who use these products is unknown, the researchers cannot calculate true event rates. Other factors, including alcohol, drug use, strenuous exercise and undiagnosed heart disease, may also contribute to the events.
Industry groups have defended energy drinks as safe when consumed within regulatory limits, pointing to limits set by the FDA, Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority. Critics of the study have also cautioned that an 11-fold difference in reported cardiac arrests does not mean an individual's risk is 11 times higher. Consumers who experience chest pain, palpitations or fainting after consuming stimulant products are advised by the study's framing to seek medical attention.