A review of more than 28,000 adverse-event reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over eight years has found that caffeinated energy drinks and stimulant supplements were linked to serious cardiovascular conditions far more often than other products, particularly among young adults. The preliminary research was presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026, a premier global exchange of cardiovascular science, held Nov. 6-9 in Chicago.
Researchers analyzed 28,345 reports made to an FDA safety database between 2017 and 2025. Of those, 854 mentioned caffeine- or stimulant-containing energy drinks or dietary supplements, and these were compared with 27,491 reports about products without caffeine or other stimulants. The analysis found that cardiac arrest was reported about 11 times more often in connection with caffeine- and stimulant-containing products. Reports involving these products were also about 4.5 times more likely to include heart attacks and four times more likely to include ventricular arrhythmias or heart palpitations.
Similar patterns emerged for other heart-related conditions: elevated heart rate was reported nearly three times more often, chest pain 2.71 times more often, and fainting about twice as often. About 45% of the reports linking these products to cardiovascular events involved adults ages 18 to 34, a group not typically considered at high risk for cardiovascular events. The findings were consistent across both men and women.
The study authors noted that sales of caffeinated energy drinks have more than doubled over the past decade, reaching over $20 billion in 2024. While research on these products is limited, a 2026 American Heart Association Scientific Statement on caffeine and cardiovascular disease indicates that consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is generally safe for most adults. However, compared with brewed coffee, some energy drinks contain as much as three times more caffeine per fluid ounce, and some pre-workout supplements contain more than 12 times as much. Because the FDA regulates these products as foods or dietary supplements rather than medications, they do not undergo the same premarket safety testing required for drugs.
"These products are marketed as everyday pick-me-ups and sold next to soda and bottled water, so most people assume they carry no real risk," said study author Sai Samayamanthula, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. "Individuals who consume energy drinks or other stimulant-containing supplements regularly can quickly exceed the recommended daily limit for caffeine."
The researchers emphasized that the analysis only identified associations between these products and cardiac events voluntarily reported to the FDA; it cannot prove that the products directly caused any heart conditions. Gregory M. Marcus, M.D., chair of the 2026 American Heart Association scientific statement on caffeine and cardiovascular disease, who was not involved in the study, said: "This study raises concerns that products with very high amounts of caffeine may be harmful to the cardiovascular system. More research is needed to understand whether these stimulant products are truly responsible for the reported heart-related events."
The findings add urgency to calls for more systematic safety monitoring of caffeine- and stimulant-containing products. They also suggest that healthcare professionals should ask younger patients who report palpitations, chest pain or fainting whether they recently or regularly consume such products. For the public, the research underscores the importance of being aware of caffeine content and potential risks, especially with regular consumption of energy drinks and stimulant supplements. The full abstract is available, and additional resources include the American Heart Association's Caffeine and Cardiovascular Disease fact sheet.
