By: Hollie Hojek
hhojek@kcautv.com
I headed to Mercy Medical Center Friday to see what kind of effects energy drinks have on our bodies. I was hooked up to a Life Pack machine, similar to and EKG, which monitors any variations in my heart beat throughout the experiment. In about 50 minutes time, I drank two, 16 fl. oz energy drinks. Here what we found out:
Before I even took a sip of my energy drink my heart rate was at 72 beats/minute. My blood pressure was roughly 120/80. Which is considered "normal."
Almost immediately after I started drinking my first energy drink I felt light headed and a little antsy."
About 45 minutes later I got my second reading. My heart rate did increase and so did my blood pressure. Which was expected.
At the highest point, my heart rate was around 94 beats/minute. Remember it started at 72. And my blood pressure went from 120/80 to 130/100.
And it's not so much the adults who have to be worried about their caffeine consumption, but more so for the teenagers who are drinking multiple high-energy drinks throughout the day.
"They can easily go way above recommended dose, and that's when the side effects can come into the picture," said Dr. Ramin Artng, cardiologist at Mercy Medical.
Some of those side effects in young people can be a faster heart rate, high blood pressure and chest discomfort.
"All of that is not natural for the body," said Artng.
Now obviously these results will vary from person to person, but that maximum amount of caffeine one person should consume in a day is 400 milligrams. One can of these energy drinks has any from 200 or more.
*Dr. Artng and nursing staff at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City supervised the entire experiment.
