Energy drinks can boost blood pressure and should not be consumed by people with high blood pressure or heart disease, say U.S. researchers.
They found that drinking two cans of an energy drink a day increased blood pressure and heart rate in healthy adults, United Press International reported.
These increases were insignificant for healthy people but could prove harmful to those with a heart-related condition, said lead author James Kalus, senior manager of Patient Care Services at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
"Based on our findings, we recommend that people who have hypertension or heart disease and are taking medication for them to avoid consuming energy drinks because of a potential risk to their health," Kalus said in a news release, UPI reported.
Caffeine and taurine levels in energy drinks could cause the increases in blood pressure and heart rate, the researchers said. The study was published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.