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According to lead author Dr. Anna Svatikova, a cardiology fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, revealed that when young adults consume 16 ounces of energy drink, their stress hormones show an increase and so does the blood pressure that can enhance the cardiovascular risk. The team submitted its analysis to the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015 on Sunday. The study comes in the wake of increased popularity of the energy drinks that help boost the physical as well as mental state of the drinker. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that energy drinks are consumed by at least 31% teens aged between 12 and 17 and 34% adults aged between 18 and 24 years, reports Medical News Today.

As there has been an increase witnessed in the energy drink consumption, an increase in public health concern has also been noticed. The beverage has been connected with several side effects if consumed regularly. A study was reported by Medical News Today that linked the energy drinks with altered heart functions, says Food World News. These drinks have caffeine which is the most toxic ingredient for the heart. Just a single bottle or a can contains more than 80 mg to up to 500 mg caffeine. Energy drinks also have very high content of sugar as well as other stimulants that lead to side effects similar to excess caffeine consumption.

The study observed 25 adults, average age 29-years, in a random test where these individuals were made to consume at least 16-ounce of energy drink, as well as a placebo drink within the next five minutes on two separate days. The placebo drink did not contain the harmful ingredients of the energy drink but was similar in look and taste. Researchers claimed that the participants experienced a 74% increase of the stress hormone when they drank the energy drink and 31% after the placebo drink. Dr. Anna Svatikova said, "In previous research, we found that energy drink consumption increased blood pressure in healthy young adults. We now show that the increases in blood pressure are accompanied by increases in norepinephrine, a stress hormone chemical, and this could predispose an increased risk of cardiac events - even in healthy people", reports The Independent.