DO YOU BELIEVE ENERGY DRINKS CAUSED YOUR HYPERTENSION, STROKE, OR HEART ATTACK?

Did Your Doctor Tell You That Energy Drinks May Have Caused Your Hypertension Or Other Health Problems?

Energy drinks have seen a rise in popularity in an ever-busy world. In trying to balance work, family, and hobbies, sleep often is not as much of a priority as it should be. Increasingly, people are turning to energy drinks to keep them going. Studies have shown that the short term boost of energy may have long term adverse effects on our health. 

CAN Energy Drinks BE Bad For Our Health?

In 2014, Researchers from the World Health Organization released this publication which raised concerns about the high caffeine content in energy drinks. According to their study, caffeine overdoses can cause:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Heart palpitations 

• Diarrhea 

• Electrolyte imbalance and low calcium levels 

• Nausea

• Vomiting 

• Too much acidity in the body 

• Central nervous system stimulation 

• Convulsions 

• Death 

The FDA recommended caffeine intake for adults is 400mg per day. Depending on the brand, energy drinks can vary between 80mg per can (usually a smaller 8oz can) and 250mg per can. Energy shots such as 5-Hour Energy Drink has 200mg in a 1.93oz shot. 

In 2019, this study examined the effects of energy drink consumption on heart rate and blood pressure. The researchers at the University of the Pacific conducted a study to measure the short term effects of energy drink consumption on the body. They had some participants consume 36 oz of energy drink or placebo within an hour and then tested blood pressure and heart rate at regular intervals up to four hours. All of the participates were healthy and had no underlying medical conditions. They saw participants who consumed energy drink having higher blood pressure, heart rate, and QTc, which increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and cardiac arrest. QTc is the measurement of the time it takes for the chambers of your heart to contract and then relax to create a heartbeat. 

Their study concluded that caffeine consumption of under 400mg was not enough to cause these types of results. The researchers suggested an investigation into the ingredients of energy drinks to see what might be causing adverse health effects. 

5-Hour Energy Drink Linked To 13 Deaths And 33 Hospitalizations

After reading the research above, it should come to no surprise that energy drinks such as 5-Hour Energy drink are being investigated by the FDA. The complaints that did not result in death caused life-threatening injuries such as heart attacks, hypertension, and convulsions. In 2017, 5-Hour Energy was ordered to pay $4.3 million in a false advertising lawsuit. The judge said it was evident that little scientific research carried out by the company before they sold their products. They were ordered to remove advertising such as “recommended by doctors,” “safe for teenagers,” and “no sugar crash.”

What Can You Do If You Believe Energy Drinks Like 5-Hour Energy Drink Caused Your Hypertension, Stroke, or Heart Attack?

You may be able to file a Products Liability Lawsuit. If a defective product produced has caused you damages,  you may be entitled to damages under Florida state law. Contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case. 

What Exactly Does The Law Say About Product Liability?

A product can be considered defective because of three different reasons:

(1) Defective Design: a design which renders the product unreasonably dangerous for its intended purpose or use, or foreseeable misuse, by a user or foreseeable bystander;

(2) Manufacturing Defect: a departure from the product’s intended design which renders the product defective, even though all care may have been exercised in the preparation of the product.; and

(3) Labeling or Marketing Defect: (inadequate warning) defective because of the lack of adequate warning or instruction when the foreseeable risks of harm posed by the product could have been avoided by a reasonable warning or instruction provided with the product at the time it left the hands of the manufacturer.

2019 Florida Statute § 768.81 Comparative fault.—

(1) (d) “Products liability action” means a civil action based upon a theory of strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, nuisance, or similar theories for damages caused by the manufacture, construction, design, formulation, installation, preparation, or assembly of a product. The term includes an action alleging that injuries received by a claimant in an accident were greater than the injuries the claimant would have received but for a defective product. The substance of an action, not the conclusory terms used by a party, determines whether an action is a products liability action.

(2) EFFECT OF CONTRIBUTORY FAULT.—In a negligence action, contributory fault chargeable to the claimant diminishes proportionately the amount awarded as economic and noneconomic damages for an injury attributable to the claimant’s contributory fault, but does not bar recovery.