By: Charina Clarisse L. Echaluce
Excessive consumption of energy drinks is bad for the heart, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) warned. Dr. Jorge Sison, president of the PHA, said taking too much energy drinks can cause heart trouble because they are packed with stimulants.
“They are called energy drinks because they energize you lalo na mga trabahador, ‘yong mga athlete, nasa call center.
It keeps them awake pero actually, energy drinks are full of stimulants gaya ng taurine, caffeine, etc. Kapag in moderate intake, okay lang, that keeps you up and working,” Sison said in an interview.
“Pero kapag ginagawa mo ‘yan soft drinks na excessive, mai-stimulate iyong heart mo, magkakaroon ka ng fast heartbeat, tataas ang BP mo.
There are some cases nagkakaroon sila ng heart trouble ‘pag napaparami ‘yong energy drink. Kailangan hinay-hinay lang sa energydrink,” he added. Dr. Ronald Cuyco, PHA director and advocacy committee chairperson, explained that too much intake of such drinks will raise the heart rate as well the demand for oxygen.
“May direct effect iyan sa heart… So kung elderly iyong case, more than 45 years old, may risk, may possibility na may bara ang puso, then it will increase the heart rate na puwede mag-induce ng heart attack,” he stressed.
Cuyco added that too much energy drinks can negate the effect of medicine for high blood. “Another thing is the effect on the blood pressure, kasi ‘pag bumibilis ang heart rate, tataas din ang blood pressure, mane-negate iyong effect ng mga gamot natin para sa high blood,” he said.
Cuyco said just one small bottle of energy drink is enough. “Energy drinks, they comes in small bottles, siguro a small bottle a day, okay na ‘yon.
If you do more than that, medyo magkakaroon ka na ng excessive stimulants,” he stated.
