The British Soft Drinks Association has commented on a number of news outlets reporting a link between energy drink consumption and the rise in rates of arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm.
Although the cause of arrhythmia is not fully understood, common triggers do include drinks containing caffeine, as well as viral illnesses, alcohol, tobacco, changes in posture, exercise, certain over-the-counter and prescribed medicines, and illegal recreational drugs.
Gavin Partington, Director General at the British Soft Drinks Association, said, 'The European Food Safety Authority confirms the safety of energy drinks and their ingredients and therefore does not provide any scientific justification to treat energy drinks any differently to the main contributors to daily caffeine intake including tea, coffee and chocolate.
'It is worth remembering that coffees from popular high-street chains contain the same or more caffeine than most energy drinks.'
Trudie Lobban, founder and CEO of The Arrhythmia Alliance, said, ‘You wouldn’t necessarily have to have a faulty heart to suffer from arrhythmia – stimulants containing caffeine can trigger it. Six or seven coffees a day could do it, but energy drinks carry a really high risk.’