Dive Brief:
- Monster Beverage Corp. slammed research by scientists at the University of Bonn in Germany, presented at the Radiological Society of North America's annual conference in Chicago, as "alarmist and misleading."
- According to the research, healthy adults had higher heart contraction rates an hour after drinking beverages containing caffeine (32 mg/100 ml) and taurine (400 mg/100 ml).
- While presenter Dr. Jonas Dörner didn't say the increased rates were cause for alarm, a press release noted "concerns" he had regarding possible negative side effects in adolescents and young adults in particular.
Dive Insight:
The volunteers in the study reportedly showed significantly increased peak strain and peak systolic strain rates in the heart's left ventricle. The press release notes that the increased "contractility could trigger arrhythmias," and the news comes just over a month after a family filed suit against Red Bull for $85 million for allegedly contributing to a 33-year-old man's heart attack death.
Monster claims that the study actually "confirms what scientists have known for decades: Taurine helps the heart function more efficiently by improving the pumping force of the heart without any changes in blood pressure or heart rate," noting its use in the treatment of congestive heart failure and its purported benefits to athletes. The American Beverage Association also added that caffeine is a safe ingredient found in numerous foods while pointing out that the study only included 18 adults.
