The doctor warned about the health risks due to energy drinks

Sales of energy drinks in Russia from September to October 2025 increased by about 10% in physical terms and by more than 20% in monetary terms. According to analysts, the category remains one of the most dynamic in the soft drinks market, despite the fact that since March there has been a ban on the sale of energy drinks to minors and distribution channels have been reduced. However, in an interview with Izvestia on November 26, Evgeny Kokin, PhD, cardiologist at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic), warned about the risks of using energy drinks.

According to him, the restrictions did not stop the growth and even slightly affected the structure of the channels: until March, up to 10% of the market accounted for online and vending machines, now these sites are closed.

Meanwhile, doctors and relevant experts remind us that the trend of increasing consumption of energy drinks inevitably raises the question of the impact of drinks on health. Almost all energy drinks contain high doses of caffeine, which provides a short-term effect of vivacity, but does not give the body real energy.

"Fatigue is eliminated due to internal reserves, which leads to an "energy debt." After a few hours, the body responds with depression, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Regular consumption of drinks provokes addiction and exhaustion of the nervous system," the doctor warned.

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Experts have told us in which cases you should refrain from your favorite soft drink.

The combination of caffeine with glucose and other stimulants is especially dangerous for teenagers: it creates sudden fluctuations in heart rate, can cause tremors in the extremities, pressure surges and rhythm disturbances. In a number of countries, such drinks are sold only in pharmacies, reflecting the attitude towards them as potentially dangerous products. The combination of energy drinks with alcohol, a common practice among young people, increases the effect of ethanol on the brain and increases the risk of overdose.

Doctors point out that even one excess of the permissible dose of caffeine (usually more than two standard cans per day) can lead to tachycardia, nervousness, headache and sleep disorders. Serious complications can occur in people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, sleep disorders, or hypersensitivity to energy stimulants.

Against the background of growing sales, the discussion of regulatory measures continues. The positions of those who consider it necessary to tighten the responsibility of sellers and restrict access to drinks, especially for minors, are strengthening in society. Manufacturers, on the contrary, propose to develop mechanisms for secure identification of customers and emphasize that the majority of the audience are adults.

With the expected further growth of the market, doctors recommend treating energy drinks as stimulants, using them consciously and avoiding regular consumption, especially among young people, the group most at risk.

Earlier, on September 11, doctor Ekaterina Dmitrenko urged not to abuse caffeine, despite the fact that it helps to improve mindfulness. According to her, the caffeine in coffee, tea and energy drinks blocks adenosine, a substance that causes drowsiness. Thanks to this, as the specialist emphasized, vigor and concentration increase. However, over time, a person develops tolerance, which requires more consumption of the drink to achieve the same effect.

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