A viral claim on social media alleging that drinking energy drinks every day reduces life expectancy by 25 years has no scientific foundation, according to a French cardiologist interviewed by news outlet TF1info.
Professor François Carré, a cardiologist and sports medicine specialist affiliated with the University of Rennes 1 and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, stated after reviewing scientific literature that no research has ever established a link between chronic energy drink consumption and a shortened lifespan.
The false claim originated from a post published on social network X by an account presenting itself as a science specialist. The post warned that caffeine in energy drinks harms the cardiovascular system, accelerates heart rate, and raises blood pressure, asserting that daily consumption cuts human life expectancy by a quarter of a century.
Energy drinks have grown into a major commercial market in France, where nearly seven million households regularly purchase popular brands such as Red Bull, Monster Energy, Rockstar, and Crazy Tiger. Red Bull, an Austrian beverage company that pioneered the modern energy drink industry, alongside major American brands Monster Energy and Rockstar, has made highly sweetened caffeinated drinks a staple of supermarket shelves.
Cardiovascular and Neurological Impacts
While rejecting the claim of reduced life expectancy, Carré noted that scientific studies on regular consumers do document specific physiological effects. Research formally confirms that these beverages can trigger cardiovascular changes, including elevated blood pressure and an accelerated heart rate, as well as neurological symptoms, most notably sleep disruption.
Carré highlighted that alleged negative impacts on the liver or kidneys, which occasionally circulate online, have not been demonstrated by scientific research. As a researcher at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, known as Inserm, and the University of Rennes 1 in Brittany, Carré explained that health risks should not be demonized beyond what empirical data supports.
Nutritional Value and Marketing Strategies
Carré explained that energy drinks provide no nutritional benefit despite their popularity. He noted that commercial manufacturers executed a successful marketing strategy by associating their products with sports drinks used by athletes. Unlike genuine sports drinks formulated to supply physical energy during exertion, commercial energy drinks contain stimulants that merely excite or awaken the body without improving physical efficiency.
The primary active ingredients found in these heavily sweetened beverages include caffeine, taurine, and guarana, all of which act as central nervous system stimulants. Caffeine is a widely consumed plant alkaloid, while taurine is an organic amino acid and guarana is a seed from the Amazon basin containing natural caffeine. Carré pointed out that these substances offer at most a light, temporary boost rather than sustained physical energy.
Impact on Youth and European Legal Restrictions
Regarding younger consumers, Carré acknowledged that existing health studies have focused almost exclusively on adult populations, leaving the specific impacts on children unstudied. Nevertheless, he recommended that minors refrain from drinking them altogether, citing potential health vulnerabilities during growth.
Government authorities in several European nations have already acted to restrict access to energy drinks for minors. Lithuania became the first European Union member state to ban sales of energy drinks to people under 18 in 2014, while Poland and Romania have enacted similar statutory prohibitions in recent years.
Fact Checking and Verification Services
TF1info operates Les Vérificateurs, a dedicated fact-checking team within TF1, France's major commercial television network. The team investigates dubious online claims and accepts public inquiries via email at [email protected] or on social platform X through their official handle @verif_TF1LCI.
