Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

Cardiologist warns about 1 drink you should ‘avoid at all costs' if you have heart issues

nbcphiladelphia.com · 4dShare

Many people focus on food when it comes to heart health, but drinks play a key role as well. What you sip can come with sugar and other additives that may derail an otherwise healthy diet, raise the risk of cardiovascular disease and make heart problems worse if you already have them. There’s one type of drink in particular that concerns Dr. James Stone, a cardiologist at the South Heart Clinic in Harlingen, Texas. Heart health tip of the day: Avoid energy drinks Energy drinks are a popular way to boost alertness, but Stone worries about the consequences of imbibing them. “If you’re a heart patient, you need to avoid these at all costs,” Stone tells TODAY.com. “But I tell everyone: Just try to avoid them.” A typical 8.4-ounce energy drink contains 80 milligrams of caffeine, according to the American Beverage Association , the industry trade group. The issue is not so much the caffeine, but consuming several stimulants all at once, he says. Stone thinks caffeine is “great” as long as pe

First report: Cardiologist warns about 1 drink you should ‘avoid at all costs' if you have heart issues — nbcdfw.com, 4d