HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Consuming energy drinks can cause blood pressure to skyrocket and an irregular heartbeat, according to a recent study by the American Heart Association.

The study, presented last month during an AHA conference, showed a critical interval of the heart's rhythm extends by drinking energy drinks. When prolonged, the "QT interval" can cause serious irregular heartbeats or even sudden death, the study found.

"There have been instances when high school football players have had a couple energy drinks and their heart rate gets up too high, they have some cardiac event and die from it," said Col. Joseph Albano, a doctor with the 419th Medical Squadron and team physician for soccer team Real Salt Lake.

During the study, doctors monitored the physiological reaction of healthy people ages 18 to 45 who consumed one to three cans of energy drinks. They noticed subjects experienced increased blood pressure and irregular heartbeats.

"You can also have gastrointestinal issues, nausea and vomiting if you drink too much, or if you're not used to the drink," Albano said.

Energy drinks are a huge seller among servicemembers and continue to rise in popularity. In 2011, AAFES sold 38.9 million cans of energy drinks, according to AAFES public relations manager Judd Anstey. That's a 3.3 million can increase from 2010.

Albano said people should look at the outcome they're trying to get from these drinks and find a better method to get results.

"If you're trying to stay awake for your job, I'd say try really hard to get more sleep, and you should always stay well hydrated," Albano said. "If you're looking at maximizing performance for athletic reasons, use small amounts of caffeine, not a massive quantity."

When looking for a boost, Albano suggested coffee or green tea as the best options to replace energy drinks.

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