Teen claims energy drink addiction put her in hospital

18-year-old Dion Parratt likely had an underlying heart condition not helped by her energy drink habit.

A woman is claiming a five-a-day energy drink habit caused her heart problems.

Dion Parratt, 18, posted a photograph of herself wearing an electrocardiogram machine to her Facebook page, claiming a 7-year-old addiction to energy drinks was to blame for heart problems, low blood pressure and two miscarriages.

However, a cardiologist told MailOnline Parratt likely had an underlying condition.

Dr Graham Jackson, honorary consultant cardiologist at St Thomas' Hospital said caffeine in energy drinks caused the heart to beat faster and had been linked with heart palpitations.

However, it was unlikely they would cause a person to pass out, he said.

Parratt told MailOnline she began drinking the beverages in her first year of secondary school while starving herself to lose weight.

She was diagnosed with a heart condition after two miscarriages, she said.

Dr Jackson said caffeine withdrawal symptoms could make someone shaky and feel "awful".

He added most young people who stopped drinking caffeine after discovering health problems would recover.

In 2013, a coroner linked a New Zealand woman's death to drinking too much Coke.

Mother of eight Natasha Harris drank up to 10 litres of Coke every day - equal to more than twice the recommended safe daily limit of caffeine and almost one kilogram of sugar.

She died from a cardiac arrest aged 30, on February 25, 2010.

 - Stuff