What are the pros and cons of giving energy drinks to elderly parents?

Please do not give your mother Red Bull, especially since she has Afib and hypertension. Red Bull is not going to give her sustained energy and could end up causing her more problems. It contains 110 calories and 27 grams of sugar (roughly 2 tablespoons). Taurine is an ingredient that we really don't have a lot of information on, however, it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which in some cases it acts as a mild sedative. Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine which is three times the caffeine in the same amount of Coke! That in and of itself is a reason NOT to give someone with Afib this drink. Caffeine can also contribute to dehydration. The ingredients that Red Bull touts as good for you are not in substantial enough amounts to outweigh the issues that could arise for your mother. Basically Red Bull is sugar water mixed with caffeine. Your Dad would be better off to make her a healthy shake that is full of vitamins. Shakes are a great way to get lots of vitamins and nutrients into and elderly person. Hope this helps you. By the way...given your Dad's health issues, I hope he's not drinking it either.

Thank you all for your input. Thankfully my Mom refused to drink it. She said it tastes nasty. Dad was mad as he usually is when Mom refuses anything he gives her but he will get over it. He tried it and he didn't like the taste either. When I said something about the adverse affects he informed me that he knew all that, in other words I was told to mind my own business, as usual.
Anyway, one crisis has been avoided thanks to the yucky taste of Red Bull.

DEATH......LACK OF MOVEMENT..................COLD TO THE TOUCH...........BURST HEART... does that clear that up for you? Since the energy drinks have come into the market heart related calls to the ER have risen 80%. Call my bluff please call you local hospital and ask for the statistics for yourself.

I would not give to them with out consulting a doctor. Some of those engery drinks have caused some people to not react well when drinking them.

Personally, I've found that such drinks can often act as diuretics - not a good idea. Also, they can have effects on the metabolism I suspect. Consider the effects of a few Vodka's and then a can of 'energy drink'... disastrous and possibly fatal. NOT that you'd be giving your parents Vodka too... just pointing out that these drinks can affect the way the body manages things which means how it may manage prescription drugs etc. Personally, I would not even think about it...

I used to drink red bull before I went to the gym to pump iron. I had an intense workout but, I stopped drinking it because I started getting heart palpitations. I was also very irritable and I know I had withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking it. Please don't give an elderly person this energy drink.

Alright! Lizzie, saved by the noxious taste of Red Bull:-)...good luck to you.

I am a senior/elder and I tried some of these energy drinks a number of times and I found that while they do increase my level of energy (as I suffer fatigue because of certain medications that I take prescribed my my physicians), certain ones (not Red Bull) causes me insomnia. Thus, I stop taking them because of this factor. However, I am still tempted whenever I am fatigued (I have to weigh the factors of feeling the energy or avoiding insomnia). I usually choose the latter.

EEEEEK! He's been watching too many ads on TV. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and will UP their blood pressure and heart rate and seriously aggravate the A-fib. On the other hand it reduces the risk of getting Parkinson's. Maybe that was his intent, but gosh there are better choices.