HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Energy drinks are all the rage right now as companies compete to come out with the best new flavors, and they've become popular with teenagers.

From school, to sports, to extracurricular activities, teens have a lot on their plate. Chances are, they aren't sleeping enough and trying to compensate with caffeine.

"Our recommendation is to usually cut down because you kind of get a crash when you're relying on that," said Dr. Scott Davis with Valley Health.

Davis says the upper limit of caffeine recommended for adolescents is around 100 milligrams. One 8oz cup of coffee is around 95 milligrams on average.

Most energy drinks run around 200 milligrams of caffeine.

"It absolutely affects your heart rhythm, and that's the main thing we worry about is heart arrhythmias, and I've seen that happen from large amounts of caffeine in young teenagers," Davis said.

Davis says there can be harmful compounded effects from stacking drinks and not realizing. Drinking an energy drink, then having tea or soda instead of water, even eating chocolate all add up to your daily amount.

"It's documented in the medical literature where we're seeing arrhythmias and major heart rhythm issues that occur with that combination," he said.

Depending on the kind of arrhythmia, Davis says it can cause blood clots, hospitalization, even death.

Even if you don't see major symptoms, the excess caffeine can affect your sleep/wake cycle, especially in teens.

When it comes to having more energy without caffeine, Dr. Davis recommends going back to basics. Getting to bed earlier, exercising and eating healthily can all make a difference in energy levels.