Cardiovascular Responses to Ingestion of Energy Drinks

Abstract

Abstract Author: Niklas Odén. Supervisor: Kai Knudsen. Degree Project thesis, Programme in Medicine, University of Gothenburg, 2015. Title: Cardiovascular Responses to Ingestion of Energy Drinks Background: The popularity of caffeinated energy drinks (ED) has increased rapidly. A number of cases have been reported where severe cardiac manifestations have occurred following their use. It has been speculated whether if it is the high caffeine content or any of the other active ingredients, such as taurine, that is responsible for these effects. Aims: Investigate the hemodynamic response following ingestion of energy drinks during inactivity and physical exercise. Heart rate, saturation, blood pressure, heart rate variability, echocardiography and ECG are the parameters used to describe this response. Methods: This project consists of two different studies, both with a cross-over arrangement. In the first study, heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure and heart rate variability were examined after two identical workouts where either 500 ml of energy drinks or sports drinks (SD) were ingested afterwards. The other study focused on the differences in heart rate, blood pressure, ECG and echocardiography between consumption of ED and caffeine supplementation. Results: Following statistically significant differences were found: Post-exercise systolic blood pressure was increased by 10.0 mmHg 60 minutes after ingestion of ED compared to SD (P=0.002). Post-exercise mean arterial pressure was increased by 4.3 mmHg at 30 minutes (P=0.02) and by 7.7 mmHg 60 minutes after ingestion of ED (P=0.007). Conclusions: Consumption of energy drinks after a physical exercise results in a significant increase of systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure. No evidence that the ingestion influenced post-exercise heart rate variability and heart rate recovery was found. Statistically significant differences between intake of ED and caffeine supplementation in heart rate, blood pressure, ECG or echocardiography are not proved. Key words: Energy drinks · Caffeine · Taurine · Heart rate · Blood pressure · Heart rate variability · ECG · Echocardiography