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Costantino A, Maiese A, Lazzari J, Casula C, Turillazzi E, Frati P, Fineschi V. The Dark Side of Energy Drinks: A Comprehensive Review of Their Impact on the Human Body. Nutrients 2023; 15:3922. [PMID: 37764707 PMCID: PMC10535526 DOI: 10.3390/nu15183922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the consumption of energy drinks by young adults and athletes has risen significantly, but concerns have been raised about the potential health risks associated with excessive consumption. These concerns include cardiovascular problems, nervous system disorders, and the potential for addiction. This review aims to examine the reported effects of acute or chronic abuse of energy drinks on human health. The analysis shows a significant prevalence of adverse effects, particularly on the cardiovascular and neurovegetative systems. In particular, the analysis identified nine cases of cardiac arrest, three of which were fatal. The aetiology of these adverse effects is attributed to the inherent neurostimulant properties of these beverages, of which caffeine is the predominant component. A comparison of documented effects in humans with experimental studies in animal models showed an overlap in results. This review highlights the need for greater rigour in the assessment of sudden cardiac death, particularly in young people, as legal substances such as energy drinks may be involved. We propose stricter limits on the consumption of these beverages than for caffeine, based on the evidence found and the data in the literature. This review also calls for the establishment of regulations governing the consumption of these products in view of their potential impact on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Costantino
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.); (J.L.); (C.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Aniello Maiese
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.); (J.L.); (C.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Julia Lazzari
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.); (J.L.); (C.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Chiara Casula
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.); (J.L.); (C.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Emanuela Turillazzi
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (A.M.); (J.L.); (C.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Paola Frati
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Vittorio Fineschi
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy;
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Mateo-Fernández M, Valenzuela-Gómez F, Font R, Del Río-Celestino M, Merinas-Amo T, Alonso-Moraga Á. In Vivo and In Vitro Assays Evaluating the Biological Activity of Taurine, Glucose and Energetic Beverages. Molecules 2021; 26:2198. [PMID: 33920365 PMCID: PMC8069289 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Taurine is one of the main ingredients used in energy drinks which are highly consumed in adolescents for their sugary taste and stimulating effect. With energy drinks becoming a worldwide phenomenon, the biological effects of these beverages must be evaluated in order to fully comprehend the potential impact of these products on the health due to the fact nutrition is closely related to science since the population consumes food to prevent certain diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the biological effects of taurine, glucose, classic Red Bull® and sugar-free Red Bull® in order to check the food safety and the nutraceutical potential of these compounds, characterising different endpoints: (i) Toxicology, antitoxicology, genotoxicology and life expectancy assays were performed in the Drosophila melanogaster model organism; (ii) The in vitro chemopreventive activity of testing compounds was determined by assessing their cytotoxicity, the proapoptotic DNA-damage capability to induce internucleosomal fragmentation, the strand breaks activity and the modulator role on the methylation status of genomic repetitive sequences of HL-60 promyelocytic cells. Whereas none tested compounds showed toxic or genotoxic effect, all tested compounds exerted antitoxic and antigenotoxic activity in Drosophila. Glucose, classic Red Bull® and sugar-free Red Bull® were cytotoxic in HL-60 cell line. Classic Red Bull® induced DNA internucleosomal fragmentation although none of them exhibited DNA damage on human leukaemia cells. In conclusion, the tested compounds are safe on Drosophila melanogaster and classic Red Bull® could overall possess nutraceutical potential in the in vivo and in vitro model used in this study. Besides, taurine could holistically be one of the bioactive compounds responsible for the biological activity of classic Red Bull®.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Mateo-Fernández
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; (T.M.-A.); (Á.A.-M.)
| | | | - Rafael Font
- Agri-Food Laboratory, Avda. Menéndez Pidal, s/n, 14080 Córdoba, Spain; (R.F.); (M.D.R.-C.)
| | | | - Tania Merinas-Amo
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; (T.M.-A.); (Á.A.-M.)
| | - Ángeles Alonso-Moraga
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; (T.M.-A.); (Á.A.-M.)
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Göçer M, Iltar U, Aykaş F, Aslan V, Nizam İ, Çelik M, Kurtoğlu E. Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Cases and Consumption of Large Quantities of Energy Drink: Related or Coincidence? Acta Haematol 2019; 143:176-180. [PMID: 31167181 DOI: 10.1159/000500665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The vast majority of cases of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) are the result of acquired antibodies which inhibit the activity of the ADAMTS13 enzyme. Acquired TTP is more frequently seen in young females or in individuals with autoimmune disease. The development of antibodies against ADAMTS13 may also result from the administration or consumption of drugs and other substances. However, specific laboratory tests to identify the pathogenic mechanism of a particular drug may not be available, and the role of a potentially implicated drug or other ingested substance may not be clear. In this report we present 2 acquired TTP cases involving the consumption of a large amount of energy drink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mesut Göçer
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey,
| | - Utku Iltar
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Fatma Aykaş
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Vedat Aslan
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - İlknur Nizam
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Çelik
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Erdal Kurtoğlu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
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Feketea G, Tsabouri S. Common food colorants and allergic reactions in children: Myth or reality? Food Chem 2017; 230:578-588. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Ali F, Rehman H, Babayan Z, Stapleton D, Joshi DD. Energy drinks and their adverse health effects: A systematic review of the current evidence. Postgrad Med 2015; 127:308-22. [PMID: 25560302 DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2015.1001712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE With the rising consumption of so-called energy drinks over the last few years, there has been a growing body of literature describing significant adverse health events after the ingestion of these beverages. To gain further insight about the clinical spectrum of these adverse events, we conducted a literature review. METHODS Using PubMed and Google-Scholar, we searched the literature from January 1980 through May 2014 for articles on the adverse health effects of energy drinks. A total of 2097 publications were found. We then excluded molecular and industry-related studies, popular media reports, and case reports of isolated caffeine toxicity, yielding 43 reports. CONCLUSION Energy drink consumption is a health issue primarily of the adolescent and young adult male population. It is linked to increased substance abuse and risk-taking behaviors. The most common adverse events affect the cardiovascular and neurological systems. The most common ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine, and it is believed that the adverse events are related to its effects, as well as potentiating effects of other stimulants in these drinks. Education, regulation, and further studies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahad Ali
- Internal Medicine, Guthrie Medical Group, Robert Packer Hospital , Sayre, PA , USA
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Kang MG, Song WJ, Park HK, Lim KH, Kim SJ, Lee SY, Kim SH, Cho SH, Min KU, Chang YS. Basophil activation test with food additives in chronic urticaria patients. Clin Nutr Res 2014; 3:9-16. [PMID: 24527415 PMCID: PMC3921299 DOI: 10.7762/cnr.2014.3.1.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of food additives in chronic urticaria (CU) is still under investigation. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between food additives and CU by using the basophil activation test (BAT). The BAT using 15 common food additives was performed for 15 patients with CU who had a history of recurrent urticarial aggravation following intake of various foods without a definite food-specific IgE. Of the 15 patients studied, two (13.3%) showed positive BAT results for one of the tested food additives. One patient responded to monosodium glutamate, showing 18.7% of CD203c-positive basophils. Another patient showed a positive BAT result to sodium benzoate. Both patients had clinical correlations with the agents, which were partly determined by elimination diets. The present study suggested that at least a small proportion of patients with CU had symptoms associated with food additives. The results may suggest the potential utility of the BAT to identity the role of food additives in CU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Gyu Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 463-707, Korea
| | - Woo-Jung Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea
| | - Han-Ki Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyung-Hwan Lim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 463-707, Korea
| | - Su-Jung Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea
| | - Suh-Young Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sae-Hoon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 463-707, Korea
| | - Sang-Heon Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyung-Up Min
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yoon-Seok Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University Medical Research Center 110-744, Seoul, Korea. ; Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 463-707, Korea
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Jang GC, Chang YS, Choi SH, Song WJ, Lee SY, Park HS, Kang HR, Ye YM, Jin HJ, Shin MY, Lee SJ, Kim HO, Kim J, Jung JW, Moon HB, Ahn Y. Overview of anaphylaxis in Korea: diagnosis and management. ALLERGY ASTHMA & RESPIRATORY DISEASE 2013. [DOI: 10.4168/aard.2013.1.3.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gwang Cheon Jang
- Department of Pediatrics, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea
| | - Yoon-Seok Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Hee Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Woo-Jung Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Soo-Young Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hae-Sim Park
- Department of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hye-Ryun Kang
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yeong-Min Ye
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hyun-Jung Jin
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi Yong Shin
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Soo-Jin Lee
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye One Kim
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jihyun Kim
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Woo Jung
- Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Anaphylaxis Work Group, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hee-Bom Moon
- Headquarters of Korean Anaphylaxis Campaign, Seoul, Korea
| | - Youngmin Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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