Effects of energy drink consumption on corrected QT interval and heart rate variability in young obese Saudi male university students

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESConsumption of energy drinks has adverse effects on the heart that might be potentiated in obese individuals. Since the incidence of obesity and use of energy drinks is high among Saudi youth, we used non-invasive tests to study hemodynamic changes produced by altered autonomic cardiac activity following consumption of energy drinks in obese male students.DESIGN AND SETTINGThis cross-sectional study was carried out at Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, over a one-year period from December 2013 to December 2014.SUBJECTS AND METHODSIn Saudi male university students we measured continuous ECG recordings and a one-minute deep breathing maneuver to measure the expiratory-to-inspiratory ratio, the mean heart rate range (MHRR), the mean percentage variability. (M%VHR) and the corrected QT interval (QTc) at 0, 30 and 60 minutes after consumption of energy drink.RESULTSWe enrolled 31 students (18 overweight/obese and 13 normal weights. QTc was significantly increased at 60 min as compared with the resting state in overweight/obese subjects (P=.006). Heart rate variability was significantly less in obese as compared with normal weight subjects at 60 minutes as indicated by E:I ratio, (P=.037), MHRR (P=.012), M%VHR (P=.040) after energy drink consumption. Significant increases in diastolic (P= .020) and mean arterial blood pressure (P=.024) were observed at 30 minutes in the obese group.CONCLUSIONHemodynamic changes after intake of energy drinks in obese subjects indicate that obesity and energy drinks could synergistically induce harmful effects. This finding warrants efforts to caution the obese on intake of energy drinks and timely intervention to motivate changes in life style.

Randomized Controlled Trial of High‐Volume Energy Drink Versus Caffeine Consumption on ECG and Hemodynamic Parameters

“…This is one of the first caffeine‐controlled studies that shows significant QTc prolongation of ≈10 ms 2 hours after high‐volume energy drink consumption in young healthy volunteers. It is possible that previous published studies showed a lack of effect due to studying a lower dose of energy drink (250–750 mL), monitoring for an insufficient amount of time (30–240 minutes), or not having a control arm . It also appears that the product and dose used in our study was different from the other studies, which might explain our significant findings.…”

Energy Drink-Associated Electrophysiological and Ischemic Abnormalities: A Narrative Review

“…Table 2 contains a list of all 19 original research articles (36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54). The smallest sample size studied was 1 (this study was designed as a clinical trial but stopped early due to administrative reasons and the emergence of new data), and the largest study included 80 participants.…”

Synergistic effect of energy drinks and overweight/obesity on cardiac autonomic testing using the Valsalva maneuver in university students

“… 32 – 34 Al Sunni et al found autonomic imbalances in OW/OB subjects as compared to normal weight subjects using QTc and heart rate variability for autonomic testing. 30 Prior et al found a dose-dependent increase in sympathetic excitation and arterial pressure in response to leptin that was more pronounced in OW/OB subjects. 32 They believed that the impairment of autonomic cardiac control seen in OW/OB subjects is associated with leptin levels, insulin resistance, increased oxidative stress and inflammation that mainly originated from adipose tissue.…”

“…Based on an earlier report by Alsunni et al, we decided on a sample size of 30 in each group. 30 Subjects were divided into two groups: normal weight (NW) (BMI=18.5 to 24.9 kg/m 2 ) and overweight and obese (OW/OB)(BMI >25 kg/m 2 ). Subjects were excluded if they had liver, kidney or cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, anemia, electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities at baseline, smoked tobacco, or used any kind of medication or herbal supplements.…”

“… 26 – 29 Many studies have observed autonomic dysfunction but few have attempted to examine possible relationships with body weight and other variables such as gender. 30 Therefore, we aimed to assess whether there are synergistic effects of obesity with energy drink consumption in otherwise healthy male/female college students. We planned to study the effects of any autonomic dysfunction by noninvasive, easily accessible autonomic testing using the Valsalva maneuver and calculating a Valsalva ratio (VR).…”