Mood and Cognitive Performance Effects of "Energy" Drink Constituents: Caffeine, Glucose and Carbonation

Abstract

Three studies using healthy volunteers (n = 271) investigated the effects of caffeine, carbohydrates and carbonation in functional "energy" drinks (EDs) with the aim of determining their benefit in every-day life. The results showed caffeine to be the main ED constituent responsible for the effects found, with possible minor, relatively weak effects of carbohydrates. EDs were found to improve and/or maintain mood and performance during fatiguing and cognitively demanding tasks relative to placebo. In terms of absolute values, EDs maintained levels of arousal compared to a deterioration in arousal where placebo was consumed. These effects were found in caffeine-deprived participants, and so may be largely due to "withdrawal reversal". There were only minor differences in the effects of water vs. "sensory-matched" placebo, supporting previous findings indicating that the type of placebo does not alter the conclusions drawn about the effects of the full ED. Finally, carbonation had various effects on mood, some of which were present immediately following consumption, others were consistent with slower absorption of caffeine (and possibly carbohydrates) from carbonated drinks.

Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

“…72 Some studies of adults revealed improved mental alertness, reaction times, and concentration with energy drinks 59,74 ; others revealed no improvement compared with caffeine or glucose alone. 73 One study of 14 young adults compared a complete energy drink mixture to the glucose fraction, the caffeine fraction, and the herbal fraction. 9,59 Although individual components did not enhance cognition, the combined ingredients did.…”

Energy Drink Consumption and Associations With Demographic Characteristics, Drug Use and Injury Among Adolescents

“…Energy drink consumption, both 12-month and 7-day, was more prevalent among adolescents who were employed during the school year, who reported binge drinking, and who used tobacco, cannabis, and non-medicinal prescription drugs than among adolescents who did not engage in such behaviours. There were also variations in consumption by sensation-seeking and injuries -e.g., 38.8% of those who reported high sensationseeking and 27.9% of those who reported being injured and treated in the previous year had consumed energy drinks in the previous week compared to 15 Results from multivariate logistic regression analyses that examined energy drink consumption as a dichotomous measure of consumed versus not consumed in the past year are outlined in Table 2. Model 1 included all covariates with the exception of sensationseeking and injury variables; model 2 included sensation-seeking and other covariates, but not tobacco, cannabis, prescription drug use, and binge drinking; and model 3 included all covariates.…”

“…There is research indicating that energy drink consumption helps to improve attention, maintain or improve performance on some difficult activities, and decrease reaction times. 14,15 There is also evidence of adverse consequences such as seizures, difficulty sleeping, cardiac arrhythmia, and even death. 1,6,7 In the US, there was a twofold increase in the number of visits to emergency departments between 2007 (10,068 visits) and 2011 (20,783 visits) that involved energy drinks, with 12-17 year olds accounting for 11.4% and 7.2% of those visits in 2007 and 2011, respectively.…”

A Study Of Energy Drinks Consumption Practices Among Football Players In Aurangabad District Of Maharashtra In India

“…A study found that high consumption of caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity [4] and increases the blood pressure level [5]. However, a study found out that consuming energy drinks when compared with a placebo led to energizing effects which were maximum 30 to 60 minutes after consumption and which were maintained for a minimum of 90 minutes [6]. An issue of great concern regarding energy drinks is that the information regarding the negative health effects of excessive intake are not presented over the labels [7].…”