Sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption acutely decreases spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability

Abstract

In healthy humans, fructose-sweetened water consumption increases blood pressure variability (BPV) and decreases spontaneous cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (cBRS) and heart rate variability (HRV). However, if consuming commercially available soft drinks containing high levels of fructose elicits similar responses is unknown. We hypothesized that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) sweetened soft drink consumption increases BPV and decreases cBRS and HRV to a greater extent compared to artificially-sweetened (Diet) and sucrose-sweetened (Sucrose) soft drinks and water. Twelve subjects completed four randomized, double-blinded trials in which they drank 500 mL of water or commercially available soft drinks matched for taste and caffeine content. We continuously measured beat-to-beat blood pressure (photoplethysmography) and R-R interval (ECG) before and 30 minutes after drink consumption during supine rest for 5 minutes during spontaneous and paced breathing. BPV was evaluated using standard deviation (SD), average real variability (ARV), and successive variation (SV) methods for systolic and diastolic blood pressure. cBRS was assessed using the sequence method. HRV was evaluated using the root mean square of successive differences in R-R interval (RMSSD). There were no differences between conditions in the magnitude of change from baseline in SD, ARV, and SV (P≥0.07). There were greater reductions in cBRS during spontaneous breathing in the HFCS (-3±5 ms/mmHg) and Sucrose (-3±5 ms/mmHg) trials compared to Water (+1±5 ms/mmHg, P<0.03). During paced breathing, HFCS evoked greater reductions in RMSSD compared to Water (-26±34 vs. +2±26 ms, P<0.01). These findings suggest that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption alters cBRS and HRV but not BPV.

Cardiovascular Response to Intravenous Glucose Injection during Hemodialysis with Assessment of Entropy Alterations

“…In contrast, Christiani found a smaller effect of hypertonic sugar-sweetened sports drinks than water on resting HRV, despite accompanying glucose disturbances [37]. Chapman reported that consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks reduced spontaneous baroreceptor sensitivity and heart rate variability but not blood pressure variability [38]. Other authors have noted that insulin stimulates the low-to high-frequency ratio [LF/HF] in spectral analysis of HRV in both lean and obese individuals, thus indicating a shift from the activity of the cardiac autonomic nervous system toward the predominance of the sympathetic nervous system [39].…”

Cutaneous microvascular vasodilatory consequences of acute consumption of a caffeinated soft drink sweetened with high‐fructose corn syrup

“…The present study was designed based on the findings of Chapman et al who determined cardiovascular effects of a caffeinated soft drink sweetened with HFCS consumption were caused by HFCS in young healthy adults (Chapman et al, 2019 , 2020 , 2021 ). Thus, we employed the same commercially available caffeinated soft drink sweetened with HFCS utilized previously to test our hypotheses.…”

“…Following the pre‐consumption period, participants were given 5 min to consume 500 ml of water or DEW chilled to about ~11℃, and then resumed the supine position (Figure 1 ). Mountain Dew is a high calorie, high‐fructose, caffeinated soft drink that has previously been demonstrated to cause renal vasoconstriction during rest and sympathetic activation (Chapman et al, 2020 ) and reduce spontaneous cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (Chapman et al, 2021 ). Mountain Dew has one of the highest free fructose concentrations among commercially available soft drinks, with fructose and glucose each representing 59.5% and 39.7%, respectively, of the total sugar content of the beverage (Walker et al, 2014 ).…”

“…It is unclear whether the observed vascular effects are specific to the kidneys or indicative of a systemic vascular response. For instance, consumption of a caffeinated soft drink sweetened with HFCS decreases cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity, likely due to modulation of the parasympathetic nervous system (Chapman et al, 2021 ). However, consumption of this same beverage did not affect arterial stiffness, likely due to minimal effect on sympathetic activation (Freemas et al, 2021 ).…”

Pathophysiological mechanisms of hypertension development induced by fructose consumption

“…[104][105][106] Both fructose-sweetened water consumption and HF corn syrup-sweetened soft drink consumption acutely reduced spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity in healthy humans. 35,107 Interestingly, HF intake decreased baroreflex sensitivity within a week (day 1) and induced a progressive reduction in baroreflex sensitivity over time. 104,106 But the alteration of oxidative stress-related markers was found at day 15 or later.…”