Drinks
According
to a study at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Munich,
healthy people may have better heart function if they regularly consume
energy drinks containing caffeine and taurine.
Researchers found that the left and right
ventricles of your heart increased shortly after consuming energy
drinks. In a group of 25 young healthy people, researches used a new
avant-garde new technique called speckle-tracking echocardiography to
perform an echocardiograph and observe how the heart behaved. An hour
after consuming a drink showed their diastolic blood pressure rose six
per cent, while an increase in heart rate and systolic blood pressure
wasn’t statistically significant,
Matteo Cameli, a researcher at the
University of Siena in Italy and co-author of the study, said at the
conference that: “While caffeine increases blood pressure, studies
suggest that taurine may stimulate the release of calcium from the
sarcoplasmic reticulum.” He goes on to state “Future studies need to
focus on whether such benefits persist after long-term consumption of
energy drinks, and what the effects are of consuming these drinks during
physical activity.”
“Taken together, these results show that
energy drinks enhance contractions of both the left and right
ventricles, thereby delivering a positive effect on myocardial
function,” said Dr. Cameli. “This could be explained by the inotropic
effect of taurine that, as previously demonstrated, stimulates the
release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.”
The body uses taurine to aid the nervous
system, aid the immune system, control cell chemicals and prevent gall
stones. It’s used by doctors to treat epilepsy, heart problems and
control certain cholesterol levels. In 1993, approximately 2,500–3,000
tonnes of taurine were produced for pharmaceutical purposes, and has
been linked to helping cardiovascular function, and development and
function of skeletal muscle, the retina and the central nervous system.
Other energy drinks promote the unique
qualities that make them stand out from the rest, such as being all
natural, organic, or gluten-free, as well as diabetic- or
vegetarian-friendly. Energy drinks are still a developing industry in
which a diverse range of new and innovative products will be seen in the
years to come, with new innovations geared more toward the increasing
number of health-conscious individuals.
Research has shown that a modest
consumption of 12.5 to 100 mg of caffeine can improve cognitive
performance and mood. Doses of caffeine of six mg/kg body weight (BW)
and nine mg/kg BW were equally as effective in increasing exercise
performance, concluding that larger doses of caffeine may not deliver a
better response. Another study found that ingesting a sports drink
containing caffeine at a level of 2.1 mg/kg BW had an ergogenic effect
on exercise performance; however, doses of 3.2 and 4.5 mg/kg BW had a
greater effect.
Based on the literature, it appears that a
dose of caffeine of three to six mg/kg BW would be adequate for this
purpose. Davis and Green (2009) indicated that a definite conclusion
cannot be reached on the extent caffeine affects performance and that
the exact mechanism of caffeine remains to be elucidated.
Research has aimed at determining the
behavioural effects that energy drinks have on consumers, specifically,
on their mood, concentration, reaction time, alertness, endurance,
physical performance, and risk taking. The cognitive and physiological
effects after the consumption of an energy drink, in comparison to a
placebo, resulted in significantly improved performance on both
secondary memory and speed of attention.
Another study looked at the effect of
energy drink on cognitive performance and well-being of the studied
subjects, concluding that its consumption had a positive impact,
possibly related to the combination of caffeine, taurine,
glucuronolactone, and B vitamins present in the product, rather than
just to a single ingredient
Sources: Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety; escardio.org
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