The effects of acute and chronic Red Bull® consumption on cardiodynamics and oxidative stress in coronary effluent of trained rats

Abstract

Background/Aim. Energy drinks (EDs) are widely used by athletes as ergogenic agents. The aims of this study were to determine the acute and chronic effects of Red Bull ® , one of the most consumed EDs, on cardiodynamics and parameters of oxidative stress in physically trained rats. Methods. Rats were subjected to a swimming practice (1h per day, 5 days a week, during 4 weeks). They were divided into 4 groups: rats that did not consume ED either before swimming or prior to sacrificing; rats that did not consume ED before swimming, but did consume ED 30 minutes prior to sacrificing; rats that consumed ED 30 min before every swimming training, but did not consume ED prior to sacrificing; rats that consumed ED 30 min before every swimming training and 30 min before sacrificing. After sacrificing, hearts were isolated and perfused according to Langendorff technique. The parameters of cardiac function were recorded, and also the levels of prooxidants were measured in the coronary effluent during coronary autoregulation. Results. Compared to the control group, acute administration of the ED had a positive inotropic effect (manifested as significantly higher level of maximum and minimum rate of pressure development in left ventricle), while chronic administration affected the isolated increase in systolic left ventricular pressure, which could be considered the potentially negative impact of the ED. Prooxidative effect of the ED was observed, which was more pronounced in chronic consumption. Conclusion. The main conclusion of our study is that chronic administration of the ED changes the cardiovascular response and redox status in acute consumption.

The Effects of Direct Red Bull Administration to Isolated Hearts of Trained and Untrained Rats Who Regularly Consumed or Did Not Consume Energy Drink: Focus on Cardiodynamics and Oxidative Stress

“…In that paper, we have shown that, in trained rats, acute consummation of the RB had a positive inotropic effect (manifested as significantly higher level of dp/dt max and dp/dt min compared to the levels measured in control rats), while chronic administration affected the isolated increase in SLVP, which could be considered the potentially negative impact chronic ED consumption (42). There were no significant differences in cardiodynamic parameters after acute RB consummation (30min before sacrificing) between trained rats that regularly drank RB and those who did not (42), which is in consent with the results presented in this pa-per (direct instead of acute RB administration). Those results suggest that acute/direct RB administration affects cardiodynamics to the greater extent in untrained, than in trained rats, i.e.…”

“…As we have previously mentioned, there are no other studies that included administration of ED directly to the isolated rat heart, except for the study that has been recently published by our team (42). In that paper, we have shown that, in trained rats, acute consummation of the RB had a positive inotropic effect (manifested as significantly higher level of dp/dt max and dp/dt min compared to the levels measured in control rats), while chronic administration affected the isolated increase in SLVP, which could be considered the potentially negative impact chronic ED consumption (42).…”

“…As we have previously mentioned, there are no other studies that included administration of ED directly to the isolated rat heart, except for the study that has been recently published by our team (42). In that paper, we have shown that, in trained rats, acute consummation of the RB had a positive inotropic effect (manifested as significantly higher level of dp/dt max and dp/dt min compared to the levels measured in control rats), while chronic administration affected the isolated increase in SLVP, which could be considered the potentially negative impact chronic ED consumption (42). There were no significant differences in cardiodynamic parameters after acute RB consummation (30min before sacrificing) between trained rats that regularly drank RB and those who did not (42), which is in consent with the results presented in this pa-per (direct instead of acute RB administration).…”

“…This suggests that positive effects of regular training on redox state (43) may be diminished by chronic ED consumption. Pusica et al (42) have shown that both rats who chronically consumed RB, and rats who consumed RB acutely, had significantly increased levels of lipid peroxidation in coronary effluent when compared to control rats, as well as that acute RB consummation increased the levels of TBARS to the greater extent in rats who chronically consumed RB than in those who have not consumed it before, which suggests that in chronic consumers acute ED consumption continues to deteriorate redox status. Interestingly, in this research, untrained rats who consumed RB on a daily basis had lower levels of O 2 , TBARS and higher levels of NO in coronary effluent after direct RB administration to the isolated rat heart than untrained rats who did not used to consume RB.…”