The Influence of energy Drinks on the Emotional and Behavioural Reactions of Rats

Abstract

Energy drinks (ED) have appeared in Ukraine recently, in second half of 20 th century. They became popular and got preferences among teen groups. ED are one of the most dynamic segments of soft drinks market [13]. Composition of ED, available on Ukrainian market differs both by quantative and qualitive content, but all of them have the same features: the presence of biologicaly active substances such as coffeine, taurin, inozitol, glucuronolacton, guarana, carnitine, B group vitamins (riboflavin, niazin, vitamin В6 and В12). Manufacturers are convinced that ED composition increase attention, reaction speed, mood, productivity, ability to focus and has overall stimulation effect. Medical evidence of ED consumption is contradictory. Proponents consider that ED have continuous effect on focus of attention, memory and increase physical efficiency both in aerobic and anaerobic conditions [16, 19]. On the other side, their opponents mostly speak about side effects, such as headache, tachycardia, increased risk of brain vascular affection, mental and metabolic disorders [20, 21, 23].There is a lack of available data in scientific literature dealing with the study of ED side effects on animal models. As the main consumers groups is youth, young animals should be used in experiment for the most precise extrapolations of experimental data on human population.Energy drinks usage force body to work under the continuous extreme (stress) conditions, overloading nervous, cardiovascular systems, exhausting cells energetic resources. At the end of influence, those substances decrease overall human abilities to minimum and give the side clinical effects especially in a case of overdosing.According to a some data about relative differences in motor activity, anxiety and speed of reflex response in rats, which were consuming ED in models of everyday usage, with the control group. There was also found the positive correlation of the levels of those indexes with daily ED drinking volumes [9]. The active fluctuation of endocrine and nervous systems as well as diet differences cause brain functionality changes.All of that requires the detailed study, analysis and designing nutrition recommendations, considering preferences in usage of such products, which cause alimentary stress [20, 22]. It is also known, that youth, to compare with adults, has brighter manifestation of neurotoxic effects during the influence of biologically active psycho-stimulant substances. That is why experimental studies of ED impact on cognitive functions and behavioural reaction on young animal models are the questions of vital importance.