The study demonstrates the impact of energy drinks on NT2/D1 cells in a 3D system, suggesting safety in cellular viability.
Extensive consumption of energy drinks (ED) and alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) has become a prevalent practice among young people. Marked as enhancers of physical and mental performance due to their high levels of stimulant ingredients, such as caffeine and taurine, ED and AmED consumption can potentially cause adverse effects on the central nervous system (CNS) and cardiovascular system. Despite the role of stem cells in development and tissue renewal, studies examining the potential effects of consumption on these cells are lacking. In this study, we established a 3D system based on alginate microfibers to test the effects of bioactive compounds on human NT2/D1 embryonal carcinoma cells, a widely used malignant counterpart of human stem cells. We also assessed the effects of simulated acute ED and AmED consumption on the viability of pluripotent cells and evaluated the efficiency of mass transport to the cells using mathematical modeling. The obtained results show that the 3D system enables undisturbed growth and proliferation of NT2/D1 cells and uniform distribution of the tested compounds to all cells within the microfiber. Simulated acute ED and AmED consumption in the 3D culture did not affect the viability of NT2/D1 cells, compared to a 2D culture, where caffeine induced a significant, yet small, decrease in cell viability.
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Pejić et al. (2025) studied this question.
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