The Level of Lipid Peroxidation in Rats Under Conditions of Energy Drink Consumption

Energy drinks contain a significant amount of stimulants, including caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, as well as B vitamins and other ingredients. They temporarily increase physical endurance and improve attention. However, regular consumption of these beverages can lead to oxidative stress, a condition that disrupts the natural balance between free radicals (reactive oxygen species) and the body's ability to neutralize them. This can cause damage to cells and tissues, which over time increases the risk of developing various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and others. Lipid peroxidation is an important biochemical process that plays a key role in the development of pathological changes in the body under the influence of various factors, such as stress and intoxication. The aim of our study was to evaluate the level of lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes and plasma of rats consuming the energy drink “Burn” for 30 days. The experiment was conducted on white Wistar rats weighing 150-220 g, which were kept in the vivarium of the IFNMU under conditions that met ethical and legal standards. The rats were divided into 5 groups: Group I - intact rats receiving a standard diet and drinking water; Groups II-V - rats that consumed an energy drink for 30 days; biological material was collected on days 1, 10, 20 and 30, respectively, after the end of the intake. The level of lipid peroxidation in blood plasma and erythrocytes was assessed by the accumulation of diene conjugates (DC) of unsaturated fatty acids and thiobarbituric acid reactive products (TBA-RP). The obtained results indicate that prolonged consumption of energy drinks causes the development of oxidative stress, accompanied by the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products, as evidenced by the accumulation of DCs in the blood plasma of rats on the 1st, 10th, 20th and 30th days of the accumulation of DC content by 87 % (p<0.001), 85 % (p<0.001), 48 % (p<0.001), 33 % (p<0.001), respectively, compared to intact rats, as well as in erythrocytes, there was also an increase in the content of DC on the 1st, 10th, 20th and 30th day by 2.15 times (p<0.001), 2.35 times (p<0.001), 1.9 times (p<0.001) and 1.35 times (p<0.001), respectively. The study of the level of TBA-active products in the blood plasma on the 1st, 10th, 20th and 30th day after cessation of energy drink consumption showed an increase in their content by 44 % (p<0.001), 34 % (p<0.001), 22 % (p<0.05) and 17 % (p<0, 05), respectively, compared to the intact group, as well as an increase in erythrocytes on days 1, 10 and 20 by 1.18 times (p<0.05), 1.21 times (p<0.001) and 1.13 times (p<0.001), respectively, with a slight increase on day 30 compared to intact rats. High levels of DC and TBA-AP can lead to serious damage to cellular structures and organ dysfunction.