Key result
Consumption of an energy drink significantly increased periodic repolarization dynamics (3.64 vs. 5.85 deg2; p < 0.001), whereas coffee did not, suggesting sympathetic activation is independent of caffeine.
Why the study?
Does energy drink consumption compared to coffee consumption increase periodic repolarization dynamics in healthy individuals?
Does energy drink consumption compared to coffee consumption increase periodic repolarization dynamics in healthy individuals?
Absolute Event Rate: 5.85% vs 3.64%
p-value: p=<0.001
Energy drinks, but not coffee, significantly increase periodic repolarization dynamics, suggesting that sympathetic activation after caffeinated beverage consumption is mediated by non-caffeine ingredients.
Energy drinks may warrant caution in arrhythmia-prone patients; leaves open whether non-caffeine ingredients drive sympathetic effects.
PURPOSE: Caffeinated beverages are consumed daily throughout the world. Caffeine consumption has been linked to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. However, the exact effects are still insufficiently understood. METHODS: Sixteen healthy individuals were included in the present non-randomized cross-over interventional study. All study subjects consumed a commercial energy drink (containing 240 mg caffeine), and in a second independent session coffee (containing 240 mg caffeine). High-resolution digital ECGs in Frank-lead configuration were recorded at baseline before consumption, and 45 min after consumption of the respective beverage. Using customized software, we assessed ECG-based biomarker periodic repolarization dynamics (PRD), which mirrors the effect of efferent cardiac sympathetic activity on the ventricular myocardium. RESULTS: , p = 0.63). The heart rates remained unchanged both after coffee and after energy drink consumption. Spearman analysis showed no significant correlation between PRD changes and heart rate changes (R = 0.34, p = 0.31 for coffee, R = 0.31, p = 0.24 for energy drink). CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that sympathetic activation after consumption of caffeinated beverages is independent from caffeine and might be mediated by other substances. TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04886869, 13 May 2021, retrospectively registered.
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Schüttler et al. (2022) studied Healthy (n=16). Energy drink vs. Baseline (pre-consumption) was evaluated on Periodic repolarization dynamics (PRD) levels (p=<0.001). Consumption of an energy drink significantly increased periodic repolarization dynamics (3.64 vs. 5.85 deg2; p < 0.001), whereas coffee did not, suggesting sympathetic activation is independent of caffeine.
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