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    STUDIA BIOLOGIA - Issue no. 1 / 2016  
         
  Article:   LONG TERM CONSUMPTION OF RED BULL AND ALCOHOL CAN AFFECT RAT SKELETAL MUSCLE METABOLISM.

Authors:  CLAUDIU TRAIAN JULA, CAMELIA MUNTEANU, ALEXANDRA RUSU, CAMELIA LANG.
 
       
         
  Abstract:  VIEW PDF: LONG TERM CONSUMPTION OF RED BULL AND ALCOHOL CAN AFFECT RAT SKELETAL MUSCLE METABOLISM

In the past few years, Red Bull rapidly became a popular energy drink and this increase in popularity is the result of targeted advertising. The effects of short term consumption of Red Bull are known and they are beneficial, however the effects of chronic consumption may lead to serious health conditions. The purpose of the study presented in this work is to investigate if long term consumption of Red Bull affects the physiological and functional integrity of the skeletal muscles. The study was conducted on 28 albino male Wistar rats, weighing 182.11±4.7 g, divided into four groups. The Control (C) group received a standard diet and tap water. The Red Bull/Ethanol (RB+E) group were orally administrated 1.5 ml/100 g b.wt. of Red Bull and 0.6 ml/100 g b.wt. of ethanol daily, for 30 days. The same concentrations were administered to the groups that received the individual drinks. In the last six days of the experiment the animals were tested for physical performance using a weight-loaded forced swim test. After 30 days of treatment, immediately after exhaustion, the animals were killed under anesthesia and samples from the gastrocnemius muscle were harvested for biochemical parameters analysis and enzymatic activity assays. A significant decrease in glucose and glycogen concentration was registered in E and RB+E groups. Total protein concentration as well as AST and LDH activities remained unchanged in all groups. According to these results we can say that long term consumption of Red Bull energy drink, especially when combined with alcohol, may lead to significant changes in biochemical parameters strictly related to the carbohydrate metabolism. Red Bull and ethanol did not affect the physiological integrity of the skeletal muscle, although a transition probably occurred from type 2 (glycolytic, fast twitch) to type 1 (oxidative, slow-twitch) muscle fibers.

Keywords: energy drink, Red Bull, skeletal muscle
 
         
     
         
         
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