Energy Drink Brands Research Articles

Assessment of some chemical constituents in selected energy drinks in Ilorin, Nigeria

The study compared and evaluated the physicochemical characteristics and some chemical components of some energy drinks. Samples of five (5) different energy drink brands were bought at random. The physicochemical characteristics of all the samples (pH, turbidity, conductivity, and total dissolved solids), as well as the levels of aspartame, sugar, and caffeine, were examined. The physicochemical properties (pH, turbidity, conductivity, and total dissolved solids) were 4.47 ± 0.012 – 5.96 ± 0.012, 8 ± 0.577 – 592 ± 1.155 NTU, 2.21 ± 0.006 – 1975 ± 1.732 μs/cm, and 243 ± 0.577 – 1064 ± 0.577 mg/L, respectively. The values were found to be moderate and it was found to be within the FDA's suggested range. All energy drinks contained iron, calcium, zinc, and potassium, with concentrations ranging from 2.0 to 2500 mg/L, 2.763 ± 0.0009 - 19.310 ± 0.0015 mg/L, 0.045 ± 0.0001 - 13.887 ± 0.0037 mg/L, and 1.961 ± 0.0003 - 0.294 ± 0.0005 mg/L, respectively. Energy drinks had concentrations of copper, lead, and manganese ranging from 0.002 ± 0.0002 - 0.102 ± 0.0003 mg/L, 0.028 ± 0.0006 - 0.209 ± 0.0009 mg/L, and 0.003 ± 0.0001 - 0.024 ± 0.0002 mg/L, respectively. While lead had a value over the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 0.01 mg/L, copper and manganese concentrations were below the maximum contaminant level of 1.0 mg/L and 0.05 mg/L, respectively. With the exception of sample E, which had a value of 0.102 ± 0.0003 mg/L and was higher than the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 0.005 mg/L, cadmium was not found in any energy drink. The concentrations of sugar, aspartame, and caffeine were 1.11 mg/L to 2487.13 mg/L, 6.51 mg/L to 1491.19 mg/L, and 16.98 mg/L to 1686.73 mg/L, respectively. The amounts of aspartame and caffeine in each energy drink sample were less than the FDA's recommended levels of 400 mg/L and 3000 mg/L, respectively. It is crucial to keep an eye on the consumption pattern of these drinks in order to reduce the risk of consuming excessive amounts of dangerous ingredients and avoid the side effects that have been documented.

Content analysis of food and beverage marketing in global esports: sponsorships of the premier events, leagues, teams and players

BackgroundFood marketing has been implicated as a driving force of the obesity epidemic. Electronic sports, or ‘esports’, garners billions of viewership hours and is a consolidation of two major marketing...

Estimation of Caffeine and Vitamin B-Complex (Vitamin B2, B3, B5 and B6) Constituents of Selected Energy Drinks

Vitamins are important nutrients that are contained in food and carry out distinct and important bodily tasks that are required for sustaining good health. A xanthine alkaloid known as caffeine is widely distributed in natural plant sources such as coffee, cocoa beans, cola nuts, and tea leaves. Additionally, it is a raw material in several drinks. Its usage increases blood pressure, diuresis, blood sugar, generation of stomach acid and pepsin, plasma levels of fatty acids, cortisol, and epinephrine, intraocular pressure, and calcium loss, which causes bone loss. The phrase "energy drinks" refers to beverages that advertise that they will give you an energy boost, which has led to an increase in the popularity of "energy drinks" that include caffeine. The caffeine and vitamin B-complex concentrations of a few different energy drinks were tested and compared in this study project. Samples of ten (10) different energy drink brands were chosen at random from Nkwo Ogbe Market in Ihiala, and their caffeine and vitamin B1, B2, B6, and B12 concentrations were determined using a spectrophotometric technique. The findings revealed that caffeine concentrations varied from 1.11 mg/L to 2.13 mg/L, and that vitamin B1 in energy drinks had the lowest value (0.014 mg/kg). All samples of energy drinks had caffeine levels below the 400 mg/L benchmark set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). In order to avoid negative consequences, it is important to monitor any decrease in intake of these beverages because other criteria, such as aspartame and sugar, were also often below the established levels.

Effects of energy drinks on myogenic differentiation of murine C2C12 myoblasts

Energy drinks, often advertised as dietary supplements that enhance physical and mental performance, have gained increasing popularity among adolescents and athletes. Several studies on individual ingredients such as caffeine or taurine have reported either adverse or favorable influences on myogenic differentiation, a key process in muscle regeneration to repair microtears after an intense workout session. However, the impact of different energy drinks with various formulas on muscle differentiation has never been reported. This study aims to examine the in vitro effects of various energy drink brands on myogenic differentiation. Murine C2C12 myoblast cells were induced to differentiate into myotubes in the presence of one of eight energy drinks at varying dilutions. A dose-dependent inhibition of myotube formation was observed for all energy drinks, supported by reduced percentage of MHC-positive nuclei and fusion index. Moreover, expression of myogenic regulatory factor MyoG and differentiation marker MCK were also decreased. Furthermore, given the variation in formulas of different energy drinks, there were remarkable differences in the differentiation and fusion of myotubes between energy drinks. This is the first study to investigate the impact of various energy drinks on myogenic differentiation and our results suggest an inhibitory effect of energy drinks in muscle regeneration.

The Caffeine Content of Energy Drinks in accordance with the Information on the Package Label

Six different brands of energy drinks (EDs) were analyzed to determine the concentration of caffeine in accordance with the information on the package label. Approximately 28.1 milligrams per 100 milliliters (mg/100 ml) of caffeine was present in the Mo energy drink brand, which was nearly 1.5 times the caffeine concentration listed on the product label. The energy drink with the highest caffeine content was Dragon, which contained 30.1 mg/100 ml, or a total of 150.5 mg per 500 ml bottle. Manufacturers of energy drinks (EDs) should accurately list the amount of caffeine and other ingredients on the product label so that consumers know how much of each ingredient they are taking. Taking too much caffeine can be bad for your health.

“Fueling the Games”: Energy Drink Consumption, Marketing, and the Associated Perceptions and Behaviors in Video Gaming

Energy drinks represent one of the fastest-growing beverage markets and have become an increasingly popular dietary supplement among teenagers and young adults. Energy drinks are a class of beverages that contain high levels of energy-enhancing ingredients (e.g., caffeine, sugar, carnitine, taurine, and vitamins) that are presumed to provide physical and mental stimulation to users. Despite the growing popularity, there has been increasing scientific evidence warning consumers of the health risks associated with energy drink consumption. Meanwhile, many energy drink brands have deliberately created a symbiotic relationship with video gaming through a variety of marketing strategies. This study attempts to investigate the interrelationships between video gaming and energy drink consumption, including assessing the common motives and perceptions for consuming energy drinks, as well as the impact of energy drink marketing on gaming participants.

Athletes Drink Gatorade: DMA Advertising Expenditures, Ad Recall, and Athletic Identity Influence Energy and Sports Drink Consumption

ABSTRACT Understanding why sports and energy drinks remain increasingly popular among adolescents despite declines in other sugar sweetened beverages is critical. This study points to memory for advertising exposure and adolescent athletic identity as two aspects that together help to explain consumption. An online survey of U.S. adolescents aged 14–18 (n = 503) was combined with Nielsen data for television and social media advertising expenditures by sports and energy drink brands in participants’ designated market areas (DMAs). Advertisement recall mediates the relationship between social media DMA expenditures and sports and energy drink consumption. Recall for television advertisements is related to consumption but is unrelated to television DMA expenditures. Athletic identity moderated the relationship between recall and consumption such that consumption increased as both recall and athletic identity increased, suggesting a role for motivated memory and motivated processing of ad messages based on athletic identity consistent with the limited capacity model of motivated media message processing. Based on these results, we conclude that effectiveness of expenditures in influencing behavior is dependent upon both ad recall and ad relevance, and that athletic identity is an important factor in ad effectiveness in the context of sports and energy drinks advertising.

The Effectiveness of Robot-Enacted Messages to Reduce the Consumption of High-Sugar Energy Drinks

This exploratory study examines the effectiveness of social robots’ ability to deliver advertising messages using different “appeals” in a business environment. Specifically, it explores the use of three types of message appeals in a human-robot interaction scenario: guilt, humour and non-emotional. The study extends past research in advertising by exploring whether messages communicated by social robots can impact consumers’ behaviour. Using an experimental research design, the emotional-themed messages focus on the health-related properties of two fictitious energy drink brands. The findings show mixed results for humour and guilt messages. When the robot delivered a promotion message using humour, participants perceived it as being less manipulative. Participants who were exposed to humourous messages also demonstrated a significantly greater intent for future purchase decisions. However, guilt messages were more likely to persuade consumers to change their brand selection. This study contributes to the literature as it provides empirical evidence on the social robots’ ability to deliver different advertising messages. It has practical implications for businesses as a growing number seek to employ humanoids to promote their services.

HEAVY METAL CONTENT AND ASSOCIATED HEALTH RISKS IN SELECTED ENERGY DRINKS SOLD IN BIRNIN KEBBI, NIGERIA.

Energy drinks are sold worldwide because they boost physical and mental performance. However, studies show that some of them contain high levels of heavy metals, prompting a safety evaluation of all brands of energy drinks. This study evaluated the safety of three brands of energy drinks (Fearless, Monster, and Power Horse) sold in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, with regard to heavy metal concentrations. The heavy metals evaluated are iron (Fe), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). Samples of the energy drinks were subjected to atomic absorption spectroscopy, and the results were compared with the World Health Organization standards for drinks. The average daily intake (ADI), hazard quotient (HQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR) of the heavy metals were also calculated. The levels of Fe, Cu, and Cd were above the permissible limits in all the energy drinks, while zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) were below the permissible limits. The ADI of the heavy metals in the three energy drinks was within the recommended limits. However, the HQ and CR of Cd in all the energy drinks and Pb in Power Horse were beyond the recommended limits (HQ > 1 and CR > 10-6). This suggests that the three energy drinks sold and consumed in Birnin Kebbi may pose health hazards. There is a need to sensitize consumers in the city about the occurrence and risk of heavy metals in energy drinks.

Development and Validation of Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) Method for the Quantitative Estimation of Caffeine in Non-Alcoholic Soft and Energy Drinks.

The popularity of beverages such as cold coffee, iced tea, and energy drinks has risen tremendously among athletes and youths. Energy drinks are used to enhance performance due to the presence of a high amount of caffeine (CFN) and sugars, as well as other constituents such as vitamins, amino acids, taurine, extracts of Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, guarana, and other herbal products. Commercial drinks are promoted as being beneficial to health; thus it is an important concern regarding adverse effects linked with these drinks or products. The aim of the study is to develop and validate the ultra performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (UPLC-PDA) method for the estimation of CFN in eight marketed non-alcoholic drinks including two soft drinks and six energy drinks. The chromatographic separation of CFN was achieved on Acquity UPLC® CSHTM C18 1.7 µm, 2.1 × 100 mm column, using isocratic mode, mobile phase comprising acetonitrile and water (30:70, v/v) at a flow rate 0.3 mL/min using injection volume 1 µL. The elution of CFN occurred at 1.06 min, and the calibration curve of the CFN was computed from the peak area ratio detected at 273 nm. All the validation parameters were found within the assay variability limits as per ICH guidelines. The obtained results revealed that the soft drinks SD1 and SD2 have 87.21 ± 1.28 and 101.81 ± 1.52% (w/w), whereas CFN concentration in energy drink brands ED1, ED2, ED3, ED4, ED5, and ED6 was 95.90 ± 1.62, 64.0 ± 1.07, 76.68 ± 1.95, 74.97 ± 2.33, 82.09 ± 2.43, and 88.04 ± 2.94% (w/w) of labeled claims, respectively. The developed UPLC method was found suitable for the quality control of commercial soft and energy drinks containing CFN. The developed chromatographic method is very simple, cost effective and could be utilized for the routine analysis of caffeine in the soft and energy drinks.

Assessment of pH, titratable acidity, and caffeine content of some brands of energy drinks

Purpose: Caffeinated beverages that contain high levels of stimulant ingredients, usually caffeine, as well as sugar and often supplements, such as B vitamins or carnitine, and that are promoted as a product capable of enhancing mental alertness and physical performance are referred to as energy drinks. Energy drinks are generally consumed by adolescents and athletes. This study aims to evaluate the endogenous pH, titratable acidity, and caffeine content in selected brands of energy drinks commonly consumed by athletes and adolescents in Benin City. Methods: Eight (8) commonly consumed energy drinks were evaluated. A digital pH meter was used to measure the pH of the selected energy drinks and the titratable acidity was evaluated by titrating 0.1N sodium hydroxide solution against 30 ml of each energy drink till the end-point was reached. The caffeine content was determined by titrating the caffeine-iodine complex formed against standard sodium thiosulphate using iodometric back titration. Results: All the energy drinks were acidic with a pH ranging from 2.61 to 3.48 which is less than the critical pH (5.5). The titratable acidity of the energy drink samples ranged from 5.1 to 15.6 g/100 ml and the caffeine content varied from 0.029 to 0.165 mg/ml. Conclusion: The outcome of this study confirms that energy drinks had low pH values and high titratable acidity except for ED G and ED H with low titratable acidity and low caffeine content. Keywords: Caffeine, endogenous, energy drinks, pH, titratable acidity

Determination of Caffeine and Sodium Benzoate in Both Imported and Locally Manufactured Energy Drinks Using HPLC and Spectrophotometer

Three groups of energy drinks have been examined for sodium benzoate and caffeine using HPLC and spectrophotometer methods. Those brands include original UK brand which coded (RE), another two brands of (RL and B) which are imported from Austria to local companies, and the rest produced locally which are coded (T, FB, S and FE). The results showed that all brands contain sodium benzoate at different concentrations. FB brand comes out on top by containing around 416mg/l which was far above the permitted level by FAO/WHO, on the other hand the RE brand contained the lowest amount of sodium benzoate when analysed using HPLC. Results of caffeine examination showed that all samples contained lower levels of caffeine as it is claimed in their label to contain 300mg/l, in contrary to sodium benzoate the lowest concentration of caffeine found in the FB brand which was 13.78mg/l and the highest level of caffeine was found in FE brand which was 208.95mg/l. From the obtained results it is clear that none of the energy drink brands declared the actual content of both caffeine and sodium benzoate which usually required by food legislation and law. Therefore, it is considered as mislabelling which is recommended that the health authorities in our country to subject the local producers and the importers to present the required information on the labels without misleading consumers. It is also recommended to educate the population and put restriction on the local shops and supermarkets not to sell energy drinks to individuals under 16 years old.

A Comparative Analysis Between Two Energy Drink Brands: Red Bull and Golden Eagle

A Comparative Analysis Between Two Energy Drink Brands: Red Bull and Golden Eagle

Preliminary Studies of Philippine Vodka as an HPLC Organic Modifier

In the United States, attempts have already been made to use distilled spirits as an organic modifier. However, the chromatograms produced were inferior in terms of number of theoretical plates (NTP) and noise compared with chromatograms produced using HPLC grade ethanol. This study aimed at finding a locally available vodka that produces chromatograms comparable with ACS HPLC grade ethanol in terms of NTP and noise. Three brands of locally produced vodka (Cossack, Antonov and Tosca) were tested and the brand that passed the ACS set limits for absorbance and residue on evaporation was selected. The brand that passed specifications was then used for isocratic and gradient HPLC separation. All experimental runs were carried out in triplicates. It was found out that Antonov Vodka passed the said set limits, which was then used in separating caffeine and benzoic acid under isocratic and gradient modes. Results revealed that the resulting chromatograms had NTP and baseline noise that were comparable to the ACS HPLC grade ethanol. In the case of caffeine, the NTP under isocratic conditions were 6006.67±36.35 and 5943.33±12.74 for ACS HPLC grade ethanol and Antonov Vodka, respectively. Using Antonov Vodka, good separation of caffeine and benzoic acid from other matrix components in three brands of energy drinks (Cobra, Lipovitan and Red Bull) was likewise observed. Hence, with the proper validation procedures in place like testing the robustness of the analytical method, Antonov Vodka may replace HPLC grade ethanol in the analysis of some samples.

Quick and simultaneous determination of caffeine and taurine in beverages using UPLC-ESI-MS

A rapid UPLC-ESI-MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of caffeine and taurine in beverages (energy drinks and soft drinks). The molecular ions of caffeine and taurine were identified in single ion recording mode at m/z 194.98 and 125.86, respectively. The mass spectrometer parameters were optimized as: capillary voltage 3.0 kV, cone voltage 35 V, extractor 3 V, RF Lens 0.1 V, source temperature 150 °C, desolvation temperature 350 °C, nitrogen 600 L/h, LMR1 7.9, HMR1 15.2, IE1 0.30. The mobile phase comprising methanol (0.1% formic acid) (A) and water (5 mM ammonium acetate) (B) was used in gradient mode. The mobile phase components A and B were pumped in 80:20 (v:v) ratio from 0-0.44 min, and then 100% of component A was pumped between 0.45-0.68 min, and at 0.69 min the composition was returned to 80:20 (v:v) ratio of A and B till 2.0 min. Caffeine and taurine were eluted at 0.46 and 0.43 min, respectively. The samples of energy drinks and soft drinks were diluted in a solvent system comprising methanol and water in 80:20 (v:v) ratio. Our investigations showed that soft drinks SD1 and SD2 have 88.8±4.2% and 110.7±3.6% (w:w) caffeine of their labeled claim. The caffeine content in energy drink brands ED1, ED2, ED3, and ED4 was 76.9±2.5, 65.6±3.4, 88.1±12.6, and 89.1±2.8% (w:w) of labeled claims, respectively. While taurine content in ED1, ED2, ED3, and ED4 was 86.5±8.4, 81.3±27.5, 101.9±4.8, and 97.1±0.3% (w:w) of labeled claim, respectively.

Pengaruh Pemberian Minuman Energi Terhadap Kadar Serum Kreatinin Rattus Norvegicus

The energy drink is a beverage that is increasingly being used by the community with the aim to improve work performance, vitality, and concentration. The energy drink is also suspected to affect kidney function. This study aims to determine whether there is influence of various brands of energy drinks (M1, M2, M3, M4) of the serum creatinine levels in male rats Rattus norvegicus.This is a study with randomized post test only control group design. The study used male rats Rattus norvegicus as many as 25 animals that were divided into 5 groups. The control group, the group P1 = M1 energy drinks, group P2 = M2 energy drinks, group P3 = M3 energy drinks, group P4 = M4 energy drinks. The energy drinks were given as many as 2.5 ml / 200 g weight / day for 1 month. Cardiac blood sampling performed to measure the levels of serum creatinine and then the results were analyzed using One-Way Anova to compare the levels of serum creatinine in each group of this study. Results of One-Way Anova test obtained by sig α = 0.000 which means there is significant difference between the treatment group and the control group. It can be concluded that the administration of energy drinks to the Rattus norvegicus would be altered the kidney function. It is caused by various substances contained in energy drinks such as taurine, sugar, vitamin B, caffeine, and other supplementary materials.

Self-Reported Emotions and Facial Expressions on Consumer Acceptability: A Study Using Energy Drinks.

Emotional responses elicited by foods are of great interest for new product developers and marketing professionals, as consumer acceptance proved to be linked to the emotions generated by the product in the consumers. An emotional measurement is generally considered an appropriate tool to differentiate between the products of similar nutritional value, flavour, liking and packaging. Novel methods used to measure emotions include self-reporting verbal and visual measurements, and facial expression techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the explicit and implicit emotional response elicited during the tasting of two different brands (A and B) of energy drinks. The explicit response of consumers was assessed using liking (nine-point hedonic scale), and emotions (EsSense Profile®—Check-All-That-Apply questionnaire), and implicit emotional responses were evaluated by studying facial expressions using the Affectiva Affdex® software. The familiarity of the product and purchase intent were also assessed during the study. The hedonic rating shows a significant difference in liking between the two brands of energy drink during the tasting session. For the explicit emotional responses, participants elicited more positive emotions than the negative emotions for both energy drinks. However, participants expressed “happy”, “active” and “eager” emotions more frequently for energy drink A. On the other hand, the implicit emotional responses through facial expressions indicated a high level of involvement of the participants with energy drink B as compared to energy drink A. The study showed that overall liking and the explicit and implicit emotional measurements are weakly to moderately correlated.

An experimental study on perceptions of energy drink ads among youth and young adults in Canada

Current regulations in Canada prohibit the marketing of caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) for use during sports, with alcohol, and by children. The study examined perceptions of CED ads in association with sports and alcohol use, as well as target age groups. An online survey was conducted in 2015 with youth and young adults aged 12–24 years (n = 2010). Participants completed three experiments in which they were randomized to view CED advertisements: 1) sports/party-themed ads, 2) sports-themed ad, and 3) party-themed ad, vs. control ‘product information’ ads. For each ad, participants were asked about perceived target age group, and if the ad promoted using CEDs during sports and with alcohol. Logistic regression models were fitted to test differences in outcomes between conditions. The majority of respondents reported that the ads, across all themes, targeted people their age. In experiment 1, both sports/party-themed ads were more likely to be perceived as promoting use of CEDs during sports (AOR = 13.32; 95% CI 9.90, 17.91, and AOR = 9.73; 95% CI 7.38, 12.81, respectively), and with alcohol (AOR = 8.55; 95% CI 6.37, 11.48, and AOR = 2.81; 95% CI 2.08, 3.78, respectively), compared to the control ad. In experiment 2, the sports-themed ad was more likely to be perceived as promoting use of CEDs during sports (AOR = 15.02; 95% CI 11.83, 19.08), but not with alcohol, compared to the control ad. In experiment 3, the party-themed ad was more likely to be perceived as promoting use of CEDs with alcohol (AOR = 13.79; 95% CI 10.69, 17.78), but not during sports, compared to the control ad. Ads from leading energy drink brands are perceived as targeting young people and encouraging energy drink use during sports and with alcohol, despite Canadian regulations prohibiting these marketing practices.

A thematic content analysis of how marketers promote energy drinks on digital platforms to young Australians

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the nature and extent of, and level of user‐engagement with, appealing strategies used by the food industry to promote energy drinks on digital platforms. MethodsThematic content analysis was employed to code the textual and visual elements of the data that were extracted from the online media pages of nine energy drinks, including posts on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and content of websites and advergames. ResultsFour main themes were derived from the 624 textual and visual elements of digital marketing content of energy drink brands, including online social connectivity, desired social identity, enhancement of performance and enhancement of mood. ConclusionsEnergy drinks were popular on digital platforms, as evidenced by the large volume of user‐engagement (e.g. ‘likes’ and ‘comments’) especially on social networking sites. Energy drink brands appear to target young people, given that the marketing appeals are likely attuned with young people’s desires or aspirations. Implications for public healthTo counter the effects of digital marketing on young people’s health, regulations are needed to safeguard adolescents and young adults, as well as younger children, and consideration should be given to including all forms of marketing communication platforms, including the internet.

The marketing of sugar‐sweetened beverages to young people on Facebook

We explored how sugar-sweetened beverages are marketed to Australian young people through sugar-sweetened beverage brand Facebook pages. We undertook a content analysis of Facebook posts made by six of the most popular sugar-sweetened beverage Facebook pages in Australia. Data were collected for a six-month period and were quantitatively analysed for descriptive data and explicit marketing techniques and then thematically analysed for implicit marketing messages. There were almost 1.9 million engagements across the six pages over the six-month period. Most posts (70%) included one or more calls to action through which followers were encouraged to do something. Content by sports and energy drink brands were heavily dominated by 'sporting prowess' and 'masculinity' themes while content by Coca-Cola shared the message of 'having fun with friends' and 'happiness'. All pages used outdoor setting scenes. Sugar-sweetened beverage brands use Facebook to align their marketing with the socio-cultural values and practices likely to be regarded as important by young people. Implications for public health: Our findings provide challenges and opportunities for those in public health advocacy and policy to consider for future obesity-reduction strategies.