engleski

The effects of energy drink on cognitive functions

BACKGROUND: Energy drinks are beverages that are being advertised as beverages that “raise" the human energy level. Previous studies have shown that the Red Bull energy drink active ingredients act on the human body by stimulating metabolism and increasing alertness. This is the main reason of the wide popularity of Red Bull energy drink among students. The main purpose of cognitive psychology is detecting psychological processes that underlie behavior. It covers a wide range of research areas, exploring questions about the work of memory, attention, perception, knowledge representation, thought, creativity and problem- solving. Cognitive functions are perception, memory, attention and consciousness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Red Bull energy drink on cognitive functions. METHODS: To obtain meaningful data of the effect of Red Bull energy drink on cognitive functions, 29 students of Faculty of Medicine (Josip Juraj Strossmayer University Osijek) were asked to participate in this study. They were their own control group, since they underwent cognitive tests prior and after energy drink consumption. There were several different cognitive tests concerning different cognitive functions. Tests used in this study are: Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), three types of verbal fluency tests (phonemic, semantic and ideational), Auditory Digit Span Task (ADST), D2 Attention Loading Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). The data was statistically analyzed using SigmaPlot 11.2 statistical software. RESULTS: All cognitive functions improved after consummating Red Bull energy drink. Students solved phonemic verbal fluency tests better after the consumption Red Bull (12.45±4.20) than before the consumption (8.45±2.79), p<0.0001. Semantic verbal fluency tests were also better solved after the energy drink consumption (26.10±4.94), than before (23.28 ± 3.89), p=0.0006. Auditory Digit Span Task results were also better after the energy drink consumption (8.48±0.87) than before (8.03±0.82) ; p= 0.0167. D2 Attention Loading Test was better solved after the consumption (592.45±60.31) than before (486.83±69.19), p<0.0001. Students had better results in Digit Symbol Substitution Test after the energy drink consumption (72.00±6.53) than before (59.14±8.52) ; p<0.0001. CONCLUSION: The biggest difference in tests results is in D2 Attention Loading Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Greater ability to focus and improved concentration are the most important results shown in this study. Test of memorizing different number sequences was much better solved after consuming an energy drink. Respondents were also much better in conceptual, semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tests in which a successful solution requires a good focus and concentration.

energy drink ; cognitive functions

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