Assessment of the impact of energy drink consumption on students’ cardiovascular system health

Aim. To evaluate the potential effects of energy drink consumption on the cardiovascular system among university students.

Materials and methods. The study voluntarily involved 200 students enrolled in higher educational institutions of Karaganda city. All participants were divided into two age groups: 18 – 22 years (group 1) and 23 – 27 years (group 2). Data were collected using a questionnaire survey. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica v.10. Given the independent nature of the samples and the non-normal distribution of the data, the Mann – Whitney U test and Cramér’s V coefficient were used for group comparisons.

Results and discussion. A statistically significant association was found between the frequency of energy drink consumption and students’ age (χ²(3)=24.96; p<0.001). Cramér’s V coefficient was 0.39, indicating a moderate strength of association. Students aged 18 – 22 years consumed energy drinks more frequently than those aged 23 – 27 years. Among frequent consumers of energy drinks, 30% reported symptoms of palpitations, whereas among rare or non-consumers this figure was 10% (p<0.01). Tachycardia occurred 2.78 times more often in the younger age group. The odds ratio (OR=3.5) showed that the risk of developing tachycardia in students aged 18 – 22 years was 3.5 times higher compared with the older group. The differences were statistically significant (χ²=4.48; p<0.05).

Conclusions. The obtained data indicate that excessive and unregulated consumption of energy drinks has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system of students, especially those aged 18 – 22 years.

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