Overproduction of gastric mucus as a mechanism of stomach’s mucosa protection during energy drinks consumption in Wistar rats

Abstract

Aim: Energy drinks are the most consumed, socially accepted stimulants in the world. They are drunk by drivers and students, and more often also by adolescents and children. It has been noted that some adverse events are due to the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and include palpitations, hypertension, diuresis, nausea, vomiting, and convulsions. The health consequences of long-term consumption of energy drinks are not known, but we suppose that continuous stimulation of the body can lead to irreparable changes of tissues. In our study we investigated the impact of long-term energy drink consumption on gastric mucus production. Material/Methods: Ten male young Wistar rats of of 190 grams +/- 64 grams of weight were positioned in two groups: A (experimental) and C (control). The animals of A group received energy drink for 8 weeks. The animals of C group drank just water. After this time the rats of both groups were decapitated and the stomach was taken for histological analysis. The slides were stained with H&E and PAS method and analyzed with Cell^D software. Results: H&E staining indicated an increase in the thickness of the lamina propria of the glandular stomach. PAS staining indicated an increased area of mucus in the gastric glands of the stomach of the experimental group of rats. Conclusions: Regular consumption of energy drinks can lead to changes in the mucosal lining of the stomach, which activate mucus secretion.