Impact of Red Bull consumption on gastric acid and mucus secretion in Albino rats: Study of the biochemical and histopathological effects

Nowadays energy drinks (EDs) are widely used among teenagers. One of the most popular EDs in Egypt is Red Bull^R (RB). The aim of this study was to evaluate the chronic effects of RB on gastric acidity, oxidative stress, and inflammation in pylorus-ligated rats. Thirty-two adult male albino rats were divided into 4 groups; Control animals were given distilled water instead of a beverage. RB was given in doses of 5, 7.5, and 10 ml/kg, p.o., twice daily for 28 days in pylorus-ligated rats. The effects of different doses of RB were investigated on body weight, gastric acidity, and volume and pH of gastric secretions. Biochemical indices of oxidative status including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) were also measured. In addition, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were evaluated. Pretreatment with RB significantly increased body weight, gastric juice volume, acidity, and decreased pH in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, oral administration of RB resulted in a significant increase in levels of MDA, NO, IL-6, and TNF-α along with decreasing GSH in stomach homogenate. The stomach of rats treated with RB showed sporadic focal records of apoptotic bodies in lining mucosal cells. Moreover; higher records of mucosal/submucosal inflammatory cell infiltrate were observed with more severe submucosal edema. Chronic consumption of RB increased gastric acidity, oxidative stress, and inflammation along with decreasing mucus secretion in rat stomach.