Synergistic effect of energy drinks and overweight/obesity on cardiac autonomic testing using the Valsalva maneuver in university students

BACKGROUND: Obesity and caffeine consumption may lead to autonomic disturbances that can result in a wide range of cardiovascular disorders. OBJECTIVES: To determine autonomic disturbances produced by the synergistic effects of overweight or obesity (OW/OB) and energy drinks. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, analytical. SETTING: Physiology department at a university in Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: University students, 18–22 years of age, of normal weight (NW) and OW/OB were recruited by convenience sampling. Autonomic testing by the Valsalva ratio (VR) along with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure were measured at baseline (0 minute) and 60 minutes after energy drink consumption. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Autonomic disturbance, hemodynamic changes. RESULTS: In 50 (27 males and 23 females) subjects, 21 NW and 29 OW/OB, a significant decrease in VR was observed in OW/OB subjects and in NW and OW/OB females at 60 minutes after energy drink consumption. Values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and mean arterial blood pressure were also significantly higher in OW/OB and in females as compared to NW and males. BMI was negatively correlated with VR and diastolic blood pressure at 60 minutes. CONCLUSION: Obesity and energy drinks alter autonomic functions. In some individuals, OW/OB may augment these effects. LIMITATIONS: Due to time and resource restraints, only the acute effects of energy drinks were examined

Effects of chocolate intake on oxidative stress/oxidant-antioxidant balance in medical students: A controlled clinical trial

Background and Aim: Cocoa polyphenols have been shown to exhibit antioxidant properties in vivo and in vitro. This study aimed to determine whether commercially available chocolate could improve oxidant/antioxidant balance in medical students. Materials and Methods: Sixty students (30 males and 30 females) were given three different types of chocolate. Subjects were divided equally into three groups of 20 students (10 males and 10 females) as follows: (i) Dark chocolate group (DC), (ii) milk chocolate group (MC), and (iii) placebo group (PC). The placebo group was given white chocolate. Blood was drawn at baseline and after consumption of chocolate (40 g/day) for 2 weeks. Serum was analyzed for DNA/RNA oxidative damage, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzymes. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the frequency distributions of the study variables. Means were compared across the study groups by one-way Analysis of Variance and within the same group by paired t-test. Results: Mean serum DNA/RNA damage, TBARS, SOD, and GPX enzymes compared between the groups revealed insignificant differences after 2 weeks of chocolate consumption (P = 0.46, 0.19, 0.11, and 0.06). Comparison within the same group also exhibited statistically insignificant differences in DNA/RNA damage in DC and MC groups (0.29 and 0.46, respectively); TBARS in DC and MC groups (0.11 and 0.19, respectively); SOD in DC and MC groups (0.06 and 0.11, respectively); and GPX in DC and MC groups (0.68 and 0.78, respectively). Conclusion: Consumption of 40 g of DC or MC daily for a period of 2 weeks appears to be an ineffective way of improving oxidant/antioxidant balance in medical students

Determinants of misconceptions about diabetes among Saudi diabetic patients attending diabetes clinic at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Objective: To identify the determinants of misconceptions about diabetes in patients registered with a diabetes clinic at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was carried out at a diabetes clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia, from January to December 2012. A total of 200 diabetic patients were interviewed using a questionnaire comprising 36 popular misconceptions. The total misconception score was calculated and categorized into low (0-12), moderate (13-24) and high (25-36) scores. The association of misconception score with various potential determinants was calculated using Chi-square test. Step-wise logistic regression was applied to the variables showing significant association with the misconception score in order to identify the determinants of misconceptions. Results: The mean age was 39.62 ± 16.7 and 112 (56%) subjects were females. Type 1 diabetics were 78 (39%), while 122 (61%) had Type 2 diabetes. Insulin was being used by 105 (52.5%), 124 (62%) were self-monitoring blood glucose and 112 (56%) were using diet control. Formal education on diabetes awareness had been received by 167 (83.5%) before the interview. The mean misconception score was 10.29 ± 4.92 with 115 (57.5%) subjects had low misconception scores (15 years since diagnosis, no self-monitoring, no dietary control and no diabetes education were all significantly (P 15 years since diagnosis, no self-monitoring, no diet control and no education about diabetes