Metabolic and Genetic Impacts of Energy Drinks in Youth

Caffeine containing energy drinks (CCED) are beverages that typically contain mixtures of simple sugars, caffeine and may contain vitamin, mineral and/or herbal preparations. In Canada, the consumption of CCEDs among adolescents is a regular occurrence and a common part of the everyday diet. Contributing to the obesity epidemic in youth is the consumption of energy drinks; yet no data on the metabolic responses to CCEDs exists. This study will examine the metabolic implications of CCED consumption in adolescents, aged 13-19 years. The investigators hypothesize that CCEDs will impair glucose tolerance by \~30% in lean adolescents and the primary cause of the insulin resistance will be caffeine. Obese individuals will experience a similar level of glucose impairment, but a greater rise in blood glucose compared to their lean counterparts (i.e. higher starting glucose level). For many, this additional, caffeine-induced rise will expose them to hyperglycemia, putting some individuals in the glucose intolerant or transient diabetic range. It is hypothesized that continued metabolic insult resulting from CCEDs may predispose susceptible individuals to chronic metabolic diseases later in life. The investigators will also examine the genetic basis of caffeine-induced glucose intolerance. This gene-diet interaction could explain why caffeine may be much more metabolically harmful for some individuals compared to others. The study of 'metabolomics' will also be utilized to analyze caffeine and caffeine metabolites such as theobromine, theophylline, and xanthine. This will be accomplished using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Results from this study will have the potential to alter current perceptions that CCED are 'harmless' and will have far reaching implications for both medical professionals and legislators alike.