Prevalence and Amounts of Common Ingredients Found in Energy Drinks and Shots

Background: Energy drinks are one of the most popular packaged beverage products consumed within the United States (US). Energy drinks are considered a functional beverage, a category that also includes sports drinks and nutraceutical beverages. Purpose: The focus of the current study was to examine the nutrition fact panels of the top selling commercially available energy drink and energy shot products within the US to characterize common ingredient profiles to help establish a standard definition and ingredient profile of energy drinks and energy shots for consumers, health care practitioners, and researchers. Methods: The top 75 commercially available energy drinks and shots were identified and compiled from multiple commercial retail websites as of September 2021. For the purpose of this study, an energy drink must have met the following criteria: (A) marketed as an energy drink; (B) purported to improve energy, focus, or alertness; (C) not sold as a dietary supplement (no supplement fact panels); (D) manufactured as a pre-packaged and ready-to-drink beverage; and (E) contains at least three of (1) caffeine, (2) B-vitamins, (3) sugar, (4) taurine, (5) creatine, (6) quercetin, (7) guarana, (8) ginseng, (9) coenzyme Q10, or (10) branched chain amino acids. Energy shots must have met similar criteria to be included: (A) marketed as an energy shot; (B) purported to improve energy, focus, or alertness; (C) sold as a dietary supplement; (D) manufactured as a pre-packaged beverage with a small volume (<3.5 mL); and (E) contains at least three of the ingredients stated above. Results: Twenty energy shots and fifty-five energy drinks were included in this analysis. The number of ingredients per product (mean ± SD) was 18.2 ± 5.7, with 15 products containing proprietary blends with undisclosed ingredient amounts. The relative prevalence and average amounts of the top ingredients were as follows: caffeine (100%; 174.4 ± 81.1 mg), vitamin B6 (72%; 366.9 ± 648.1 percent daily value (%DV)), vitamin B3 (67%; 121.44 ± 69.9% DV), vitamin B12 (67%; 5244.5 ± 10,474.6% DV), vitamin B5 (37.3%; 113.6 ± 76.6% DV), and taurine (37.3%; amounts undisclosed). Conclusions: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of caffeine and B-vitamins in these energy products, with many of the formulations containing well above the recommended daily value of B-vitamins.

The Importance of B Vitamins in Enhanced Precision Nutrition of Dairy Cows: The Case of Folates and Vitamin B12

Dairy cow diets are generally balanced for energy and major nutrients with B vitamins generally assumed not to be limiting, in spite of their role as coenzymes, essential to many metabolic reactions in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Assuming adequacy of B-vitamin supply may explain some of the discrepancies between the outcomes of metabolic prediction models and measured cow performance. In lactating dairy cow, the amount of B vitamins from the diet and synthesized by the ruminal microbiota is generally sufficient to prevent deficiency symptoms and, as such, is assumed to fulfill requirements. However, reports of beneficial effects of B-vitamin supplementation on dairy cow performance suggest that B-vitamin supply is sometimes lower than its needs, as an insufficient B-vitamin supply decreases metabolic efficiency by driving a shift towards alternative metabolic pathways with greater energy cost. Using information on folates and vitamin B12 illustrated how meeting dairy cow needs for B vitamins should not be overlooked in formulation of rations for lactating dairy cattle. The present review discusses current knowledge and indicates areas presently impeded by the lack of research results, especially the limitations on the ability to estimate B vitamin need and supply.

Impairment of gut microbial biotin metabolism and host biotin status in severe obesity: effect of biotin and prebiotic supplementation on improved metabolism

ObjectivesGut microbiota is a key component in obesity and type 2 diabetes, yet mechanisms and metabolites central to this interaction remain unclear. We examined the human gut microbiome’s functional composition in healthy metabolic state and the most severe states of obesity and type 2 diabetes within the MetaCardis cohort. We focused on the role of B vitamins and B7/B8 biotin for regulation of host metabolic state, as these vitamins influence both microbial function and host metabolism and inflammation.DesignWe performed metagenomic analyses in 1545 subjects from the MetaCardis cohorts and different murine experiments, including germ-free and antibiotic treated animals, faecal microbiota transfer, bariatric surgery and supplementation with biotin and prebiotics in mice.ResultsSevere obesity is associated with an absolute deficiency in bacterial biotin producers and transporters, whose abundances correlate with host metabolic and inflammatory phenotypes. We found suboptimal circulating biotin levels in severe obesity and altered expression of biotin-associated genes in human adipose tissue. In mice, the absence or depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics confirmed the microbial contribution to host biotin levels. Bariatric surgery, which improves metabolism and inflammation, associates with increased bacterial biotin producers and improved host systemic biotin in humans and mice. Finally, supplementing high-fat diet-fed mice with fructo-oligosaccharides and biotin improves not only the microbiome diversity, but also the potential of bacterial production of biotin and B vitamins, while limiting weight gain and glycaemic deterioration.ConclusionStrategies combining biotin and prebiotic supplementation could help prevent the deterioration of metabolic states in severe obesity.Trial registration numberNCT02059538.

Substantiation of the development of technology for industrial production of B vitamins

Проведен анализ информационных источников по существующим технологиям получения витаминов B и B. Кратко описаны преимущества и недостатки известных технологий с использованием различных штаммов-продуцентов, а также технологий с использованием химического синтеза. Предложена принципиальная схема разрабатываемых технологий синтеза данных витаминов, определены наиболее продуктивные штаммы-продуценты и необходимые компоненты питательных сред. Обоснован и представлен перечень продуктов, предназначенных для обогащения витаминами группы В, которые будут получены по разрабатываемым технологиям. The analysis of information sources on existing technologies for obtaining vitamins B and B has been carried out. The advantages and disadvantages of known technologies using various producer strains, as well as technologies using chemical synthesis, are briefly described. A schematic diagram of the developed technologies for the synthesis of these vitamins is proposed, the most productive strains - producers and necessary components of nutrient media are identified. The list of products intended for enrichment with B vitamins, which will be obtained by the developed technologies, has been substantiated and presented.

Aerobic Fitness, B-Vitamins, and Weight Status Are Related to Selective Attention in Children

There is an increasing prevalence of poor health behaviors during childhood, particularly in terms of physical activity and nutrition. This trend has occurred alongside a growing body of evidence linking these behaviors to cognitive function. B-vitamins are thought to be particularly important in the neural development that occurs during pregnancy, as well as in healthy cognitive aging. However, much less is known regarding the role of B-vitamins during childhood. Given that preadolescent childhood is a critical period for cognitive development, this study investigated the relationship between specific aspects of nutrition, particularly B-vitamins, and related health factors (e.g., body mass, fitness) on selective attention in children. Children (n = 85; 8–11 years) completed a selective attention task to assess inhibition. Participant’s dietary intake was collected using the Automated Self-Administered 24-h dietary assessment tool. Correlations between specific nutrients, BMI, fitness, and task performance were investigated. After accounting for demographic variables and total caloric intake, increased B-vitamin intake (i.e., thiamin and folic acid) was associated with shorter reaction times (p’s < 0.05), fitness was associated with greater response accuracy (p < 0.05), and increased BMI was related to increased variability in reaction times (p < 0.05). Together, these findings suggest that aspects of health may have unique contributions on cognitive performance. Proper physical health and nutrition are imperative for effective cognitive functioning in preadolescent children. Targeted efforts aimed at health education amongst this population could ensure proper cognitive development during school-age years, providing a strong foundation throughout life.

Elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway of B-group vitamins via genome mining of food-derived \(\textit{Bacillus velezensis}\) VTX20

B-vitamins are micronutrients that play an important role in various cellular processes of organisms, which are only synthesized by plants, yeasts, and bacteria. Since animals and humans lack the ability to synthesize B-vitamins, supplements of vitamins from dietary and the B-vitamin producing bacteria are required. In this study, we, for the first time, shed some light on biosynthetic pathways involved in folate (vitamin B9), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and biotin (vitamin B7) production in Bacillus velezensis VTX20. The genome-wide comparison revealed that B. velezensis VTX20 shared high similarities with B. tequilensis KCTC 13622, B. subtilis 168, B. amyloliquefaciens DSM 7. Genomic analysis revealed the presence of a complete folate biosynthesis pathway in which some core components were not found in most Bacillus species. Moreover, strain VTX20 also had the metabolic pathways for riboflavin and biotin that are important probiotic traits. These results highlighted that B. velezensis VTX20 is a producer of B-vitamins, which can be applied further in the agricultural biotechnology industry.

Role of mutations in MTHFR gene and hyperhomocysteinemia in occurrence of ischemic stroke

The objective of the study is review and analyze scientific publications devoted to the problems of stroke, its relationship with the most common mutations in the MTHFR gene and their individual allelic variants and serum homocysteine levels.Materials and methods. Analyzing foreign and domestic publications, the relationship of the strongest mutations in the MTHFR gene with an increase in the level of serum homocysteine, which is a predictor of the development of vascular accidents, including acute circulatory disorders of the brain, was revealed.Results. Stroke is a socially significant disease. All risk factors for acute cerebral stroke are subdivided into modifiable and non-modifiable. To a non-modifiable factor that predisposes to the development of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, hereditary factors, including genetic mutations in a number of genes. MTHFR is a genome carrying individual allelic variants that can affect the level of homocysteine in blood serum, causing it to increase, and hyperhomocysteinemia, according to a number of studies, is a likely predictor of diseases of the cardiovascular system, including severe cerebrovascular accidents. At the same time, a large number of studies use the services of the protective role of reducing the elevated level of serum homocysteine using various forms of folic acid and B vitamins. The authors of the article attempted to process, analyze and summarize the data of modern research issues on the topic under consideration.Conclusions. The relationship between the occurrence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and the most common mutations in the MTHFR gene has been revealed. Hyperhomocysteinemia, separate and developing as a result of these mutations, is an independent risk factor for the development of acute cerebral ischemia. Normalization of elevated serum homocysteine levels is required for all patients as stroke prevention, and includes not only the use of foods enriched with folic acid, but also pharmacological correction of folates and B vitamins.

Metabolic Therapy of Heart Failure: Is There a Future for B Vitamins?

Heart failure (HF) is a plague of the aging population in industrialized countries that continues to cause many deaths despite intensive research into more effective treatments. Although the therapeutic arsenal to face heart failure has been expanding, the relatively short life expectancy of HF patients is pushing towards novel therapeutic strategies. Heart failure is associated with drastic metabolic disorders, including severe myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction and systemic nutrient deprivation secondary to severe cardiac dysfunction. To date, no effective therapy has been developed to restore the cardiac energy metabolism of the failing myocardium, mainly due to the metabolic complexity and intertwining of the involved processes. Recent years have witnessed a growing scientific interest in natural molecules that play a pivotal role in energy metabolism with promising therapeutic effects against heart failure. Among these molecules, B vitamins are a class of water soluble vitamins that are directly involved in energy metabolism and are of particular interest since they are intimately linked to energy metabolism and HF patients are often B vitamin deficient. This review aims at assessing the value of B vitamin supplementation in the treatment of heart failure.