Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Profiles of Non-Alcoholic Energy Drinks Among Students at Nangui ABROGOUA University in Côte d'Ivoire

Energy drinks (EDs) help consumers combat fatigue and enhance physical and mental performance. Nonetheless, they carry health risks and may contribute to tooth decay, obesity, and diabetes. This research aimed to investigate the consumption levels of non-alcoholic energy drinks among students at Nangui ABROGOUA University (UNA) and to assess the nutritional content of these beverages. Students completed a questionnaire, and we analyzed the biochemical composition (pH, titratable acidity, total sugars, and reducing sugars) of two widely consumed drinks, Cody's and Kapa, using AOAC methods. The contents of caffeine, taurine, and B-vitamins were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the corresponding energy value was calculated. The findings revealed that 86.7% of students consumed energy drinks, with Cody's and Kapa being the leading brands at 70% and 10%, respectively. The health risks mentioned included type II diabetes (59%) and cardiovascular disease (10.7%). The pH values for Cody's and Kapa were 4.13 ± 0.02 and 3.96 ± 0.01, respectively. Titratable acidity values were 157.78 ± 1.92 meq/L for Cody's and 141.11 ± 1.92 meq/L for Kapa. The measured values of total sugars in the two beverages are slightly higher than the label claims. Specifically, Cody's shows 13.62 g/100ml, while Kapa has 11.46 g/100ml. In contrast, the labels state the values as 12 g/ g/100ml for Cody's and 11 g/100ml for Kapa. Cody's had caffeine and taurine levels of 28.9±0.1 mg and 43±0.01 mg, while Kapa's levels were 32.73±0.06 mg and 35±0.01 mg, respectively. This study found that students frequently consume non-alcoholic energy drinks (EDs), which contain high levels of sugar and caffeine. Consequently, it is essential to inform students about the health risks linked to their consumption.