Vitamin-Fortified Beverages Influence Metabolic Processes in Adolescents

by | Feb 25, 2020 | 2019, Blood Sugar, Vitamins

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. This study identifies the metabolic impacts of a highly fortified vitamin beverage on glucose metabolism, metabolic hormones and serum metabolites in adolescents.

Recent years have witnessed a trending increase in the sales of discretionary fortified beverages, beverages which contain added micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, including vitamin waters and energy drinks 1. Although marketed as an efficient way for consumers to fulfill their daily recommended nutrient requirements 2, studies indicate that many of these novel drinks contain micronutrient quantities that well exceed Estimated Average Requirement guidelines 3. Other drinks, like 5-Hour Energy™, also contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose, which is associated with the disruption of glucose homeostasis and certain types of metabolic disease 4,5. Among adolescents, weekly consumption of fortified beverages has increased by almost 10% in the U.S.6,7. Given the lower body mass of young children and adolescents, regular intake of such fortified beverages may have an accentuated effect on metabolic health. To test this, researchers at the University of Calgary (2019) examined the impact of a vitamin B-fortified beverage on glucose metabolism, metabolic hormone response, and metabolite profile in adolescents 8.

A total of 20 adolescents (aged 13-19 years) were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial in which they were assigned to consume a fortified beverage (5-Hour Energy™ Decaffeinated) or a colored water placebo 40 minutes prior to a modified oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). After at least a one-week washout period, participants were switched to the alternate arm of the study. The fortified beverage was administered based on body mass (1.5 ml/kg, equivalent to a 38kg 13-year-old consuming one 57 ml bottle). Fasting blood samples were collected (at 0, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes during the OGTT) and analyzed for metabolic hormone biomarkers (ghrelin, C-peptide, glucagon, insulin, leptin, etc.). Serum metabolite profiling was also performed using 1H-NMR spectroscopy.

Analyses indicated no significant between-group differences on glucose response. However, compared to placebo, the fortified beverage group exhibited 28% lower insulin sensitivity (based on the composite Matsuda Insulin Sensitivity Index) (p = 0.002). Area Under the Curve (AUC) for other metabolic hormones were also elevated for the 5-Hour Energy group, relative to placebo: C-peptide (involved in synthesis of insulin) (p = 0.017), GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1, stimulates insulin secretion) (p < 0.001), glucagon (helps control blood glucose levels) (p = 0.015), and PYY (pancreatic peptide YY, associated with decreased appetite) (p = 0.001). 1H-NMR analysis also revealed that consumption of the fortified beverage led to increased levels of betaine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, choline, folate, and taurine over time (p ≤ 0.05 for all).

Findings from the present study suggest that ingestion of vitamin B-fortified beverages can exert a significant impact on metabolism, mainly lowering insulin sensitivity and altering the secretion of metabolic hormones. Results indicate that, contrary to the way discretionary fortified foods and beverages are marketed, such products are not metabolically inert, but rather, can directly impact insulin response and gastrointestinal hormone profiles, even at acute doses. Ongoing evaluations of discretionary fortified foods and beverages are, therefore, warranted, especially in younger populations. Researchers note that due to the use of a commercial, mixed ingredient fortified beverage, the current study is limited in its ability to link specific metabolic responses to individual nutrients. Also, because the use of overweight and obese adolescents could have potentially led to exaggerated effects on insulin sensitivity, findings should be replicated in adolescents with normal body mass index. Finally, the relatively small sample size of the small pilot study may be considered a notable limitation.

Source: Mayengbam S, Virtanen H, Hittel DS, et al. Metabolic consequences of discretionary fortified beverage consumption containing excessive vitamin B levels in adolescents. PLoS ONE. 2019; 14(1): e0209913 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109913.

© 2019 Mayengbam et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted February 25, 2020.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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