Journal of Basic and Applied Research International

Consuming energy drinks can increase the risks of developing muscular tension, shallow breathing, nervousness, increased heart rate, and headaches, all of which can lead to poor performance. Despite such adverse effects, many athletes tend to use these drinks as an additional source of energy. This study investigated the impact of energy drinks on the phototactic property of Daphnia magna, a minuscule aquatic crustacean and attempted to examine any feasibility of applying the phototactic property of Daphnia for studying energy drinks' effects. For examining a phototactic training effect first, one group was raised under a fluorescent light, while the other maintained under the alternating blue lights with 5 minute interval, since the blue color induced the greatest phototaxis. This group of Daphnia was then subjected to the exposure test in diluted energy drink solution. The study concluded that blue color showed the strongest phototaxis, approximately 33% higher than other colors such as green, red, and white light. Furthermore, the group of Daphnia that trained with 5-minute alternate blue light possessed the ability to swim at a 25% faster swimming rate than the non-trained group. It was found that the enhanced swimming rate was correlated with the amount of caffeine concentration in each drink: Red Bull, Monster, and NOS. This study might suggest that the phototaxis of Daphnia magna might be utilized to study the effects of energy drink on the phototactic swimming rate.