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Research Article

Caffeine-drinks effects of energy drink intake on ovarian and uterine histology and systemic metabolic profiles in PMSG-primed mice
Ye-Rin Cho1
,
Jun-Su Kim1
,
So-Jeong Shin1
,
Seung-Jun Lee1
,
Woo-Jin Ryu1
,
Sang-Hwan Kim12*
1School of Animal Life Convergence Science, Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Republic of Korea
2Institute of Applied Humanimal Science, Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Republic of Korea
*Corresponding Author
31 March 2026. pp. 10-21
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Abstract

This study evaluated the effects associated with energy drinks containing different caffeine levels on systemic metabolism and the reproductive microenvironment under superovulation-induced conditions. Female ICR mice were subjected to repeated administration of equine chorionic gonadotropin to induce a follicular hyperstimulation state and were then orally administered either a low-caffeine or high-caffeine energy drink. Changes in body weight and intake, white blood cell counts and differentials, plasma redox-related metabolic signals, plasma protein electrophoretic patterns, peri-uterine fat mass, and histological features of the ovary, uterus, and oviduct were analyzed. In the low-caffeine group, reductions in food intake and attenuation of body weight gain were observed, whereas hematological changes were limited. In the high-caffeine group, total white blood cells and neutrophils increased, plasma metabolic signals shifted toward a more oxidative state, and peri-uterine fat mass decreased. Histological assessment showed follicular regression and cystic changes in the ovaries of energy drink-treated mice. In the uterus, luminal dilation and stromal edema varied, accompanied by alterations in endometrial architecture. In addition, reduced staining intensity for acidic mucus was observed in the oviduct and uterus. In contrast, plasma protein electrophoretic patterns did not show prominent structural differences among groups. Collectively, these findings suggest that, under hormonally perturbed conditions such as superovulation, exposure to a high-caffeine energy drink is associated with greater systemic stress-related changes and concomitant alterations in the reproductive tissue microenvironment than exposure to a low-caffeine product.

Keywords
Caffeine
Ovary
Redox metabolism
Superovulation
Uterus
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Information
  • Publisher :Journal of Humanimal Sciences
  • Publisher(Ko) :한경국립대학교 휴머니멀응용과학연구소
  • Journal Title :Journal of Humanimal Sciences
  • Journal Title(Ko) :휴머니멀과학학술지
  • Volume : 2
  • No :1
  • Pages :10-21
  • Received Date : 2026-02-23
  • Revised Date : 2026-03-07
  • Accepted Date : 2026-03-10
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.23341/jhas.2026.2.1.10
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