How Does Caffeine Affect Pulse Rate

Investigation Task:

Level of caffeine to affect pulse rate while performing physical activities on 15-16 year olds.

Research Question:

How does the volume of a particular energy drink – Red Bull affect one’s pulse rate?

Background Information:

The level of hormones can change a cell’s activity by binding to specific hormone receptors which can activate proteins within the cell, which will then go on to activate other enzymes that direct the cell’s function. Caffeine is a methylxanthine which acts as an anti catalyst to an enzyme called cyclic phosphodiesterase (cAMP - PDE) which is responsible for blocking the production of cAMP.

As caffeine inhibits cAMP – DPE from doing its job, the cAMP generated is increased and remains active in the cell for longer. This cAMP produced then diffuses through the cell and

I also predict that due to consumption of caffeine present in the energy drink, it would take longer for the pulse rate to return to its regular resting levels after physical activity. This is because the caffeine causes increased levels of cAMP and simultaneously allows the cAMP to stay active for longer. The increased levels of cAMP result in an increased level of ATP leading to an increase in pulse rate.

To investigate whether if the energy drink affects the pulse rate, I will be using 5 subjects and will be observing the effects the energy drink has on the pulse rate after physical activity. Therefore, the subjects must be of normal BMI and without any health conditions in order to make sure there are no other factors affecting the Subject’s pulse rate.

First I will record the pulse rate of the subject after performing physical activity which will give me the subject’s pulse rate after physical activity without the effect on the energy drink. After which I will make the subject perform the same but with different volumes of energy drink