Abstract
Objectives:
A large proportion of men treated with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist suffer from fatigue. Energy drinks were developed for use during periods of increased mental and physical exertion. This study evaluated whether energy drinks would alleviate fatigue in men treated with LHRH agonist for a period of at least 6 months.
Methods:
A single-center, phase II, open-label trial was performed in which men with LHRH agonist–related fatigue were given two cans of Red Bull® Sugar-Free energy drink daily for a period of 4 weeks. Fatigue levels were evaluated using the Bruera global fatigue severity scale, while quality of life was evaluated using the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0 (SF-36). Improvement was compared using a paired t-test.
Results:
Twenty men were recruited to participate in the trial. Of these, 19 were randomized. During the course of the trial, one participant dropped out before the end of the trial due to an adverse event. After a 4 week treatment period, the average fatigue levels were significantly improved (p=0.001) in comparison to baseline levels: from a score of 6 (IQR 3–8) to a score of 3.1 (±2.1). In the SF-36 survey, the vitality domain, an assessment of energy and fatigue, was significantly improved at week 4 (p=0.006).
Conclusion:
Energy drinks appear to have a significant effect on fatigue level and on quality of life in men treated with LHRH agonist for prostate cancer. In addition, on short-term follow-up, they appear to be safe and well tolerated. Randomized placebo-controlled trials will be required to validate these findings.
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