Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

Final Report: Short-term effects of carbonated beverages on the

human body or effects of CO2

Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

Joseph Herman McCoy

9th grade Biology Honors
30 November, 2015

Table of Contents
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Paper

Page no.

Abstract

Question, variables, and hypothesis

Background research

Materials list

Experimental procedure

Data graphs

Conclusion

12

Bibliography and acknowledgements

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Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to test the long term effects of
carbonated drinks on the human body. Knowing the effects advises
whether or not carbonated beverages should be consumed in certain
situations. Conclusions were found through the following procedure:
measuring performance in an activity (i.e. heart rate), drinking carbonated
beverages and measuring again. After the procedure was completed
several times, there were consistent results shown. Performance in every
activity was slightly decreased. Heart rate slightly slowed and physical
capabilities were muted, although only slightly so, etc. This may have
much to do with the way carbonated drinks fill you with air, creating these
effects.
This shows that there are real short term effects of drinking
carbonated drinks in the circumstances that were measured. This
information is not life threatening, however, and the symptoms are nowhere
near great enough to be required to take into account on most occasions.
Athletes, though, may find this information beneficial. They may want to
pass on carbonated beverages before working out or competing.

Question, Variables, and Hypothesis

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Question:

Does drinking a carbonated drink

prior to a physical activity affect
your physical performance?
Variables:

The only variable in this situation

are whether or not you have
recently consumed (10 minutes) a
carbonated beverage (normal can
size) with nothing to stimulate the
body like caffeine or sugar.
Hypothesis:

Our hypothesis is that consuming

carbonated drinks prior to physical
activity slightly lowers your
physical performance.

Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

Background Research: The Effects

of Carbonated Drinks on the
Human Body
Carbon dioxide is essential to human and plant, and animal life, but also may
have other, possibly negative effects on the human body when consumed in
carbonated drinks The objective of this project is to test and research such effects.
This research will explore the long term effects, and, more specifically, the short
term effects of carbon dioxide on the human body. Carbonated drinks are fairly new
to our society and presumably have negative effects of some type. Researching this
topic is beneficial to society in more than one way. Firstly, people in America and
other developed countries may need a warning against consuming carbonated
drinks in large or consistent amounts. The opposite is possible as well, of course.
Perhaps carbon dioxide consumed in this way is actually beneficial in a certain way
to us. Either way, answers need to be found. According to Google search, there are
millions of carbonated drinks being consumed every day in the United States alone,
and rates are only increasing in the foreseeable future.
But many people barely know the basics of this topic. What is carbon
dioxide? According to eo.ucar.edu: Overview of Greenhouse Gases, Carbon
dioxide, also known as CO2 for short, is a compound formed when a carbon atom
bonds with two Oxygen atoms. This happens naturally inside our bodies whenever
we breathe. The oxygen we take into to our lungs is released as carbon dioxide into
the air. Plants, in a way, breath carbon dioxide, which they release as oxygen,
forming an unending cycle. Typical carbon dioxide levels in the air around you
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Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

range from 2.7% to 7.5%, according to http://inspectapedia.com: Typical Levels of
Carbon Dioxide Gas C02 Normal Levels in Air Indoors & Outside, but carbon
dioxide as a pure gas is toxic. Although some health effects from carbon dioxide
may depend on its inhalation, short and long term effects can also stem from
ingestion of carbonated drinks which saturate the blood with carbon dioxide. There
are a few short term effects of carbon dioxide easily identifiable, even without the
benefits of external research. These include burps, hiccups, and farts. These
effects, while annoying and distasteful in our society, are not normally harmful,
although they definitely can be. There may be other unknown short term effects as
well.
Long term effects of carbon dioxide are a different story, however. One long
term effect of too much carbon dioxide is anxiety/depression. It also has a negative
effect on the deterioration rate of tissues and organs. Though these effects are
possibly triggered by consumption of carbonated drinks, it is more likely correlated
to rising levels of carbon dioxide on Earth in general over the last few decades.
Other possible effects include multiple cardiovascular problems and tumors. Those
two have not been formally proven, but there is definitely a correlation, although
not a definitive one. Other long term effects are unknown. The long term effects
listed in this paragraph originate from livestrong.com, The effects of too much
carbon dioxide in the blood.
Carbon dioxides effects on the body could also be positive and beneficial to
humans. It is even possible that our bodies need more than they currently receive.
There a currently more questions than answers on this particular subject, but, then
again, that is the beauty of Earth. These questions could have potentially
dangerous, not yet researched answers that our world has not thoroughly tested.
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For example, many people have adopted the belief that increasing levels of carbon
dioxide lead to global warming, according to this website: www3.epa.gov: The
Carbon Cycle. Global warming is the gradual change in average climate that,
though is occurring now, is still critically disbelieved by 23% of the American
population, according to www.weather.com: More Americans Dont Believe Global
Warming Is Happening: Survey. If that is true, than the indirect effects of carbon
dioxide in humanity will be dire indeed.

Materials List:

Speed gun
Meter stick
Running shoes
Stopwatch
Tape
Measuring tape
Carbonated Water

Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

Experimental procedures
In our Science Fair project we will be measuring the effects of
carbonated drinks on the human body. We will be measure jump height,
running distance before exhaustion, and sprint speed.
When measuring jump height we will first consume a carbonated
drink, next ensure that the person has had the necessary stretching before
starting the exercises, then we will measure the persons jump height, and
compare it to their jump height before the carbonated drink was consumed.
Finally, we will rest for the necessary time to release any exhaustion.
When measuring running distance the person can travel before they
become exhausted we will first consume a carbonated drink, next do any
necessary stretching before beginning the exercise. We will then begin
running until we begin to feel any sort of exhaustion. Finally, we will rest for
the necessary time to release any exhaustion.

Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

When measuring sprint speed we will first consume the carbonated

drinks, next do any necessary stretching before beginning the exercise.
Then, we will sprint at our top speed for 30 meters. Finally, we will rest for
the necessary time to release any exhaustion.

Samuel Arnold & Daniel Escalante

Running Distance Before

Minor Exhaustion (km)

Effects of Carbonated Drinks on Running Distance

2.5

1.5
No Carbonated Drinks Consumed

Carbonated Drinks Consumbed

0.5

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Jump Height (cm)

Effects of Carbonated Drinks on Jump Height

80

60

40

No Carbonated Drink Consumed

Carbonated Drink Consumed

20

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Top Sprint Speed Reached

in 30 Meters (mps)

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Conclusion
Our hypothesis turned out to be
correct. Drinking carbonated
beverages does have a slight
effect on your performance in the
activities we tested. This
conclusion is valuable information
to athletes. However, the effects
our small enough that they usually
do not need to be taken into
account.
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Bibliography
The Carbon Cycle. The Carbon Cycle. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.

Carbon Dioxide: Health Effects, Uses and Benefits Carbon Dioxide: Health
Effects, Uses and Benefits. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Carbon Dioxide. Lenntech. FSCJ, n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

The Effects of Too Much Carbon Dioxide in the Blood LIVESTRONG.COM.

LIVESTRONG.COM, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Fizzy Drinks: More Facts and Fiction. Mail Online. Associated Newspapers.
Web. 01 Oct.
2015.

More Americans Dont Believe Global Warming Is Happening: Survey. The

Weather Channel.
Web. 01 Oct. 2015.

Overview of Greenhouse Gases. Carbon Dioxide Emissions. Web. 01. Oct.

2015.

Typical Levels of Carbon Dioxide Gas C02 Normal Levels in Air Indoors &
Outside. Carbon
Dioxide. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Joseph McCoy for teaching and motivating
us so thoroughly, our parents for providing transportation and
materials, and Michael Linton for letting us work in his house.

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