Reproductive & Biomarker Response of Male Albino Rats (Rattus norvegicus) to a Daily Dose of Soft Drink

The effect of a daily consumption of soft drink was evaluated using 24 albino male rats divided into two groups viz:control and treatment. The experiment was carried out for four (4) weeks. The treatment (a brand of soft drink) was administered to the test group for three weeks while on the fourth week no treatment was given to the test group. The parameters analysed include; Sperm count, kidney function test, liver test, red blood cell, pack cell volume, haemoglobin, white blood cell, platelets, lymphocytes. The results showed that: The mean serum electrolyte for Na (mmol/l) was low for week 1, 2, 3 and 4 having 142, 140, 133.6 and 141.66 respectively when compared to the average control (147.3) with a significant difference (P<0.05) in week 1 and 4, K (mmol/l) were all lower than the average control (5.4) across the week with no significant difference (P>0.05) but had the least mean value of 4.8 in week 2. Bicarbonate (mmol/l) was also significantly lower (P<0.05) in the treated group when compared to the average control (24.3) with the least mean value in week 4 (18.67) and Cl (mmol/l) had a mean of 93.0 in week 1, 94.67 in week 2, 108.66 in week 3 and 107.67 in week 4 with an average control of 99.33. AST (U/L) mean value was 20.67 in week 1 which increased to 31.67 in week 4 while ALT (U/L) mean value was 10 in week 1 which also increased to 13 in week 4. The mean serum protein (g/dL) reduced from 81.83 in week 1 to 73.24 in week 4. Mean PCV (%) reduced from 33.67 in week 1 to 32.7 in week 4, Hb (g/dL) increased from 11.2 in week 1 to 13.4 in week 4 with a significant difference (P<0.05) when comparing the test with the average control, WBC (X109) increased from a mean 5.26 in week 1 to 11.9 in week 4 with a significant difference (P<0.05), Platelet (X109) mean value was 315 on week 1 and 419 in week 4 with significant difference (P<0.05) in week 3 and 4 when compared with its control, RBC (X1012) increased from a mean of 4.23 in week 1 to 6.90 in week 4 with significant difference (P<0.05). Lymphocyte (X109) mean value for week 1 was 70 and 82.26 in week 4 with significant difference (P<0.05) across the week. While the mean sperm count (X106) reduced significantly (P<0.05) from 425 in week 1 to 400 in week 4 when compared to the average control (566). These findings demonstrate that regular consumption of soft drink had a detrimental effect on the sperm count, liver, kidney and on the haematological parameters.