Scientific Club of the Department of Physiology and Bioethics – Safeguarding the Health of the Younger Generation

Second-year students of the Medical Faculty (MM-214) of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, members of the scientific club of the Department of Physiology and Bioethics, Viktoriia Ohoniok and Olha Kovalchuk, delivered an informative lecture for students of the Ternopil Educational Complex “General Secondary School of I–III Levels – Lesya Ukrainka Medical Lyceum No. 15” of the Ternopil City Council, with the participation of the Head of the Department, Professor Stepan Vadziuk.

During the meeting, the speakers discussed the peculiarities of adolescent physiology and the physiological mechanisms of the effects of energy drinks, smoking, and vaping on the nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. The lecturers explained how caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, masking fatigue, why the load on the heart increases, and how nicotine addiction develops. Special attention was paid to the effects of carbon monoxide on tissue oxygenation and the dangers posed by toxic compounds in vaping products.

In conclusion, the students emphasized that real energy comes from natural mechanisms—adequate sleep, regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and adherence to biological rhythms. The lecture fostered a conscious attitude among lyceum students toward their health and the prevention of harmful habits.