Red Bull: What you should know

Posted by Arsalan

August 18, 2008

If you regularly use energy drinks like Red Bull or Hype, you should be really careful or you can even die if they are improperly used. Many people consider it as just another soft drink (like Pepsi, 7Up etc).

In Pakistan, it is marketed like a soft drink and advertisers don’t tell about its ingredients, side-effects and what makes it different from ordinary soft drinks.

The two major ingredients of energy drinks are caffeine and sugar. That’s how they work to give you “boost” and “energy”. (from How Stuff Works)

Caffeine works by blocking the effects of adenosine, a brain chemical involved in sleep. When caffeine blocks adenosine, it causes neurons in the brain to fire. Thinking the body is in an emergency, the pituitary gland initiates the body’s “fight or flight” response by releasing adrenaline. This hormone makes the heart beat faster and the eyes dilate. It also causes the liver to release extra sugar into the bloodstream for energy. Caffeine affects the levels of dopamine, a chemical in the brain’s pleasure center. All of these physical responses make you feel as though you have more energy.

First; let’s have a look at the ingredients of most of the energy drinks (including Red Bull):

Ephedrine - A stimulant that works on the central nervous system. It is a common ingredient in weight-loss products and decongestants, but there have been concerns about its effects on the heart.

Taurine - A natural amino acid produced by the body that helps regulate heart beat and muscle contractions. Many health experts aren’t sure what effect it has as a drink additive (and the rumor that taurine comes from bull testicles is false).

Ginseng - A root believed by some to have several medicinal properties, including reducing stress and boosting energy levels.

B-vitamins - A group of vitamins that can convert sugar to energy and improve muscle tone.

Guarana seed - A stimulant that comes from a small shrub native to Venezuela and Brazil.

Carnitine - An amino acid that plays a role in fatty acid metabolism.

Creatine - An organic acid that helps supply energy for muscle contractions.

Inositol - A member of the vitamin B complex (not a vitamin itself, because the human body can synthesize it) that helps relay messages within cells in the body

Ginkgo biloba - Made from the seeds of the ginkgo biloba tree, thought to enhance memory.

Here are a few things you should know about Red Bull and other energy drinks:

1. Red Bull is extremely dangerous for people with blood pressure problems. It makes blood of even normal people stickier after they drink a can of it.

2. Red Bull is not suitable for pregnant women and children. Since it contains a high percentage of caffeine, it is not for people who are allergic to caffeine. Caffeine can also cause male impotency.

2. It contains a high quantity of caffeine (almost as much as in a coffee). Due to caffeine and other ingredients, health departments of many countries have recommended their respective countries for a complete ban on it. That’s why it is still banned in Norway, Uruguay, Denmark and Iceland. It was banned in France too until the ban was lifted this year.

3. Red Bull shouldn’t be used after exhaustive exercise to kill the thirst quencher. An Irish student drank three cans of Red Bull after exercise and he died.

4. Red Bull shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol. In 2001, three Swedish friends were found dead after they took Red Bull with alcohol.

5. Excess of anything is bad, and it is quite true in Red Bull’s case too. Medical specialists have warned that not more than two cans of Red Bull should be used at a time.

Remember, an energy drink is not a nutritional drink. Avoid using it and always try natural remedies to remain energetic and fresh like water, juices, milk, bath etc. However, if there is no alternative and you really need a shortcut, go for an energy drink but don’t keep the things in your mind that I just said.

Red Bull may give you wings but be careful that these are not the wings of angel of death!

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