Red Bull has established itself as one of the best-selling energy drinks in the world. Its slogan, “Red Bull gives you wings”, leads us to believe that it boosts energy and mental and physical performance. However, since it is an energy drink, there are concerns about its safety and potential side effects. Many people also wonder if Red Bull is alcoholic or not. We will dispel all the myths about this energy drink!
What is Red Bull?
Red Bull, like Coke, is a soft drink. It includes caffeine along with other energizing ingredients including taurine and B vitamins like thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), B6, and B12. In 1987, the first Red Bull was launched in Austria. The components vary somewhat from nation to nation. Carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, baking soda, magnesium carbonate, glucuronolactone, and artificial colors and flavors are the key components.
How much alcohol is in the red bull?
Red Bull is not an alcoholic drink. Red Bull is often used as a mixer in alcoholic beverages. Others may confuse this activity with an alcoholic drink. There are no alcoholic components in its preparation.
Caffeine is the energy component of Red Bull. This is not found in alcoholic beverages. This is due to ethanol and other intoxicating chemicals in alcoholic beverages. When you consume Red Bull, you get a rush of adrenaline. However, it intoxicates or gives you a buzz, similar to alcoholic beverages. It doesn’t give you a hangover either. So, is Red Bull alcohol? No, it’s not an alcoholic drink. It also has the following components:
- Sparkling water
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Artificial colors
- Citric acid
- Taurine
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Caffeine
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride
Does the red bull give you energy?
Yes, Red Bull is high in B vitamins, such as thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), B6, and B12.
Red Bull offers sugar-free variants, such as Red Bull Zero and Red Bull Sugarfree, which use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame K instead of sugar.
The components of Red Bull can provide an energy boost but also induce short and long term side effects if used in large amounts.
Is the red bull healthy?
It’s no secret that Red Bull is a controversial energy drink. People are either passionate about flavor or fiercely opposed to it, and they protect it or attack it fiercely. The majority of research has not shown that consumption of Red Bull poses a significant health risk. However, since it has been shown to speed up the heart rate and raise blood pressure in some people, several medical specialists warn those who already have heart problems or high blood pressure to be careful.
6 side effects of red bull
Although Red Bull is a popular energy drink on the market, consuming too much of it can have several negative consequences. Here are their names:
1. High blood pressure and heart rate
Blood pressure and heart rate are two indicators of heart health. Higher levels of both are linked to an increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) or heart disease. According to studiesjust one can of drink increases blood pressure and pulse rate in adults.
2. Caffeine Toxicity or overdose
Caffeine should not be used more than 400 mg per day. A small can of Red Bull (260ml) contains 75mg of caffeine. A caffeine overdose can occur if you consume more than 5 cans per day. The typical half-life of caffeine in the blood ranges from 1.5 to 9.5 hours.
This implies that it can take up to 9.5 hours for the caffeine in your blood to drop to half of its original level. This makes it difficult to determine how much Red Bull can cause a caffeine overdose. According to research, teenagers or anyone under the age of 19 are at a higher risk of negative effects from caffeine.
3. Harmful to teeth
Acidic and carbonated drinks are harmful to tooth enamel. It’s the hard outer coating of your teeth that protects them from decay. Because Red Bull is acidic and airy, it will erode your tooth enamel if consumed frequently. Research has found that exposing tooth enamel daily to energy drinks causes considerable and permanent enamel loss.
4. Influences Kidney Health
Drinking Red Bull occasionally will not have any negative effects on the body. However, excessive consumption can have negative consequences on kidney health. According to a research, Red Bull causes a significant reduction in kidney function in rats. This research, however, has not been repeated on people. According to research, a high sugar diet is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease.
5. Prospects for increased high-risk behaviors
According to research, excessive consumption of Red Bull can lead to high-risk behavior, especially when mixed with alcohol. This is because Red Bull contains caffeine, which masks the effects of alcohol. It helps you feel less drunk. However, as research reveals, you will still have other alcohol-related impairments.
6. Diabetes Type 2 risk
Excess sugar consumption increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 1-2 servings of carbonated or sugary drinks each day can lead to type 2 diabetes. Since Red Bull contains added sugars, consuming more serving a day may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Take away
Red Bull is an excellent energy drink. It is a well-known energy drink. People consume it to concentrate on their homework, games or work through the night. And, like anything else, it should be used in moderation.
FAQs
1. What happens if I drink a Red Bull every day?
This can lead to irregular heartbeat, heart attack and, in rare cases, death. The high sugar content of energy drinks has been linked to health problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and even type 2 diabetes.
2. How much Red Bull is too much?
A caffeine overdose can occur if you consume more than 5 cans per day.
3. Is Red Bull an energy drink or an alcohol?
Red Bull is an energy drink containing caffeine and added sugar.
The references:
- John P. Higgins, MD, MPhil, Troy D. Tuttle, MS, and Christopher L. Higgins, BHMS, November 2010, Energy drinks: content and safety
- The effects of chronic consumption of energy drinks on the liver and kidneys experimental rats
- Poonam Jain, Emily Hall-May, Kristi Golabek, Ma Zenia Agustin, May – June 2012, A Comparison of Sports and Energy Drinks – Physicochemical Properties and Enamel Dissolution
- Leah Steinke, David E Lanfear, Vishnuprabha Dhanapal, James S Kalus, April 2009, Effect of “energy drink” consumption on hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters in healthy young adults
- Jennifer L Miles-Chan, Nathalie Charrière, Erik K Grasser, Jean-Pierre Montani, Abdul G Dulloo, January 2015,
- The thermic effect of sugar-free Red Bull: do caffeine-free bioactive ingredients in energy drinks play a role?