Health

The Truth About Red Bull

By desiBeauty

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There’s a lot of controversy regarding energy drinks since they started appearing on the scene recently. As one of the leaders in the industry that has boomed to a billion dollar industry, Red Bull tends to get the bad repuation since it leads the competition.There are health concerns in several countries in Europe which have banned the product. France has just allowed it after a 12 year ban due to no evidence of its health risks. Australia has released a study linking it to elevated stroke levels, with no conclusive evidence.

So, the question is… Should we really be concerned?

When analyzing its content, Red Bull contains caffeine (80 mg) which is the main active ingredient. When compared to a cup of coffee containing around 100 mg, it’s obvious that Red bull is the winner. It also contains Glucuronolactone and Taurine. The first is a natural element of conective tissue that is added to some energy drinks. According the EFSA, it does not produce any negative health effects, the latter is an element that has no real side efeect and has been deemed safe for consumption.So the only active ingredient in Red Bull is Caffeine, which is a central nervous system stimulant, increasing heart rate, heart beating strength and blood pressure. This drug is the most overused in the world, but its consumption is mainly in caffeinated drinks and chocolates.Sadly, Red Bull is often used with alocohoic drinks in bars around the world. This is quite dangerous since alcohol is a central nervous system depressor which has the opposite effect of the stimulant. People will then overconsume both so that they get the effect of alcohol while staying alert. This is quite dangerous and may lead to health issues.

So is Red Bull on its own healthy?

Well obviously, it’s not water or natural juice, and consumption should be done sparingly, like soft drinks. Numerous doctors and the media have condemmed Red Bull as a culprit, but so far there is no scientific data out there that can really prove it to be unhealthy.

The can’s in your hands. It’s for you to decide..