Red Bull has earned its name as one of the highest-selling energy drinks worldwide. Its ‘Red Bull Gives You Wings’ tagline encourages us to believe that it increases energy and boosts mental and physical performance. However, considering it is an energy drink, there are concerns regarding its safety and potential side effects. Many also wonder if red bull is alcoholic or not? We will clear out all myths about this energy drink!
What Is Red Bull?
Like coke, Red Bull is a carbonated beverage. It contains caffeine and other energy-boosting elements, including taurine and other B vitamins such as thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), B6, and B12. The first-ever Red Bull was sold in Austria in 1987. The ingredients slightly differ from country to country. However, the main ingredients include carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, baking soda, magnesium carbonate, glucuronolactone, and artificial colours and flavours.
You can find Red Bull in some sugar-free options, such as Red Bull Zero and Red Bull Sugarfree. These ones are made with artificial sugars such as aspartame and acesulfame K in place of sugar. While the ingredients present in Red Bull might give you a short burst of energy, it will have short and long-term effects on you, especially if consumed in large quantities.
What’s in Red Bull?
To understand whether red bull is alcoholic or not, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make up the energy drink. One 260ml can contain the following:
It also contains the following ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Natural and Artificial Flavours
- Artificial Colours
- Citric Acid
- Taurine
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Caffeine
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pyridoxine HCL
One of Red Bull’s key ingredients for energising people is taurine. It can be found in fish, meat, and even the human body. It is often used as a supplement in improving athletic performance. Some studies have demonstrated how taurine and caffeine help enhance mental capacity.
Red Bull has easily become one of the most popular energy drinks in the market. However, it doesn’t exactly have sufficient enough caffeine to ‘give you wings.’ Red Bull’s caffeine content is a humble 75 mg compared to other energy drinks you can find. However, it still does give you a boost of energy. It will leave you feeling awake and alert for a few hours. At least it won’t leave you jittery and anxious. So, Red Bull is good enough to keep you energised without the symptoms of caffeine overconsumption such as:
- Increased heart rate
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Increased blood pressure
Who Can Drink Red Bull?
People over the age of 18 years can drink Red Bull. It’s not about the question of is red bull alcohol. But rather, its caffeine content. Energy drinks such as Red Bull are composed of chemicals and sugars that are bad for your health.
While Red Bull does not have as much caffeine as other energy drinks, it still contains around 80mg of caffeine per can. The recommended caffeine intake for a minor is 100mg. But younger kids are far more sensitive to caffeine than an adult. They don’t necessarily have to drink too much caffeine to feel side effects.
Is Red Bull Alcohol?
Let’s come to the question of whether red bull is alcoholic or not. No, Red Bull is not an alcoholic drink. People often use Red Bull as a mixer in alcoholic drinks. This practice might make others think it is an alcoholic drink itself. It has absolutely no alcoholic components in its composition.
The energy-inducing ingredient in Red Bull is caffeine. You won’t find this in alcoholic drinks. This is because alcoholic drinks contain ethanol and other ingredients which intoxicate you. When you drink Red Bull, you will feel something akin to an adrenaline rush. However, it does intoxicate you or give you a buzz like alcoholic drinks. It does not give you a hangover either. So, is red bull alcohol? No, it is not an alcoholic beverage.
Is Red Bull a Beer?
Have you ever wondered – ‘is red bull a beer?’ No, it is not similar to beer either. Beer is an alcoholic beverage that is brewed from cereal grains like barley, corn, maize, or wheat. These grains undergo a fermentation process that produces ethanol and carbonation. The resulting beverage is beer. However, Red Bull is an energy drink meant to help you sharpen your focus and increase your energy.
Do not mix Red Bull with beer as it is a dangerous combination. Energy drinks mask the intoxication side effects, leading to people drinking more than they should. Mixing the two can result in overindulgence of alcohol. Those who have consumed this mixture have lost their control and felt more tired and sedated than stimulated. You must avoid drinking them even within a few hours of each other.
Red Bull is neither an alcoholic drink, nor is it beer. It should definitely not be mixed with beer or any alcohol. If you do drink alcoholic drinks mixed with energy drinks, do not consume them in high quantities.
Does Red Bull Taste Like Alcohol?
Since we have figured out whether red bull is alcoholic or not, we can say that Red Bull tastes distinctly different from alcohol. Red Bull is slightly sweet, and some cans contain fruity flavours. It is a fizzy and carbonated drink. You might feel like it tastes a little like grapefruit or strawberry because of the use of taurine.
The taste entirely depends on the one drinking it. Some like the taste, and some do not. Alcohol usually tastes bitter due to the fermentation process. Most alcohols will leave a bitter after taste in your mouth. However, Red Bull will not.
Possible Side Effects of Drinking Red Bull
Though Red Bull is quite a popular energy drink in the market, there are several side effects of drinking too much of it. They are as follows:
1. Increased Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
There are two measures of heart health; blood pressure and heart rate. Higher levels of the two are associated with the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) or heart disease. Studies have shown that adults’ blood pressure and heart rate levels have increased with just one can of the drink.
It can remain high anywhere between 90 minutes to 24 hours after drinking it. This is largely because of the caffeine content. However, moderate or occasional consumption of Red Bull will not cause any serious heart conditions in healthy adults. Nonetheless, studies suggest that overconsumption of this energy drink should be avoided as it can cause abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, and even death. Those with pre-existing high blood pressure or heart disease should definitely avoid it as it may have life-threatening effects on them.
2. Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Excessive consumption of sugar increases the chances of getting Type 2 Diabetes. Drinking 1-2 servings of aerated or sugary drinks can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Since Red Bull has added sugars (29 grams of sugar in one can of 260ml), drinking more than one serving a day could increase the likelihood of you getting Type 2 diabetes.
3. Damaging to the Teeth
Acidic and aerated beverages have a damaging effect on tooth enamel. It is the hard outer coating that protects your teeth against decay. Since Red Bull is acidic and aerated, it will harm your tooth enamel if you drink it regularly. A study found that exposing tooth enamel to energy drinks every day leads to significant and irreversible loss of tooth enamel. Moreover, it stated that energy drinks are doubly harmful to tooth enamel compared to soft drinks.
4. Affects Kidney Health
Drinking Red Bull occasionally will not have any serious impacts on the body. However, excessive consumption could lead to serious effects on kidney health. One particular study found that Red Bull causes a severe decline in kidney function in rats. However, this study has not been replicated on humans. Some studies demonstrate a link between high sugar intake and an increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Red Bull has high sugar content. This means frequent and excessive intake may increase the risk of kidney disease.
5. Possibilities of Increasing High-Risk Behaviour
Research shows that excessive consumption of Red Bull can lead to high-risk behaviour, especially if it’s combined with alcohol. This is because the caffeine in Red Bull masks the effects of alcohol. It makes you feel less intoxicated. However, you will still experience other alcohol-related impairments as study suggests.
This can have devastating effects on life. For example, young adults who drink alcohol and energy drinks together might decide to drive because they feel okay. However, they could still experience serious alcohol-related injuries compared to drinking only alcohol. Even then, a regular intake of Red Bull by young adults might lead to them having an increased alcohol dependence and drug abuse.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that everyone who drinks Red Bull will experience high-risk behaviour. However, it is important to understand the risks of something before engaging in it. This is especially true for young adults and alcohol consumption.
6. Caffeine Overdose or Toxicity
The recommended daily intake of caffeine is not more than 400mg a day. Of course, this varies from individual to individual. A small can (260ml) of Red Bull contains 75 mg of caffeine. Drinking over 5 cans a day can result in a caffeine overdose. Caffeine’s average half-life in the blood falls between 1.5–9.5 hours.
This means it could take up to 9.5 hours for the caffeine in your blood to drop to half of its original amount. This makes it difficult to determine how much Red Bull can lead to a caffeine overdose. Studies show that adolescents or anyone under the age of 19 may experience a greater risk of caffeine-related side effects.
The current caffeine recommendations for children advise not more than 100mg of caffeine a day. This applies specifically to children between the ages of 12-19. Therefore, children should not drink more than a small can of Red Bull as it could increase the possibility of caffeine overdose in this age bracket. It would be even better not to give children energy drinks at all. The following symptoms fall under caffeine overdose and toxicity:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Rapid heart rate
- Sleeping issues
- Dizziness
- Seizures
Effects of Mixing Energy Drinks and Alcohol
The practice of mixing caffeine and alcohol together contributes to ‘wide awake drunks.’ The depressant effect of alcohol and the stimulant effects of caffeine cancel each other out when combined. This means the person will be just as intoxicated but with energy. Bear in mind that drinking caffeine with alcohol will not reduce your blood alcohol levels.
It is advisable not to do this because the consumer is less likely to acknowledge the effects of alcohol in their body. They might not even be able to tell if they are drunk. This could lead them to drink past their limit and maybe even pass out from intoxication. This could also lead to them engaging in risky behaviours such as drunk driving, binge drinking, or leaving with strangers.
Summing Up
So, is red bull alcohol? No. Red Bull does not have any alcohol in its formula. You should avoid mixing any sort of energy drink with alcohol. Avoiding it will help you to stay away from dangerous situations or risky behaviour that could endanger your life.
As an energy drink, Red Bull is great. It’s quite a popular energy drink. People drink it to focus on their studies, gaming, or working through the night. And like all good or bad things, consume it in moderation.
References
- Nathalie Charrière, Erik K Grasser, October 2014; The thermic effect of sugar-free Red Bull: do the non-caffeine bioactive ingredients in energy drinks play a role? - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25294090/
- David E Lanfear, Vishnu Prabhu Dhanapal, April 2009; Effect of "energy drink" consumption on hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters in healthy young adults - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19299320/
- Muhammad A Mangi, Hiba Rehman, June 2017; Energy Drinks and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Review of Current Literature - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5501707/
