Red Bull gives you wings, but what else?

Red Bull Logo
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For those early mornings, long days, and late night study sessions, many people look to their beverages for that much needed energy rush. Some drink coffee, others drink soda, and many of us now turn to the popular energy drink: Red Bull. We’ve all heard “Red Bull gives you wings”, but how long can you “fly” and what happens when you crash?

What Red Bull Does
The purpose of Red Bull is to help improve concentration, increase alertness, and to decrease tiredness and fatigue. The energy high from Redbull Typical lasts for a couple of hours before the effects wear off. The main ingredient in Red Bull

Can of Red Bull
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isn’t sugar or caffeine, as most people think, but the compound taurine (about 1000mg).  Taurine is an essential compound in our body, found in bile salt and used in brain function. However, despite being found in large quantities in almost all energy drinks, there has been no evidence that taurine is an energy-driver.

Side Effects

1. Possible Weight Gain.
A normal 8.3 ounce can of Red Bull contains 27 grams of sugar. The drink is designed to give a person energy, but if that energy is being used to sit around and being inactive, the extra carbs and calories from the sugar aren’t burned off.

2. Cardiovascular Risks.
The caffeine in Red Bull can lead to an increase in blood pressure. By putting stress and strain on the heart due to increased pressure, a person may experience heart palpitations and irregular rhythms. Energy drinks have also been associated with an increased risk of heart attacks as well.

3. Anxiety.
A typical can of Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine. Having a couple of Red Bulls would result in excessive amounts of caffeine consumption; this ultimately can produce anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia.

Overall, the effects of Red Bull varies between each individual. Some people may find Red Bull very effective at providing that crucial energy rush, while others

Red Bull gives you wings
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may not. Just as some may feel the side effects of the energy drink in half a can, while others are able to drink several cans with no negative effects. The important thing to keep in mind is to try and moderate the the consumption of Red Bull, as too much caffeine and sugar can produce harmful side effects. It really comes down to your personal preference and how it reacts with your body. It might “give you wings”, but just know, those wings might come with a price.