Red Bull is a sugar-sweetened and caffeinated energy drink. When consumed excessively, it can affect your body negatively.
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It is crucial to consume Red Bull in wise moderation. Red Bull provides a boost of energy and alertness, but it will also cause short and long-term side effects, especially when consumed in large amounts over a long time or consumed with alcohol.
For your information, one small can of Red Bull (260ml) contains:
Calories: 112
Protein: 1.2 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 27 grams
Sugar: 27 grams
Caffeine: 75 mg
Let’s take a look at the side effects of Red Bull:
1. Jitters
Jitters happen when high levels of caffeine in Red Bull cause you to experience a sudden rush of intense energy that can make you feel a bit shaky.
The recommended maximum limit for caffeine intake per day for adults is 400mg. Thus, drinking 5 Red Bull cans a day will increase your risk of a caffeine overdose.
2. Migraine
When your body is so used to taking a certain amount of caffeine, withdrawing from it will give you a headache. Thus, regular red bull drinkers will likely get frequent migraines due to their dependence on caffeine.
3. Insomnia
Too much caffeine intake will cause difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep.
4. Weight gain
Red Bull contains a lot of sugar. Sugary drinks contain a large number of calories, and thus this will cause weight gain and obesity.
5. Excess sugar
Since Red Bull is high in sugar to support its energy-boosting effects, it may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes when taken in excess.
6. Damage your teeth
Red Bull is acidic. Hence, consuming it too often will cause damage to your tooth enamel. Some studies even have stated that energy drinks are more harmful to your teeth than soft drinks.
7. High-risk behaviour
This side effect is more likely to happen when drinking Red Bull combined with alcohol. When taken together, the caffeine in Red Bull can mask the effects of alcohol, making you feel less intoxicated while still undergoing alcohol-related consequences.
8. Withdrawal symptoms
As you consume Red Bull more and more, this can lead to withdrawal symptoms when you don’t get your caffeine intake for the day. The withdrawal symptoms will cause headaches or even feeling nervous or shaky when you don’t regularly consume it.
9. Interrupts neural communication
Consuming uncontrolled amounts of glucose in the form of refined sugars will disrupt neural communication. It may not just affect your memory but also other cognitive functions like attention span.
10. Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Some studies have shown that one can of Red Bull (355ml) significantly increases blood pressure and heart rate levels within 90 minutes and up to 24 hours after consumption in healthy adults.
Moderate and occasional intake of Red Bull is unlikely to cause serious heart problems in healthy adults. Still, excess consumption of Red Bull, particularly in younger people, has been linked to abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, and even death.
If you have high blood pressure or any pre-existing heart conditions, you should avoid drinking energy drinks.
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