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Black_Power
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Posted: Wednesday January 17th, 2007 20:36 |
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Energy drinks such as Red Bull have become popular in the UK as a quick energy boost or as an alcohol mixer.
But some experts claim these high energy cocktails come at a price to our health and even say they should be banned. We take a look at the arguments for and against energy drinks.
According to the slogan, Red Bull gives you wings. But what else exactly does Red Bull and other energy drinks provide? Questions have been raised over the safety of energy drinks ever since we learned of their caffeine content. And despite claims to improve performance, stimulate the metabolism and increase concentration, the sale of Red Bull is not permitted in Denmark, Norway, France and Uruguay. So why is it, and other energy drinks, so readily available in Britain?
International flavour
There’s no underestimating the success of Red Bull. In 2005 more than 2.5 billion cans of the high-energy potion, dubbed “the Porsche of soft drinks�, was consumed in over 130 countries. Despite these impressive stats, doubts have been raised by some health experts over whether the drink is safe.
Fuelling speculation are reports of a Red Bull ‘ban’ in a handful of countries. “Red Bull has not been banned in any country,� says a company spokesperson. “There are places where it has not been authorised yet. It takes a lot of time to get a new product with special ingredients in a complex composition through all the official channels."
It should also be noted that Red Bull isn’t the only product that has struggled to find its way onto shelves in these countries. For example, France has even refused to authorise some vitamin-fortified cereals made by Kellogg’s.
A load of Red Bull?
Critics of the drink frequently point towards Red Bull's caffeine content and just recently it was linked to the death of an 18-year-old Irish basketball player who died after apparently sharing four cans of the drink with his friends. However, one can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine - the same as an average cup of coffee, and an inquest ruled that the boy's death was caused by sudden adult death syndrome.
In 2001 the Swedish National Food Administration issued a precautionary public warning about Red Bull following the deaths of three people who were thought to have consumed the drink shortly before dying.
“No authority has ever discovered or proven an unhealthy effect in or from Red Bull,� says the company spokesman. “We could only have such global sales because health authorities have concluded it is safe to consume. No one has ever shown a link between Red Bull and harmful effects.�
After independent scientific research, Britain’s Food Standards Agency believes energy drinks such as Red Bull are as safe as any other drinks for adults to consume in moderation.
“Red Bull has been authorised in the UK because it has been proven to be safe,� says Richard Laming from the British Soft Drinks Association. “The label states that it is high in caffeine and we always advise every kind of food and drink should be consumed within the context of a balanced diet."
Caffeine cocktail
“The bottom line is Red Bull’s caffeine content,� says Dr Frankie Phillips from the British Dietetic Association. “There are concerns over the effect high intakes of caffeine can have on people who are sensitive to it,� she says.
“An energy drink such as Red Bull could affect your heart rate, blood pressure and mood if you are caffeine-sensitive. Therefore caffeinated drinks could be potentially dangerous for these people."
“Caffeine can interrupt sleep patterns and a lack of good quality rest can impact on your overall well-being too,� she continues. “Red Bull also has a high calorie content and very little nutritional value."
Another issue with Red Bull is its “kick-start� cocktail of caffeine with taurine – a naturally occurring amino acid – and a carbohydrate called glucuronolactone. “No one knows what impact the combination of these three components can have on the body,� says Dr Phillips. “Individually caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone are safe but it is unclear if they can have a different reaction when combined together."
However, in 2001, the Food Standards Agency concluded: “There is insufficient evidence to enable the setting of upper safe limits for levels of taurine and glucuronolactone in energy drinks or to support a ban on the use of these ingredients�.
The clubber’s choice
Despite being non-alcoholic, energy drinks are popular in clubs as a mixer to keep party animals going all night long. It is cause for concern if clubbers can extend their drinking time with ‘Red Bull cocktails' says Frank Soodeen from Alcohol Concern. “We would be worried if consumers are combining stimulant drinks with alcohol to heighten their drinking experience - especially if this results in drinking more that you would normally be capable of,� he says. One study apparently found mixing alcohol with energy drinks can mask the alcoholic effect. In other words, people can often feel less drunk than they really are.
The spokesman for Red Bull said: “There is no reason why Red Bull, like any other drink, should not be mixed with alcohol, as long as people do not underestimate that alcohol consumption might impair their mental and physical activities. Red Bull is not designed to counteract this. Excessive consumption of alcohol can have adverse effects on human health and behaviour, but it should be clear that this is due to the alcoholic drink – not the mixer.�
Should you or shouldn’t you?
Red Bull is the first to admit that this isn’t a drink for the caffeine sensitive. Pregnant women and children would also be wise to stay clear. “Because of the high sugar content and acidity in fizzy energy drinks dieticians would not recommend them,� says Dr Phillips.
“There isn’t a recommended daily amount for caffeine as you can live perfectly well without it. If you usually drink tea or coffee without any problems then it should be safe to have the occasional energy drink."
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defyfear
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Posted: Friday January 19th, 2007 03:27 |
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Red Bull has artificial flavors. Those artificial flavors can be from anywhere.
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