What are the risks of red bull or other energy drinks that are now so popular?
The drinks seem to be much better than munching energy bars (less calories). But are their any health hazards? Every stimulant – alcohol, nicotine, bin lan – has some sort of downside.
Any thoughts on the downside to red bull?
I know that in Thailand red bull is partly responsible for a huge number of traffic fatalities, as truck drivers guzzle the stuff so they can keep trucking.
Thanks! 
Only if mixed with alcohol and party drugs … or any drug …
Caffine overdose mostly.
And caffine addiction.
[quote=“ac_dropout”]Caffine overdose mostly.
Add caffine addiction.[/quote]But are there any negative effects ?
Stunted growth and excessive facial hair.
I’d think one major negative side effect would be cardiac arrest due to dehydration. I’m sure there must be some literature out there to back this up and I’ll post it when I find it.
Like alcohol, you have to drink water in between otherwise you’re expending all this energy on dancing/raving around, sweating, and increased heart rate. But when you’re on that high, you want more red bull, not water!
I’ve had it a few times and I don’t feel any different than my usual jumpy self, so it doesn’t affect everyone as badly as it does some people who reach a high then crash pathetically.
Someone was telling me this week about a friend who had suffered some kind of major organ failure specifically from too much Red Bull. But that’s third-hand and vague, so pay it no heed.
An interesting alternative though might be the “______-in” drinks they have in convenience stores now. I’ve tried the “vitamin-in” and “energy-in” drinks on days I didn’t have time to eat, and they were pretty effective (and palatable, just about). They’re kind of a jelly thing – you put your mouth on the tube and squeeze the foil bag.
Mmm.
Those things are great. They make me feel like an astronaut!
They make you think you’re smarter, better looking, more interesting, a better conversationalist and richer than you actually are…oh…wait a minute…thats cocaine…never mind.
thanks for all the helpful insights, I’m already addicted to coffee, so seems red bull, qua, red bull probably isnt too bad. 
Some studies on energy drinks.
Mostly the warning is drinking alcohol and energy drinks. The drink will make you feel less drunk and less sleepy, but in fact you’re impaired just the same. Red Bull says that the effects come entirely from the alcohol, and that they advise that you never drink alcohol and drive. Red Bull also said that Red Bull without alcohol increases your alertness and reaction time if you’re driving a vehicle.