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Red Bull’s French Controversy: Revealing the Untold Story

Red Bull’s French Controversy: Revealing the Untold Story

Red Bull getting banned in France sure raised some eyebrows. But to cut to the chase, the banning of Red Bull by the French government was mainly due to concerns regarding health issues.

Red Bull is no stranger to the energy drink industry. Known to many as the brand behind the high-risk adventures of extreme sports and most notably their slogan “Red Bull gives you wings.”

In fact, Red Bull’s repertoire extends beyond energy drinks to all sorts of extreme sports events such as the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.

Moreover, Red Bull is also known for its celebrity endorsements.

Their unique marketing approach has managed to solidify their status in the energy drink hall of fame as the best energy drink of all time.

In 2019, Red Bull now owns the highest market share amongst all energy drinks in the world with over 11 Billion cans sold worldwide each year.

Amidst all this success why was Red Bull banned in France? Find out as I unravel the truth about this in this article.

Red Bull getting banned

Dubbed the “clubbers drink,” Red Bull was often mixed with vodka and criticised due to its high levels of caffeine and taurine.

The active ingredient taurine in Red Bull raised concerns amongst health officials in France who feared that it could increase heart rates to unsafe levels.

Red Bull and its high caffeine levels are also linked to increasing the risk of miscarriage among pregnant women.

The popular energy drink that everyone has grown to know and love was also linked to several deaths.

Ross Cooney after consuming three cans of Red Bull died of sudden adult death syndrome during a basketball match.

It was these types of concerns that led the French to Ban the Bull.

What countries have banned Red Bull?

Besides France, Denmark and Norway are also on the list of countries that have banned Red Bull.

The ban stems from similar concerns in regard to the health issues surrounding Red Bull and its ingredients.

Is Red Bull legal in France now?

Yes, after a seemingly dreadful 12-year ban, the French have now legalised Red Bull and it is now being sold. Until 2008, only a toned-down version of the drink, containing no taurine was sold in France. 

The ban was lifted in 2008 due to the absence of proof that Red Bull is harmful. European Union’s regulations state that unless proven harmful, products made in the EU can’t be prohibited in any member country- including France.

Despite being legalised, the former French health minister Roselyne Bachelot remains sceptical about Red Bull’s safety. Red Bull was to be kept under close observation.

Red Bull was asked to include its negative side effects on the packaging of its products. This was intended to inform the public of the potential dangers of misuse or overconsumption.

What is Red Bull made of?

Each serving of 8.4 fl. oz contains:

IngredientsAmount
Caffeine80 mg
Glucuronolactone600 mg
Niacin (Vitamin B3)5.1 µg 
Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)5.1 µg 
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)5 mg 
Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)5.1 µg
Red Bull Nutrition Summary

Not to mention, small amounts of:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Sucrose
  • Glucose
  • Citric Acid
  • Taurine
  • Sodium Bicarbonate
  • Magnesium Carbonate
  • Caffeine
  • Pyridoxine HCL
  • Natural and Artificial Flavours and Colours
Red Bull Energy Nutrition Facts on the back of the can.

Is Red Bull safe?

Despite many articles stating that the high levels of caffeine and acidity in Red Bull can be detrimental to your health, there isn’t enough evidence to prove that Red Bull is indeed harmful.

However, drinking excessive amounts of Red Bull can be detrimental to your health due to its high caffeine and sugar content.

Nevertheless, it’s always in your best interest to keep an eye on your consumption and only consume Red Bull in moderation.

Watch this video explaining how much caffeine is bad for your health.

What are the side effects of drinking Red Bull?

Just like many other energy drinks, Red Bull will definitely give you the energy boost you need. However, Red Bull states that its product is able to give you a boost in energy and also focus.

There have been articles stating Red Bull also causes:

  • weight gain which might lead to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes
  • insomnia
  • chronic conditions such as tooth decay, osteoporosis, and heart arrhythmia

Is Red Bull worse for you than coffee?

The caffeine content in both Red Bull and a cup of coffee is well below the daily limit and neither seems to pose a threat to your general health. It all boils down to one key ingredient… taurine!

Yes, that’s right! A can of Red Bull contains taurine whereas coffee does not. There is no research suggesting that consuming taurine has any negative long-term effects.

Aside from taurine, a can of Red Bull also contains a bunch of B vitamins that coffee does not. Coffee sometimes comes with sugar and creamers, but if drank black with no sugar there’s no denying that coffee can have considerable health benefits.

Read more about Red Bull vs coffee in my other article here.

Have other questions about Red Bull?

I’ve put together this epic Red Bull resource directory where you’ll find everything you ever want to know about the Red Bull energy drink.

What is taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body and is an important component in the body’s metabolic processes. Taurine is mostly present in parts of the brain, eyes, heart, and blood cells.

The human body is capable of producing taurine naturally.

Taurine is also found in foods such as meat, fish, and dairy. Certain processed vegetarian foods contain taurine but it is highly unlikely that they will be sufficient for your daily taurine needs.

You will find taurine being labelled or referred to as a “conditional amino acid” which means that it can be created by the body.

On the other hand, what is known as “essential amino acids”, cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained from external sources like food.

Does the taurine in Red Bull come from bull semen?

No.

The common misunderstanding seemingly stems from the fact that the name taurine is obtained from the Latin word “Taurus”, meaning bull.

It might seem hard to swallow (ahem!), but taurine was once extracted from bull semen. The practice of extracting taurine from bull semen has now been discontinued as it is now being synthetically manufactured.

It’s worth noting that taurine derived from bull semen has never been included in any energy drink (to my knowledge). The taurine found in energy drinks all over the world (including Red Bull and REIZE) is synthesized in a lab.

It is done by using sulphurous acid to chemically react with aziridine to produce taurine. Taurine can also be synthesized through a series of chemical reactions.

Is taurine safe to consume?

There have been articles stating that taurine is indeed safe for consumption and has a lot of benefits.

Most notably known for:

  • improving athletic performance
  • aiding patients with periodontal disease

Taurine is also known to:

  • possibly reduce metabolic syndrome
  • potentially helps to reduce the downsides of Parkinson’s
  • possibly helps reduce cardiovascular diseases

At the moment taurine is considered to be generally safe by Intertek Scientific and Regulatory Consultancy for use in enhanced water beverages.

What is the purpose of including taurine?

When paired with caffeine, taurine is said to be able to help to improve athletic and mental performance.

It is mainly also used to treat:

  • congestive heart failure (CHF)
  • liver disease (hepatitis)

How much taurine can I take?

A taurine dosage of 300 to 500 mg is generally considered safe to consume daily.

However, there isn’t much information regarding at what dosage levels taurine would be considered potentially lethal.

Where to buy Red Bull?

Red Bull is readily available almost everywhere on the planet.

However, I prefer to buy almost everything online, so I recommend taking a look around on a few different sites if you’re considering grabbing some of the world’s most famous energy drinks anytime soon.

Alternatives to Red Bull Energy Drink

If you’re looking for great alternatives to Red Bull to give you the kick you need (and aren’t banned in France!), there are a few great brands you can try:

If you’re interested to see how Red Bull sizes up against Monster, check out my other article.

You could also consider caffeine pills if you’re looking for something quick and easy. Make it Mio by Kraft is also worth considering. 

If you’re thinking about trying something new like powdered energy drinks, you can consider these:

REIZE (10 out of 10)

Give REIZE a try today!

Energy drink powders are overall cheaper and give you the exact same energy kick that you’ll get from many other energy drinks!

Check REIZE out for an energy powder drink that’s lower in caffeine, but still rich in taurine and vitamins which is good for your overall health.

REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink, which is a lot cheaper than Red Bull.

Give REIZE a try today!

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