Red Bull is a carbonated energy drink and also one of the most recognizable energy drink brands in the world.
It was created by an Austrian businessman, based on an existing energy drink in Thailand, called Krating Daeng, named after a type of bull in Asia.
The Red Bull company slogan is ‘Red Bull gives you wings‘, and this has led people to associate Red Bull with things such as extreme sports and activities.
Although Red Bull has a good reputation and is not as strong as other energy drinks such as Monster or Bang, it is still advised that this should be consumed in moderation.
Red Bull contains 110 calories in total, 80mg of caffeine, and 27g of sugar (glucose and sucrose).
Where is the Red Bull energy drink made?
Red Bull Energy is made in Austria.
The company that makes it is Red Bull GmBH, which was created in 1987. This company also sponsors extreme sports events such as Red Bull Cliff Diving series, and Red Bull Air Race, as well as Formula One racing teams like Red Bull Racing.
Interestingly, in Southeast Asia, the original Krating Daeng drink still exists, and it also markets itself as “Red Bull” (although with completely different packaging and flavor), which causes some confusion for some people in that part of the world.
Red Bull Energy Drink Ingredients
Red Bull contains the following main components:
- 110 calories
- 28g carbohydrates / 8.4 fl. oz
- 27g sugars
- 80mg of caffeine / 8.4 fl. oz
- Niacin (100% of the recommended daily intake)
- Vitamin B6 (250% of the recommended daily intake)
- Vitamin B12 (80% of the recommended daily intake)
- Pantothenic Acid (50% of the recommended daily intake)
There are also trace amounts of:
- Carbonated Water
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Citric Acid
- Taurine
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Caffeine
- Niacinamide
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Pyridoxine HCl
- Vitamin B12
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Colors
Interestingly, Red Bull does not specify exactly what these ‘natural and artificial flavors’ are, so I’m not quite sure what gives its distinctive flavor and taste.
Unlike other energy drinks on the market, there seem to be no artificial sugars or preservatives in Red Bull, which is really quite a positive thing.
Watch the video below to know what’s exactly in Red Bull.
Red Bull Energy Drink Flavors
These are the flavors that are currently in circulation (note, not all these flavors are available in every country):
- Original (amber)
- Sugar-free (reduced calories)
- Total Zero (no calories)
- Red (cranberry)
- Ruby/Red (grapefruit)
- Blue (blueberry)
- Yellow/Tropical (tropical fruit)
- Orange/Mandarin (mandarin/orange/orange-kumkvat)
- Green/Kiwi (kiwi-apple)
- White/Coconut (coconut berry/acai)
- Peach (peach-nectarine)
- Pear Sugar-Free (pear)
- Lime Sugar-Free (lime)
- Purple/Acai Sugar-Free (açai)
- Purple/Acai (acai berry)
- Lime (lime-lemon)
- Orange Sugar-free (orange)
- Yellow/Tropical Sugar-free (tropical)
- Winter Edition (plum-cinnamon/rumtopf)
- Summer Edition (beach breeze)
Flavors that have been discontinued (but will hopefully be back in the future!):
- Silver/Lime/Green (dry lime)
- Spring Edition (sakura cherry)
- Orange Total Zero (orange)
- Cherry Total Zero (wild cherry)
Red Bull Energy Drink Caffeine Content
Red Bull contains a total of 80mg of caffeine per 8.4 fl. oz.
80mg of caffeine is not actually that much, considering that the daily caffeine limit is 400mg of caffeine. In order to overdose on caffeine while only drinking Red Bull, you would have to drink at least 5 cans. I’m certainly not advising you to do that either.
However, a caffeine overdose is still quite a serious matter, because it comes with a slew of unpleasant side effects, such as:
- anxiety/panic attacks
- dehydration
- diarrhea
- headaches
- jitters
If you’re drinking Red Bull, make sure that you’re aware of how much you’re consuming, and also take note of any other caffeinated substances that you’re consuming alongside it throughout the day.
Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not consume this drink, nor should children under the age of 18. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you should also be aware of how much you’re drinking as well.
If in doubt, check with your doctor.
Red Bull Energy Drink Sugar Content
Red Bull contains a total of 27g of sugar.
The simple sugars glucose and sucrose are used in the Red Bull original, while Red Bull sugar-free uses artificial sweeteners, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium.
While these simple sugars do not have any explicitly bad effects on the body, if taken in excess over a long period of time, can cause you to develop chronic illnesses like diabetes.
As a rule, adult women should only consume 25g of sugar, and adult men only 38g of sugar per day.
This amount includes both naturally occurring sugar in foods, as well as added sugars in things such as energy drinks. For women, this already exceeds the daily sugar limit, while men are very close to it as well, considering that this is not the only thing that will contain sugar in your daily diet.
Red Bull and Alcohol
Red Bull energy drink does not contain any alcohol.
However, Red Bull is often mixed with alcohol to mask the bitter taste and is used as a cocktail mixer as well.
If you do decide to mix this energy drink with alcohol – be safe, and drink in moderation.
What are the side effects of Red Bull?
The following are the side effects of drinking too much Red Bull:
- weight gain
- insomnia
- nervousness
- restlessness
- shaking
- irritability
- fatigue and sugar crashes
- stomach Irritation
- headaches
- chest pains
- vomiting
- increased heart rate
These are more dangerous effects that could happen to your body after drinking energy drinks in general:
- caffeine addiction
- dehydration and weakness
- poor dental health
- kidney stones
- respiratory problems
- miscarriage
- high blood pressure
- kidney failure
- allergic reactions
- caffeine overdose
- niacin overdose
- risk-seeking behavior
- diabetes
I published a more detailed blog post about the potential side effects of energy drinks. Check it out!
How many Red Bulls can I drink in a day?
In the US, Red Bull does not give any guidance on how many cans you can safely drink in a day. But, from a strict caffeine point of view, 5 cans will get you to the 400mg daily limit for caffeine.
Another reason NOT to do that is that if you did, you would have consumed around 5 times the amount of sugar that you really should be having in a single day.
Drinking 5 cans of Red Bull means drinking 42 fl. oz of Red Bull – can you imagine your liver trying to process something filled with that much sugar and caffeine?
Having that much caffeine in your system can also dehydrate you, which might make you want to reach for yet another can – drink some water instead when that happens.
Red Bull does have some ‘healthier’ options, but those also come with their own dangers, such as artificial sugars.
All in all, you’re probably best off sticking to a maximum of 1-2 cans per day. Unless you have a pre-existing health condition, this isn’t likely to cause you any health problems anytime soon.
Is Red Bull good for studying?
According to a recent study, Red Bull can help boost cognitive function and mood effects in young volunteers.
Now, this doesn’t mean that drinking Red Bull will make you smarter, but it will give you more energy to think and perform, which will lead to increasingly better performances in students.
If you’re feeling really tired but you need to power through and study, this might be just the drink to restore you to full power.
But of course, this does not negate all the negative side effects that Red Bull might have on your body – make sure that if you are under 18, you don’t consume this drink at all. If you’re over 18, consume responsibly.
How does Red Bull give you energy?
The three main ingredients that Red Bull uses in order to give you energy are caffeine, sugar, and taurine.
In the US, it is uncertain exactly how much taurine is in a can of Red Bull, but in other parts of the world, a Red Bull claims to contain 1000mg of taurine.
When taurine is combined with the other ingredients, sugar, and caffeine, they come together to give you a significant boost in cognition and physical energy.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system into thinking that you have a lot of energy, while sugars are broken down by the body to release energy as well, which all come together to boost your energy levels as a whole.
Can drinking Red Bull kill you?
Simple answer: No.
If Red Bull was not safe to be on the market, then it would definitely be banned.
In fact, Red Bull is on the safer side of most energy drinks, as it contains a (relatively) moderate amount of caffeine, and doesn’t contain as much sugar as many energy drinks either.
If you’re drinking a single can, then it absolutely will not kill you, and neither will drinking it every day over a short period of time.
Speaking of banning Red Bull, a fun fact, Red Bull was banned in France for a period of time.
How dangerous is Red Bull?
If consumed in excess and over a long period of time, then Red Bull can be potentially dangerous for you.
It’s not so much the drink itself as the ingredients within it – too much caffeine can cause cardiac arrest, and sugar can have long-term bad effects on your life and health.
Moderation is key when consuming Red Bull, because like anything else, if consumed in excess, then it will be detrimental to your health.
Is Red Bull made from bull sperm?
No, absolutely not.
For starters, bull sperm has not been proven to have any health effects, so it wouldn’t be useful to add it in the first place, and secondly, while the name ‘Taurine’ may seem like there are bulls involved, it is absolutely not derived from animals.
Taurine is a synthetic component synthesized in labs, and it is also a naturally occurring amino acid in the human body.
Red Bull Energy Drink Prices
A 12-pack of 8.4 fl. oz Red Bull costs $23.88, which means that a single can cost around $1.99.
That’s quite cheap for an energy drink, but you also have to consider if it’s really giving you your value for money.
However, if you’re health conscious but still want a great energy boost, then try out REIZE, which doesn’t have the sugar that Red Bull has, and is far more affordable, at less than $1 per drink, including shipping.
Where to buy Red Bull Energy?
You can get Red Bull energy drinks almost anywhere in the world.
It can be bought in physical stores in the US, such as in Walmart, Costco, Target, and gas stations all over the place – it’s probably the most widely consumed energy drink, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find.
If you’re looking to buy in bulk online, Amazon might be your best bet, as well as places such as eBay or Energy Drink Outlet, which have different pack deals depending on your individual needs.
Red Bull vs REIZE
Caffeine
Red Bull energy drink contains 80mg of caffeine while REIZE only has 50mg of the stimulant.
Even though REIZE has less caffeine than Red Bull, it makes up for it by having 1000mg of taurine, a naturally occurring amino acid that has been known to produce good, clean energy, without any unpleasant side effects.
REIZE is also jam-packed full of vitamins and also contains ginseng, which Red Bull doesn’t contain.
Sugar
Red Bull contains 27g of sugar while REIZE is completely sugar-free.
REIZE does contain artificial sweeteners, but these have been extensively tested – acesulfame potassium and aspartame, the same ingredients used to sweeten Coke Zero and many other common foods and drinks.
Red Bull Sugarfree also uses these exact same ingredients, so perhaps that version of Red Bull is more similar to REIZE than the original, sugar-filled Red Bull.
Price
For Red Bull, it’s about $1.99 per can, without considering shipping.
REIZE is a lot more affordable, at only around $1 per sachet, which makes an 8.4 fl. oz drink.
In addition to that, REIZE is fully customizable, and you can control how strong or weak each drink is.
If you’re looking for efficiency and ease to carry around, REIZE is a great choice because it comes in small, light, and easy-to-transport packets, and you can even make it on the go.
REIZE is also a lot less sweet, so that will be great for people on diets or wary about consuming too much sugar or too many calories.
Alternatives to Red Bull
If you’re looking for some ready-to-drink energy drinks that are similar to Red Bull, take a look at:
- Monster
- Celsius
- XS
- Rip It
- Bing
- Bang energy (not to be confused with Bing!)
- Guru
- Xyience
- Monster Khaos
- Monster Assault
- Monster Import
If you prefer a cola flavor, you could try Red Bull’s own Cola offering – it contains less caffeine than regular Red Bull.
Powdered energy drinks are also an option, and they tend to be more convenient and also more affordable than a lot of the market’s best energy drinks, but with the same great flavor and efficacy:
REIZE (my personal favorite)
REIZE contains much less caffeine than Red Bull, but it does contain plenty of other great energy-boosting ingredients that are healthy for you, such as 1000mg of taurine.
REIZE is a lot more convenient and versatile since you can add all types of liquids to it – soda, hot water, cold water, flavored juice, it’s up to you.
REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink, more affordable than most of the energy drinks on the market – including Red Bull.
Give REIZE a try today and you might just find that you prefer it to Red Bull.