Is Red Bull a Bunch of Bull?

So lately I've been interested to know what Red Bull is made of. Especially since I've been drinking a ton of it. First of all I think it tastes sort of gross, but it does seem to give me that "kick in the pants" punch I need when I'm feeling rather lethargic.

So aside from the taste lets mention some positive aspects of the "Bull".

1) Caffeine - "Friend or Foe?" Well, that depends on how you look at it. If you compare several other energy drinks side-by-side you'll notice that the caffeine content in Red Bull is about 10% less than your average pick me up. And having personally tried several of these other energy drinks, why is it that Red Bull gives me a bigger boost than the other ones especially if it is less caffeinated?

Caffeine is known as a Xanthine derivative (not that this is relevant or anything). It is sometimes use in Newborns who have difficult breathing. It increases the respiratory rate and dilates the bronchioles allowing air to move in and out more easily. Although, I don't believe it's used all to often in the medical setting today.

Caffeine also acts as a diuretic, so get ready to use the bathroom multiple times. This can decrease the intravascular volume of your body leading to a compensatory increase in heart-rate in order to maintain proper cardiac output.....blah.....blah.....blah. So in other words, you need to drink plenty of water with your caffeine intake to avoid dehydration.

2) Niacin - "What the freak is this?" It's one the B Vitamins, namely Vitamin B3, that provide our body with the necessary components to produce ATP (energy). I can't quite remember, but I believe they act as co-transport mechanisms in the Kreb's cycle. Working in health care I've seen patients take Niacin tablets in high doses and got curious as to why they needed it. Niacin actually lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body to help prevent further decompensation of the cardiovascular system. You know that new drug commercial on TV now called "Niaspan". Yeah, that's just niacin in an extended release form so just pick some up at GNC instead.

3) Inositol - "Ino-What?" Exactly! It's some kind of vitamin/nutrient/sugar substance found in our daily diet. It also helps to lower cholesterol and lipids in the body. However, it is more known for it's mental health benefits. Studies have shown that clients suffering from OCD, depression, and ADHD improved in their mood and ability to focus. This would probably fall into the category of complementary therapies instead of alternative therapies.

4) Vitamin B6-"Another B?" in the nutrition facts this is what Red Bull is mostly comprised of. An actual definition from drugs.com is "...functions as a coenzyme in amino acid, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism." COENZYME!! That's what it's called! Not co-transport mechanism; Duh! All of these B vitamins play a different role in the metabolism of our food in order to provide our body with energy.

5) Other interesting stuff - One of my teachers this past semester suggested on taking a B-Complex vitamin. Not only does it have a ton of B vitamins, but it also contains other stuff like Vit. C, Iron, Folate, etc... She also mentioned that by taking a B complex vitamin daily, your chances of catching a cold would be less.

During stressful times in your life (such as school) your body can go into flight or fight response mode. This comes from your sympathetic nervous system response to stress. O.K. bare with me for a sec, I'm trying squeeze all of this out of my long-memory box. Alright....back on track here....so....stress = flight or fight = release of catecholamines (epinephrine/norepinephrine) from your adrenal glands. Something else is also released from your adrenal glands during times of stress and that is Cortisol. Cortisol (glucocorticoid) does several good things, but also has a few bad ones when secreted in excess. It lowers your immune system defenses and raises blood-sugar levels. This is way your more likely to get sick (e.g. like during finals week!). Cortisol is also a fat-storing hormone that mostly causes fat to accumulate around the mid-section. Think of someone you know who might be high-strung all the time. They might be heavy in the middle will skinny extremities. This actually can be a disease (not caused by stressing out too much) called hypercorticolism or Cushing's Syndrome.

The B Vitamins actually help suppress the release of Cortisol thereby keeping your immune system defenses up and alert.

So, there's liquid B vitamins with the caffeine or simply just take a B Complex tablet. Either way you'll stay healthy with lots more energy!