Is Red Bull Really Bad for You?

Let me start by confessing that I am a Red Bull consumer. I have to admit, I probably don't drink it as often or frequently as the next guy -- but I have been know to gulp down a can before a test to make sure I am alert and able to focus better. With that said, when I started hearing different accounts of people dying because they drank too much Red Bull, it made me wonder if Red Bull really was to blame.

It has been said that Red Bull contains a lot of caffeine -- about a coffee's cup worth. I thought that was strange thing to observe since Starbucks is selling its caffeinated coffee in larger sizes than the Red Bull can (a little over 8 ounces). Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine which is almost twice as high as a can of pepsi (44 mg). In any case, the caffeine has been declared unhealthy for pregnant women because it can induce a miscarriage. This makes sense as most caffeinated products are told to be left out of a pregnant woman's body.

I am sure, just as many of you reading this, have heard of Taurine. What is it exactly? Well, different sources call it different things. Many researchers refer to it as an amino acid while others say it is missing an important component for it to be considered an amino acid. Our body does produce Taurine moreso when our mind is developing initially. Once the development stage is almost completes or levels off, the Taurine production drops dramatically. I am not a scientist or a medical research by any means. I am reiterating statements and explanations from other sources indicating what exactly Taurine is. It seems that in high concentrated doses, Taurine can be harmful to your body. I have found many contradictory explanations for what Taurine actually does to your body in high doses.

There is much controversy as to whether Red Bull is harmful or beneficial for your body.

Credit: Ruaridh Stewart/Zuma/Corbis

Copyright: Ruaridh Stewart/Zuma/Corbis