Q: Is there alcohol in Red Bull?
No, Red Bull does not have alcohol. It is a non-alcoholic beverage. The ingredients in an Original Red Bull are:
Carbonated water, sugar, glucose, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavors, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), magnesium carbonate, colors, caffeine, niacinamide, pyridoxine hcl (vitamin b6), calcium pantothenate, vitamin b12.
Keep in mind that not only is Original Red Bull non-alcoholic but also all other flavors.
Dangers of Alcohol and Energy Drinks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), energy drinks, like Red Bull, can be dangerous when mixed with alcohol. They state that the caffeine can “mask the depressant effects of alcohol”, which makes the drinker feel more alert. This can result in a drinker becoming more intoxicated than they may actually recognize. Additionally, despite misconceptions, energy drinks/caffeine do not have the ability to sober up drinkers or reduce impairment.
The Ban of Caffeinated Alcoholic Drinks
In 2010, an essential ban was placed on caffeinated alcoholic drinks in the U.S. after several cases of alcohol poisoning, deaths, and other similar negative incidents occurred. Most of these incidents involved younger individuals, particularly college students. Toward the end of 2010, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings to four companies who produced caffeinated alcoholic drinks stating that their drinks posed a “public health concern”. As a result, companies that were producing caffeinated alcoholic drinks were required to reformulate their beverages without caffeine or face consequences from the FDA.
Conclusion
Even if Red Bull had the desire to add alcohol to their drinks, their product would not be able to sell in the United States market at this time. While it is likely that some people purchase Red Bull and add their own alcohol to it, there are serious dangers with mixing these two beverages as previously discussed. Be aware that Red Bull is much higher in caffeine compared to a mixer like Coke. This high caffeine level is what contributes to the increase in potential dangers.
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