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Red Bull & Vodka gives you wings ... and death?
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Upon inquiry, bartender after bartender of various L.A. hot spots informed me that Vodka Red Bull is one of their most requested drinks. In fact, Vodka Red Bulls are major among 18 - 30 year olds in the United States, Australia and Europe.
Launched in the 1980's, unlike many trends, Red Bull's popularity has not led to its demise. With 906 gallons of energy drinks consumed in 2006, 250 versions in the U.S. market alone, sponsorships, celebrity endorsements, and ad space in various magazines, energy drinks are a staple of pop culture.
Energy drinks have infiltrated vending machines, gas stations, kiosks and grocery aisles. Although widely available, the question remains: Is Red Bull (a stimulant) mixed with vodka (a depressant) safe to consume?
On Aug 14 Reuters published an article confirming long-running concerns regarding these highly-caffeinated beverages. According to Reuters: Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young people.
The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them "wings", caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
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Red Bull could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly lifting the risk of blood clotting.
Preceding Reuters' August 2008 report, in 2001 Red Bull had made headlines with the death of three people who drunk it. Two of the people who had died mixed Red Bull with vodka; the third had died after drinking the beverage after a gym workout. In conclusion, there was no proof that the popular drink caused their deaths. As a result of insufficient evidence, should one assume that Red Bull had no relation to these tragedies?
Eric Morris, 26, had one Vodka Red Bull shot after another (possibly 25 within 30 minutes) at a Seffner Florida nightclub before he had died on June 24. Morris was told the shots were "cherry bombs" when they were a combination of cherry-flavored vodka with Red Bull.
Some energy drinks contain as much caffeine as 14 cans of Coca-Cola and have no warning labels mentioning potential health risks. Caffeine intoxication causes nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, rapid heartbeats, agitation and in very rare cases, death. Some experts warn that energy drink consumption may lead to caffeine dependency.
Occasionally marketed to teens, energy drinks are also available in a variety of flavors such as chocolate and fruit. For 16-year-old Ashley Ramnauth, precautionary warnings may have kept her alive. Ramnauth's family had alleged that she had died after consuming "energy drinks and alcohol in combination" at a party. Ramnauth was a straight-A honor student in the Palm Beach County School District.
The combination of Red Bull and vodka affects heart rate and function, which can lead to cardiac arrest. Energy drinks also allow people to drink without realizing the effect of the alcohol, delaying signs of intoxication. That being said, it's not difficult to comprehend why so many enjoy Vodka Red Bulls. But please drink in moderation, with caution, and preferably, maybe it's time to clip your wings and order something else, even if that sounds like a downer.
Canada requires warning labels alerting against use by children, pregnant women, or use with alcohol.
In the United States there are no regulations on the consumption of these drinks.
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