Red Bull does it for me (Red Bull)

Member Name: becktheone

Product:	Red Bull
Date:	22/09/08 (104 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Improves concentration

Disadvantages: Possible health risks

Of all the energy drinks on the market, Red Bull is probably the one that first springs to the mind of most people. For those who haven't tried Red Bull, and put simply, it is a high-caffeine energy drink which is intended for periods where high mental or physical performance is expected. Put even more simply, it's supposed to keep you awake and alert.

I do like Red Bull and I mostly drink it before I have university exams, presentations, etc, as many of these are timetabled for the early morning and I find it hard to wake up! I do like the taste and I've had it with a few alcoholic beverages but because of the strength of the caffeine and alcohol combined, I've only ever had one drink mixed with Red Bull during a night and then drank normal drinks after that. I wouldn't recommend drinking more than one with alcohol.

I do like the fact that Red Bull can be used as a mixer for various spirits - my favourite being Jagermeister and Red Bull, but there are other popular drinks such as the "VodBull".

There have been health concerns about the safety of Red Bull, and whilst I don't let this interfere with me drinking the stuff, I don't think this would be a fair review if I didn't mention it. There have been studies into the effects of just one can of Red Bull. According to a study by cardiovascular researchers , having only one can can increase the chances of a heart attack or even a stroke. This might be frightening, but you do hear of studies like these every day in the papers. Personally, I would be more worried if I drank many cans of Red Bull, but as I only have the occasional one.

The packaging is quite smart, and is as demonstrated as per the dooyoo image above. It is quite nice to hold in the hand - longer and thinner than your average coke can.

One minor thing I did notice an hour or so after drinking Red Bull was that it left a slightly bitter, dry taste in my mouth, which was not nice at all, although I brushed my teeth after noticing this and the taste went away. The immediate taste however is great, but this is obviously personal opinion.

Overall: It does wake me up a little and improves my concentration. I've drunk two cans before an exam having stayed up the entire night before studying for it, and didn't feel tired until I had finished the exam and collapsed into bed afterwards! However, I'd suggest if you haven't tried Red Bull, do try it - one can isn't going to kill you and if you don't like the taste or feel the effects, you could just stick to tea or coffee!

Summary: A tasty drink which does wake you up, but some might be worried by health concerns