[MikeM32]

I'm mainly talking about "Red Bull", you know the commercials "Red Bull gives you wings" etc., etc. Well I'm tempted to try one to see what all the hype is about.

Anyone tried these things?

Mike

[Adam Betts]

I tried one before and I fell asleep.

[KellyHogan]

Originally posted by MikeM32:
<STRONG>I'm mainly talking about "Red Bull", you know the commercials "Red Bull gives you wings" etc., etc. Well I'm tempted to try one to see what all the hype is about.

Anyone tried these things?

Mike</STRONG>

I don't mind Red Bull with vodka, but alone all these drinks are a fraud. I was a powerlifter in my late teens and early twenties and during that period I took advice from leading strength athletes and scientists on nutrition and training. Well, the sheer majority of these nutrional supplements and energy drinks are a complete joke. They supply a temporary sugar rush which runs out very quickly. Glucose for example is a simple carbohydrate and not a complex carb. Therefore a drink like Lucozade is just a junkfood, not a sports drink. you actually end up more tired and more thirsty after taking these drinks!

Red Bull and other drinks of their type claim that the amino acid L-Taurine supplies an energy boost. It doesn't. any small amount of amino acid will quickly become irrelevant once digested. Diet Coke used to claim the same thing saying that L-Phenylalanine produced energy. The only way injesting amino acids makes the body more productive is if you take the 8 essential amino acids and all the major 22 amino acids the body needs. The best way to get that is with a well balanced diet. The energy drinks are over priced rubbish.

[cdhostage]

Water and a proper diet will ensure good results in exercise. You haven't mentioned what you do, so I can't tell you about diet.

Runners need carbohydrates.
Lifters needs protein.

Being properly hydrated is more important than the sugar content of your blood. I have never had one of those drinks, so can't comment on the qualities of the proteins or whatever the particular drink emphasizes.

[MikeM32]

Okay maybe people mis-understood me a bit here. What I'm trying to find out is whether or not it really boosts your energy. I mean I have my coffee in the mornings (milk and sugar) and that usually does the trick. You know, do you really feel it? Even if just temporarily?

Mike

[KellyHogan]

Originally posted by MikeM32:
<STRONG>Okay maybe people mis-understood me a bit here. What I'm trying to find out is whether or not it really boosts your energy. I mean I have my coffee in the mornings (milk and sugar) and that usually does the trick. You know, do you really feel it? Even if just temporarily?

Mike</STRONG>

No it won't. If you believe it does and it does then that is a placebo effect. I believe a temporary fit of madness and slapping myself gives me energy and that works better!

[Developer]

Well, they contain caffeine and sugar and that obviously has the usual effect.

I read that the taurine does nothing though.

[ort888]

I tried a Red Bull for the first time today, after being told by a co-worker that it was a pretty good drink.

Blech, it tasted terrible, was only 8 ounces and I didn't feel any sort of energy boost. A big waste of 2 bucks. It tastes like flat, sour big red soda.

[KellyHogan]

Originally posted by ort888:
<STRONG>I tried a Red Bull for the first time today, after being told by a co-worker that it was a pretty good drink.

Blech, it tasted terrible, was only 8 ounces and I didn't feel any sort of energy boost. A big waste of 2 bucks. It tastes like flat, sour big red soda.</STRONG>

You should try that Malt **** then. Does anyone here like Marmyte?

[Justin W. Williams]

Just pop a few Xenadrine pills throughout the day. Those give you energy, and help you burn fat!

[Cellery]

Red Bull is all the rage here on this college campus, and I tried one at a party not too long ago. As a drink mixer it's not bad, but alone it's terrible. Expensive for such a small can too. I don't get much of an energy boost from it, drinking a couple of cans of Mountain Dew has the same effect. That plus the Dew tastes better, is 4 times cheaper, more refreshing, and you get 4 more ounces of it. Don't waste your money.

[Gene Jockey]

Yeah, my friend brought some up when he visited last year. I was tired after a long night of being out, and he was all enthused about this Red Bull stuff, he said just have some and I'll be boosted right awake...I fell asleep shortly after drinking it. And it tasted terrible to boot. So I'd stick with coffee if I were you...

--J

[turboSPE]

Originally posted by MikeM32:
<STRONG>Okay maybe people mis-understood me a bit here. What I'm trying to find out is whether or not it really boosts your energy. I mean I have my coffee in the mornings (milk and sugar) and that usually does the trick. You know, do you really feel it? Even if just temporarily?

Mike</STRONG>

Nope. And tastes like cough syrup to boot (not good).

turboSPE

[Cipher13]

I drink V, Lift Plus, Red Bull, etc quite a lot.

All those drinks.

They do nothing to me. Neither do most things, though.

They just taste damn nice.

(The nicest are Burn, Lift Plus, V and Black Stallion, in no particular order).

[voodoo]

I have to say that energy drinks like Red Bull work just fine. They contain caffein and guarana and are about as strong as 2 cups of strong coffee.

It's just that Red Bull tastes like toothpaste.

So maybe it's good in the morning?

Magic is OK, though. Despite it being Swedish

Got me through many exams in high-school.

[KellyHogan]

Guarana doesn't do **** either. You might as well eat a kebab.

[omac]

APPLE juice is yummy...

[phobic]

Red bull has no effect on me, But than again at the time when I tried It I was drinking about 8 cans of coke a day and was still falling asleep before 10:30 at night. About six months ago I was a trip from boston to florida and we were driving straight though without stopping. about 16 hours into the trip we stopped for gas I bought a coffee-cola made by jolt and lo-and-behold I was fast asleep within 30 mins (thank god I wasnt' driving)
I perfer the Snapple energy drinks ( earth and rain are really good) they're cheaper than red bull I think they are 16oz. and taste a hell of alot better, beside it has some sorta juice in it so its got to be better.

[itomato]

Guarana doesn't do anything? Maybe to you.. Guarana is this (from http://www.guarana.com.my/ ):

Guarana contains tetra methylxanthine (as much as 5.8%!), a compound almost identical to caffeine; it also contains large amounts of theophylline, theobromine, tannic acid and is rich in saponins. The fact that Guaran� seed is fatty means that even ground into a powder, it is not readily water soluble and therefore not quickly absorbed by the body. The caffeine is released slowly--over as much as 6 hours--so the energy boost that is experienced from Guaran� is not like that of coffee (with a sudden rush and quick drop-off), but continues to escalate over hours. The tannic acid is astringent and probably accounts for its use as a digestive tonic. The saponin content may be partially responsible for its long term effects (saponins are the agents responsible for the energizing effects of Ginseng when it is taken over long periods). Theobromine and theophylline are two constituents of Guaran� that educated chocoholics will recognize. Theophylline is a stronger stimulant than even caffeine, but it is present in smaller amounts than caffeine.

It may not affect everyone the same way, but it has the chemical makeup to make it possible.

It's not only in Red Bull. 180 (my personal choice) has caffeine, guarana, and lots of B vitamins, which also give you a boost.

As with everything, some folks go for it, some don't.

Xenadrine! Holy hell! That stuff is GREAT! Take 1 and ride your bike 100 miles! Nonstop!

[ringo]

Most are just overpriced coffee replacements for Gen-Y. I've had red bull before, it tastes really nasty but provides a small boost from sugar and caffeine.

I like a soft drink called Battery. Again, just sugar and caffeine (and some other stuff that probably does nothing) but it provides a decent punch without the high price tag.

[deeg]

a temporary hit..great for double vodka's..great for trashing shoes..great for building up profits of clubs that charge �4 a can...

[hytek]

My opinion is to save your money and just start exercising more if you want more energy.

[malvolio]

Here's a real energy drink:
Put double the recommended amount of grounds in your coffee maker. Brew it up.
Fill a large mug with the brew.
Dump in 4 or 5 sugar cubes.
Add a splash of milk to cut the acids.
Add a double shot of vodka (just for fun).
Use this beverage to wash down 2 or 3 prescription methamphetamine tablets (no longer available in the USA, sigh).
That's an energy drink!

[Arty50]

What I don't understand is why someone would ruin perfectly good vodka by adding red bull to it.

[awaspaas]

Originally posted by itomato:
<STRONG>Guarana contains tetra methylxanthine</STRONG>

Tetramethylxanthine? How does that work? Caffeine is trimethylxanthine, and the fourth nitrogen is not available for methylation. Sounds like some herbalist just made that up (they like to pretend they're chemists)

[awaspaas]

*screeeeeeeeech*

(sound of me stopping this thread dead in its tracks... sorry bout that!)

[Miniryu]

Originally posted by hytek:
<STRONG>My opinion is to save your money and just start exercising more if you want more energy.</STRONG>

Dude, the point isn't to feel more enthusiastic about walking up the stairs to class every morning- the guy who asked the original question wanted to know if he could drink a red bull to help him stay up late to finish a paper due the next day or to help wake him in the morning for an early morning meeting.
It amazes me how incredibly far people have their heads up their asses when it comes to the purpose of advertised products. Why was that weight lifter guy trying to compare Red Bull to Gaterade or Cyto-Max?!?! None of these products were designed to do the same thing! I had a friend once who was trying to compare the effectiveness of Rud Bull vs. a Powerbar!! I mean c'mon! Do you see athletes using Red Bull in the T.V. ads?

Look, the products has a ton of caffine and sugar in it. It does exactly what a product loaded with caffine and sugar should do.

[seanyepez]

I used to be a Red Bull junkie. I've since quit, and I haven't had one of those things in a long time.

Before, I would scramble downstairs and grab four or five Red Bulls from the fridge and a glass full of ice and run back upstairs. I would then proceed to clean my mousepad and mouse "skates" to brand-new condition, downing about two Red Bull drinks' worth in the process. By then, I would be pretty buzzed and ready for a Quake III match. Throughout the clan match (Rocket Arena 3), I would down the rest of the Red Bulls to maintain an insane energy level. My clan would win as usual, but right after the match, I would feel like throwing up. Flooding your body with sugar isn't the way to enhance Quake III playing or energy level for anything else.

Exercising and drinking water (and a Coca-Cola or another, less potent brand of energy drink) has boosted my overall energy level, and I'm glad off Red Bull. I would have something like eight of those per day (they sell them at Costco Wholesale). Your body doesn't appreciate it. However, they do work wonders if you're looking for a quick energy boost after procrastinating too long and needing to do an 8-hour assignment in 2 hours.

Getting off Red Bull is terribly difficult. I got incurable headaches. However, it's possible. I suffered a few weeks of low energy levels. Your body really becomes indifferent to the flood of caffiene in its bloodstream; to this date, two or three Cokes won't do anything for me.

[Mac Zealot]

I'm just a pepsi junkie, I drink 5 or 6 cans a day!!!!!

My body is so loaded with caffine it could probably kill someone lol..

Anyhoot, when i play wolfenstein I'd usually carry a pack of candy upstairs, a can of soda, and just bang my keyboard upside down a few times, use some rubbing alcohol to clean my keyboard/mouse, and start a game.

Usually i'd get hyped up, throw a few good airstrikes, and save the game during the last 2 seconds a few times. (One night I got no lower than 50 points in every game for 3 hours!!!)

What more can I say? caffiene helps, but still not worth it.

I always thought redbull was alcohol of some sort, now I know better but I doubt it's the kinda thing i want. I definately need to get off pepsi though

There are also the nights where I'm in the IRC and talk about 20 lines before someone says something.

[KellyHogan]

Actually I have to admit that when I had a PC I typically did a whole litre of Vodka and Red Bull while playing Wolfenstein. A prayer for the drunken soldier.

Athletes take steroids.

[TheJoshu]

Originally posted by Miniryu:
<STRONG>Do you see athletes using Red Bull in the T.V. ads?</STRONG>

Um... nope. I see characters like Einstein, Adam & Eve, and Michelangelo. Uh... flying away into the sky. (Maybe I ought to try that stuff!)

[�]

illegal pills and powders work, but legal stuff like ephedra and guerana can be powerful as well. The drinks you can buy in the shop are useless. They are sweet softdrinks that give you an equal amount of energy like a MARS bar. 2$ wasted.

It's so hypocretic, everyone drinks beer and coffee, everyone smokes cigarettes, but when you eat a pill you are pityful and risk loosing your job.

[IUJHJSDHE]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
<STRONG>I drink V, Lift Plus, Red Bull, etc quite a lot.

All those drinks.

They do nothing to me. Neither do most things, though.

They just taste damn nice.

(The nicest are Burn, Lift Plus, V and Black Stallion, in no particular order).</STRONG>

I like Lift Plus the most, but all they really give you is touth decay and sleepless nights

Originally posted by seanyepez:
<STRONG>I would have something like eight of those per day</STRONG>

Must I bring up the thing I heard about some guy going from a "Grade A student" to a "knife wielding manic" because he had about 8 every day!!!

It was on today tonight or something.

[ 04-16-2002: Message edited by: IUJHJSDHE ]

[voodoo]

Originally posted by Mac Zealot:
<STRONG>I'm just a pepsi junkie, I drink 5 or 6 cans a day!!!!!</STRONG>

Mmmmmm. Pepsi.....

[KellyHogan]

Originally posted by �:
<STRONG>illegal pills and powders work, but legal stuff like ephedra and guerana can be powerful as well. The drinks you can buy in the shop are useless. They are sweet softdrinks that give you an equal amount of energy like a MARS bar. 2$ wasted.

It's so hypocretic, everyone drinks beer and coffee, everyone smokes cigarettes, but when you eat a pill you are pityful and risk loosing your job.</STRONG>

I agree. Women take steroids in the form of the pill. Men should be able to use steroids without any stigma attached too. I know many people, professional athletes, who use large doses. They are not as mad as women on the pill. Far less dangerous. Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates admitted to using steroids because the rest of the competition did too. However, he eventually did hurt his health.

Basically I believe you should be able to injest whatever you want in to your body and that there should not be a black market. Everything should be legalised so that doctor's can observe and supervise you. The same with prostitution (off topic I know) and drugs. Prostitutes should be called 'Sex Surrogates' and should work in a clean and safe environment.

[�]

Thank you Kelly.

Drugs are personal choice though many people are so easily influenced by social pressure that they use too much of it or too little.

Dangerous? People are easily influenced by false advertisements and political propaganda as well.

[IUJHJSDHE]

Originally posted by voodoo:
<STRONG>

Mmmmmm. Pepsi..... </STRONG>

Pepsi!!!

Pepsi is just a weak coke rip off!!!

Oh shlt I have angered Pepsi lovers everywhere

[AlbertWu]

I drink PowerADE just as an alternative to coke... I'm trying to get off of SOMETHING, I dunno what, cause I'm not addicted to caffeine in the first place

It tastes good, but isn't as sharp as coke, so... ya. I like it

[SOLIDAge]

red bull keeps me up
w/ vodka...keeps me up longer
soda just dosn't keep me up anymore

i tried that SOBE adrenaline (sp) before a swim meet once, ya, made me fall asleep

[voodoo]

Originally posted by KellyHogan:
<STRONG>

I agree. Women take steroids in the form of the pill.</STRONG>

I mean this in the most polite way, but you do not know much about molecular biology, do you?

Comparing th pill with anabolic steroids is like comparing black with white. Steroids is a common name over a group of chemical signal carriers in the body. These can activate or shut down specific processes. What they have in common is that they are derived from the same or similar substance.

For instance hormones are very often steroids. The pill is a female hormone derivative.

Cholesterol is a steroid. Aldosteron, progestron and testosteron are steroids too.

So steroids are perfectly legal, just go to your neares MacDonalds and stuff yourself with cholesterol

[ 04-16-2002: Message edited by: voodoo ]

[KellyHogan]

Originally posted by voodoo:
<STRONG>

I mean this in the most polite way, but you do not know much about molecular biology, do you?

[ 04-16-2002: Message edited by: voodoo ]</STRONG>

I do. I had to study pharmacology and bio-chemistry quite a bit as a semi-pro athlete. I'm talking about synthetic hormones. The pill contains estrogen. Women can take this legally regardless of the mood swings it can cause and that it can contribute to the growth of carcinogens. When it comes to men however sythetic testosterone and other derivatives are frowned upon because of stigmas created by the media. There really shouldn't be any difference when it comes to law - both should be administered via a doctor. Both should be legal.

Of course, in athletics there are athletes who do not use any chemical enhancement. In bodybuilding and powerlifting they have sorted this fuss out by having separate 'natural' competitions.

[voodoo]

Well, the reason synthetic hormones are frowned upon when men use them, is purely ignorant.

It must mean people regard hormones = anabolic steroids. Which is not true.

I doubt people in general know what a hormone is (or a steroid for that matter).

But the reason synthetic (or not) anabolic steroids are illegal in many countries is, as you probably know, because they are very dangerous. They kill.

(and when you stop taking them you'll be impotent for some time )

[KellyHogan]

Originally posted by voodoo:
<STRONG>
But the reason synthetic (or not) anabolic steroids are illegal in many countries is, as you probably know, because they are very dangerous. They kill.

(and when you stop taking them you'll be impotent for some time )</STRONG>

That's not totally true. A course of testosterone is given to patients who are weak or old. Also to people who lose strength after accidents. It is also given to treat importence and given to AIDS sufferers to boost their strength and immune system. The female hormone however can make females (and men) impotent. It also causes the growth of cancer cells. Both hormones can cause mood swings but so does alcohol. Alcohol can make anyone infertile and cause many more problems too.

[Miniryu]

Originally posted by KellyHogan:
<STRONG>

I agree. Women take steroids in the form of the pill. Men should be able to use steroids without any stigma attached too. I know many people, professional athletes, who use large doses. They are not as mad as women on the pill. Far less dangerous. Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates admitted to using steroids because the rest of the competition did too. However, he eventually did hurt his health.

Basically I believe you should be able to injest whatever you want in to your body and that there should not be a black market. Everything should be legalised so that doctor's can observe and supervise you. The same with prostitution (off topic I know) and drugs. Prostitutes should be called 'Sex Surrogates' and should work in a clean and safe environment.</STRONG>

The problem with drugs is that they make you someone elses's b*tch. I don't know about you but I don't want to rely on another person for my systematc "fix". Of course I am not reffering to the ones that are not addictive or that addiction can be controled with moderate usage. I can't speak for everyone but I think we should all have more control and respect for ourselves than deciding which brand of cigarettes to smoke.