Red Bull is a popular energy drink that, according to its ads, will "give you wings." But have you ever wondered what's actually in the drink? Wired has the science behind the long list of ingredients:
Caffeine
Ah, here are Red Bull's wings. All the things this drink is supposed to do for you — increase concentration and reaction speed, improve emotional state, and boost metabolism — are known effects of this white powder, a distant cousin of cocaine.
By the way, did you know that Red Bull actually originated in Thailand? From Red Bull [wiki]:
The original Red Bull drink was developed in 1962 by Chaleo Yoovidhya, a Thai businessman, and sold under the name Krating Daeng (Thai for Red Bull) by the company TC Pharmaceutical.[2] The recipe was based on Lipovitan, an earlier energy drink that had been introduced to Thailand from Japan. Krating Daeng sales soared across Asia in the 1970s and 1980s, especially among truck drivers, construction workers and farmers. Truck drivers use to drink redbull to stay awake during the long late night drive. The working class image was boosted by sponsorship of Thai boxing matches, where the logo of two red bulls charging each other was often on display.
And Jacques - too much caffeine can constrict blood vessels, which is a risk factor for stroke.