Redbull Gives You Wings

Does Redbull Really Give You Wings?

Problem: It’s Monday morning, you partied all weekend and you have 40 hours or work ahead of you…

Solution: Redbull

I am by no means promoting the product Redbull, however I am an advocate of one of the key ingredients of Redbull and various other energy drinks: CAFFEINE.  Second only to student loans as my biggest contributor for success during graduate school; caffeine can be very useful if used properly.   I haven’t come across any research examining the effects of Redbull on the development of wings or improving the flight capabilities of humans but there is an enormous amount of research supporting the positive effects that caffeine can have on performance, cognitive functioning and health.   

 The Energy Drink industry is one of the fastest growing areas of nutritional supplements and is quickly becoming a billion dollar industry.  One reason for this is people are suckers for their marketing strategies and catchy slogans such as: “Energy Booster” “Refresh” “Revitalize” “Amped!”  The other reason is probably the fact that they do in fact work!  It’s no secret that caffeine can make you more alert or make you feel like you have more energy; anyone who has had a coffee or slammed a few Redbulls knows that.  What’s not as well known is the vast amount of research supporting the proclaimed benefits of caffeine.

Numerous research studies have shown caffeine to be an effective ergogenic aid, particularly for endurance type events.  Caffeine consumption is said to have a “glucose sparing” effect by increasing fat utilization as a fuel source (which is practically unlimited) rather than stored carbohydrates (limited) during long duration activities such as a marathon.  It’s been shown to increase time to exhaustion by up to 25%.  The military has taken special interest in caffeine consumption because of its performance enhancing abilities as well as its ability to increase alertness and delay fatigue.  Caffeine can also improve reaction time, increase cognitive functioning and improve memory.

Another often overlooked benefit of caffeine is its thermogenic effect; meaning it increases your body’s production of heat or calories burned. In other words, caffeine can increase your daily caloric expenditure.  However, be forewarned as increases in daily calorie expenditure are typically only around 10-15%. So, don’t go drinking an extra large triple mocha late consisting of a hefty 750 calories and say “It’s okay, I’m burning extra calories from the caffeine,” because you’re setting yourself up for failure.  If consumed in a form associated with minimal calories (i.e. black coffee or caffeine pills) over time, caffeine could result in an additional 10-15 lbs lost over the time course of a year!

 

Different people respond differently to different forms of caffeine and dosages.  I’m sure many of you are aware that it is possible to build up a tolerance to caffeine as well as suffer from withdrawal symptoms if you are a chronic user and try to quit cold turkey. It can be physically addicting so be careful!  Other negative side-effects may include feeling “jittery”, increased heart rate, trouble sleeping and gastrointestinal distress. Typically these side-effects only occur when large amounts of caffeine are consumed.

Take Home Message: Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug for a reason.  Caffeine can improve reaction time, increase alertness, increase calorie expenditure and improve performance with minimal side-effects.

Get Some!