The
Swedish government has given a health warning to consumers
of the energy drink Red Bull,
following the possible links to the recent deaths of three
people in the Swedish captial. The three young people had
allegedly drunk at least two cans of Red Bull mixed with
alcohol prior to their deaths. They had also exercised hard
before going out. The Swedish government is therefore warning
people to be careful with the quantity of Red Bull they
drink, as well as when they drink it.
Red
Bull has had a farily consistent presence in the international
press recently due to worries about health risks it poses
to consumers. The National Food Administration in Sweden
has initiated an investigation into the effects of mixing
caffeine and taurine, the key ingredients in Red Bull, with
alcohol. In France, Norway and Denmark the drink is classified
as a medicine and is sold only in pharmacies. In the UK,
the Food Standards Agency has no plans to investigate the
alleged dangers of the consumption of Red Bull with alcohol.
Comment:
It seems about time for the commissioning of an independent
study into the possible physical effects of the consumption
of Red Bull, or more specifically, high doses of caffeine
and taurine. Lets hope that the results are publishable
soon.
