0 like 0 dislike
in General Factchecking by Newbie (290 points)
Redbull drinks are said to have cause long term health issues both mental and physical. It is labeled as an unhealthy 'habit' and cause negative consequences.

10 Answers

1 like 0 dislike
by Apprentice (1.5k points)
selected by
 
Best answer

This claim is true, the consumption of energy drinks, like Redbull, is strongly correlated with a multitude of health complications, both physical and mental.

In a 2016 article, revised and updated in 2024, Public Health researchers from 4 different universities in the UK analysed and interpreted data from over 57 studies on the impact of energy drink consumption on human bodies. In their analysis, it was found that the consistent consumption of energy drinks has a strong positive correlation with short sleep duration, poor sleep quality, psychological distress, poor dental health, cardiovascular issues, increase in suicidal ideations, depressive tendencies, and a multitude of other issues. 

As a result of the problems and threats to health caused by energy drinks, several countries, including Lithuania, Sweden, and Turkey, have banned the sale of energy drinks to individuals under a certain age. As more information surrounding the health effects of energy drinks is released, an increasing number of governments has moved forward with warning their citizens against consumption, or with a complete consumption ban for individuals under a certain age.

Sources:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350623003189#bib34

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/10/e010380

True
by Newbie (270 points)
0 0
Very good job at fact-checking this claim. The research and article you found to prove the claim was right was very trustworthy, as it was quoted from the Public Health researchers. Yes, several mental and physical health complications go along with drinking Redbull and other various energy drinks.
by Novice (660 points)
0 0
I like that you added that the study has been revised and updated this year, further legitimizing the evidence, along with having strong sources. I noticed that the original article was specific to red bull, whereas your findings were for energy drinks in general, so I wonder if there is any variety among different brands or if they all have equally negative effects.
by Novice (650 points)
0 0
Great connection to studies and data! The reliability of the sources you included benefit the argument initially made by the article. Several studies having been conducted on this issue definitely points towards the negative impacts of consuming energy drinks like Red Bull.
by Newbie (340 points)
0 0
The fact that you pointed out that the report was updated and altered this year adds credibility to it and shows that it is backed up by credible sources. I saw that while your research focused on energy drinks in general, the original article explicitly targeted Red Bull. It makes me question whether the harmful effects of various brands are identical or vary.
by (100 points)
0 0
Great job with this fact check! This gives some new insight into this topic. In the sources I used to fact-check, I read more about the effects of energy drinks on muscles and other parts of the body, instead of the sleeping aspect to it. Great job!
by Newbie (280 points)
0 0
I like how you got straight to the point in confirming the accuracy of the claim and the facts in the article. By providing results from studies and relyable resources can confirm the fact.
Also explaining the effects that energy drinks can cause problems and disorders is proof of what is claimed is true
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (360 points)

This statement is partially true considering that Redbull is a caffeinated drink and has been proven to be bad for one's health even if consumed in moderate amounts. This is due to a heightened heart rate which puts a lot of stress on the heart leading it to be overworked. Yet the headline is misleading because it uses a fact many people know to be true and pairs it with a controversial statement being Redbull is mentally unhealthy. Dr. Devries who is a cardiologist at Gaples Institute has conducted scientific research about the effects of caffeine on the body and has concluded that if anything caffeine has a positive effect on one's mental health due to the release of dopamine and increased energy levels which are caused by consuming RedBull.  

False
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (360 points)

The claim that frequent Redbull consumption leads to health risks is well-supported by research on energy drinks' impact. According to Neurosience News, excessive intake of high caffeine drinks, with other stimulants, can lead to a range of negative effects both physically and mentally, such as increased anxiety, depression, stress PTSD, and substance abuse. Other health publications such as the NIH, supports this by emphasizing how energy drinks are linked to causing serious heart and blood vessel problems such as rythym distrurbances and increases in heart rate and blood pressure. Neuroscience News also adds that excessive intake can lead to the development of intolerance and serious withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.

To ensure accuracy, I cross-refrenced with research that was shown in trusted medical journals. The Clevland Clinic, corroborates the claim that energy drinks are bad for you revealing that energy drinks can trigger a stroke when combining excessive amounts of caffeine.

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/energy-drinks

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-energy-drinks-bad-for-you

True
by Newbie (300 points)
0 0
Hi Alexwrighttt, I appreciated that you added data to prove that this claim is true and to also help give readers a little more information on the claim. It was also great to see that you added trustworthy medical sources that could help with unanswered questions.
by (100 points)
0 0
Hey Alex, nicely done with this fact check! It was good overall, but I think you could have found some more sources. Immediately going in with the source that the original creator used doesn't fully give new insight from other sources. But, what you wrote about yourself was great. Nice job!
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (320 points)

This claim is partially true. According to research conducted by, Eat This, Not That, red bull has some negative impacts on your health but it also benefits your health in certain ways. The article states that red bull includes B-Vitamins, which supports metabolism and your physical health. In this aspect, redbull actually benefits your physical and mental health because B-Vitamins help convert food into energy and when you have energy your dopamine levels are good and balanced. Redbull also contains less beneficial ingredients such as high levels of caffeine which does give you energy but can also throw off your body's pH balance. Redbull also contains a high amount of sugar, and too much sugar is not good for your physical health as it makes you feel weak and fatigue. When you feel weak and fatigue it can negatively impact your mental health because you do not want to do anything and feel unmotivated. This shows redbull is good but also bad for your physical and mental health.

https://www.eatthis.com/is-red-bull-bad-for-you/

Exaggerated/ Misleading
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (300 points)
In this article it explains how red bull, energy drinks can cause heart problems. which is true, it causes elevated heart rates and can cause your heart to be overworked. drinking minimal amounts is fine, regulated. but drinking multiple throughout the day can cause mental and physical problems within your health.
True
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (360 points)

According to a U.S Energy Industry Report, done by Morgan Person, a student at University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business, RedBull dominates the energy drink industry with a 44% Market Distribution share. Despite the fact that RedBull is considered to be the best energy drink by many, it actually causes long term health and mental issues. According to the article below, "RedBull may raise your energy and improve your performance, but there are concerns about side effects, especially if mixed with alcohol." RedBull is made up of different ingredients that create a recipe for disaster for many people's physical and mental health. It has been proven to increase blood pressure and heart rate, damage your teeth, increase risk behavior, lead to caffeine overdoses, and much more harmful side affects.

https://business.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/media/energy-drink-industry-report.pdf

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-bull-side-effects#side-effects

0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (300 points)

This article claims that excessive usage of energy drinks, such as Red Bull, leads to both negative mental and physical effects. After reading this article, I can tell that the publication is a credible source as at the end of the article, sources and media contacts were provided. Also while researching the sources, I was able to find the original article from Flinders University. These two articles support each other as the information aligns. When looking into the media contact, Eva Kemp, I found that she is reliable and has a good reputation as a Professor of Psychology at Flinders University. Also, there are many other sources highlighting the dangers of drinking too many energy drinks such as Red Bull. These side effects align with the ones listed in the article as side effects listed are both physical and mental. Overall, I would say that this claim is true as it was conducted by reliable sources and there is outside evidence also supporting this claim.

https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2020/01/31/how-to-kick-a-red-bull-habit-study/

https://www.flinders.edu.au/people/eva.kemps

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-bull-side-effects#is-sugar-free-healthier

0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (450 points)

This claim is true, the consumption of energy drinks, like Redbull, is strongly correlated with a multitude of health complications, both physical and mental.

While the effects of health tied to Redbull is not the foundation of this article, there is a mention of negative mental health consequences. The statement that the consumption of energy drinks, like Redbull, is strongly correlated with a multitude of health complications, both physical and mental is true. Through the University of California, they find energy drinks to increase heart rate and blood pressure which are both risk factors for heart disease. Healthline also adds input stating "a review in 310,819 adults found that drinking 1–2 servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per day was associated with a significant 26% increased risk of type 2 diabetes As Red Bull is sugar-sweetened — providing 29 grams of sugar in one 8.4-ounce (260-ml) serving — drinking one or more servings per day could increase your risk of type 2 diabetes." This is followed by statements regarding teeth and kidney damage along with possible caffeine overdose and possible toxicity.Furthermore, while this article mainly bases itself on the statistics of the amount of consumers, it doesn't make this particular claim wrong. I will however add that if one is to make a major claim like the health complications with Red Bull, they should have the sources or studies to back it up.

Trusted SouAs Red Bull is sugar-sweetened — providing 29 grams of sugar in one 8.4-ounce (260-ml) serving — drinking one or more servings per day could increase your risk of type 2 diabetes

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/how-do-energy-drinks-affect-your-heart-and-overallhealth/2024/05#:~:text=The%20combination%20of%20high%20caffeine,risk%20factors%20for%20heart%20disease.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-bull-side-effects#is-sugar-free-healthier

True
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (300 points)

this claim is true. the consumption of energy drinks generally is linked to a lot of health complications. the past years there has been an increase in the incidence of negative effects associated with the consumption of EDs, the most common adverse effects noticed being the nervous, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal effects.

0 like 0 dislike
by Apprentice (1.7k points)

Your statement is only partially accurate. The linked article outlines that excessive caffeine intake can have negative health effects such as heart attacks, seizures, and headaches. Consuming more than the recommended 400 milligrams per day poses these risks. However, typical energy drinks contain between 54 and 246 milligrams of caffeine per 16 fluid ounces. Therefore, drinking Red Bull, or energy drinks in general, isn't inherently unhealthy; it becomes problematic only with excessive consumption.

Exaggerated/ Misleading

Community Rules


Be respectful.

There is bound to be disagreement on a site about misinformation. Assume best intentions on everyone's part.

If you are new to factchecking, take some time to learn about it. "How to Factcheck" has some resources for getting started. Even if you disagree with these materials, they'll help you understand the language of this community better.

News Detective is for uncovering misinformation and rumors. This is not a general interest question-answer site for things someone could Google.

Posting

The title is the "main claim" that you're trying to factcheck.

Example:
Factcheck This: Birds don't exist

If possible, LINK TO to the place you saw the claim.

Answering

LINK TO YOUR EVIDENCE or otherwise explain the source ("I called this person, I found it in this book, etc.")

But don't just drop a link. Give an explanation, copy and paste the relevant information, etc.

News Detective is not responsible for anything anyone posts on the platform.
...