PotatoSlayer

I'm just curious.

Is a drink like Red-bull good for fuel? It's got carbs and stuff, but it's also got some caffeine which could be dehydrating..

Someone gave me a case of this stuff as a gift since I'm out riding all the time...

Here is the info :

Per 250 ml can:

Calories: 110
Total Fat: 0
Sodium: 200mg (8%)
Total Carb: 28 g (9%), Sugars 27g
Protein: less than 1 g

Niacin: 100%
Vitamin B12 80%
Vitamin B6 250%
Pantothenic Acid 50%

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Sucrose, Glucose, Sodium Citrate, Taurine, Glucuronolactone, Caffeine, Inositol, Niacinamide, Calcium-pantothenate, pyridoxine HCI, Vitamin b12

spoke50

I'm sure the more intelligent posters below will tell you "hell no". Way to much caffine. Besides, the stuff is way over priced when compared to other sports drinks. Of course it sounds like you got it for free. When you run out, just drink a cup of coffee and a coke and all you'll be missing is the Taurine.

pista

Red Bull is just that bull. It's a way over priced drink that doesn't offer much at all. If you drink coke and Gatorade on a ride that should care of anything that Red Bull is supposed to do. Besides, I've used this combination and works well for me. Over 60% of TDF teams use de-carbonated coke as part of their arrary of drinks. I find if I drink Coke about 10 minutes before a really stiff hill it really gives me a boost. It's the only drink I know of that I would call a pure energy drink - lots of calories and caffeine.

You should experiment with various drinks and find what you like - I'm sure what you will end up using regularily won't be Red Bull,Rock Star or other high price energy drinks.

BloomBikeShop

It's really just expensive crap, and the carbonation isn't usually a good idea while riding.

All you need is something with sugar and electrolytes. Gatorade, Hammer Heed, Accelerade, whatever.

Zan

OJ is the best ... acidity may be a problem though.

Gatorade is amazing stuff though. It really counts when you are doing long long hours working... which i suppose helps with biking too!

HillMut

I wouldn't drink them during a ride, but there is good evidence that caffine can improve endurance (not coffee though), so maybe before.

saintsfan342000

Red Bull's biggest problem is that it tastes like ******** garbage.

shubonker

Try those 5-hour energy vials.

telebianchi

Why not coffee? Caffeine is caffeine.

https://www.jeffgalloway.com/nutrition/nancy/coffee.html
https://blog.washingtonpost.com/check...alth_food.html

Yes, coffee does effect some people so that they get an upset stomach, but that is not because the caffeine in coffee is somehow different from other sources.

As for Red Bull, you could probably fit it into your nutrition but there are likely better choices. As somebody already said, if you got it for free then having a can for a ride won't hurt you. But I probably wouldn't go and spend money on more of it once you are out.

operator

Nah, it tastes fine. But why bother buying redbull. You can get 4L of coke for the same price you can get .25L of Red bull....

HillMut

I can't find the source, but its out there.. basically a study done (locally, the only reason I know about it) that showed caffeine had a positive effect on performance, but could not be reproduced w/ coffee... doesn't make sense to me either. not saying this is 100%... but something I've heard & read.

Joe Gardner

I like to pour a small can into my 100oz camelbak on longer rides. If I drink it straight out of the can while riding I often get side aches.

pista

Red Bull is just that Bull.

zmorgan

It's probably because coffee doesn't have the calories that your body can use when the caffeine spikes metabolism.

MessenJah

....neither does pure caffeine.

TurboTurtle

BTW - More recent studies indicate that caffeine does not dehydrate during exercise. – TF

Zan

some people drink a flat coke for the boost when preforming... when it's flat it doesn't give you the gas.

roadho

I like red bull with a shot of jagermeister in it before I go see a band. But when I ride my bike I drink some pretty strongly brewed black tea or matte beforehand.

zmorgan

ok..was just a thought

slvoid

I like the taste, get em at costco for pretty cheap.
Or get the rockstar or monster energy drinks. Same crap but you get twice the amount for the same price.

The_Spaniard

only use energy drinks for all nighter study sessions, i never get near it any other time, specially during sports. De-carbonated coke as a sport drinks, interesting, Im assuming since the carbonation is gone than theres no sodium bicarbonate left, which takes out the bad affect on the bones. I might try this sometime. thanks for the info

MessenJah

de-carbonated coke still contains phosphoric acid though, no?

"Phosphoric acid, used in many soft drinks (primarily cola), has been linked to lower bone density in epidemiological studies." - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=phosphoric+acid+bones

biker2011

The real problem with Red Bull is the caffeine. Caffeine gives you a short burst of energy, but then it also causes a drop in blood sugar and the loss of longer term energy.

Now, this is not to say I know everything, but caffeine does lower blood sugar (this is the cause of the 'jitters').

The_Spaniard

technically if you just keep dirnkiing caffeine throughout the race you wont hit the low blood sugar and crash untill after right?? Same with taking lots of sugar through a race. But then i bet this has bad health defects or something in the long run heh.

biker2011

I am not completely sure, but I think it does still keep your blood sugar low... you just do not notice it until after you are off the caffeine high. It is like drinking coffee I guess. The more you drink in the morning the bigger your crash is later.