Energy drinks have been on the world market for decades now. They’ve become very popular due to the fact that they boost energy and mental performance, including concentration, alertness, and focus. However, if consumed in excessive amounts, they can also lead to serious health issues.
Recently, more concern has been raised over the fact that most energy drinks, including Red Bull and Monster, contain Taurine. Certain websites have claimed that this substance is made from bull semen. Is it true?
What is Taurine?
Taurine, an organic molecule, got its name after the Latin Taurus, which means bull or ox. This is because taurine was originally extracted from bull semen and ox bile. However, taurine can also be found in tissues of various animals, including ourselves – breast milk and intestines contain it.
Nowadays, taurine is most definitely not extracted from any animal, including bulls. There are chemical processes that can make this organic molecule safely and synthetically in the lab.
How Did the Confusion Start?
We suppose that the confusion started when people noticed the similarities between the name Taurine and Taurus, and of course, because of the fact that taurine was indeed originally extracted from bull semen. On top of that, Red Bull, besides its name, shares the image of a bull on its product, which may make some people think that the energy drink really does contain some kind of a “bull essence”.
However, even Red Bull itself has made it clear that the taurine in its energy drink is a purely synthetic substance.
Now that you know that taurine found in various energy drinks is NOT made from bull semen, you can safely continue drinking your favorite energy drink, right? Not so fast.
Energy Drinks and Their Potentially Harmful Effects on Health
Since they’re loaded with caffeine and sugar, energy drinks should never be consumed by people with underlying medical conditions. Even healthy individuals should be wary of energy drinks – having a small can from time to time won’t kill you, but having more than your body can handle, literally can.
In fact, there are documented deaths by caffeine, including energy drinks. Of course, in order to overdose on caffeine and its derivatives, these unfortunate people had to consume way too much energy drinks.
Still, it’s important to keep in mind that, although energy drinks can boost your focus and concentration for a while, they are not healthy.
