Coffee, tea, and soda may not be cutting it on college campuses anymore. There is a new wave of energy drinks on the shelves at health clubs and grocery stores throughout the country - including Jumbo Express.
Red Bull tops the charts at the campus convenience store, beating out Coca-Cola's new caffeine drink, KMX, and Sobe's energy drink, in popularity. Jumbo Express began stocking Red Bull last year when it arrived in the northeast market - and it's been a hit ever since.
"[Red Bull] is by far the most popular," said Keith Mayes, Unit Manager of the campus center.
Freshman Matthew Hallisey is one of the many students who drinks Red Bull. He says he drinks it because he enjoys energy drinks and it helps him stay up to study. "I guess in general I am a sucker for energy drinks. I drink it when I am tired from sports and need to study," he said.
Hallisey also said that he thinks Red Bull's explosive popularity is in part due to a new trend towards fitness. "In think in general people go for gimmicks, and now people are into fitness," he said.
Sophomore Elizabeth Strukelj thinks that Red Bull is popular because it offers something new. "People like it as an energy drink. [Red Bull] is a cool new alternative," she said.
However, there is considerable mystery surrounding Red Bull, leaving many to wonder what's actually in it. "That is the whole thing surrounding Red Bull," Strukelj said. "No one really knows what it is."
This uncertainty, combined with the drink's unconventional taste, adds to its popularity. Red Bull has been compared to everything from carbonated cough syrup to bubble gum. "I think it tastes pretty good; kind of unique," sophomore David Sturrus said. Red Bull certainly offers a different kind of caffeinated beverage than the usual cup of flavored coffee from the Rez or a cup of cappuccino from Brown and Brew.
So where did Red Bull come from? According to a New York Times article on Nov. 12, 2000, it originated in Thailand and was later brought to Europe in 1986 by Austrian entrepreneur Diedtrich Matesich. Matesich bought the non-Asian rights to the drink and - after slightly changing recipe - he began to market Red Bull in other European countries in 1993. The drink became very popular among young people and bars began serving Red Bull and vodka.
Red Bull made its debut in the United States in 1997 with the first North American Red Bull subsidiary in Santa Monica, CA. It became so popular in New York City bars that the company decided to move up the first distribution date in New York by eight months so that owners would not have to continue to buy from foreign distributors.
So what, exactly, is Red Bull? There are many rumors floating around about the ingredients of the drink - especially one called taurine.
"I have heard some things about taurine, that it is the same stuff they use in diet pills as caffeine substitutes," Hallisey said.
Another rumor define taurine as a hormone found in bulls, but that is not entirely accurate. According to the Times article, the substance is an amino acid that is, in fact, found in bulls, but also in humans and many other animals. Other main ingredients in the drink include water, sugar, caffeine, vitamin B12, niacin, inositol (a vitamin found in fruits and nuts), and glucuronolactone (a metabolite formed from glucose).
Another popular belief is that Red Bull has more caffeine than a cup of coffee, allowing you to stay up later studying or partying. In fact, the standard 8.3-ounce can of Red Bull contains the same amount of caffeine as an average cup of coffee. On campus, students seem to be well informed of this, and are not fooled by all the talk. "I think [the amount of caffeine] is about as much as a cup of coffee," Sturrus said.
As of yet there is no evidence that Red Bull causes any health problems, but the company itself warns that it is not suitable for young children and those sensitive to caffeine. Students who drink it have not heard of any health risks associated with Red Bull, either, and hope it will stay that way.
"I don't think there are any risks. I hope not," Sturrus said.
Strukelj assumes the risks are similar to those of caffeine in general. "[Drinking Red Bull] probably has the same effect as drinking a lot of coffee, although the company does say it is not recommended for children," she said.
With so many students drinking Red Bull, it seems like this energy drink will be around for a while - at least until the end of this semester.
"It is extremely popular among the young crowd," Mayes said. "[Red Bull's popularity] started in bars and is now sweeping college campuses."
