# Red Bull **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552 "2005-01-25T07:07:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jax71280](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jax71280](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jax71280)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/1 "2005-01-25T07:07:15Z")
My friend said there was “certain” animal hormones in the drink “Red Bull” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/2 "2005-01-25T07:12:33Z")
Could you clarify the question. Or at least pose one? I’m going to assume you’re asking about the rumor that Red Bull has ingredients secreted from bull’s testicles. [That one is false.](http://www.snopes.com/toxins/redbull.htm) [quote] The glucuronolactone rumor is not the only one circulated about Red Bull. Other whispers state that the drink is formulated from bull testicles, or that it’s been proved to be wildly addictive, or that its drinkers will test positive in drug tests after downing just half a can, or that it shivers on the verge of being banned throughout Europe. With one partial exception, all of these rumors are untrue. ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/3 "2005-01-25T07:14:32Z")
Well, if your question is, “are there any animal hormones in Red Bull?”, I would say “Bull Shit”. I seriously doubt that anything even close to resembling an animal has been anywhere near Red Bull. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/4 "2005-01-25T07:18:48Z")
And your question would be? Let me help you here… “Are there animal hormones in Red Bull?” “Do they put hormones in Red Bull because they taste soooo good?” “Does Red Bull make a hor-mone?” [Answer: “No, but sex will.”] “Is it legal for Red Bull to contain hormones?” “Is my friend, who thinks there are hormones in Red Bull, too dumb to maintain respiration?” “Should I go find friends of a less stupid nature?” “Will drinking too much Red Bull make me as stupid as my friend?” Was your question any of those? Or all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/5 "2005-01-25T07:26:18Z")
What is taurine? Perhaps the resemblance of this word to the Latin word for bull, _taurus_, is more than just a coincidence. Red Bull originated as a drink in Thailand (the original Thai name, I forgot what it was now, was composed of two words, one meaning ‘red’ and the other meaning ‘bull’). The current _National Geographic_ cover story on caffeine went into a lot of Red Bull lore. It actually dwelt more on Red Bull than on coffee. All about how ravers in London nightclubs drink Red Bull and party till dawn. The stuff has been banned in a couple of European countries, France and Germany IIRC, and I think it said Ireland wanted to ban Red Bull advertising. It was investigated in the death of a raver who collapsed after drinking a lot of it. Tried it once. Tastes yucky, oversweetened and overflavored. I like my espresso. When I want caffeine, I drink Fair Trade organically grown Matagalpa coffee from Nicaragua, black. Now _that_ is tasty. MMM-mmm. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/6 "2005-01-25T08:38:40Z")
The labels on the cans sold here say “Kosher - Parve”, which means that they don’t have even a trace of animal products in them, except perhaps fish. The rabbinical oversight here is very thorough, so I doubt the importers managed to slip anything dodgy in. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/7 "2005-01-25T09:10:37Z")
Taurine is an amino acid normally only found in animal products (it’s the deficiency of taurine that harms vegetarian cats), but the taurine in Red Bull is synthetic. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/8 "2005-01-25T09:14:38Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > The stuff has been banned in a couple of European countries, France and Germany IIRC, and I think it said Ireland wanted to ban Red Bull advertising. It was investigated in the death of a raver who collapsed after drinking a lot of it. There’s nothing dodgy in red bull. It’s kind of like karate. Some people get a little under their belt and think they can do things that they otherwise couldn’t… and that gets them in trouble. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/9 "2005-01-25T15:17:15Z")
Well, duh, how else could it give you wings? Sorry, had to inject some humor into this. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/10 "2005-01-25T15:30:43Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Tried it once. Tastes yucky, oversweetened and overflavored. The trick is to drop a shot or two of vodka or jagermeister into your redbull. Then it is yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/11 "2005-01-25T15:31:06Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > (the original Thai name, I forgot what it was now, was composed of two words, one meaning ‘red’ and the other meaning ‘bull’). _Kratindaang_ (excuse the spelling) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/12 "2005-01-25T15:35:01Z")
Is it just me, or does Red Bull taste like Bayer’s Children’s Aspirin? ---
**Author:** ![jax71280](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@jax71280](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jax71280)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/13 "2005-01-25T17:59:58Z")
Well thanks everyone I shall show this to my friend. I like Red Bull it tastes like smarties candy. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-bull/286552/14 "2005-01-25T21:41:54Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The labels on the cans sold here say “Kosher - Parve”, which means that they don’t have even a trace of animal products in them, except perhaps fish. The rabbinical oversight here is very thorough, so I doubt the importers managed to slip anything dodgy in. Last time I checked, the Red Bull sold here in the USA is not kosher. A few kashrut websites state that the taurine is extracted from shark organs. Considering where carmine and confectioners’ glaze come from, I don’t see shark organs as much of a stretch.