Many people have recently taken to energy drinks to get through their afternoon crash, or if you’re a student, to cram for a test all throughout the night.

But just one can of the popular brand Red Bull can increase your risk of stroke and heart attack.

WHAT DOES RED BULL ACTUALLY DO?

Energy drinks in general cause blood to become sticky which can lead to stroke and other cardiovascular problems. Only 1 hour after drinking Red Bull will give you results of an abnormal blood system similar to that of a patient with cardiovascular disease.

The big brand Red Bull has stated that their energy drink is similar to drinking a cup of coffee or soda.

Sure, you might get the same effect from the caffeine with an increased reaction speed and all of the added artificial sweeteners and sugar will definitely give you a short burst of energy.

But the difference between an energy drink and coffee is that no one really knows how all of the other ingredients in a Red Bull react to caffeine and in your body.

A popular ingredient in energy drinks is aspartame, which alone has shown neurotoxic, metabolic, fetal, allergenic, and carcinogenic properties.

Pair that with the similar effects of soda such as lethargy and you’ll be craving another one of these deadly energy drinks as part of a vicious cycle.

OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE EVEN BANNED ENERGY DRINKS

“No less than 3.5 billion cans of Red Bull were sold last year in 143 countries. Yet, questions regarding the safety of Red Bull, as well as other energy drinks, keep cropping up at regular intervals when yet another overzealous energy-addict keels over,” says Dr. Mercola.

Energy drinks have even outnumbered water bottle sales.

With energy drinking popping up in supermarkets increasingly over the years, some countries have taken it upon themselves to stop the damaging effects of energy drinks from sweeping the nation.

Norway, Denmark, and Uruguay have all identified the health risks of Red Bull and have banned the popular energy drink. In Kuwait, Red Bull became illegal for anyone under the age of 16 after 2 national squash team members died of a heart attack related to energy drinks.

WHO IS AT HIGH RISK?

Energy drinks impair proper blood vessel function and can increase the risk of blood clots.

For stroke prevention, if you suffer from any of the following, you should not have an energy drink:

• Anxiety
• High blood pressure
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• High stress
• Caffeine sensitivity
• Cardiovascular disease
• Any blood clotting disorder

If you are pregnant or lactating, you should also avoid this drink.

HOW TO IMPROVE ENERGY NATURALLY

Boosting your energy naturally is as simple as eating the right foods. Increasing your intake of omega-3 fats and eliminating grains and sugars can have long-lasting effects on your energy.

Exercising regularly and managing your stress levels will also help kick the energy drinks out of your life.

SOURCE:

Avoid This Beverage to Reduce Your Risk of Having a Stroke

IMAGE SOURCE:

http://cdn.thedailybeast.com/content/dailybeast/articles/2012/01/31/was-demi-moore-really-addicted-to-red-bull/jcr:content/image.img.2000.jpg/1328141040412.cached.jpg