Caffeine: Good Thing? Josh “Red Bull” Bennett Rob “Rockstar” Flynn Steele “Full Throttle” Taylor Or Great Thing?

Rough Timeline of Caffeine in America Tea Gains Prominence Coffee Dr. Pepper Coca Cola / Pepsi Jolt Cola Red Bull Red Bull Rip-offs 5 Hour Energy! 6 Hour Energy!! 8 Hour Energy!!! 10 Hour Energy!!!!

The Staples: Tea and Coffee Backbone of many Americans mornings. Coffee mg caffeine per serving. Tea 15-60mg caffeine per serving.

Black Tea vs. Coffee

Energy Drinks Besides differences in flavor, packaging, and ‘image’…

THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY ALL THE SAME!!! Similar amounts of caffeine Similar Caloric value Similar additives (taurine, guarana, B-vitamins) Same theme of bogus proprietary blends (extracts from exotic sounding herbs)

The Originals… ….And the Imitators

Rip-offs Spawn Spinoffs

Most Caffeine Under a Lid AND (believe it or not) The Best Bang for Your Buck 24 oz Jolt Cola 420 mg Caffeine 0.89 cents per mg caffeine 18 oz Starbucks Coffee 405 mg Caffeine 0.92 cents per mg caffeine

What is the Best Bang for your Buck? (Bulk Purchase) 384 Tea Bags for $24.30 Amounts to.13 cents per mg caffeine 100 mg (typical dose) = 13 cents! By Comparison: 16oz 24 pack for $47.50 Amounts to 1.20cents per mg caffeine 100 mg (typical dose) is still $1.20!!!

What is the Worst Bang for your Buck? 8 oz Red Bull 3.06 cents per mg of Caffeine 5 Hour Energy (and basically all energy shots) 3.36 cents per mg of Caffeine

How HFCS Came To be In 1973 Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz “Fence Row to Fence Row" policy Government subsides reversed for corn growers. Made it profitable to make HFCS

Why HFCS? HFCS is cheaper than sugar Saving passed on to consumer Low cost may increase consumption

Energy Drinks: Positive Aspects Increased productivity of workforce Increased productivity of students Increased alertness of drivers Increased alertness of workers in high risk scenarios (pilots, air-traffic controllers) Helpful to night shift and military personnel Contain Antioxidants and B-Vitamins

Energy Drink Concerns Marketed to young people and athletes Regular Consumption: long term effects unclear Overall stimulant dosage impossible to know Interactions with prescription drugs Metabolites: potential false positives on drug tests? Diuretic effect is dehydrating for athletes Gastro-Intestinal upset Herbal ingredients not regulated/standardized

Contraindicated Populations Pregnant Women Elderly Individuals with Cardiovascular Complications Individuals Prone With Anxiety Disorders Infants!

Taurine “Carninutrient” Cardiovascular Benefits Anxiolytic (Calm, yet alert) Protective to electrical tissue (brain, heart, muscle)

Party Wisdom: The Red Bull Myth “Dude, Red Bull is made from bull’s testicles” Taurine: first isolated from bull seminal fluid But: Easy to synthesize in the lab…fortunately!