No Bull: Energy Drinks and Diving

I've heard of people mixing Red Bull and vodka in nightclubs (sometimes with disastrous effects--the combination has been linked to three deaths in Sweden), but this is the first time I've heard of mixing Red Bull and diving. For readers who aren't plugged into the club scene, Red Bull is the leading brand among a new breed of "energy drinks" that claim a host of groovy effects, including increased mental concentration and physical stamina, improved reaction speed and an "overall feeling of well-being." Typically, these drinks are lightly carbonated blends of caffeine (one 7.5-oz. can of Red Bull has about the same caffeine as a cup of regular coffee), B vitamins and carbohydrates in the form of sugar, along with concentrated amounts of some exotic-sounding nutritional or herbal supplements. In the case of Red Bull, it's the amino acid taurine and a glucose byproduct called glucuronolactone. Any lift you get from these drinks probably comes from the sugar-and-caffeine jolt, not the supplements. Red Bull's taurine and glucuronolactone are naturally found in the body, prompting some doctors to downplay their effects and others to worry about the results of drinking concentrated doses. Of course, no studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the drinks and no one knows the effects depth, pressure and nitrogen might have on those more exotic ingredients. Just to be on the safe side, I'd skip energy drinks before diving until we know for sure. some people use Red Bull as a hangover helper. If you're so hung over that you need an energy drink to be "up" for the dive, you might want to consider sitting this one out. A hangover also means you're dehydrated (a risk factor for DCS), so you're probably better off rehydrating with water than chugging a can of Red Bull.