The Student Room Group

Vodka Red Bull

I keep hearing how "very very dangerous" this combination is. Based on my own knowledge, and research I've done, I can't find any reliable sources that conclusively back this claim up.

The only reason people seem to give for why they think it's dangerous is "well caffeine is a stimulant, and alcohol is a depressant, so surely both together it must be bad?!" :rolleyes: How scientific.

I'm convinced that there isn't actually a good reason to assume that it's so potentially lethal. For goodness sake, they sell it premixed for about £2 a bottle!

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Reply 1
Revd. Mike
I keep hearing how "very very dangerous" this combination is. Based on my own knowledge, and research I've done, I can't find any reliable sources that conclusively back this claim up.

The only reason people seem to give for why they think it's dangerous is "well caffeine is a stimulant, and alcohol is a depressant, so surely both together it must be bad?!" :rolleyes: How scientific.

I'm convinced that there isn't actually a good reason to assume that it's so potentially lethal. For goodness sake, they sell it premixed for about £2 a bottle!

White spirit is cheaper :biggrin:
Reply 2
One of my mates at uni was drinking lots of this stuff with a friend when he suddenly collapsed. They thought he was messing about at first because it was so sudden, so the gave him a bit of a slap. He didn't respond and after a while they began to get concerned, especially when he started spitting blood, so they phoned an ambulance who took him to hospital. After a while, it was discovered that he was in fact merely drunk and that the blood had come from a cut lip as a result of his mates slapping him to try and wake him up. He recovered and went home the next day.

Moral of the story? There isn't one. Point of the story? None. Does this story in any way contribute to the OPs question? No... however, I believe it to be a funny story :p:
Reply 3
The reason you've heard it's dangerous is because the caffeine in the Red Bull speeds your heart up while the vodka slows it down. It's meant to promote an irregular heartbeat I believe. I think it's only dangerous if you have a heart defect though... it has no dangerous effect on a healthy heart.

EDIT: Steezy20 - ;laugh;
Reply 4
I think its due to the reccomendation that you shouldn't drink more than 3 cans of RB in a night, as it may cause heart palpitations/tachycardia etc, as well as similar effects to the abuse of amphetamines. Due to the situation in which you drink VRB, you are likely to consume large levels of caffeine in a short period. The vodka is just incidentally harmul too in large doses. and consuming large amounts of caffeine in addition to alcohol doesn't affect the effects of alcohol, just makes you think you are more alert, and may make you more voulnerable.
Reply 5
i agree with the theory about the irregular heart beat caused by mxing stimulants and depressants (like when people mix coke & heroin... althought obviously that's not on the same level)
it's obviously not that dangerous, ive never heard of anyone dying for it. i'm happy to take the risk (w/ sf red bull - yum)
Reply 6
Anyone heard/been to Vodbull? Its a massive student night in Birmingham, maybe a couple of other cities as well. All they sell is Vodka Red Bull (boring! :p:) But you literally see the ambulances queueing up outside the Works every other Thursday. Horrible! Not saying thats because of the Vodbull alone, I'm sure its more to do with the situation of excessive binge drinking regardless of what is actually being drunk. Have heard horror stories of people who've died at Vodbull after downing 100 Vodbulls. :frown: Excessive isnt even the word!!
Reply 7
100?! Considering that one is about 280ml, there's no way that a person could actually fit 100 inside them! And you'd be waaaay too wasted by 10/11 to even lift the 12th to your face lol! :p:
Reply 8
if i was downing them one after the other, considering the delay in the time it would take to get tipsy, i'd say 20 is about tippity top. I'll believe 100 when I see it, which i probably wont... so I probably dont believe it. :p:
I tried Rum+Red Bull for the first time t'other day - it's actually a lot nicer than vodka+red bull and doesn't taste in the least bit alcoholic - even with a double rum.
Reply 10
Revd. Mike
100?! Considering that one is about 280ml, there's no way that a person could actually fit 100 inside them! And you'd be waaaay too wasted by 10/11 to even lift the 12th to your face lol! :p:


If you get too pissed to lift a drink after 10 vodkas, then who am I to criticise I suppose... :rolleyes:
Reply 11
Prefer Southern Comfort and Red Bull
Reply 12
Isnt it banned across europe because it can cause heart attacks?
Reply 13
Hehe yeah, the ones they do at 'Vodbull' aren't full sized at all! I dont know exact measures but they're tiny - its how the club makes their money. Say, to get a decent sized drink, you'd buy 4. They do it in little plastic cups only about half full! So I guess it'd prob be more like equivalent to 25 - 30 normal ones rather than 100! But even so! Insane.
Reply 14
They probably make the saving on Red Bull though, because the vodka will have to be 25/35ml servings according to their license.
Reply 15
I had Jagerbull - Jagermeister and red bull. It wasn't unpleasant, but I felt like I was spoiling the amzingness that is Jagermeister though :biggrin:
Reply 16
Jagermeister=:coma: for getting drunk quick for me
damn peer pressure>.<
try to avoid alcohol at all costs due to diet though*nod*
also cus it makes me eat !:frown:
Reply 17
Never tried, but I know it's banned in France :s-smilie:
Reply 18
Red Bull is, because it contains taurine.
Reply 19
Jager Bombs = risky way to start the night.

Glass of Red Bull, and drop a shot glass of Jagermeister in it. Drink before it mixes properly - just don't get your tooth taken off by the shot glass...