Red Bull and Drug Testing

Red Bull is on son's list of banned substances during college bb season.

There is an ingredient in there (I do beleive )that is a banned substance.

I would love to hear more about this. At ALL levels (HS, college, pro) I know firsthand of players drinking red bull/monster, etc before games.

Caffeine is the culprit.

Not sure NCAA tests for excess caffeine, but Olympic's and their sanctioned events do.

Everyone of course knows of caffeine, but when used in large amounts can be a central nervous system stimulator and that is why it is banned.

I don't think its the Caffine...a lot of coffee could do that. I have heard that it is Toulene, which is found in it. I'm not sure what the problem is with Toulene, or what it does. I think is is supposed to increase mental acuity or somthing like that...I obviously haven't had any this morning...I can't believe that caffine is now a banned substance?!

Actual story regarding caffeine:

I used to drink 7 to 10 large Dunkin Donuts coffees a day not to mention untold Cokes/Pepsis in a day and we always had out coffee pot full in our job site trailer= and I drank coffee strong and black

I go in for a simple hernia operation 10 years ago and as I am being prepped they abort the surgery because of my heart going nuts---I had fasted from the night previous--NO CAFFEINE--

Long story short after a month of cardiologists visits and echo grams et al it was ascertained that I was going thru withdrawal from caffeine when i was being prepped for surgery

We cut out the massive coffee amounts and went to caffeine free sodas and , knock on wood, no further events--my heart is and has been totally normal since the cessation of massive coffee

That is what caffeine can do to your system, at least what it did to mine---basically my system was addicted to the caffeine amounts I consumed every day.

Caffeine is not a banned substance, I do believe that it is the Toulene.

All I know was that I was surprised when son told me it was not allowed.

Tiger Paw Mom,

I didnt think caffeine was a banned substance (by NCAA, Olympics do test for excess amounts), but is the only thing in there other than amino acids.

Did you mean taurine?

quote:

Originally posted by Jon Doyle:
Tiger Paw Mom,

I didnt think caffeine was a banned substance (by NCAA, Olympics do test for excess amounts), but is the only thing in there other than amino acids.

Did you mean taurine?

Ah yes, is that it...taurine, is it banned? And if not, then why can't they drink it?

This info is from the Indiana University website, sorry for the length:

Question: Is the drink, Red Bull, considered a permissible nutritional supplement?

Answer:


No, although a recently issued press release by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International wrongly stated Red Bull did not contain any banned substances. According to a memo sent out by the NCAA on April 28, 2006, NSF is a company that has developed an "Athletic Banned Substances Certification Program," which reviews products to determine if they contain a banned substance for athletes under sports governing bodies' rules. According to NSF, their certification identifies products that have demonstrated that what is listed on the label matches the content of the product and there are no banned substances present.

NCAA policy, and NOT NSF certification, determines NCAA banned substances and permissible nutritional supplements. The NCAA does NOT subscribe to nutritional/dietary supplement certification programs.

Banned Substances:

The NCAA continues to list caffeine as a banned substance under the stimulant drug class. Stimulants are considered performance enhancing and pose potential health risks. Red Bull lists caffeine on its label, and therefore contains an NCAA banned substance. The NCAA discourages the use of nutritional supplements containing caffeine due to increased risk of a positive drug test and health consequences.

Impermissible Supplements:

The NCAA continues to identify Red Bull as an impermissible supplement (institutions may NOT provide this product to student-athletes per Bylaw 16.5.2-(g), which defines extra benefits and restricts the provision of nutritional supplements). Energy drinks that contain caffeine sources, amino acids, and/or herbal teas are defined as impermissible nutritional supplements.

Thanks, no Mountain Dew either I guess?!

Taurine is simply an amino acid. This is found in most protein sources.

Trust me the tiny amount of Taurine found in Red Bull will do nothing for increased performance.

The buzz and rush you feel when drinking Red Bull is simply from the caffeine and sugar. Plain and simple.

I am very suprised that Red Bull has become as successful as it has considering it is a very weak energy drink. But the marketing is amazing.

I looked into this a little further. A positive test for caffeine is more than 15 micrograms/ml. So I guess an occasional Mountain Dew (out of sight of your coach) will be ok, just not on testing day.

On a friday afternoon like today, I would like to test my office staff to see how positive they are for cafffeine, probably off of the charts

quote:

Originally posted by spinedoc:


On a friday afternoon like today, I would like to test my office staff to see how positive they are for cafffeine, probably off of the charts

I would not be able to play today, or anyday for that matter!
How much is 15 micrograms? How many sodas with caffeine or cups of coffee? Gee now I know why mine drinks no coffee, no iced tea (sweet tea in the south), no soda.
I guess I can't imagine my life without caffeine.
Actually I prefer Dunkin Donuts and pepsi myself!

Have to say I am glad to see this thread. My high schooler decided that he needed to drink a red bull before the game. He does not drink anything else with cafeine. He gets his rush and hits a home run that game. Was it the cafeine... no it was hours and hours of batting practice. Interesting though is he stopped having a red bull after that game because he crashed. Next game almost half of the team was drinking red bull. By mid season some of the players were drinking four before a game. One of the catchers broke his thumb in a game. When they took him to the hospital his heart was racing so fast that it took alot from the medical staff. Adreneline and cafeine are a bad mixture. Hopefully this fad will fade as more people realize the negative impact that it can make

Nite before early morning SAT's couple weeks ago son ran to the store to pick up a couple of redbulls for the morning! Don't know if it's a performance enhancer as results are still pending.

Curious if others have heard similar stories but understand teens may be abusing this stuff as they seem to get a buzz from it...sort of an alcohol substitute and need not be of legal drinking age to purchase.

I am actually drinking 1 or 2 red bull a week when I go in Bar/Disco ( I don't drink alcohol so there is water and energy drink ). Also I used to drink some energy drink when I was playing high level hockey. And I really think we only feel a rush of sugar and then after fall asleep. When i am in bar I don't really feel nothing but playing hockey I cant tell you neither about high feelings. In my point of view the ENERGY is more mental than ingredient of the drink... it is sure that the sugar and cafeine keeps you awake but nothing more I think.

I saw a mother of a 10 yr. old little leaguer give her son a Red Bull before the game. I really didn't feel comfortable with that but I can see how this type of attitude would lead to parental support for bigger and better performance enhancers down the road. Oh yes, it didn't help with his game. He played just as poorly.

Why does a 10 year old need to drink anything but water at a game?

That's what I'd like to know! But other kids see him and will think it's okay. And as he grows older, it will be okay to do more serious enhancers. Not a good trend.

AMEN