IT CLAIMS TO GIVE YOU 'WINGS' BUT CAN DRINKING TOO MUCH RED BULL REALLY CAUSE BLINDNESS?
A single 250ml can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine, which is about the same as a cup of coffee.
But research has found that drinking more than three cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of vision loss and blindness.
The study, published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, says even moderate amounts of the drink make developing the devastating eye condition glaucoma more likely.
Glaucoma occurs when the drainage tubes within the eye become slightly blocked, preventing eye fluid from draining properly and causing pressure to build up.
This can damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, and the nerve fibres from the retina (the light-sensitive nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye).
The researchers, from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, suggest that compounds found in coffee may increase pressure within the eyeball, causing a vision-destroying condition known as exfoliation glaucoma.
This occurs when material is rubbed off both the eye's iris and lens, which then clogs up the eyeball's fluid-draining system, leading to increased pressure within the eye
However no correlation was with other caffeine products such as tea, cola or chocolate.
But scientists have previously warned of other conditions linked more directly with Red Bull, including the increased risks of having a heart attack or a stroke.
A study of university students found drinking one 250ml can of the sugar-free version of the energy drink increased the 'stickiness' of the blood and raised the risk of life-threatening clots.
Red Bull itself advises on its website that no more than 400mg - the equivalent to five 250ml cans - should be drunk in a day to avoid the potential adverse effects of caffeine.
Red Bull itself advises on its website that no more than 400mg should be drunk in a day to avoid the potential adverse effects of caffeine
No comments:
Post a Comment