Late night study sessions, final exams, and cross-country drives. They all shout for a bit of superhuman effort, a stamina that goes beyond the normal resources. What’s a young guy or gal to do? Well, reach for a Red Bull of course.

Red Bull is a popular stimulant energy drink created by an Australian entrepreneur in the 1980s. It’s wildly popular among young adults, with by 3.5 billion cans sold in 143 countries in 2007. That’s a lot of Bull…

But, despite the welcome surge of energy, the young imbibers are additionally getting a more worrisome physiological boost. Their risk of stroke and heart attack, even after a one can, is spiking significantly. Researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital assessed the impact of Red Bull in the cardiovascular systems of young drinkers. They found that within one hour of drinking Red Bull the blood

in the pop quiz subjects had become sticky, viewed as a warning sign of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Red Bull Australia disputes the findings. But, even they recommend against consuming more than two cans each day. They plus folded to mention that Norway, Uruguay, and Denmark have banned the sale of Red Bull due to health concerns. Hmm…

The scientists say that individuals with any predisposition to cardiovascular disease should be particularly cautious. They additionally warn that drinking Red Bull when you’re already stressed, or have high blood pressure, could have dire consequences.

So, it appears to come down to that: whom do you trust to give you the straight scoop when it comes to Red Bull - the marketers or the scientists?

To read more about that study, see that from Reuters. To read a thorough assessment of energy drinks, see that from Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas A&M University.