The energy drink became especially popular among college students that were desperate to stay awake to study, or party, or do whatever it is college kids do.
A decade later, Red Bull landed in America. Red Bull released its new formula in Austria in 1987 and it was a hit. Coke even began marketing itself as a morning drink, and Pepsi released a drink called Pepsi-AM, though it didn't last long. Competitors like Jolt Cola, which promised "all the sugar and twice the caffeine," started hitting the market. By 1985, more and more people were looking for alternatives to coffee, meaning the duo behind Red Bull was on the right track.
Together, the pair added more sugar, more caffeine, and switched from bottles to cans in an effort to appeal to Europeans. It was called Krating Daeng, which translates to "Red Guar," or "Red Bull." The drink didn't immediately start flying off the shelves, but in 1984, after downing a bottle while struggling with serious jet lag, an Austrian marketing exec reached out to Red Bull's inventor in the hopes of teaming up to market it to the masses. Speaking of Red Bull, that famous energy drink was first invented in 1976 by a pharmacist in Thailand. It's the key ingredient in most energy drinks today- drinks like Red Bull. Taurine is not made from bull sperm or pee, contrary to popular belief, but is actually a sulfur-containing amino acid with antioxidant properties. Lipovitan is made with taurine, among other ingredients. The tonic looked, smelled, and tasted like cough syrup and is widely considered the first modern energy drink. To fill the void, the Taisho company created an herbal "energizing tonic" called Lipovitan in 1962. In the late 1950s, Japan passed laws to curb amphetamine use throughout the country.
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Enuf, which is marketed as "The Original Energy Booster." It was full of vitamins and, of course, caffeine, but wasn't popular enough to hang with the big dogs like Coca-Cola. Twenty years later, in 1949, Chicago-based Tri-City Beverage releases a drink called Dr. Also, the company succumbed to government pressure and modified its recipe to be cocaine-free in 1929. While it definitely amped people up, Coca-Cola isn't considered the first energy drink. At the time, the drink was made with a combination of caffeine-filled kola nuts and an extract from coca leaves to boost energy. John Pemberton was working on a nausea and heartburn tonic, inventing Coca-Cola in the process. Let's journey back to 1886 for a moment, when Atlanta-based chemist Dr. It all started with a Thai pharmacist, an ex-monk, and a whole lot of cocaine. Today, the amount of different energy drinks on the market is staggering, and, like with many foodstuffs, the history of this uber-caffeinated drink has a long strange history.
Those who need a little more oomph-or don't like the taste of coffee-often turn to energy drinks, aka coffee's more jacked-up sibling. It helps people kick start their day, get through long afternoons, and helps nightshift workers pass the time. Coffee is the fuel through which all things are possible.