Caffeine in Red Bull
A 250 ml can of Red Bull holds 80 mg of caffeine, about the same as a mug of instant coffee.
| Caffeine per serving | 80 mg |
| Serving | 8.4 oz can (250 ml) |
| Caffeine per 100 ml | 32 mg |
| Share of the 400 mg daily limit | 20% |
| Equal to filter coffee | 0.8 mugs |
| Equal to espresso | 1.3 shots |
| Time to fall below 40 mg | 6 hours |
How long does it last?
How late can you have it?
For an average metabolism this drops below the 40 mg sleep threshold about 6 hours after you drink it, so the latest you could have one and still be clear by an 11 pm bedtime is 5:06 pm. A fast metaboliser gains roughly two hours, a slow one loses two.
What to know
80 mg per can is fixed and printed on the label, which makes Red Bull one of the few drinks here you never have to estimate. The 355 ml and 473 ml cans scale to about 114 mg and 151 mg.
Taurine, B vitamins and sugar do not change how long the caffeine lasts. The half-life is the same 5.7 hours as coffee, so a can at 6 pm still has around 45 mg working at midnight.
Sugar-free is the same 80 mg. Only the calories change.
Compared with the rest of the energy drinks
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Celsius | 12 oz can (355 ml) | 199 mg |
| Alani Nu | 12 oz can (355 ml) | 199 mg |
| Monster | 16.9 oz can (500 ml) | 160 mg |
| Rockstar | 16 oz can (473 ml) | 151 mg |
| Red Bull | 8.4 oz can (250 ml) | 80 mg |
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Red Bull?
Red Bull has about 80 mg of caffeine per 8.4 oz can (250 ml). That is 20% of the 400 mg daily limit for a healthy adult, or about 0.8 mugs of filter coffee.
How long does the caffeine in Red Bull last?
It peaks about 45 minutes after you drink it and halves every 5.7 hours. For an average adult one 8.4 oz can takes about 6 hours to fall below 40 mg, the line Cira uses as low enough to sleep on.
How late can I drink Red Bull and still sleep?
For an 11 pm bedtime the latest is about 5:06 pm. Move it by the same amount as your own bedtime. People who clear caffeine slowly should stop about two hours earlier.
How many servings of Red Bull can I have in a day?
About 5, going by the 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults. That limit covers everything else with caffeine in it too, so the real number is lower on a day with other coffee, tea or cola.
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Where these numbers come from
Caffeine content is the typical value for the serving shown, the same figure the Cira app uses. Brands and brew methods vary, so treat it as a good estimate rather than a measurement of your cup. The 5.7 hour half-life is a typical value for healthy adults, the 40 mg sleep line is a working threshold of the model, and the 400 mg daily limit is the figure used by the European Food Safety Authority and the US FDA. How the numbers are worked out.
