Brief
Analysis
The claims in the message are untrue. Energy drinks do not
contain bull sperm. They do contain taurine - a name derived from the Latin
word 'taurus', which means 'bull' or 'ox'. Taurine was given that name because
it was first isolated in the bile of an ox. While it is a major component of
bile, taurine is also found in the large intestine and in the tissues of
animals and humans. However, the taurine used in common energy drinks is
synthetic and is not derived from bulls or other animals.
** No more red bulls for me..!!!! Ewwwwwww.!!!!
Q: Do
energy drinks have bull sperm in it?
Answer:
Yes. A study done by longhorn cattle company, tested some of
the top energy drink brands (red bull, monster, etc) and found that they do
contain bull sperm.
Detailed
Analysis
According to this message, energy drinks such as Red Bull
and Monster contain bull sperm. The message, which circulates via social media
causing angst and revulsion as it travels, is presented as a screenshot
featuring an answer to a reader's question published on wiki.answers.com.
The message claims that the 'longhorn cattle company' tested
top brands of energy drink and discovered that they do contain bull sperm.
However, the claims in the message are nonsense. Energy
drinks do not contain bull sperm. And while there is a Texas restaurant with
the name 'Long Horn Cattle Company', there are no credible reports that suggest
that it, or any other similarly named organization, conducted testing of energy
drinks and discovered bull semen.
Given that WikiAnswers allows users to both submit and
answer questions, there is no guarantee that answers posted on the site are
accurate. In this case, the answer provided is not true.
This hoax is apparently derived from earlier stories that
claimed that an ingredient found in energy drinks called 'taurine' was made
from bull's testicles. And, the bull testicle story was in turn derived from
misunderstandings about taurine.
Taurine is indeed found in energy drinks. However, the
taurine in such drinks does not come from bull's testicles or bull sperm. The
taurine used in common brands of energy drinks and many other products is
synthetic. On the Q & A section of its website, RedBull
Is
Taurine made from bull's testicles?
Many
people bet it comes from some delicate parts of the strongest and most potent
bulls in the world, but the fact is that the taurine in Red Bull is produced
synthetically to the highest quality standards.
And a FactExpert entry on the topic explains:
In
energy drink, taurine is now believed to be nearly essential (or at least very
important) in the list of ingredients. Taurine is actually an amino acid that
is found in the human body-it is a natural substance that our bodily systems
encounter every day. In RedBull and other energy drinks, however, the taurine
is a synthetic element. There is no truth to the myth that taurine is an
extract from a bull's testicles, although this rumor has been circulating for
years.
So how
did taurine get connected to bulls in the first place since it occurs naturally
in many animals, not just bulls? Simply because taurine was first isolated inthe bile of an ox back in 1827 by German scientists. The name 'Taurine' was
derived from the Latin, 'Taurus', meaning bull or ox. This connection - along
with the name of one of the most well known energy drinks and an enduring
perception of bulls as epitomising virility and vigour - has perhaps given rise
to the energy drink bull testicle/bull sperm rumours.
So,
energy drink consumers need not be concerned that they are inadvertently
drinking bull sperm. They should perhaps be more concerned about the
potentially unhealthy ingredients that such drinks do contain. In fact, bull
sperm might be better for you then some of the stuff that is actually in there.
Source : Hoax-Slayer