Experts Weigh in on BUBBL'R's Health Claims

BUBBL'R's manufacturer claims its popular sparkling water beverage is "bubbles with benefits" as it contains all-natural ingredients that can help boost the immune system. While it may be a potentially "healthier" choice than soda or energy drinks, experts say it's unlikely that drinking these beverages will deliver enough antioxidants to significantly benefit the immune system.

Scientific evidence continues to emerge on the potential health impacts of sugar-sweetened beverages and energy drinks. For example, recent research revealed that sugary drink consumption led to 2.2 million new type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cardiovascular disease diagnoses worldwide in 2020.

Moreover, a 2023 research review suggests that excessive energy drink consumption may be associated with heart arrhythmias, neurological and behavioral changes, and organ inflammation.

Media coverage of these and other studies linking sugar-laden beverages and energy drinks to certain health conditions may have some consumers looking for healthier yet still convenient options.

One potential choice is sparkling water, which is carbonated to create a bubbly, fizzy texture. The ingredients in sparkling water can vary depending on the product. Some are unsweetened with little or no flavor, while others contain flavors, sugar or sugar substitutes, and sometimes caffeine.

BUBBL'R, made by Wis-Pak, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer and distributor of Pepsi-Cola and other soft drinks, is a sparkling water product that has grown in popularity due to its health claims.

According to the company's website, BUBBL'R is an antioxidant sparkling water that "boosts, energizes, and restores balance." The company also claims that its product is "bubbles with benefits" because it contains vitamins and antioxidants that can support the immune system.

However, experts Wellnesspulse spoke with suggest that while BUBBL'R could be considered a better choice than sugary beverages or highly caffeinated energy drinks, there may be concerns over specific ingredients and whether drinking BUBBL'R can boost the immune system, as claimed.

What’s in BUBBL'R?

BUBBL'R comes in several fruity flavors, each with five calories per can. The bubbly drink's label says it's sweetened with stevia leaf extract and erythritol. Moreover, it contains "natural" caffeine equivalent to a cup of coffee.

Ingredients listed for one specific flavor — lemon lime twist'r — include:

Sandra Vigelienė, a Health Content Researcher at Wellnesspulse, says BUBBL'R's "immune support" claim is based on the drink's content of vitamins B, pantothenic acid, niacin, and vitamin A.

Specific vitamins naturally contribute to immune system function. For example, research suggests that vitamin A plays a role in both innate and adaptive immunity development and support.

Sandra Vigelienė, BSc

Health content researcher

While these vitamins may actually contribute to normal immune system function, it is unlikely that a moderate intake of [BUBBL'R] in people who are generally not deficient would have a meaningful or significant and easily noticeable effect on immunity support.

Dr. Chris Browne, Director of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine at University of Western States, tells Wellnesspulse that based on the listed ingredients, it appears unlikely that drinking BUBBL'R will deliver enough antioxidants to benefit the immune system or improve health outcomes significantly.

Concerns with erythritol

In addition to specific vitamins, BUBBL'R contains erythritol, a sugar alcohol used to sweeten food. According to the company's website, each flavor contains 6 to 7 grams of erythritol per can.

"Erythritol is a sugar alcohol which has been labeled as a natural and an artificial sweetener by different groups but is more often considered artificial," Browne says.

Research suggests that red blood cells naturally produce erythritol at low levels. It's also found in trace amounts in some fruits and fermented foods.

In commercial food production, it is synthesized from crops like corn. When used as a food additive, erythritol levels are much higher than would ever be found in nature (by a factor of about 1000), so I'd consider this application more artificial than natural.

Browne

The FDA categorizes erythritol as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). However, scientists began questioning the safety of erythritol after Cleveland Clinic-led research found links between elevated blood erythritol levels and blood clot formation, which may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.

A follow-up study found that after participants consumed a drink with 30 grams of erythritol, their platelets in the blood became more prone to clotting. The researchers did not observe these changes after participants drank a solution containing 30 grams of sugar (glucose).

Still, since BUBBL'R contains 6 to 7 grams of erythritol per can, a person would need to consume just over four to five cans in one sitting to reach 30 grams.

"The available evidence at this point does not establish erythritol as a clear cause of cardiovascular events," Browne notes. "However, seeing this platelet response is concerning and reason enough to be cautious, in my opinion, and wait for more data before considering this to be a safe ingredient."

Moreover, Browne tells Wellnesspulse that some individuals may experience gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea after ingesting erythritol. While more research is needed, it's also possible that erythritol consumption could alter the gut microbiome.

What about caffeine?

BUBBL’R labels show that each flavor has 69 mg of “natural” caffeine per can, which is slightly less than what’s found in a cup of coffee. For healthy adults, the recommended limit is 400 mg per day (around 4 cups of brewed coffee).

Excess caffeine intake is associated with symptoms such as increased digestive issues, increased heart rate, anxiety, or insomnia.

Vigelienė says that while BUBBL'R does not exceed the daily recommended limit for caffeine intake for healthy individuals, consumers should still be mindful that it's a caffeinated drink.

BUBBL'r labels indicate that caffeine in the beverage is "natural." However, Browne explains that "naturally sourced" caffeine is not better than caffeine from other sources.

"When caffeine is added to a food or beverage, it is the same molecule regardless of where it originally came from," Browne says.

Is it safe to drink BUBBL'R every day?

Since BUBBL'R doesn't contain sugar and includes some vitamins, it may benefit people who are drinking it as a replacement for something potentially more harmful, such as sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages, energy drinks, or alcohol.

Still, Browne does not recommend frequent or daily consumption of these beverages as they are more suitable as an occasional treat.

Moreover, there may be other considerations, such as the potential for tooth enamel erosion and packaging-related safety concerns.

A well-studied problem with frequent consumption of carbonated beverages, which are highly acidic, is erosion of tooth enamel. Adding sugar to carbonated beverages increases the damage to our teeth, but even sugar-free fizzy drinks contribute to enamel erosion.

Browne

As far as packaging is concerned, Browne explains that canned beverages use a liner to protect the metal from the acidic liquid inside.

"These liners are made of plastic and can include compounds like styrene, acrylic, BPA, and BPA-substitute plasticizers, which may leech out into the beverage and contribute to chronic disease risk through a variety of mechanisms," Browne adds.

While manufacturers have removed BPA from many products, Browne tells Wellnesspulse that there is often a lack of information about the replacement plasticizer chemicals used and their potential health risks.

"In some cases, BPA replacement chemicals have shown greater biological activity and potential for harm than BPA itself," Browne explains. "Because there's a lack of transparent and well-studied packaging options that are shown to be safe, the next best option is to limit our exposure to these chemicals by avoiding unnecessary packaged food and beverage consumption."

Healthier alternatives to BUBBL'R and similar beverages

While BUBBL'R could be considered a healthier option than sugar-laden or highly caffeinated drinks, claims that it supports the immune system may fall short.

Browne suggests that people looking for alternatives to soda, energy drinks, or BUBBL'R should first consider pure tap water, either filtered or straight from the tap, if it's free from contaminants.

If plain water is unappealing, adding citrus fruits, melon, berries, cucumber, or botanicals like ginger, rosemary, lavender, or hibiscus can make it more flavorful and enjoyable.

Other options are homemade unsweetened iced tea (or cold brew tea) and green tea, which may have immune system benefits.

Still, transitioning from commercially manufactured drinks to plain water or other options can be challenging for some. Browne notes that it can take time to become accustomed to the taste, especially if an individual is used to consuming manufactured foods and beverages.

"It's essential to give ourselves the space and compassion to change at a sustainable pace. It doesn't have to be everything all at once – that's usually less successful and more stressful," Browne suggests. "But if we stick with it, our preferences can adapt, letting us fully enjoy the short-term pleasure of food and drink as well as the long-term joy of being healthy and avoiding preventable illness."