Five-Hour Energy High

Five-Hour Energy High

At the National Restaurant Association show, I’d availed myself of a few sample products from several vendors. In the course of the day, I tried a bottle of Five-Hour Energy drink that was offered by a pleasant, chatty gal who had obviously been sampling her product throughout the day.



Like everyone else in the world, I’d seen this drink advertised on television and was more than a little dubious regarding the desirability of imbibing this medicinal-sounding liquid instead of a cup of coffee in the morning. My dubiety was increased when I read the label that assured me this beverage contained “caffeine comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee.”

The obvious question: why not just drink a cup of coffee? Especially in light of the fact that coffee will likely not induce, as the label warns, “a Niacin Flush.”

Now, I’ve had Red Bull (drinkable) and I’ve had Monster (undrinkable), and this little shot of 5-HE had the advantage of being small and thus pretty easy to slam back. The taste was slightly bitter with a somewhat clumsy overlay of some sweetener (not sugar, as the stuff contains only 5 calories). But it was small, so any bad tastes were quickly gone and forgotten.

The good news: it pretty much works, and I’d say it works a little better than a cup of coffee. And by “works,” I mean I drank the bottle about an hour ago, I’ve written about 1,500 words since then, and The Wife keeps telling me to please be quiet, as I guess I’m maybe talking more than I usually do, but I just feel good and it’s not really that hard to talk, write food posts, watch television, listen to some music, and polish shoes at the same time, I mean, there’s so much of the brain that isn’t utilized, you know, and so why not take full advantage of all the capacity that god or nature or whatever gave us, you know, so I’m thinking, maybe I should just go out and buy a case of this stuff and keep it by my desk, I could get so much done, probably sleep less, get a lot of reading done, this stuff is probably be great when gearing up for a workout, and

Apparently the stuff is contagious, I'm feeling better just reading about it.

There's other stuff in there besides caffeine and niacin, of course. (And, really, it's not much niacin... 30mg or something?). Other b vitamins, other "energy-boosting" things. They actually make a decaf version, which I've never tried, and a more caffeinated version, which I have.

I try to avoid these things (and caffeine) in general, but it's what I reach for in an emergency. Berry is the most palatable of the various disgusting flavors, at least to me.

David - Can we get a follow-up? What happens in hour six?

teatpuller wrote:What happens in hour six?

Drink another one.

Aren't you supposed to see a doctor if you're "up" for more than four hours?

I heard a radio interview once with the founder of the company. As he told the story, He was at a specialty foods convention and sampled an energy drink in an 8-oz soda-type serving. He thought, what if I'd like the energy boost but am not thirsty enough to drink a whole can of soda? He bought the rights to the formula and did the research into getting the energy-boosting ingredient content into a smaller but still palatable dose.

Katie wrote:a smaller but still palatable dose.

A big part of the palatabilty of this drink is due to the fact that it is a small dose.

I bought a Monster once to help stay awake on the drive back from Des Moines, and it was...abhorrent.*

*New key term.

I've taken 5-hour energy, but only during "guy weekends" revolving around a lot of golf and late nights with little sleep involved. Those energy shots can't be healthy for you, but they certainly help you stay awake!

What's the active ingredient besides caffeine?

Judy H wrote:What's the active ingredient besides caffeine?

http://www.5hourenergy.com/healthfacts.asp

I've never understood the point of these (Red Bull, Monster, etc.) It's been years since caffeine kept me awake so maybe I'm the wrong audience, but I tried a 5-hour energy and it did absolutely nothing for me. At least I enjoy a good cup of coffee.

spinynorman99 wrote:At least I enjoy a good cup of coffee.

And THAT is a key point. A morning joe is enjoyable in a way this little blast of speed-like substances could never be, and it's why I when I see those commercials where some jamoke is slamming back a 5-HE instead of a decent cup of coffee. Could anyone possibly enjoy such a thing, or prefer it to coffee?

I am glad you posted about this. I have been on a quest for years to get more energy especially during that three o clock dip or towards ten pm when I am trying to be an aging party animal and failing. I was afraid to take this...and did not know if the company was some crackpot organization and I would collapse and die if I drank it. I have found something similar in capsule form called Urgent Energy which is comprised of similar B vitamins but the energy mix is derived from extracts of green tea, guarana, royal jelly, asian ginseng, eleuthero, and ashwaganda. It has no sodium and no artificial flavors and colors, no sweetner as its a capsule. I have taken it for a few years and not ill effects. Sounds like though you would get a more jittery blast with five hour energy. Some formulas make you more alert and less tired with out the jitters.

toria wrote: I have found something similar in capsule form called Urgent Energy which is comprised of similar B vitamins but the energy mix is derived from extracts of green tea, guarana, royal jelly, asian ginseng, eleuthero, and ashwaganda. It has no sodium and no artificial flavors and colors, no sweetner as its a capsule.

Royal Jelly is awesome stuff. Though on its own doesnt give the energy boost of these concoctions, it does perk you up somewhat.

toria wrote:I am glad you posted about this. I have been on a quest for years to get more energy especially during that three o clock dip or towards ten pm when I am trying to be an aging party animal and failing. I was afraid to take this...and did not know if the company was some crackpot organization and I would collapse and die if I drank it. I have found something similar in capsule form called Urgent Energy which is comprised of similar B vitamins but the energy mix is derived from extracts of green tea, guarana, royal jelly, asian ginseng, eleuthero, and ashwaganda. It has no sodium and no artificial flavors and colors, no sweetner as its a capsule. I have taken it for a few years and not ill effects. Sounds like though you would get a more jittery blast with five hour energy. Some formulas make you more alert and less tired with out the jitters.

Where can I buy this Urgent Energy? It sounds perfect!

Urgent energy is sold by Andrew Lessman.

http://www.procapslabs.com

Andrew Lessman's URGENT ENERGY is an all-natural supplement designed to provide a safe and healthy means of enhancing energy levels and feelings of well-being. It does not contain the potentially dangerous Ephedrine-containing herb, Ma Huang. Urgent Energy is our first product to include Royal Jelly, the uniquely balanced and comprehensive food of the Queen Bee. Urgent Energy also provides standardized extracts of several herbs used traditionally throughout the world to help maintain energy, combat fatigue and provide a balanced sense of well-being. We include Green Tea, with its long history of use in Asia to support energy and vitality. We also add Guarana extract, with its natural caffeine-related alkaloids to promote energy, as well as standardized extracts of two adaptogenic herbs, Panax (Asian) Ginseng and Eleutherococcus (Eleuthero), with a history of traditional use going back thousands of years. In addition, Urgent Energy supplies Ashwagandha, an herb commonly used in the traditional holistic health system of India, to help the body adapt to physical and mental stress. Finally, Urgent Energy provides high levels of the B-Complex vitamins because they are absolutely essential for energy production and are readily depleted by energy-sapping stress. Life can be challenging and when you need some energy support during your day, Urgent Energy safely and economically supplies the tools to jump-start energy levels and combat fatigue while gently supporting positive feelings of well-being.

CAUTION Contains Royal Jelly, a bee-derived ingredient, which can provoke an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals, including those with asthma or allergies to bees or bee products. Not recommended for children or pregnant or lactating women. Contains a small amount of natural caffeine-related alkaloids.



They also sell it on HSN.