Almost all energy drink brands will claim that their formula is the best one out there. True, they’re all unique in the sense that they utilize common energy drink ingredients in their own way, but technically they’re all very similar in terms of ingredients.
In this article, we’ll break down the most commonly used ingredients in energy drinks, discuss what they are, as well as some interesting facts about them. Stay until the end because I want to share with you my ideal choice of energy drink.
Hopefully, this information will help you pick out the right energy drink formula for you!
Without further ado, let’s get started.
What Ingredients Are Most Essential In Energy Drinks?
There are a lot of primary active components in energy drinks, including caffeine, minerals, and preservatives. These include extracts from the guarana plant, amino acids like taurine, carbohydrates in sugar, and vitamins.
For further discussion, the following are the essential ingredients you can find in energy drinks.
Caffeine
Caffeine is by far the most generally utilized stimulant. It has been used for centuries to provide strong stimulating effects.
Energy drink manufacturers make use of it as the main ingredient that’ll provide the energy boost.
Caffeine is usually derived from coffee beans and tea leaves. It may originate from natural sources, but with the advancement in technology, it is now possible to produce synthetic versions of it.
Caffeine can now be added to almost every product chemically without harvesting tons and tons of coffee and tea.
Coffee stimulates chemicals in the brain, causing the mind to become focused and the body energized. However, abusing it can also lead to an increase in heart rate, high blood pressure, and dehydration.
People who consume more than 400mg per day (the suggested daily safe dosage) report unpleasant side effects such as anxiousness, increased heart rate, migraines, upset stomach, and, most frequently, jittery feeling.
Sugar
Sugar is dubbed as the simplest carbohydrate because the body cannot break it down into a simpler form.
Many fitness experts recommend consuming sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, aka carb loading, for activities that last longer than an hour, like marathons, hiking, basketball, etc.
On the other hand, excessive sugar consumption has been associated with weight gain and diabetes. For short-term side effects, sugar may cause insulin levels to increase, resulting in a “crash-like” sensation after around 60 minutes or so.
If you’re worried about crashing, try looking for sugar-free energy drinks.
Nutrients
Nutrients are elements added to food that are important to our health and well-being. They provide us with energy, the key components for development, and the ingredients needed to sustain growth.
There are many nutrients that can be found in energy drinks, but the ones listed below are the most often utilized due to their incredible benefits.
Taurine
Taurine has been proven in studies to help reduce cholesterol levels and improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to heart cells.
Furthermore, it regulates the heart, smoothens muscle contractions, and increases energy levels in the body.
Additionally, it is beneficial during conscious intellectual activities and enables individuals to operate better when exposed to high doses of other stimulants like caffeine.
Get to know taurine and its effects by watching the video below!
Vitamin B
Vitamin B-complexes are included in energy drinks mainly because they are essential in the metabolism of energy.
Plus, they are water-soluble, so those excess B vitamins (if any) that are not processed by your digestive system are just flushed out of the body, leading to no potentially damaging effects.
This class of vitamins is primarily responsible for assisting the body in the digestion of food into energy. Below is a table showing the purpose of significant B vitamins that you can find in energy drinks
| VITAMIN B | Purpose |
| Thiamine (B1) | Thiamin, or vitamin B1, contributes to preventing problems in the nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and digestive systems. It is also valuable in the exchange of electrolytes between muscle and nerve cells. |
| Niacin (B3) | Niacin, commonly known as vitamin B3, has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, relieve arthritis, and improve cognitive function. |
| Cyanocobalamin (B12) | Vitamin B-12 supports the maintenance of cellular energy levels by facilitating the conversion of carbohydrates into usable glucose in the body. It also benefits the production of red blood cells and maintains good digestion. |
L-Theanine
L-theanine has been studied and proven to relax the brain and improve concentration. This nutrient is derived from tea leaves, in which green tea possesses the greatest abundance.
Energy drink brands just recently included L-Theanine in their formulation to offset a few of the harmful effects of caffeine, but it also has energy-boosting effects on its own.
Preservatives
Preservatives are chemicals that are added to energy drinks in addition to the active components to give them a longer shelf life.
Here are the most common preservatives you can find in energy drinks.
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is included in certain drinks and processed foods to help them last longer on the market as preservatives.
Its ability to dilute quickly in liquids is one of the reasons why sodium benzoate is frequently utilized in the storage of food and beverages.
When it comes to sodium benzoate, the Food and Drug Administration evaluates its effects per body weight. It has determined and suggested safe amounts of sodium benzoate when it comes to daily intake and its impact on overall body mass.
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium sorbate is extensively used in a variety of products, including foods and beverages for preservation. It doesn’t have a taste and odor that is synthesized from other chemicals in salt.
In addition, they increase the shelf life of foods by inhibiting the development of molds, bacteria, and fungi in the environment.
What Energy Drink Is The Most Effective?
Featuring 50mg of caffeine, REIZE is an efficient energy drink that will keep you alert and active for the course of its benefits on your body.
Briefly stated, REIZE contains ginseng, which has been used for ages because of its healing properties, energy-boosting capacities, anti-fatigue capabilities, and enhanced memory retention.
Regarding its claims of being the most effective beverage, there is substance to those assertions because of its nutritional ingredients. You will see further explanation in the latter part of this article.
Energy Drinks With The Best Formula
Now for the battle of the brands! Here are the best energy drinks according to their formulation.
Zipfizz
Zipfizz is a low-calorie, sugar-free, and low-carb energy drink with 20 calories and two net carbohydrates.
It contains vitamins (vitamins C, E, Bs, and folate), minerals, sodium, electrolytes, and more. It is also infused with 100mg of naturally-derived caffeine from green tea and guarana, which provides an energy boost approximately 15 minutes after you drink it.
G Fuel
G Fuel is marketed specifically for gamers. It packs a lot of energy, amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants into each serving.
In addition to caffeine, G Fuel incorporates an energy complex, focus complex, and antioxidant complex into its formulation.
Other minor ingredients include food coloring, flavorings, and artificial sweeteners. Check out this article for additional information on its components!
Advocare Spark
Advocare Spark is another powdered energy drink that comprises a variety of herbal extracts and amino acid components, including thiamine, riboflavin, vitamins b3, and b5, inositol, L-tyrosine, and taurine.
They claim that the combination of these substances can improve your workout performance positively. You can find more information about its benefits here.
REIZE (10 out of 10)
REIZE contains 50mg of caffeine, which is much less than your typical energy drink. Still, it consists of a variety of other beneficial energy-providing chemicals that are also good for you.
It has a unique combination of healthy nutrients such as 1000mg of taurine, sufficient amounts of ginseng, and a high concentration of B group vitamins. These are blended together to give you a steady boost of energy without terrible sugar or caffeine crashes that may occur later.
REIZE is an energy drink in powdered form that comes in 4g sachets that are easy to carry anywhere. It is also sugar-free and has just 11 calories per serving, making it a healthy option.
This energy drink is perfect for you if you’re searching for something that gets the job done and provides you with the energy you need.
And did I mention that you can get it shipped to your door for only around $1 per drink?
That’s amazing value for money.
For me, this is the best choice of energy drink formula.
So what are you waiting for? Get yours now!
Bottomline
All energy formula brands utilize the ingredients I mentioned here in this article. They just create their own blend, focusing on one ingredient, or adding sugar sparingly, incorporating a newly discovered vitamin, resulting in an energy drink that has a distinct taste and unique benefits.
Basically, you consume energy drinks because these refreshments promise to increase energy, contribute to weight loss, stimulate muscle strength, and improve focus. However, it is important to be informed about all of the chemicals added to them so that you can make the right decision about what energy drink is suitable for you.
For example, you’re not particularly keen on caffeine and not really hitting the gym much. In this case, a low-caffeinated energy drink can fit the bill.
However, if you’re looking to lose weight or build muscles, you might want an energy drink with high caffeine content, electrolytes, and other performance-enhancing vitamins. Or sometimes, it can be just a matter of liking flavors, really.
Given that almost all energy drinks are functionally identical, I would argue that the ideal energy drink is the one that suits your own preferences in terms of flavor, price, and availability.
All these drinks offer a lot of benefits, and the key is to find the right one that will fit your needs and your lifestyle.