Top Recommendations: REIZE Energy!
In this article, I’m going to go through a bunch of the most popular brands in the UK and let you know where to get them without burning a hole in your wallet.
The UK has an impressive line-up of local and international energy drinks that you can purchase online. In addition to covering the homegrown UK brands, I’ll also introduce several brands from the US that you can also buy online in the UK if you want to try something new.
Let’s get to it!
What Are Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are beverages that contain certain ingredients that can help increase your energy, enhance physical performance, and improve your cognitive abilities.
The primary component in energy drinks that provide you with energy is caffeine. ScienceDirect explains that energy drinks can cause mental and physical stimulation through their ingredients, mainly caffeine.
Energy drinks usually come in ready-to-drink cans or bottles.
How Do Energy Drinks Benefit You?
Energy drinks can benefit you in many ways from increasing your alertness to helping you improve physically and mentally.
Energy drinks contain ingredients like caffeine, taurine, herbal extracts, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fruit juice extracts. With all these ingredients combined, they work to enhance your energy levels as well as your performance.
Caffeine helps you stay awake for an extended period of time. Food and drinks like coffee, tea, and chocolate contain caffeine, which explains why you perk up after drinking or eating them.
That also explains why a cup of coffee is the first thing most people grab in the morning for a nice jolt of energy to get them ready for the day.
As such, caffeine can enhance vigilance and alertness.
A study involving 30 soldiers discovered that the consumption of caffeine helped maintain vigilance and psychomotor performance even though the participants were sleep-deprived.
Drinking caffeine at night or near bedtime will reduce the symptoms of fatigue, thus making it harder for you to fall asleep. So, if you need something to keep you awake during your graveyard shift or when you’re driving for long hours, energy drinks are easy and convenient options.
Besides that, energy drinks can augment your physical performance, whether it’s your endurance or strength.
In a study conducted on 15 participants, it was reported that the ingestion of a Red Bull improved upper body muscle endurance significantly compared to a placebo. It was also noted that the total amount of bench-press repetitions over 3 sets increased considerably after drinking a Red Bull.
A 2010 review reported that caffeine could increase strength and muscle endurance.
As for mental performance, studies have also proven that aside from providing hydration and improvements in physical performance, caffeine can also enhance cognitive functions and mood.
A review that covered a few studies discovered that drinking an energy drink containing caffeine increased reaction time, concentration, and memory.
To summarise our topic, energy drinks can benefit you in tons of ways, as long as you don’t go overboard with drinking them and consume energy drinks in moderate amounts.
Do Energy Drinks Have Any Side Effects?
Energy drinks can cause side effects if you drink them excessively. There are two main ingredients namely caffeine and sugar that you need to look out for in energy drinks.
Caffeine
According to the EFSA, healthy adults can consume a maximum of 400mg of caffeine in a day, with 200mg of caffeine per serving.
Too much caffeine can lead to adverse effects like:
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Increased thirst
- Headache
- Fever
- Insomnia
- Breathing troubles
- Confusion
- Chest pain
- Irregular/fast heartbeat
- Uncontrollable muscle movements
Since some energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, make sure you’re aware of how much caffeine you’re consuming to prevent caffeine overdose.
The amount of caffeine you can have also varies based on your caffeine metabolism. If you feel jittery or giddy even after drinking only a small amount of caffeine, you may have a low caffeine tolerance or a caffeine sensitivity.
I recommend knowing your tolerance when it comes to caffeine consumption and adjusting your limits when deciding to drink anything caffeinated, including energy drinks.
Sugar
There are many energy drinks that contain large amounts of sugar in them. Like caffeine, consuming too much sugar isn’t beneficial for your health.
NHS states that adults shouldn’t have more than 30g of added sugars in a day, which is around 7 sugar cubes.
Going over the maximum daily sugar intake will risk a sugar crash, an unpleasant experience you definitely don’t want to have.
Plus, consuming large quantities of sugar can lead to health-damaging effects over the long run:
- Tooth decay
- Acne
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
- Cancer
Fortunately, nowadays there are sugar-free energy drinks and energy drinks that have less sugar available that you can opt for. They’re healthier, have fewer calories, and are less likely to cause many negative effects in the long term.
Whichever you prefer, remember to consume sugar in moderation and that includes sugar from all sources.
Energy Drinks Brands You Can Get Online In The UK
| Energy Drink Brand | Volume | Caffeine | Sugar |
| Relentless | 500ml | 160mg | 24g |
| Boost | 500ml | 150mg | 24.5g |
| Moose Juice | 500ml | 200mg | None |
| Emerge | 250ml | 75mg | 11.25g |
| Irn-Bru | 330ml | 120mg | 36g |
| Red Bull | 250ml | 80mg | 27g |
| Rockstar | 500ml | 160mg | 24g |
| Monster | 500ml | 160mg | 55g |
| Zip Fizz | Customisable | 100mg | None |
| REIZE | Customisable | 50mg | None |
Relentless
Caffeine content: 160mg
Sugar content: 24g
Relentless Energy is a popular brand in the UK and has been around since 2006.
Although leaning towards the higher end of the spectrum, Relentless’s caffeine and sugar content is still within the daily maximum caffeine and sugar limits.
Relentless also contains taurine and B vitamins that can help your exercise performance.
Personally, I like the taste of Relentless, although the caffeine and sugar are more than I prefer to have when it comes to energy drinks.
If you want something with more kick to it, Relentless might be what you’re looking for. However, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or breastfeeding, you should avoid drinking Relentless.
You can find Relentless in most of your local convenience stores and supermarkets. Relentless is also available online on Amazon and eBay and several other online retailers, though the prices may vary.
BOOST Energy Drink
Caffeine content: 150mg
Sugar content: 24.5g
With 8 different flavours, BOOST energy drink is marketed as a high-performance energy drink with great taste.
BOOST has a similar caffeine and sugar content as Relentless. Personally, I think they would make a great occasional drink instead of every daily one.
You can find BOOST in your local stores like Costcutter and Budgens. It may be quite difficult for you to find BOOST on online retailers like Amazon. Their official website doesn’t seem to offer delivery of BOOST domestically in the UK as well.
You might have better luck buying BOOST energy drinks from your local shop or supermarket.
Moose Juice
Caffeine content: 200mg
Sugar content: Sugar-free
Moose Juice originated in Ireland. I know the name sounds a bit strange, but trust me, the Moose Juice energy drink isn’t made from actual moose juice. They’re regular energy drinks.
With 200mg of caffeine, Moose Juice packs quite the caffeine punch. Moose Juice may be more suited for you if you’re a regular caffeine drinker as you’re probably better able to tolerate caffeine.
One thing I like about Moose Juice is that they’re sugar-free, so you don’t have to worry about a sugar crash happening after drinking one.
Given that it comes from a company that focuses on high-performance energy products, especially in improving physical performance, Moose Juice is marketed to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and those searching for something that could give them a boost during their workouts.
You can get Moose Juice online from their website, or on the likes of Amazon or eBay.
Emerge
Caffeine content: 75mg
Sugar content: 11.25g
Emerge is one of the biggest energy drink brands in the UK, first launched in 2004.
The Emerge energy drink brand has a line of products consisting of a few variations, including reduced sugar and fruit-flavoured versions.
Emerge comes in a smaller volume of 250ml, half the volume of many other energy drinks.
It’s a great option as a light pick-me-up or for energy drink newbies.
The original Emerge is a little too sweet, but it does have a nice fruity and fizzy taste without a strong aftertaste.
Personally, my favourite variant of Emerge is the sugar-free version. It’s not as sweet as the original flavour and might suit you more if you’re not into sweet drinks.
You can sometimes find some good deals for Emerge online on a few sites. Of course, Amazon is another place to check out for some occasional cheap prices.
You can read my full review of Emerge in this article here.
Irn-Bru
Caffeine content: 120mg
Sugar content: 36g
Irn-Bru energy drink was launched by AG Barr, a UK-based manufacturer in 2019. There are two variations of Irn-Bru energy drinks, namely Irn-Bru Energy (with sugar) and the sugar-free version of Irn-Bru.
Irn-Bru provided gives you a nice energy boost, and even though there’s a little more caffeine than I would usually choose, it wasn’t a really overpowering boost as you get from some strong energy drinks.
If you’re vegan, you’ll be happy to know that Irn-Bru is vegan-friendly.
Amazon and eBay are worth comparing to see which has the best prices online. Several other smaller online retailers also sell Irn Bru Energy, but I noticed at least one of the smaller retailers was out of stock at the time that I checked, so be prepared to see that if you’re going to shop around.
You can read more about Irn Bru Energy in this other article I’ve written, where I cover everything you need to know in a lot more detail.
Red Bull
Caffeine content: 80mg
Sugar content: 27g
Red Bull is the most well-known energy drink brand in the world.
It’s the original, the Grand-daddy of energy drinks.
Recognised by its bull logo and signature tagline, ‘Gives You Wings’, Red Bull has aligned itself with extreme sports and even day-to-day activities like studying and gaming.
Red Bull can be found in local shops and online as well, whether it’s on the official website or on online retailer sites like Amazon or BritSuperstore.com.
If you’re interested to learn more about Red Bull, I’ve covered the caffeine and ingredients in Red Bull, and whether it’s safe to drink Red Bull every day which you can check out.
Also, did you know that Red Bull was banned in France once upon a time?
Rockstar Energy Drink
Caffeine content: 160mg
Sugar content: 24g
Another one of the top energy drink brands in the world, Rockstar leans towards the heavier side of the caffeine spectrum. Though, I admit it tastes pretty good.
Rockstar comes in 7 different flavours for you to choose from.
In my opinion, Rockstar is an effective energy drink, though the high sugar content weighs it down a little. Rockstar could do with a lower amount of sugar and then it’d really win me over.
It’s a great energy drink if you prefer something stronger, and don’t mind having all that sugar in a single can.
You can get Rockstar online in the UK on Amazon, eBay, and other smaller online retailers, including B&M.
If you’re curious about whether you can drink Rockstar every day, head over to this other post I’ve previously written where I cover this subject in more detail.
Monster Energy
Caffeine content: 160mg
Sugar content: 55g
Monster is one of the other leading energy drink brands originally from the US and has received plenty of good reviews, as well as some bad ones.
If you prefer something with a little fruity taste to it, you’ll probably like Monster.
For me, Monster does deliver on the energy boost promise and has a wide selection, but with the amount of caffeine and sugar, it has, the crash that comes afterwards might leave you feeling quite sluggish.
I suggest getting the sugar-free version, Monster Zero Ultra, which has less sugar and calories.
You can sometimes find some good deals online for cheap Monster Energy on Amazon, eBay and several other online sellers.
Zipfizz
Caffeine content: 100mg
Sugar content: Sugar-free
Zipfizz is a powdered energy drink that comes in tubes and needs to be mixed with water to make your energy drink. There are 11 flavours to choose from and the taste depends on which flavour you choose.
Overall, the effects of Zipfizz are smooth-sailing and moderate, unlike other stronger energy drinks. Though the energy boost doesn’t seem to last as long as I’d hoped, at least there weren’t any crashes or side effects.
You can purchase Zipfizz online from websites like Amazon and eBay for affordable prices. Be aware though, that Zipfizz will be coming from the United States, so delivery fees may be substantial if you’re getting it sent to the UK.
I’ve written a review of each of the flavours of Zipfizz and its effects, you can read all about it here.
REIZE (10 out of 10)
Caffeine content: 50mg
Sugar content: Sugar-free
REIZE is by far my favourite energy drink.
Why? Let me explain.
REIZE is a convenient powdered energy drink, coming in easy-to-carry 4g sachets that you can mix with just about any liquid that you fancy to make a delicious and fresh energy drink.
With a sensible 50mg of caffeine and a smart blend of ginseng, B vitamins, and taurine in every serving, REIZE gives you a smooth energy boost that will keep you going for hours, without any crashes.
Plus, REIZE is also sugar-free and only has just 11 calories. This means no sugar crash and your daily calorie count won’t be in jeopardy either.
If you’re looking for a great energy drink that tastes smooth and clean then REIZE might be perfect for you.
Best of all, you can get REIZE delivered right to your door for only about £1 per drink, including delivery charges.
That’s outstanding value for money.
Try REIZE today and I’m sure you’ll agree it’s the smartest choice if you’re looking for good deals on energy drinks online in the UK.