Pepsi Company one-upped its competitors in the carbonated soft drink industry when it released the Mountain Dew Game Fuel line in August 2007. Since then, they’ve followed up this success with various flavors, with the newest one being Mountain Dew Rise Energy.
The Mountain Dew Amp Game Fuel is the re-invention of its first energy drink, released last January 14, 2019.
But seeing how they named their soft drinks and energy drinks after Mountain Dew, an 81-year-old formula, you can’t help but wonder if these products are all the same when it comes to ingredients and their effect on the body.
So just how unique is Game Fuel when compared to its predecessor? Should you even buy it?
Read the article to know which drink is the winner of this match-up!
Is Game Fuel Just Mountain Dew?
No, Game Fuel is not the same as Mountain Dew.
Mountain Dew is patented as a carbonated soft drink, while Game Fuel is an energy drink. Though these products are indeed too similar for their liking, their difference truly sets them apart once you get to research each beverage.
For starters, energy drinks contain more caffeine and their primary concern is to fuel you for a reasonable amount of time. Sodas then sport a higher sugar content than the other products since the manufacturer initially separated more beverages from alcoholic brands.
Moreover, energy drinks contain more vitamins and minerals, such as the B-Vitamins complex and taurine. It’s also worth mentioning some soda brands are taking the giant leap and are including these supplements in their formulas, but they are still not enough to be on par with their energy drink competitors.
Aside from the usual nutrients that sustain your body, EDs also improve your cognitive performance, reaction time, and alertness, among other enhanced traits. Studies also revealed how beneficial energy drinks are to active people, given that these individuals regulate their daily intake.
But then, Game Fuel has a Mountain Dew version with 90mg of caffeine and 90 calories. They call this Mountain Dew Amp Game Fuel, an energy drink made especially for video gamers. The difference between this product and the original Game Fuel is that it is a soda with just more caffeine content.
On the contrary, abusing these products all end up detrimental to your mental and physical health. So it’s essential to keep your consumption of either product at bay.
If you’re still curious to know just how significant the differences are between energy drinks and soda, then this article may provide more help.
What Makes Game Fuel Special?
Though Game Fuel is mainly endorsed as a gamer energy drink, it’s more than what you bargained for.
For starters, it contains fewer calories with a small 90 calories for every 16 fl. oz can, which is way below the content of mainstream brands. It also introduced Gum Arabica, an easily dissolvable dietary fiber that makes you “feel fuller” and eliminates the need to ingest more calories.
This is good news since Game Fuel won’t contribute to weight gain and does not take much on AHA’s daily calorie intake, 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men.
On another note, Game Fuel is also filled with essential vitamins and minerals that you may find on any brand. But I personally think that this beverage is one of the selected few that uses Panax Ginseng Root Extract, a known substance that increases energy and reduces blood sugar.
It also sports Yerba Mate Extract, which gives an energy boost and eliminates fatigue.
All in all, the contents of Game Fuel are at par with any energy drink, maybe even better considering that it uses some ingredients you don’t see in other brands much often. With that being said, you still need to be careful when consuming energy drinks, especially if you’re downing a can daily.
If you’re curious about Game Fuel’s ingredients, you can visit my other article for more information.
Inside Mountain Dew
Every 16oz can of Mountain Dew is sugar-free and has 220 calories. This soda also contains vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.
This study indicates that overconsumption of sugar can put you at risk of having diabetes or heart disease.
Furthermore, you have to keep your daily intake below the recommended amount to keep your liver healthy.
Specific research suggests that drinking over one can of Mountain Dew will increase your chance of having a fatty liver.
Mountain Dew also contains caffeine. The good thing is you’d need to drink six cans of Mountain Dew in one day to get past the recommended daily caffeine limit. This means that the tendency to have caffeine overdose is low.
Consuming more calories and not burning them will gain you more weight. To avoid this, you should then burn your calories by exercising.
Merely having too much can increase your weight. So take note that it has 220 calories per can. It may seem small, but that can quickly add up if you’re not careful.
Nevertheless, the recommended calorie intake per day varies by gender for the reason that men usually have less body fat and more muscle than women which means men burn more of their calories.
- 2,500 calories per day for men
- 2,000 calories per day for women
Game Fuel vs. Mountain Dew
And now here’s our moment of truth! I’ll be comparing Game Fuel and Mountain Dew’s qualities to see who will emerge victorious.
Caffeine Content
Mountain Dew contains 72mg of caffeine in every 16 fl. oz can, a high amount for a soft drink.
However, Game Fuel sports 90mg of caffeine. While both caffeine contents are not far from each other, it’s safe to say that Game Fuel still wins this round.
It’s good news that they both have low caffeine content compared to other energy drinks, considering that teens and young adults are the main audiences of both markets. This means that their consumers won’t develop caffeine dependency or even caffeine addiction.
Sugar Content
Now we’ll be taking a look at the sugar content of both of these beverages.
| Size | Sugar content |
| Mountain Dew 12 fl. oz | 46g |
| Mountain Dew 16 fl. oz | 61g |
| Mountain Dew Game Fuel 16 fl. oz | 23g |
| Game Fuel | Sugar-free |
Which Can Make You Crash? Game Fuel or Mountain Dew?
All of them can lead to sugar crashes if not consumed moderately.
Looking back to our chart, Mountain Dew has a dangerously high sugar content, considering that the AHA has recommended that men should only consume 36 grams of sugar while women are capped at 26g. If you were to consume either can, then you can kiss your healthy daily sugar intake goodbye.
Such an amount of natural sugar can cause a sugar crash. Aside from feeling intense hunger, confusion, and fatigue, studies also revealed that it could cause negative emotions and a decline in alertness.
This decline can also be life-threatening if the blood sugar levels go below 70 milligrams per deciliter, as it can lead to seizures and coma.
High sugar content can also contribute to sugar addiction, type II Diabetes, and other heart problems.
On the other hand, Game Fuel is sugar-free the Mountain Dew Game Fuel has 23g of sugar. While it’s below the daily recommended sugar intake, it can still cause a crash if you aren’t careful. However, they’re quite an advantage since they have less sugar than when you “Do the Dew.”
Alternatives to Game Fuel and Mountain Dew
So maybe Mountain Dew and its energy drink form just don’t quite cut it for you. I have great alternatives that you can check out!
Gamer Supps
If you’re a gamer who’s currently on a Keto diet or someone who’s in dire need of something organic, then you may just find GG Gamer Supps fit for your current needs.
It’s packed with all kinds of extracts, vitamins, and minerals to help you stay in great shape despite playing for hours on end.
It also has zero sugar and packs 100 mg of caffeine for every serving. It’s guaranteed to keep you active and awake as if you just downed a cup of Joe!
XS Energy
Energy drinks don’t have to come in big cans to know that they’re effective. Meet XS Energy.
It’s an 8 fl. oz can filled with 80mg of caffeine and has no sugar, although artificial sweeteners such as Sucralose and Acesulfame potassium bring more flavors to the concoction.
So if you’re looking for something small that packs a punch or two, I highly recommend XS!
REIZE (10 out of 10)
Here’s the part where you’ll get enlightened about the best energy drink in the market right now: REIZE!
First of all, REIZE has a moderate 50mg of caffeine, 11 calories, and no sugar, making sure that you’ll get a great caffeine boost without experiencing any side effects. It also has additional vitamins like Taurine, Ginseng, and B vitamins to further enhance your performance!
I also love how REIZE comes in handy 4g powder sachets that I can take with me anywhere. No matter where I am, I can easily whip up a delicious fizzy REIZE drink that will take me to the next level.
You can get REIZE for only around $1, and you can even have your orders shipped straight to your door!
So if I were you, I’d give REIZE a try today!
Other Notable Energy Drinks
Here are also some EDs you may find helpful, too!
Final Judgement
I personally think that Game Fuel is the better product when compared to Mountain Dew. Not only does it sport more nutritious ingredients and lower sugar levels, but it also assures you that you won’t have to worry about being too unhealthy despite your current lifestyle.
While it’s true that these products taste the same since Game Fuel was designed to taste like your average carbonated soft drink, they differ too much with regard to ingredients for people to label them as just the same.
Both products call for a great deal of willpower to consume since they include sugar and caffeine in quantities that may not be appropriate for those who lead an inactive lifestyle. Even if it’s intended for gamers, doing some exercise before getting back to work or school won’t harm you.
With that being said, Mountain Dew and Game Fuel are great products to watch out for but must be consumed appropriately to avoid adverse and irreversible side effects.