Das Labs made Bucked Up Energy Drinks with a generous amount of caffeine and other boosting elements. However, I think 300mg of caffeine is something people consider before consuming this energy drink.
Even though Bucked Up has a different pre-workout version, you can also use the original one as a pre-workout beverage. It combines Theacrine and Dynamine, which could give a much-improved focus and reaction time, just as this study discovered.
It uses no natural sugar, but all its flavors taste kind of sweet. On the other hand, you might still be wondering if these are enough things to consider Bucked Up Energy a suitable beverage for you.
To get answers to your questions, read on.
Is Bucked Up Energy Safe?
To clear your doubts, Bucked Up Energy’s ingredients are proven safe by the FDA. The company also follows the FDA guidelines.
However, do bear in mind that the FDA does not approve energy drinks in their entirety, merely just their ingredients.
But just looking at the amount of caffeine, I’d have to say that I do not recommend Bucked Up for those who are sensitive to caffeine or new to energy drinks. I generally prefer energy drinks with only 50 to 100 mg of caffeine only to avoid nasty side effects.
All in all, Bucked Up can be safe as long as you’re a healthy adult and you moderate your consumption.
Bucked Up Nutrition Facts
I listed the nutritional information of Bucket Up and the recommended daily amounts here:
| Content | Serving per 1 can | Recommended Amount |
| Calories | 0 | 1600-2400 |
| Total Fat | 0g | 44g-77g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g | 10% or less of your daily calories |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 300mg |
| Sodium | 0g | 2300mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 21-25g |
| Total Sugar | 0g | 30g |
| Added Sugar | 0g | 30g |
| Protein | 0g | 0.8g of your weight |
| Vitamin D | 0mcg | 10-20mcg |
| Calcium | 0mcg | 2500mg |
| Iron | 0mg | 17-20mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 25mg | 1.3mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 500mcg | 2.4mcg |
Bucked Up Ingredients
- Carbonated Water
- Natural Flavors
- Malic Acid
- Beta-Alanine
- Taurine
- Caffeine Anhydrous (300mg)
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame Potassium
- Sodium Benzoate
- Acetyl L-Tyrosine
- Theanine
- Deer Antler Velvet
- Korean Red Ginseng
- AlphaSize®
- Alpha GPC
- Methylliberine (as Dynamine™)
- Theacrine (as TeaCrine®)
- Huperzine-A
While the Vitamin B6 and B12 in Bucked Up Energy are over what’s recommended, this is still safe. That’s because your body takes only what it needs, and it would make you urinate the excess. It would be best if you didn’t worry about this matter.
On the other hand, it’s a good thing that there’s only a little of Beta-Alanine in Bucked Up Energy. While it’s known to decrease muscle fatigue, too much of it can cause paraesthesia which feels irritable tingling in your skin.
How Much Caffeine is in a Bucked Up Energy Drink?
As I’ve mentioned, Bucked Up Energy has 300 mg of caffeine. If you think this amount of caffeine is a lot, well, you’re correct. In fact, this amount of caffeine is already dangerous to a caffeine-sensitive person.
But for healthy adults, the FDA advises a 400mg daily caffeine limit. Anything more than that could cause headaches, fever, and palpitations.
As you see, Bucked Up is very close to this limit so it’s important that you keep your intake to one can a day only and that you don’t consume any more caffeine from other sources like soda or chocolates.
Moreover, this amount could also cause insomnia. Therefore, I suggest you don’t take it before your bedtime whenever you plan to have a nap.
If you don’t know, drinking a high dosage of caffeine regularly can increase your chances of developing a high caffeine tolerance. This means that if you’re used to taking a lot of caffeine every day, you might not feel a boost from energy drinks with lower caffeine content.
If you already have high caffeine tolerance, you can change it. You can do that by cutting a little dose of caffeine from your usual dose. It won’t happen quickly, but you have a chance.
How Bad is an Energy Drink a Day?
It depends. Even if you’re a healthy adult, you should only take one serving of any energy drinks per day. Moreover, if you can, avoid energy drinks with lots of caffeine, calories, and sugar because they can lead to obesity and diabetes.
Speaking of sugar and calories, Bucked Up Energy uses artificial sweeteners. These are acesulfame potassium and sucralose to enhance its taste without any natural sugar.
The good thing about artificial sweeteners is that they are calorie-free and so much sweeter than regular sugar. Not only that, but it can also save you from the harm of sugar crashes. After all, you won’t want to overdose on sugar and feel dizzy or sleepy during your workout sessions.
Overall, an energy drink a day shouldn’t be too bad, especially if you pick a drink with minimal caffeine, sugar, and calories. However, if we’re talking about Bucked Up, I’m not sure 300mg of caffeine a day would be good for your health.
Bucked Up Energy Drink Flavors
Bucket Up Energy has only six flavors, namely:
- Rocket Pop
- Blue Raz
- Blood Raz
- Grape Gainz
- Killa OJ
Where to Buy Bucked Up?
You can buy all of the mentioned flavors on their official website. However, they’re also available on Amazon and GNC. You can also check out its pre-workout counterpart from there.
Their prices range from $3-$4 each. I wouldn’t buy energy drinks that are this expensive except if I have extra money or try a new flavor.
So, I’d say that Bucked Up is worth a try but for the long-term? I think there are better brands out there that will give you more bang for your buck. Stay tuned for my absolute favorite, which I will introduce later on!
Energy Drinks or Pre-workout?
I think pre-workouts have a higher chance of being dangerous. For sure, energy drinks can improve your energy and focus. But then, pre-workout beverages take that to another level.
And that’s because a pre-workout supplement contains higher dosages of caffeine and some other ingredients. In addition, there are also added ingredients that are responsible for a more substantial boost compared to energy drinks.
Meanwhile, you can really use an energy drink as a pre-workout beverage. In fact, they’re used interchangeably by other athletes, especially those who’re not comfortable with a higher dosage of caffeine.
If you want an elaborate explanation, you can check this video.
Alternative Energy Drinks to Bucked Up
Here are other energy drinks you can try if you don’t like the taste and effects of Bucked Up Energy.
Redline Xtreme Energy
If you want the same amount of caffeine as Bucked Up Energy but cheaper, you can try Redline Xtreme Energy. You can use this beverage as a pre-workout supplement too.
You can have one bottle for $2.70. It offers other nutrients such as Vitamin C, electrolytes, and calcium. It’s not only beneficial to your workout but can provide positive assistance to your hydration and skin too.
Maw Energy
A scoop of MAW Energy can give you a lot of concentration and energy for hours. It’s a good energy drink for gaming and workout because it has a decent amount of caffeine.
Moreover, it’s packed with L-Theanine, L-Tyrosine, and B Vitamins that could equip your body with the extra boost your body doesn’t always have. But because it’s a powdered energy drink, you might want to make sure you’re getting the right scoops.
Every scoop can give you 100mg of natural caffeine without any sugar. You can make 60 servings in a tub of Maw Energy if you’ll be sticking with a scoop per serving. And the cost of a tub is only $35.
REIZE (The Best)
And we’ve arrived at my favorite brand, REIZE!
Now, REIZE may only have 50 mg of caffeine, but boy does it deliver a solid energy boost that will get you going without risking side effects.
In addition, it’s also packed with Taurine, Ginseng, and B-Vitamins, all designed to improve your physical and mental performance. And as if that’s not good enough, REIZE is also sugar-free and only has 11 calories, perfect for any diet.
What I also love about REIZE is that it comes in handy 4g sachets that you can take with you anywhere! Whip up a fresh glass of REIZE anytime you’re in need of a pick-me-up.
You can get REIZE for only around $1 per sachet and you can even have your orders shipped straight to your door.
Other Notable Mentions
The Final Verdict
Overall, I don’t think Bucked Up is bad for you. However, it can be, especially if you don’t drink it moderately. Well, you can consider it expensively priced too.
As I’ve said, it’s not prudent to drink too much caffeine or become dependent on it. While Bucked Up won’t give you any sugar crashes, its caffeine content is a different story. You shouldn’t overindulge this energy drink as it can give you a massive headache.
Therefore, you should only drink Bucked Up energy drink when you really need it and limit yourself to one serving per day.