Shark Energy Drink is an energy drink that originated in Thailand. This brand of energy drink is made by Osotspa Co. Ltd. of Thailand.
Even though it’s not as well-known as other energy drinks in Asia, the brand Shark energy drink can be found in 89 countries and is manufactured in Thailand and Austria. However, in May 2020, Shark factories in certain countries in Europe ceased production.
There are many variations of Shark energy drinks, from carbonated versions to sugar-free versions.
What exactly is Shark Energy made up of? What do they do? Basically, an 8.4 fl. oz can of Shark Energy Drink (Orange) contains 12.5g of sugar and 50mg of natural caffeine
Furthemore, I’ll cover everything you need to know about Shark Energy drink in this article.
Let’s get into the details…
Shark Energy Drink Ingredients
A 250ml (8.4 fl.oz) can of Shark Energy Drink (Orange) contains the following:
- 12.5g of sugar
- 50mg of natural caffeine
- 50mg of inositol
- 22.5mg of Vitamin C
- 20mg of niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- 5mg of D-Pantothenol
- 5mg of Vitamin B6 hydrochloride
- 2mg of riboflavin 5’-phosphate sodium (Vitamin B2)
- 0.5mg of Vitamin B1 mononitrate
- 3mcg of Vitamin B12
Shark Energy Drink Flavors
Shark Energy Drink offers six different flavors:
- Original
- Zero Calories
- Strawberry X Lime
- Red Berries
- Apple & Melon
- Sugar Free
Shark Energy Drink Caffeine
There’s 50mg of natural caffeine in every 250ml (8.4 fl.oz) can of Shark energy drink.
This ‘natural caffeine is derived from coffee beans, which in a way, makes Shark healthier and more beneficial compared to other energy drinks that use synthetic caffeine.
Synthetic caffeine is created from the combination of certain chemicals instead of being extracted from plants, though they are indistinguishable and affect you in exactly the same way.
The amount of caffeine in Shark is quite reasonable and abides by the FDA’s recommended daily caffeine limit, which is no more than 400mg of caffeine per day for healthy adults.
However, even if Shark’s caffeine content is quite moderate, you shouldn’t drink it excessively as it may lead to unwanted side effects and caffeine overdoses.
On the contrary, consuming Sharks in moderate amounts will benefit you in many ways. Apart from increasing your alertness and wakefulness, caffeine can improve your physical performance too.
A 2015 study reported that drinking caffeine enhanced jump performance and activity patterns in elite badminton players.
Caffeine is also useful in improving cognitive performance. A 2008 study found that caffeine could increase physical endurance and complex cognitive ability.
As long as you consume energy drinks within the daily caffeine limit, you’ll absolutely get to enjoy the benefits of the caffeine in energy drinks, including Shark energy drinks.
Shark Energy Drink Sugar
Shark energy drink contains 12.5g of sugar, quite a reasonable amount compared to many other brands of energy drinks.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the recommended maximum daily sugar intake is:
| Men | 150 calories/36g |
| Women | 100 calories/25g |
However, don’t take this as a green light to consume Shark excessively either. A few cans of Shark energy drinks can really add up if you’re not careful.
Too much sugar can lead to a sugar crash and health problems in the future like diabetes, weight gain, and heart disease.
You can minimize the risks by drinking Shark Energy and all energy drinks for that matter in moderation.
If you’d like to learn more about sugar-free energy drinks, feel free to check out this other comprehensive article I’ve written where I cover things in a lot more detail.
What’s Inositol In Shark Energy Drink?
Inositol is often mistaken as a vitamin, namely vitamin B8 when actually it’s a type of sugar that plays a role in several important functions in your body.
Inositol can influence the movement of insulin and brain chemical messengers like dopamine and serotonin. Several studies have found that consuming inositol is beneficial to your body.
How Many Shark Energy Drinks Can You Drink In A Day?
You can drink around two cans of Shark energy drink in a day if you’re a healthy adult with no pre-existing medical conditions.
Drinking two cans of Shark is still well within the recommended daily maximums for caffeine and sugar, so you won’t run the risk of overdose or excessive consumption.
My advice is to stick to one or two cans of Shark energy drink in a day to avoid nasty side effects and potential sugar crashes. After all, drinking too many energy drinks is never a good idea as it can negatively impact your health.
Here’s another article on other energy drinks that you can drink on a daily basis if you’re curious to know what else is suitable.
Where To Buy Shark Energy Drink
According to the official Shark USA website, a 24-pack of 8.4 fl.oz cans of Shark energy drink costs about $30. Thus, one 8.4 fl.oz can of Shark is around $1.25.
In my opinion, that’s a pretty reasonable price, plus the healthy natural ingredients. Though the price may differ depending on where you get it or where you’re getting it shipped to if you’re buying it online.
Shark is mostly available in Asian countries, particularly Thailand.
You can purchase Shark energy drink from their official website. You can also check out Amazon and other online retailers for some occasional great deals.
Shark Energy Drink Vs Red Bull
Caffeine Content
Shark energy drink contains 50mg of natural caffeine per 8.4 fl.oz can, in contrast to 80mg of caffeine per 8.4fl.oz in Red Bull.
Red Bull has 30mg more caffeine per can, meaning it packs a slightly stronger punch than Shark.
Shark energy drink is more suited for those who can’t consume so much caffeine in one serving.
I believe that energy boosts from Shark and Red Bull are pretty similar as there isn’t as big a difference in caffeine content between the two, though Red Bull does have a few advantages in terms of containing more energy-boosting ingredients like taurine and ginseng.
Sugar
Shark has 12.5g of sugar per 8.4 fl.oz, whereas Red Bull contains 27g of sugar per 8.4 fl.oz.
Red Bull has twice as much sugar as Shark Energy.
I personally prefer energy drinks with a lower sugar content as they won’t result in an intense sugar crash afterward. They’re also a healthier choice compared to sugar-filled energy drinks.
So if you want to sustain your energy levels for longer, Shark may be the better choice.
Try them both and see which one works best for you.
Price
One can of Shark energy drink costs about $1.25, on the other hand, a single can of Red Bull costs roughly $2 on average.
Shark is clearly the better deal when it comes to price, although it’s not clear whether you’ll need to pay extra for shipping if you buy it online.
Shark is also available in some stores in the US, and of course in many stores in Asia. Prices will vary depending on where you find them.
Shark Energy Drink Vs Monster
Caffeine Content
Shark energy drink has 50mg of caffeine per 8.4 fl.oz while Monster contains 179mg of caffeine in every 16 fl.oz can.
Monster definitely has a lot more caffeine than Shark, but it’s also around double the size of one can of Shark.
Drinking two cans of Shark energy drinks would mean you’re consuming 100mg of caffeine while consuming half a can of Monster would mean you’re getting around 90mg of caffeine. Monster contains around double the caffeine as Shark has per fluid ounce.
Shark contains natural caffeine, whereas Monster has regular caffeine. In my opinion, Shark appears to be the healthier energy drink of the two, but that has a lot to do with the sugar content too…
Sugar
Shark has 12.5g of sugar per 8.4 fl.oz while Monster contains a whopping 52g of sugar per 16 fl. oz can.
Neither of these drinks has any artificial sweeteners, but Shark does contain inositol, a type of sugar that can be found in certain fruits and fiber-rich foods.
If we’re doing a side-by-side volume comparison of the energy drinks, half a can of Monster (about 8 fl.oz) contains 26g of sugar, which is still around double the amount of sugar in one can of Shark.
In this contest, Shark clearly wins with its lower sugar content and it makes it a healthier energy drink than Monster in my opinion.
Price
Based on the price on Shark’s official USA website, the price for a 24-pack of 8.4 fl.oz cans of Shark energy drinks is about $30, thus one can of Shark roughly costs $1.25, without the shipping charges.
On the other hand, it’s about $38 for a 12-can pack of Monster, so a can of Monster is about $3, excluding shipping.
Shark has a smaller volume as compared to Monster, so that would explain part of the price difference. The larger amount of caffeine in Monster is also why Monster may cost more.
Shark Energy would be a good option as a regular drink as it’s cheaper but if you have extra cash to spare, Monster is good too.
My Take On Shark Energy Drink
Taste
Shark has a fruity taste and it reminds me a little bit of Red Bull.
It wasn’t as sweet as I assumed, and was enjoyable to chug it down without much fuss.
However, the aftertaste of the Shark energy drink isn’t something that I liked. It tasted a little strange and the aftertaste lingered in my mouth for some time.
Effects
With Shark’s moderate caffeine and sugar content, the energy boost was really nice and lasted for a few hours, around 3 – 4 hours before a slight crash set in.
The crash did make me feel a little tired and sluggish, but it wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t continue doing what I was doing.
For me, the Shark energy drink sustained not just my energy levels, but also my mental performance for a good few hours. I think the healthy ingredients like natural caffeine and vitamins in Shark are also contributing factor.
Final Roundup
In my opinion, I give Shark energy drink a rating of 6/10 – it checks a lot of boxes, though its downfall is the odd aftertaste it has that may put some people off, myself included.
I’d give Shark Energy some points for the efficient energy boost, moderate caffeine, and sugar content, and reasonable price.
Overall, Shark Energy is a decent energy drink. Give it a try yourself to see how you like it.
Alternatives To Shark Energy Drink
There are many great energy drinks in Asia. If you’re looking for more energy drinks like Shark energy drink, here are a few awesome options I recommend:
- Carabao
- Kratin Daeng (Asian Red Bull)
- Sting energy drink
- Livita
- Cobra energy drink
Powdered energy drinks are also a great option. In addition to being more convenient and versatile than ready-to-drink energy drinks, they’ve got great flavors and plenty of energy-boosting ingredients as well as a lower price tag:
- Extra Joss
- REIZE (my fav)
REIZE (10 out of 10)
With a sensible 50mg of caffeine, REIZE gives you just the right amount of energy without the side effects, crashes or jitters.
REIZE is also sugar-free, thus ensuring no sugar crash, and it contains a smart blend of healthy ingredients like taurine, ginseng, and B vitamins that’ll keep you going for hours.
REIZE is really versatile as you can add it to almost any beverage you like including soda, cold water, or juice, and make it as strong or weak as you like to suit your taste preferences.
Perhaps best of all, REIZE ships straight to your door for around $1 per drink, including shipping.
That’s incredibly good value for money, with no surprises with paying for shipping.
Try REIZE today and I’m sure you’ll agree that REIZE is a smarter option than Shark Energy.