When it comes to energy shots, 5-Hour Energy is the brand to talk about. With the commercials and other various promotions of 5-Hour Energy, you can say that 5-Hour Energy has really been leading the energy shot market for a long time.
However, does 5-Hour Energy deliver what it promises you? Is it really the best energy shot out there? Is it more effective than energy drinks?
A quick answer would be yes. Due to the ingredients of 5-Hour Energy, more and more people are opting for 5-Hour Energy. Although you should keep in mind that 5-Hour Energy should be taken in moderation.
If you want to know more about why 5-Hour Energy is great, keep on reading.
Contents
5-Hour Energy Ingredients
Here’s a list showing you the various ingredients used on making a single bottle of 5-Hour Energy:
- Purified Water
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Sucralose
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Benzoate
- EDTA
- Taurine
- Glucuronic Acid
- Malic Acid
- N-Actyel L-Tyrosine
- L-Phenylalanine
- Caffeine
- Citicoline
5-Hour Energy Nutrition Facts
Here’s a table that shows 5-Hour Energy’s Nutrition Facts:
| Standard Value | 5 Hour Shots (1.93 fl.oz) |
| Energy | 4 calories |
| Protein | 0g |
| Fat (Of which Saturated) | 0g (0g) |
| Carbohydrate (Of which Sugars) | 0g (0g) |
| Sodium | 15mg |
| Potassium | 15mg |
| Caffeine | 200mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 30mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 50mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 500μg |
| Choline | 2mg |
Does 5-Hour Energy Actually Work?
5-Hour Energy certainly works when it comes to providing energy for your body, the biggest reason for this is the caffeine content.
Caffeine is a popular ingredient in a lot of energy products because it boosts your energy and enhances your physical and mental performance, allowing you to go through your day without feeling tired.
Why Caffeine Is Important
Caffeine is important for 5-Hour Energy since it acts as an adenosine receptor antagonist, keeping you awake when you consume the ingredient.
The benefits of consuming caffeine in moderation are:
- Weight Loss
- Alertness
- Enhanced Sports performance
- Improves Brain function
- Reduces the Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease
- May Help Boost Long-Term Memory
- May Help Protect You from Eyelid spasm
Besides 5-Hour Energy, you can find caffeine in foods like chocolate and beverages like coffee and tea.
How Much Caffeine Does 5-Hour Energy Have?
5-Hour Energy has an astounding amount of caffeine with over 200mg per serving. Luckily, the caffeine content of 5-Hour Energy doesn’t exceed the daily recommended intake.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you should consume no more than 400mg of caffeine. That means two bottles of 5-Hour Energy is the maximum amount of bottles you should consume daily, exceeding 400mg or two bottles of 5-Hour Energy can lead to symptoms like:
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Increased thirst
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Irregular or Fast Heartbeat
- Nausea
- Fever
- Irritability
However, it is generally not recommended to drink the maximum amount of caffeine because overloading your body with the stimulant can cause a condition known as caffeine tolerance, where your body gets used to caffeine.
This means that you will slowly lose your ability to feel the full effects of caffeine no matter how much you consume it. This means you’ll still feel tired, even after drinking an entire bottle of an energy product like 5-Hour Energy.
Is 5-Hour Energy Vegan and Gluten-Free
There are no vegan or gluten-free labels on 5-Hour Energy products. However, this does not mean that they are not vegan or gluten-free, but we do not have enough information at the moment to validate this claim.
If you follow these dietary restrictions religiously, 5-Hour Energy may not be an ideal choice for you. Consult a dietary expert or a physician if you are unsure.
Vegan
When it comes to a beverage that contains no ingredients that are related to animal products, 5-Hour Energy is your way to go. However, 5-Hour energy does contain sucralose which has been linked to animal testing and cruelty.
If your only reason for being vegan is solely for the health benefits that it brings, then taking a shot 5-Hour Energy in moderation is fine. Honestly, it’s really up to you whether you should consume 5-Hour Energy or just opt for energy drinks and energy shots that are certified and safe for vegans.
I wrote an article specifically about this if you’re interested in knowing more about this issue.
Gluten-Free
Sadly, 5-Hour Energy hasn’t officially stated whether their products are gluten-free or not, which means that you really have to read the ingredients.
According to Gluten-Free Guide HQ, 5-Hour Energy is gluten-free. They stated that all 8 flavors and varieties including the 5-Hour Energy’s caffeine-free version of the energy shot. Also, there seem to be no ingredients related to wheat, barley, and rye in 5-Hour Energy which makes the energy shot unofficially gluten-free.
How Often Can You Drink 5-Hour Energy
The back of the product states that one bottle a day is enough to give you the maximum boost of energy. If you don’t need much energy, then drinking half a bottle is okay.
Although there’s no sugar and a little amount of calories in 5-Hour Energy, a single bottle of the energy shot still contains 200mg of caffeine.
This amount of caffeine is considered a high amount and 5-Hour Energy advises you to only limit yourself to two bottles of their energy shot daily to prevent harmful effects from occurring.
However, it’s much better to only consume 5-Hour Energy in moderation. You shouldn’t rely on energy shots and use them only if you really need them. You can think of 5-Hour Energy as a last resort for situations where you really need an energy boost.
If you want a doctor’s perspective on 5-Hour Energy, here’s a video review:
5-Hour Energy Pros and Cons
All energy products have their advantages and disadvantages, even 5-Hour Energy. The pros and cons will help you determine if you should really opt for 5-Hour Energy or just stick with other popular energy drinks.
Pros
5-Hour Energy Is Affordable
Cheap or affordable are two words that bring music to any customer’s ears, 5-Hour Energy costs only $2 which is really great if you’re looking for an energy booster at a price that won’t break your bank.
It’s also one of the most popular energy shot brands out there, giving it a good reputation when it comes to providing energy to people.
5-Hour Energy Doesn’t Contain Any Sugar
Sugar is known for its negative effects on your body, but do you know that it’s specifically “added sugar” that’s bad for your body.
This is important to remember because there are actually good sugars and bad sugars. You can find good sugars or natural sugars in foods like vegetables and fruits. Meanwhile, bad sugars are often seen in processed foods and even sugary drinks like soda or energy drinks.
Basically, good sugars are products whose nutritional value complements their caloric value, while bad sugars are simply empty calories with little in the way of nutrition.
Artificial sweeteners are what beverage companies like 5-Hour Energy use to improve or enhance the flavor of their product. Any kind of artificial sweeteners doesn’t contain any calories, which is a huge benefit if you’re aiming for a goal to lose weight or burn calories.
What makes artificial sweeteners great as well as the fact that it’s much sweeter than sugar — that’s why artificial sweeteners are a common alternative to added sugar.
5-Hour Energy Is Quick and Easy to Consume
It might take you a couple of minutes to finish an energy drink like Red Bull or Monster, but since 5-Hour Energy is an energy shot that contains few amounts of liquid, it will only take you a couple of seconds to finish the whole bottle and rev up your body with energy!
5-Hour Energy Has Very Few Calories
5-Hour Energy only contains four calories, which is really beneficial — especially for people who are trying to lose weight. The amount that 5-Hour Energy is pretty low if you compare it to well-known energy drinks like Red Bull that amounts to 110 calories.
If you’re curious to know how many minutes will it take you to burn 110 calories, here’s a table that I made that will show you the various physical activities that you need to do and how long it will take you to burn those calories off:
| Physical Activities | Minutes to Burn 110 Calories |
| Swimming | 9 minutes |
| Jogging | 13 minutes |
| Cycling | 17 minutes |
| Walking | 31 minutes |
In my opinion, four calories shouldn’t be a worry for you since walking or doing normal physical activities can easily burn off the four calories that 5-Hour Energy contains.
Cons
Here are the cons of 5-Hour Energy:
High Caffeine
As I explained a while ago, 5-Hour Energy has a high amount of caffeine despite coming in such an itty bitty package. Despite the benefits that you can reap from caffeine, too much of it can really be a bad thing for you.
I advise that you track your caffeine intake since not doing so can potentially lead to serious health problems.
High amounts of caffeine can also give you jitters and make you experience insomnia which can prevent you from sleeping. Please prioritize sleep, specifically deep sleep, because it contributes a lot when it comes to boosting your energy.
I also don’t have to tell you why pregnant women, senior citizens, children under 18, and people with underlying health conditions should avoid 5-Hour Energy like the plague.
High Amounts of Vitamins
The vitamin content of any product [food or beverage] shouldn’t exceed 100%. As you can see on the nutrition facts label of 5-Hour Energy, some vitamins exceed that amount.
Overconsumption of vitamins can lead to side effects like:
- Nausea
- High blood sugar levels
- Skin flushing
- Liver damage
5-Hour Energy has B vitamins that are considered water-soluble. So if you ever drink 5-Hour Energy and consume too much B vitamins, it will go out of your body in the form of excretion through your urine.
5-Hour Energy Flavors
When it comes to choosing different flavors, 5-Hour Energy has got you covered. They offer a variety of flavors that may pique your interest (and your tastebuds).
5-Hour Energy have regular strength flavors and extra strength flavors, here’s a list showing those flavors:
Regular Strength Flavors
- Berry (Regular Strength)
- Pomegranate
- Orange (Regular Strength)
- Pink Lemonade
- Grape (Regular Strength)
Extra Strength Flavors
- Strawberry Watermelon
- Watermelon
- Strawberry Banana
- Peach Mango
- Pink Watermelon
- Pineapple Apricot
- Sour Apple
- Cherry
- Orange (Extra Strength)
- Ultra Orange
- Tropical Burst
- Grape (Extra Strength)
- Cool Mint Lemonade
- Blue Raspberry
- Berry (Extra Strength)
Conclusion
5-Hour Energy has its pros and cons, but overall isn’t as bad as some energy drinks out there. The fact that it has no added sugar is a win in my book. However, at the expense of tarnishing the product’s good reputation, I do have to mention some caveats.
According to news reports, 5-Hour Energy has been linked to over 13 deaths and 33 hospitalizations from 2005 to 2012. While some of these cases are purely circumstantial, it does not rule out the fact that energy products will always get some bad rep.
The product itself may not be the problem as much as those who use it. A lot of these cases involve people with underlying health conditions, minors, and people who don’t follow the recommended amount.
The issue with caffeine as an ingredient is that it is generally unregulated by the FDA which means companies can put as much as they want in a product without any legal consequences.
The amount of caffeine in a shot of 5-Hour Energy may seem small to some people but the ratio of liquid to caffeine in a single serving is grossly disproportionate. This is why a lot of people overdose on the product, especially newbies who have not built any sort of tolerance to the stimulant
It is important to prioritize your own safety and wellbeing when it comes to drinking, so heed the warnings at the back of the bottle and never drink more than one bottle a day, no matter how desperate you are.