Not all energy drinks are created equal.
Some are more or less better than others, but most are chock full of unnecessary ingredients that may be bad for you.
Just like every other energy drink out there, Mountain Dew AMP has its fair share of fans, but a lot of experts have not been shy to point out its less than stellar formulation.
So fans of the popular energy drink may be left wondering, “if AMP isn’t that good for me, how many cans can I drink a day without causing too much damage?”
In my opinion, you shouldn’t drink more than one can of Mountain Dew AMP in a day. In fact, even one can a day has a bit too much sugar for an adult, so if I were you, I’d only drink half a can a day and nothing more.
Thankfully, plenty of scientists have studied the safety of popular energy drink ingredients so we can decide for ourselves whether we want to be putting them in our bodies.
Read on to find out why that is by understanding AMP’s nutrition facts, percent daily value and ingredients.
Contents
Nutrition Facts and Percent Daily Value of AMP Energy Drink
Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts label shows you how much of the daily recommended intake the product contains.
For example, if the label states that there’s 116% of added sugar in the product, it means that one can of Celsius contains 116% of the added sugar you need daily– 16% extra sugar.
Low: 5% or less of a nutrient
High: 20% or more of a nutrient
Mayo Clinic, on Daily Values
Note that our bodies can only hold a certain amount of vitamins at a time, so any extra vitamins that we consume are flushed out and go to waste. This will not be a problem with AMP, as you can see from the table below.
| NUTRIENT | AMOUNT IN AMP | PERCENT DAILY VALUE |
| Calories | 220 | 8-10% |
| Sugar | 58g | 116% |
| Caffeine | 142mg | 40% |
| Sodium | 140mg | 6% |
AMP Energy Drink Calories
According to the table, at 220 calories per serving, one can of AMP would supply around 8-10% of the ideal daily amount of calories.
Given that you only need around 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day, having a can of AMP is really going to put a dent in your diet plan if you do go through with it
That being said, if you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up and need a calorie-boost, there’s probably not a better energy drink than AMP to really give you the rush you need.
Just be sure not to become too dependent on it, all those calories will add up eventually, and if you want to stay on the healthier side of life, moderating your AMP Energy drink intake is definitely recommended.
AMP Energy Drink Sugar Content
AMP holds more than twice the amount of the daily recommended sugar intake.
Your body and brain run on glucose, which is sugar. You can get this from proteins and fats and carbs, so your daily diet probably already contains more than the daily amount of sugar that you need.
While essential to the body, carbs, especially simple carbs (white bread, candy, processed white sugar, etc.) have a bad rep of causing a variety of diseases such as insulin resistance and diabetes.
Excess carbohydrates also increase your glycemic index which raises the insulin level in your blood, forcing your body to store more fat.
If you drink AMP every day, you will be consuming twice the amount of sugar that you should be.
AMP Energy Drink Caffeine Content
A regular 16 fl.oz can of AMP Energy has 142mg of caffeine, which is slightly lower than an average can of its size.
The world’s most popular psychoactive drug, caffeine is the main reason people have an energy drink, due to caffeine’s ability to keep you awake, improve reaction time as well as sharpening your overall cognitive abilities
By energy drink standards, AMP holds a reasonable amount of caffeine, not too much, and still enough to give a boost. It can be compared to the energy drink Monster, which contains 160mg in one can.
So while AMP isn’t as excessive in the caffeine department as say, a can of Bang (which has 300mg of caffeine), it’s still decently high if you’re not used to energy drinks, and especially if you’re caffeine-sensitive.
Personally, I quite enjoy my energy drinks to have around 100mg of caffeine per serving, which is just enough to give a good boost, but not too excessive to the point you might feel a little jittery.
In any case, be sure to stay well within the FDA-approved limit of 400mg of caffeine per day, as any more than that might lead to side effects such as:
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Headaches
- Stomachaches
- Dizziness
So be sure to keep your AMP consumption in-check so you save yourself from a caffeine-induced headache later on, and you really shouldn’t have too much of it anyways; there’s a bit too much sugar in AMP to be anywhere near healthy.
Sodium
There is 140mg of sodium in AMP Energy Drink.
The ideal daily intake of sodium is 1500mg, so AMP carries a minuscule amount.
But bear in mind that your regular diet may already carry way more sodium than you should be consuming, so take note of the salt content in AMP if you’re watching your sodium levels.
Excessive sodium has been linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. If you have these health issues, the sodium, plus the caffeine, in AMP Energy Drink is going to have fun messing up your coronary system.
Ultimately, consult your physician to see if you should be drinking AMP.
AMP Energy Drink Vitamins
| VITAMINS | FUNCTIONS | %DV |
| Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin | Helps in the digestion and absorption of nutrients; maintains tissue health | 50% |
| Vitamin B3 or Niacin (as niacinamide) | Converts nutrients to energy; repairs DNA; supports system as antioxidant | 25% |
| Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid (as calcium pantothenate) | Breaks down fats and proteins, promotes healthy skin | 40% |
| Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) | Supports the central nervous system; ensures smooth metabolism | 20% |
| Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin (as cyanocobalamin) | Generates red blood cells; maintains brain function and nerve tissue health | 50% |
It would take a few cans of AMP to cross the daily limit, so don’t take more than one can. There have been known instances of vitamin overdose from niacin if an overly large amount of vitamins are ingested.
Taking AMP every day would do nothing significant in the area of vitamins, but you should not rely on energy drinks for your vitamins. It would be better to get your daily dose of vitamins from your diet of natural food.
Artificial Vitamins
The vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12 in AMP Energy Drink are artificial vitamins, which means they are chemically synthesized products.
For instance, natural vitamin B3 is known as niacin, but the vitamin B3 in AMP is the synthesized version called niacinamide.
Note that if you are allergic to cobalt or have Leber’s disease, you should not ingest cyanocobalamin (artifical vitamin B12). People have asked for cyanocobalamin to be withdrawn, citing the long-term dangers of cyanide.
How Many Cans of AMP Can I Drink In A Day?
Having seen the breakdown of the ingredients, there are two main objections I have with drinking more than one can of AMP a day.
Risk of Sugar and Caffeine Overdose
Based on the sugar content, one can will give you enough sugar for a few days. I really do not recommend taking AMP on a daily basis.
As for caffeine, AMP holds a safe amount of caffeine. Some other brands go up to 300mg, which is worrying, but AMP is well within the safe zone. The daily maximum limit of caffeine recommended by the FDA for adults is 400mg.
Bear in mind that caffeine overdose can cause the following effects:
- Insomnia
- Shakiness
- Anxiousness, increased heart rate
- Stomachaches
- Nausea, headaches
- Dysphoria
Based on the caffeine content, I personally do not recommend drinking more than two cans a day, as the closer you come towards the 400mg limit, the more likely you are to overdose on caffeine.
But remember that two cans of AMP caffeine means two cans of AMP sugar, which will increase your chances of developing diseases like obesity and diabetes.
If you like to know what would happen if you take excessive consumption of energy drinks to its logical conclusion, have a look at the video below, which will hopefully be as educational as it is entertaining:
Potentially Carcinogenic Food Dyes
Drinking more than one AMP in a day means ingesting two cans’ worth of food dyes and HFCS, which are ingredients to be wary of.
Larger quantities mean larger risk of whatever potential dangers they bring, which we can’t be certain of. This is a smaller concern compared to the sugar and caffeine, but a concern nonetheless.
I do not think it is wise to consume a lot of these ingredients.
Conclusion
I wouldn’t recommend drinking AMP at all, but if I had to set a limit, it would be not more than half a can a day.
If you drink it once in a blue moon, 1 can a day might be fine.
If you plan to drink it once in a while, maybe once in a few weeks, half a can a day is good.
Is AMP Energy Drink For Everyone?
Due to it’s high sugar content and moderate amount of caffeine, AMP Energy is definitely not for everyone.
Not recommended for children, pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine.
AMP’s warning label
The warning on the label is there because of the caffeine, but I would say that caffeine is not the only ingredient to watch out for.
With AMP’s sugar level, those who are watching their carb intake should avoid AMP, and anyone on insulin medication or having any sugar-related diseases definitely should not go near AMP.
Please consult your physician if you aren’t sure whether you can handle AMP.
Personal Opinion
Do not drink more than one can of AMP per day.
The sugar content in AMP is simply preposterous, and is not at all a healthy amount even for those who are relatively young and healthy.
If you consume that amount of sugar more than once a day for an extended period of time, I can guarantee you will feel the side effects sooner rather than later.
Once again, don’t drink more than one can a day.
Don’t drink it every day in small amounts either. Find other ways to get your daily energy boost that does not involve consuming inordinate amounts of processed white sugar.
For an energy drink that contains no sugar, you can try Celsius, which is not only sugar free, but vegan as well.