Are you interested in the C4 Energy drink? It’s indeed a great pre-workout drink for your high-intensity activities. With its special ingredients and high caffeine content, you’ll dominate your workout performance.
But just how many cans of C4 Energy a day is acceptable?
Short answer: The safe and healthy limit of C4 Energy consumption is not more than two cans per day. While it doesn’t contain any sugar nor calories, it has 200mg of caffeine which can be harmful to your health if taken excessively.
Read on for a detailed explanation on why I think you shouldn’t have more than two cans of C4 Energy in a day.
For an analysis of its nutritional values, check out my article on C4 Energy Nutrition Facts.
Contents
C4 Energy Drink Nutrition Facts
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of it all, let’s look at the nutritional values of a 16 fl.oz can of C4 Energy:
| Standard Values | C4 “Original” Carbonated (Per 16 fl.oz) |
| Energy | 0 calories |
| Protein | 0g |
| Fat (Of which Saturated) | 0g (0g) |
| Carbohydrate (Of which Sugars) | 0g (0g) |
| Sodium | Unspecified |
| Caffeine | 200mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 30mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 6μg |
| Potassium | 85mg |
How Many Calories Does C4 Energy Drink Have?
C4 Energy is a calorie-free energy drink. It’s definitely a good option if you’re health-conscious.
If you’re watching out for your calories to achieve your dream body, I think C4 Energy would make a great energy drink for you as it contains zero calories.
Moreover, experts say that the average healthy adult should have around 2,000 – 2,500 calories a day.
Although other factors like age, gender, and overall diet will influence your daily calorific intake, it’s still best to follow the recommended guideline to maintain a healthy weight and avoid health problems in the future.
Considering that some energy drinks can contain up to 200 calories, a can of C4 Energy won’t take up your daily calorie intake at all. Thus, you’ll have more room for other foods and drinks.
While its calorie-free nature is indeed a bonus, this also means that the energy supply from C4 Energy comes from its caffeine content. I’ll explain more on this down below.
C4 Energy Drink Ingredients
What makes C4 Energy drink unique is its very own proprietary blend, which consists of a 6.73g mixture of the following ingredients:
- Citrulline Malate
- CamoSyn® Beta-Alanine
- BetaPower® Betaine Anhydrous
- N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
- Caffeine Anhydrous
Now, let’s have a closer look at the ingredients of an original can of C4 Energy:
C4 “Original” Carbonated
The C4 Original Carbonated (16 fl.oz) contains 6.73g of Explosive Performance Energy Blend:
- Caffeine anhydrous
- CarnoSyn Beta-alanine
- Beta power Betaine Anhydrous
- N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
- Citrulline malate
Other ingredients include:
- Carbonated water
- Citric Acid
- Natural flavors
- Artificial flavors
- Potassium sorbate
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame potassium
C4 Energy Drink Caffeine Content
A standard 16 fl.oz can of C4 Energy contains 200mg of caffeine, which is where you’ll get your energy boost.
As you know, caffeine is the main ingredient in energy drinks as it’s a powerful stimulant that contains plenty of benefits, including increasing your mental and physical performance.
I think the 200mg of caffeine in C4 Energy is a standard amount to have, considering that the FDA recommends a limit of not more than 400mg of caffeine per day.
However, if you have a lower caffeine metabolism, this amount may lead to side effects such as:
- Restlessness
- Jittery feeling
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Rapid
- Palpitations
- Dehydration
- Anxiety
While a single can of C4 Energy falls below the daily caffeine limit, I wouldn’t get too excited and drink multiple cans of C4 Energy in a day.
As two cans of this drink can wipe out your daily caffeine limit for the day, leaving you with no more room for other caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee.
Thus, I highly recommend having one can of C4 Energy first and then only go for your second can if you still need the extra energy boost. However, if I were you, I would go for tea instead of a second can of this drink as it contains lower amounts of caffeine.
Is Caffeine Addicting?
According to the scientific definition of “addiction”, caffeine isn’t exactly addicting.
Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing behavior characterized by compulsive substance seeking despite the effects. I wouldn’t go as far as to say caffeine is addicting.
However, there’s no denying that regularly having caffeine can cause you to fall easily into caffeine dependence. You’re caffeine-dependent if:
- You find that you can’t function without caffeine
- You find it hard to withdraw from caffeine
Besides the health risks I mentioned earlier, caffeine withdrawals can also affect your physical and mental wellbeing. It can potentially disrupt your sleep patterns and make you feel depressed and restless.
But of course, if you have a high caffeine metabolism, it’s unlikely you’ll have bad experiences with just one can of C4 Energy. However, having more than two cans may eventually lead to consequences.
C4 Energy Drink Sugar Content
If you’re looking for a sugar-free energy drink, consider trying out C4 Energy as doesn’t contain any sugar.
According to the AHA, the recommended daily sugar limit for women is 25g of sugar and 36g of sugar for men. So, C4 Energy is definitely a healthier choice than sugary energy drinks with as much as 54g of sugar in a single can.
Including C4 Energy in your regular diet won’t leave you worrying about how much this drink will take up your overall sugar intake. Plus, you’ll have more room for healthier sugar sources like vegetables and fruits.
Moreover, being mindful of your sugar intake is crucial because a high sugar diet can bring about adverse health risks such as:
- Acne
- Weight gain
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Depression
It’s also important to note that, despite popular belief, high amounts of sugar can actually decrease your energy levels significantly and cause you to feel more tired and sleepy.
Not to mention the possible nasty sugar crash you’ll have when you drink sugary energy drinks! Thankfully you don’t have to deal with any of these side effects with C4 Energy.
C4 Energy Drink Artificial Sweeteners Content
For its sweetness flavor, the C4 Energy drink uses artificial sweeteners, namely Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium.
Sticking to its body fuel brand, the artificial sweeteners in C4 Energy are calorie-free, and of course, FDA approved for general consumption. For a more detailed analysis of each sweetener, read down below!
What is Sucralose?
Sucralose is a no-calorie sweetener used by many to lower one’s intake of added sugar.
Sucralose is also said to be about 600 times sweeter than regular sugar. Thus, only a few amounts of sucralose are needed to balance the sweetness provided by regular sugar.
Based on my research, sucralose is being used in over 100 countries globally, despite some health risks claimed by scientists.
What is Acesulfame Potassium?
Acesulfame Potassium, better known as Ace-K or Acesulfame K, is also a calorie-free sweetener added to most sugar-free products. Ace-K alone is a crystal powder that provides a bitter after-taste.
However, this ingredient can be 200 times sweeter than regular table sugar when mixed with other sweeteners.
Nausea, fatigue, and headaches are some of the most common side effects when consuming too much Ace-K.
Clearly, the safest way to consume these sweeteners is to keep your consumption to a minimum. That said, it’s still best to drink C4 Energy moderately and not go over a maximum of two cans a day.
How Many Cans Of C4 Energy Drink Can You Have In A Day?
In my opinion, you can have a maximum of two cans of C4 Energy drink a day. Regularly going over FDA’s daily caffeine limit can be damaging for your health in the long run.
Although C4 Energy is both sugar and calorie-free, it contains quite a high amount of caffeine, 200mg per 16 fl.oz can.
Regardless of whether or not that amount is okay for you, excessively consuming caffeine can bring about health risks.
In addition, caffeine, similar to sugar, can also cause you to crash. If you lack sleep and are relying on caffeine, you’re actually bound to experience a caffeine crash. So instead of an energy boost, you’ll get headaches, excessive tiredness, and irritability.
I wouldn’t want to risk it so, it’s best to be mindful.
Generally speaking, energy drinks contain as low as 50mg to 300mg of caffeine in a single serving. I think it’s reasonable to consider C4 Energy’s 200mg caffeine as a high amount of caffeine to have regularly.
I stick to energy drinks with around 50mg to 100mg of caffeine only because my body can’t have any amount higher than that. I’ll have a terrible migraine and heart palpitations if I do exceed the limit.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, like me, I would highly recommend opting for C4 Energy’s Natural Zero instead. It only has a modest amount of 120mg caffeine in a 12 fl.oz can.
But of course, if you’re someone with a high tolerance for caffeine, you’ll definitely benefit from the caffeine content in the C4 Energy drink. Just be sure not to have more than two cans a day!
Is C4 Energy Drink Harmful?
I believe that C4 Energy isn’t harmful as long as you stick to the FDA’s daily caffeine limit of 400mg and keep yourself healthy.
While you don’t have to worry about any extra sugar or calories in your diet, you still need to be cautious of its relatively high caffeine content. Thus, having more than two cans a day can definitely affect your health and even performance throughout the day.
It’s also important to keep in mind that C4 Energy contains artificial sweeteners. While they may seem like a healthier substitute to regular sugar, there’s still plenty we have yet to discover about them, including their long-term effects.
Again, I would only recommend you to keep your daily consumption of C4 Energy to a maximum of two cans. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, under the age of 18 years old, pregnant, and or nursing, it’s best to avoid this energy drink.
If you’re interested to learn more about C4 Energy drink, check out the review below:
Why Is C4 Energy Banned?
C4 Energy brand has a product called C4 Extreme, a pre-workout powder, which contains an ingredient called Synephrine. According to my research, this ingredient is banned in sports because it can cause athletes to have an intense edge that could hurt their opponents.
However, I haven’t found any news about C4 Energy drinks being banned anywhere.
I believe that it’s still available on online sites such as Amazon and eBay. Other than online, I’m sure you can still get your hands on a C4 Energy at your local Walmart store.
Final Verdict
Overall, I do believe that C4 Energy is a great energy drink with special ingredients. Not to mention, this drink has zero sugar and calories even though its caffeine content can be a little concerning. So, two cans of C4 Energy a day is enough.
There’s no denying that C4 Energy will easily fit your strict diet as it’s both sugar and calorie-free.
But a 16 fl.oz can of this drink also contains a whopping 200mg of caffeine. Your body may not respond well to such a high amount, especially if you have a low caffeine tolerance.
While you won’t experience any side effects if you’re an avid caffeine drinker, it’s always a good idea to have self-control and stay within the safe limits. Thus, a daily maximum of two cans of C4 Energy only is a very safe bet.