5 Hour Energy Review

Though I'm morally, physically, conceptually, medicinally, and holistically opposed to most energy drinks, I decided to write a 5 hour energy review because 5 hour energy has different properties than most energy drinks on the market. As a whole, I think that energy drinks are absolutely horrible for the human body, and will be a major contributing factor to the next generation's early development of major ailments, disorders, and premature aging. That being said, if I were to drink an energy drink, I would probably pick 5 hour energy for a few major reasons.

1. 5 Hour Energy is Sugar Free

• As though soda weren't full enough of sugar, most energy drinks take sugar consumption to a whole new level. I think pretty much everyone is aware by now of the dangers of constant sugar consumption, and I can't stress enough that the dangers over the long haul are very real.

2. 5 Hour Energy Comes in Decaf

• Though this isn't a big deal for some, I think it's an excellent sign than an energy drink can still provide consistent energy without the use of caffeine. It means that the other ingredients in the drink are actually effective in raising energy levels. And even the caffeinated version only has the same amount of caffeine as a single cup of coffee.

3. 5 Hour Energy is Small

• The notion of drinking a huge 20 oz container of an energy drink is pretty ridiculous if you ask me. I'd much rather take a shot of something that I don't particularly enjoy than drink 20 ounces of a drink that's loaded up with sugar to mask the flavor of all the other ingredients.
  

To the right is the nutrition facts label for 5 hour energy. Let's talk a little bit about some of the components. First of all, I like that 5 hour energy has a low level of caffeine when compared to other energy drinks. That means that the energy comes from other sources which is good. The one thing I don't like is that Taurine is the first ingredient. It's not that Taurine is bad for you, it's basically just inert. Taurine doesn't really do anything. It's a filler that's very cheap to produce and neither helps nor harms the human body. It's very difficult to have a deficiency in Taurine, and an abundance doesn't really give a benefit. The reason why energy producers so heavily use and promote Taurine is most likely because it has loosely been shown to aid with muscle development and energy levels, and has few side effects because it is a natural body chemical. But lets move on.

As far as their proprietary energy blend compounds are concerned, they are all good energy providers, minus the Taurine, which we've already talked about.  Things like L-Tyrosine and L-Phenylalanine are good sources of vitality and are building blocks for other beneficial chemicals in the body.  L-Tyrosine is an amino acid, and beyond providing a boost in energy, is also one of the building blocks for neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain.  The other reason why I like 5 hour energy is because it has a wide variety of B Vitamins. The more I study Vitamin B, the more I come to appreciate all of the different things that B Vitamins do for the human body.

The long term side effects of energy drinks isn't yet widely known to science.  That's mostly due to the fact that people have only been consuming strong energy drinks for the past decade or less.  That being said, most people (myself included) don't consider 5 hour energy to be a strong energy drink, and by strong I mean packed with many energy promoting compounds.  The short term side effects of 5 hour energy are basically just things like increased blood pressure due to caffeine, and a flushing of the skin due to Vitamin B3 consumption.  The latter side effect is referred to as niacin flush, and happens when an abundance of niacin, which is Vitamin B3, causes the capillaries in the skin to widen and produce excess blood flow to the skin.  This isn't a dangerous side effect, is short lived, and isn't generally considered uncomfortable.  So all in all, the long term side effects of 5 hour energy aren't yet established, but it is safe to say that if there are any, then 5 hour energy most likely has less long term side effects than other popular energy drinks on the market.  So all in all, I've given a fairly positive 5 hour energy review, as far as energy drinks go.