Energy drinks/caffeine pills questions...

[HearWa]

Irrelevent drivel...
I have just recently been exposed to the world of energy enhancing supplements. I've tried a few drinks (the new "Full Throttle" by Coca-cola for one), and a few of the Sobe drinks (I've got "No Fear" on the go right now). What I origionally believed to be soda-pop marketed to the athletically inclined has become my new religion.

Over the past year I've had a growing feeling of lingering sleepiness, even after a full nights rest. I'm not sure what it is, but I've decided to believe it's just a feeling of dispassion or something since this quickly leaves me when I'm around a woman I like or I'm doing something I enjoy (but even these don't help me sometimes).

So now, when I take one of these energy drinks, the droopy feeling behind my eyes and the feeling of torper that I feel in my body leave me. I just had a good punching bag workout that would have origionally really knackered my an-aerobic system. I had one a few days ago when I was with a few of my friends and I have never had a better time. I drunk a half of one before work this morning (got up at 5:30am) and felt great. This stuff is magic for me! And yes, I'm aware that you should never have more than one a day and am devoutly following this rule.

So now, here come my questions.
1. People keep telling me that the drinks will eventually give you heart failure. Is this true for a nineteen year old guy who plans on drinking just one a day (half for work, half for his workout), doesn't smoke, seldomly drinks (I get drunk about once a month at most, I don't drink casually either) and has picked up running/"dieting" (eating healthier foods, drinking alot of water, eating several small meals a day as opposed to three large meals and eating until I'm not hungry as opposed to when I'm full)?

2. Do the pills have the same effect as the drinks? They've got the added advantage of being quicker to take than the drink, and are cheaper too so I'm really interested in these.

3. Is there anything else I should try to give me more energy for when I need it (morning coffee's don't help, unless I drink three with six sugar cubes in each...)? I'm actually considering a meditation program (without the religious affiliation, but it may end up having a relation with Buddhism, who knows) to help improve my levels of consciousness/energy, so you know I'll try anything.

[ElPietro]

I just skimmed your post, but a few things I'd mention. First of all, there is entirely TOO MUCH IGNORANCE in the general public, and media for you to rely on that for information.

That being said, heart failure? The answer to the question would be, if you have a pre-existing heart condition, or high blood pressure, then energy boosting supplements probably are a bad idea. Also, if you are not intelligent enough to understand what directions are on a bottle, then perhaps any and all supplements, drugs, or other pharmaceuticals are also not for you.

BUT...if you can read instructions, not take a rediculous amount of whatever it is you take, and don't have some current heart problems, then these things are perfectly safe.

My recommendation, if you really want to take advantage of things, would be to go to a vitamin/nutrition shop, and buy ephedrine and caffeine tablets. The drinks and other thermogenics are just Marketing BS designed to seperate you from your money, using a bunch of bogus or less effective ingredients. The active ingredients in any of this will be either ephedrine, or caffeine or both. Combined they are a potent energy booster, as well as great for long term fat loss, and can also boost strength marginally (up to 5%). Studies have shown that long term use of these two substances actually improve efficacy, and there is no reason to "cycle" off of any of it.

If you can't get ephedrine at vitamin shops, I've read from many friends that they easily can find it at gas stations.

If you are going to start taking it, my recommendation would be to take half dosages early in the morning for a few days. You'll feel a bit jittery but you will become accustom to it. Then you can take a full dose in the morning, and again around noon, and then before your workout. Or you can simply just use it before workouts as an energy booster.

For your first time try and take maybe only 8-12mg of ephedrine, with the one 200 mg caffeine tab. After you use that a few days, then you can double the ephedrine. Try not to exceed 75mg in a day. You will definitely feel odd the first few times you use it. I know I do if I stop taking it for a week or so and go back to using it. But it subsides.

All the other crap like pops etc, are mostly media BS. It will have some impact, but you'd easily get the same from coffee or just taking one caffeine tablet, which is way cheaper.

[IronFist]

I've heard you can go through mild(?) depression if you stay on ephedrine/caffeine for too long.

Hey ElPietro, I've always heard of it as ECA (ephedrine, caffeine, and asprin). Is the aspirin not required? What role does it play in the mixture?

Have you seen Biotest's Spike? It's like Sulbutiamine (nootropic) + Caffeine or something.

[HearWa]

Hello, thanks for the voice of reason you two! Many people keep telling me "quit that, and no, the caffeine pills will kill you too!" and treating me like some kind of druggie for experimenting with these energy enhancing supplements.

But spit on them. I tried a "red rain" today. It doesn't have caffeine in it. It has taurine in it; they define it on the bottle as "an amino acid found in the body, which has numerous positive effects for those who want to feel awake in body and mind." I tried it today before my run. It doesn't have the "buzz" feeling that you'd expect from an energy drink, but it did seem to make me more alert. And ****, it made my usual run -EASY.-

I might try the pills you recommended. Thanks for the info, I'll keep you all updated.

[Monkeyboy13]

Just a word of caution (but maybe not the one you'd expect)....
Caffeine, Ephedra (ephedrine/ma huang), and ASA - yes the aspirin does help the stack - some say it has a catalysing effect, some a blocking effect, to help with jitters/headaches/etc. - are all chemicals. Does this mean it's bad? Not necessarily. Should you go off them? If you're an adult, who knows the risks, and is relatively healthy, then that's for you to decide.
My word of caution is this - Your lethargy could be caused by something else. Adding a stimulant could be masking a problem. Having said this, I have coffee every day (but I can quit any time I want.... No, really, I can..... ) so I'm not trying to say stimulants are bad, but I like your original thought of trying meditation (perhaps chi kung), I know when I hit a similar low period, I underwent some acupuncture for an unrelated problem, and my acupuncturist found some blockages, which once removed, helped me to tap into my own energy better.
JMHO
Peace, Monkey

[ElPietro]

Iron, most tests found that efficacy of the stack was virtually unchanged with aspirin removed. Or at least it does not have much impact to justify the cost. Ephedrine and Caffeine are pretty cheap, and are the active ingredients. I don't know anyone these days that use aspirin in their stack, so it's become more known simply as an EC stack instead of ECA.

[Spark]

I'd stay away from those Caffeine pills. Just look what happened to Jesse on Saved By The Bell!! Her relationship with Slater almost ended because of it!

TAKE HEED

[IronFist]

I'd stay away from those Caffeine pills. Just look what happened to Jesse on Saved By The Bell!! Her relationship with Slater almost ended because of it!

TAKE HEED

omg, that's the best point ever. Learn from Slater.

[Ou Ji]

Don't take on a daily basis. You'll reach a point where it actually tires you instead of picking you up. Make sure you get plenty of minerals, especially potassium. Also, be sure to keep hydrated.

Long term use of ephedra can cause heart problems. It also robs your body of oxygen so even though you can push your body harder and longer you may notice you gett out of breath quicker.

Ephedra based products are getting hard to find due to it's close chemical structure to methamphetamine. Since P2P is hard to get it's easier to convert ephedra to meth so the government is cracking down.

Use tablets with caution. The drinks aren't spiked with as much so they should be ok. Guarana is natural caffeine which is safer than ephedra but not as good an energy boost.

Use, don't abuse.

[tye111]

i heard from one of my friends that if u eat more iron then it makes u feel more awake, prehaps not in a boost way that the drinks do but overall through out the day. i'm not sure if this is true but if it is could be worth a try.

[ElPietro]

Don't take on a daily basis. You'll reach a point where it actually tires you instead of picking you up. Make sure you get plenty of minerals, especially potassium. Also, be sure to keep hydrated.

Long term use of ephedra can cause heart problems. It also robs your body of oxygen so even though you can push your body harder and longer you may notice you gett out of breath quicker.

Ephedra based products are getting hard to find due to it's close chemical structure to methamphetamine. Since P2P is hard to get it's easier to convert ephedra to meth so the government is cracking down.

Use tablets with caution. The drinks aren't spiked with as much so they should be ok. Guarana is natural caffeine which is safer than ephedra but not as good an energy boost.

Use, don't abuse.

Can you actually back up anything you just claimed?




Tye111, unless you are aenemic, there isn't much reason to be taking extra Iron. Too much Iron can be dangerous, you only require trace amounts, and you can get it from quite a few sources. If you consume any red meat once or twice per week you should have more than enough.

If you are female you should have your levels checked as well, since it is easier for women to be in an iron deficit.

[IronFist]

A.C. Slater hosts Animal Planet's "Pet Star" now.

[Spark]

I thought AC was absolutely dreamy on that talk show with Danny Bonnaduci and **** Clark.

[Spark]

haha D.ick Clark

[GeneChing]

I'm not sure that caffeine is the key to many of the new energy drinks. Caffeine has been with us for a long time in coffee and soda. I think it's more about Taurine, which some claim enhances the uptake of caffiene. Taurine comes from the same root as Taurus, meaning bull (aka Red Bull, one of the original energy drinks). Apparently it's drawn from bull bile. Another key ingrediant is Guarana, a Brazilian plant that contains a stimulant akin to caffiene called guaranine (not unlike mateine from yerba mate). Worthy of note, tea actually contains theine, which is also chemically similar to caffeine.

I drink tea everyday. I will drink taurine drinks occasionally, mostly when it's hot - note that this usage was what they were originally developed for. Guarana gives me a rush but then lets me down pretty hard later, so it's not too helpful for me.

With all these energy drinks, there are slightly different recipes. It's very important to check the ingrediants, especially if you have allergies or sensitivities.