Is 5 Hour Energy Bad for You?

This is what you call instant energy. Yes, I am making an allusion to the very popular 5-hour flavored drink. This is basically a supplement available in a 2 oz. container. What makes it different from others is the fact that there are no net carbohydrates or sugar in it, though it has a bit caffeine.

Some of the energy-providing and nutritional ingredients in this drink include B-vitamins, amino acids and caffeine. So all in all it seems a real good prospect for our health. However, just as most of the energy drinks have been clouded and marred by some sort of controversies, this drink has also been a subject of controversy.

Is 5 Hour Energy Safe?

Pros of the Energy Shot
As mentioned earlier, its ingredients are mainly vitamins and other stimulating ingredients. Talking of vitamins, B-Vitamins, especially Vitamin B3, niacin is the chief ingredient of this drink, along with caffeine and other substances. Citicoline is another natural psycho stimulant, which according to a few studies has the potential to protect against cerebral damage in case of a stroke and hypoxia and improves memory. In addition to these, this drink has other energy producing natural compounds like glucuronolactone and malic acid. The best part about this drink is that it does not give you an energy rush and then fade off, rather it sustains it and you experience a gradual build.

On the contrary and unlike the others, the effect slowly goes down, bringing down your energy. Another point to think of positively is that it hardly contains any sugar. The caffeine content is also equal to one cup of sans guarana, a shrub in South America. This shrub has more caffeine than a coffee bean used in some energy drinks. Amino acids and sucralose are other ingredients, which adds to the positives of this drink.

The Possible Flip Side
The Internet is a treasure trove of information and there are hundreds of user ratings available on this product. Nevertheless, normally this drink is considered pretty safe. There is a possibility that due to the presence of niacin or B-3 Vitamin, a person can undergo a niacin flush. A niacin flush is the body's reaction to an excess of niacin where the skin gets red and itchy. But this can only happen when too much of this drink is consumed. The same rule applies to caffeine. Even if it is in small amounts in one helping of the drink, if consumed in high quantities, it may be bad for health. The reason? Too much of caffeine may lead to irregular heartbeat and a few other things. Another relevant issue pertains to the safety of its consumption by kids. Preferably, children should avoid this drink. Apart from this, any individual who is under medication and has been suggested to avoid stimulants should be careful before taking this shot.

The risk further expands to pregnant women. As per the opinion of the experts, it may be a good idea to think twice before they have this drink. There are a few more conditions where this drink should be avoided completely.

Eventually, it is up to the individual to decide whether this drink is good or bad. If taken in moderation, it should ideally not cause any harm but it is always good to get a thorough idea as to what would be going in your system! This is where I end my treatise on this topic! Take care!