5-Hour Energy - Is It Safe?

It's AP and final exam time at our local high schools!  Lots of studying for some pretty tough exams - some of which can give you college credit if you do well enough on them.  With kids having to get up at around 6:00 to make it to school on time, it gets pretty tough to stay awake when it comes time to study.  What to do?  What to do?  Unfortunately, a lot of kids are turning to 5-Hour Energy and 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength.  A 2-ounce shot contains 2,000% of vitamin B6, 150% 0f B3 and 8,333% of B12.  Remember the days when doctors used to give movie stars Vitamin B shots to give them a boost?  I assume that is the reason for all the B vitamins these tiny "drinks" contain.  The good news is that B vitamins are water soluble, so they are not toxic in large doses and they will only "boost" your energy if you are vitamin-B deficient.   One of the things that concerns me, however, is that high doses of B6 can cause nerve damage, as well as tingling and numbness in the arms and legs.  My bigger concern about 5-Hour Energy, though,  is the other ingredients it contains.

If you read the bottle, you will notice that it has 1,870 milligrams of an "energy blend", consisting of ingredients such as Taurine, Glucuranolactone, N-Acetyl, L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, Citicoline, and Caffeine.  The makers of the product claim that the caffeine is equal to the amount found in a premium cup of coffee, which is 180 milligrams at a place like Starbucks.  That leaves about 300 milligrams each of the other mysterious ingredients.  I do not know what the long-term effects of these chemicals are, but because they are marketed as "dietary supplements", these energy drinks do not require FDA approval before hitting the market.  (Keep in mind that the ingredients listed above are for the regular strength product.  Obviously, the levels mentioned herein will be higher for the Extra-Strength variety). 

I do know that too much of this product can cause nervousness, sleeplessness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and higher blood pressure.  And some consumers have experienced extreme fatigue and drowsiness once the product wears off, making it, I would guess, potentially habit-forming. 

I understand the pressure kids are under at exam time, but if you want to boost energy levels naturally, here are some suggestions:

• When you hit those slumps in your day (often at 10:00 and 3:00), have some carrot sticks or an ounce and a half of cheese with some whole grain crackers as a pick-me-up.
• Avoid large amounts of sugar and fat.  Sugar will give you a burst of energy followed by a crash, and fat will weigh you down, making you feel sluggish.
• Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.
• Take a quick exercise break, even if it's just going up and down the stairs a few times or taking a short walk.
• Make sure you get enough sleep each night.
• Take time to relax and meditate. - don't let stress control you.

To the teens out there, good luck on your exams!  To the parents, talk to your kids about how they are managing to stay awake through this tough time and help them find some natural ways to get the energy they so desperately need to make it through this crunch. 


(Information obtained from WebMD, "Energy Shots Review: Do They Work?  Are They Safe?", by Elizabeth Lee;  and Wikipedia)