Rating:  -
I have a strange relationship with caffeine. In the form of coffee, it doesn't always do what I want it to do. A cup of coffee consumed midday sometimes seems to make me sleepy, but that same cup might also have me tossing and turning in bed if I drink it too late in the day. In the pursuit of energy, by which I mean the capacity to do sustained mental or physical work, coffee often comes up wanting.
Enter "5-hour Energy," with its promise of immediate energy with no crash to follow later. There are many good reasons to be skeptical of any energy potion's claims, especially since there are only so many things a manufacturer can legally include in its product's formulation that actually have an effect on alertness. The most obvious choice is caffeine, and many products on the market include a frighteningly high dose of the stuff.
"5-hour Energy" does not disclose its caffeine content other than in a cryptic reference to its being "comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee." If we are talking about Starbucks here, this could easily be on the order of 150 mg of caffeine, which can provide a significant jolt. I've found, however, that this product does not make me jittery, nor do I get that feeling in my stomach telling me that I overdid it on the caffeine.
The most profound effect I've noticed is its consistent beneficial effect on my mood. I restrict my use of this product (at least partly due to its expense) to mornings before I go to the gym, and I always take it after a light snack. I seem to develop more of a positive, can-do, all-is-right-with-the-world attitude within minutes of my taking it. I find that to be quite a bonus in my hectic and sometimes dispiriting life as a graduate student. Although coffee sometimes has this mood-boosting effect, it is not nearly as consistent.
This is the best energy product I've tried largely because its effects are fairly subtle. I simply want the capacity to do my work, mental or physical, without a nagging reminder that I've taken a drug in order to assist me in doing it. If you prefer a more obvious rush, you may need to look elsewhere.
Also, it is worth noting that "niacin flush" has not been a significant side effect for me when using this product, while it has been with others. Having a little something in your stomach before taking it may help in this regard as well.
Rating:  -
I've seen advertisements for 5 Hour Energy products for months now, and I finally gave in yesterday. I purchased two 2-packs of it at my local grocery store, intent on trying one out in the morning in order to wake myself up early. First of all, these are grossly overpriced. At the store, a 2-pack sells for $6. You can buy a huge coffee drink for the price of one of these little 2-ounce bottles (I don't drink coffee, but I'm just giving that as an example). Even with the "discounts" that are offered through Amazon or the various third-party sellers, they're still overpriced.
Now, I'll detail what happened this morning when I tried a 5 Hour Energy for the first time:
By the time I'd gotten up the nerve to open the bottle and drink the contents, I was basically awake. So it did, in fact, manage to wake me up, but not in the way I was expecting. The first thing I noticed as the liquid touched my tongue was the taste. The awful taste. It was like a super-saturated sugar solution, only the sweet taste had been replaced with a terrible bitter sensation that has stuck with me almost two hours after consuming the drink. So if you enjoy having a terrible taste stuck in your mouth, even after flushing your mouth out with water and even brushing your teeth, this may be the product for you. Otherwise, steer clear.
The second thing I noticed was that, contrary to its advertisement, it DID NOT give me an energy boost whatsoever. I still had to drag myself out of bed like I do every day. Even now, nearly two hours after consuming this awful liquid, I am not filled with energy. I did, however, feel an elevated heart rate shortly after consumption, and I do feel a little jittery right now. I'm also finding myself a little more irritable than I usually am in the mornings, and it's difficult to concentrate on even writing this review. I think it may have even given me a stomachache.
So, for those of you who want a bullet point summary, here you go:
Cons
----
Awful taste that doesn't go away
Grossly overpriced even with the discounts that online retailers have
Doesn't actually give you energy
Possible elevated heart rate upon consumption
Jitters
Inability to concentrate
Might make you irritable
May cause stomachaches
Pros
----
If you're tired of carrying all that money around, this could be a great way to make your wallet or purse a little lighter.
Simply put (if you don't feel like reading the Wall of Text up above), DO NOT buy this product. It is, by far, one of, if not THE, worst products I've ever purchased in my life. And I've bought a lot of junk. Don't buy into the false advertising. Stay away. This stuff should be banned.
Rating: -
I ordered this product and it was put in my items to be delivered between May 25 and June 5. Within a day I get a notice from Amazon that I was issued a credit for this order.
I to this day have no idea as to why I was issued a credit and I have no answers from Amazon. I e mailed twice and to this moment I have no response. The item continued to show as items to be delivered and again no reason why it was not and why did I get a credit and no product when I did not request one.
So I leave for England on Tuesday the 16th of June without the product.
Very bad handling of this order VERY BAD!!
Rating: -
Lemme tell you, before this miracle drink; I couldn't please my wife for more that 50 sec's without me tiring out. I mean after seeing her fat tale everyday, i started to get limp(in the spirit that is). And then my friend Bill(you know Bill from those commercials0 showed me this... and let me tell you, never has my wife been so happy, not only can I please her for a whole 50 second's but now I can please her for FIVE HOURS! At first she was just a fat repulsive whale who lost her charms, and pizazz! Now after taking 5 hour energy I can take on any challenge including my wife, and my next door's neighbors wife.
Not only has if kept me great with my wife, I also can now power my car off on the sheer energy that radiates from my body, for 5 hours I was on a town rampage, robbing banks, hitting the gentlemen's clubs, spray painting my obscene terms on corporate buildings, you know the usual teenager stuff. Yeah my life has been great since I started taking this miracle drink. The ladies love me, the me envy me... yeah I'm the talk of the town now. I even grew extra hair on my chest, and my 2 cabbages are too huge for my size 38 pants now, I have to move up to 44's.
Pros:
.Keeps you up and going
.Makes you the talk of the town
.Makes you feel like you mean something again
.Fends off Mid Life crisis for 5 more hours
Cons:
.You wake up with bullet wounds
.You black out, and wake back up to your face on the news for some reason
.Your wife wouldn't be able to walk for a month
Rating:  -
Dear Five-Hour-Energy (Berry Flavored),
You came into my life when I was not ready for you. I was still in a love-hate relationship with another woman, Coffee. I loved Coffee's black taste, her bitter aroma, and her warm awakening after missing her for so long. But she was not the one for me, my nights with her left me shaking, heart furious. I felt manic and trapped. My body would crash after tasting Coffee and my mind would race, too busy spinning to do anything useful.
Then you came into my life, my sweet 5-Hour-Energy. Coffee had stormed out, made a big scene at the cafe. I met you at a gas station, looking alone and forlorn. I asked you out to a club, and we danced all night long. Later, I took you to rock climbing, swimming, kayaking. My heart swelled with joy but you never made it hurt. As our relationship prolonged, we sat with each other, working, sometimes writing tender missives. My mind was alert, never spun thoughtlessly.
Oh my love, I'd love to love you 5 hours more, my 5-Hour-Energy.
Love,
Charlie
PROS:
- works! you do get energy!
- minimal crashes (only occurs when i partake TOO excessively)
- berry flavor is tasty
CONS:
- there's a lot of vitamin B in this. don't know if that is good or bad.
- can develop an immunity if you drink two or more every day, so don't do that
As always, don't overdo any caffeine product. If your body does not respond well to this product, cease immediately and maybe ask your doctor. And then tell me if there are health risks. Because I am not a doctor. I am a warrior poet. If by warrior, one thinks of programmers.
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