Monday, February 13, 2012

In Case You've Wondered

I'll confess, I've wondered what is in it. I see the commercials and it seems way too much like either a quasi-legal shot of speed or a concentrated cup of coffee. I enjoy my coffee in the morning with the newspaper, so I don't get the attraction there, and I'm one of those people who simply needs activity to keep from slumping. Let me sit with nothing going on and I'll be napping in a minute or two. Keep some conversation bouncing or an activity ongoing and I've got no problems.

Still, I see the commercials and I wonder.

Mix Some Chemicals and Sell For More Than They Cost

So, there you have it! Or do you? Do you know much more now than before you read about it? You know who invented it. You know it has about has much caffeine as a big Starbucks. You know it lays some mega-vitamins on you.

But, is it good for you, dangerous, worth it or simply a fad?

6 comments:

MagiK said...

I highly suspect that a good measure of its effectiveness is psycosomatic but I used it once when on a 5 hour road trip, it seemed to help so thats all that mattered. I don't put much stock in the hype, but in extremis I hate coffee so figured Id try the 5 hour energy shot.

an Donalbane said...

I don't know if it was during the supplier transition period or not, but Dollar Tree used to have them in their stores. Tried them a couple times, but couldn't really discern whether it was useful, and I was kinda skeptical about what might be in it to begin with.

Other day I was in a c-store in a not-so-great part of town - was amazed by the variety other type of 'energy' supplements offered. Sure, the market is halved, but you get some hormone-driven young buck (insert Seger's Night Moves here) trying to impress, or insecure middle aged dude hoping not to be embarrassed, and the profit margin is probably through the roof.

hitman said...

I tried it a couple of times in Iraq when I had to drive all night with no sleep. I crashed really hard(not the truck,lol) when it wore off and wouldn't use it again. I just stuck with the old standby, Mountain Dew.

Dweezil Dwarftosser said...

We caffeine-aholics will get a headache if there is no caffeine intake within an hour or so of awakening (and every few hours thereafter) but that's about the extent of its effects; nothing more.

However, large doses of Niacin have a very strong effect upon everyone: skin flushing (especially on the face), as it opens up the capillaries. It's worthwhile in the summertime - providing a bit more surface cooling to the blood supply, but in most people, the effects go unnoticed (unless they see themselves blushing in a mirror).
In a few cases, very sensitive people feel skin itch from niacin.

I'll bet its the niacin effects that are 'felt' with these products - rather than caffeine effects - among normal or heavy coffee drinkers.

foxone12 said...

There is no substitute for sleep. Period. If you don't get the sleep, you try to cheat your system with a stimulant. Of course a stimulant works, but not over the long haul. Want to get some more energy? Take a nap. 20 minutes is best. Want to know more about napping? Go to: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/naps/

For a quick pick me up, run the stairs. Exercise is more effective than a cup of coffee.

When was the last time you heard a doctor or dietician say that prolonged use of stimulants or chemicals was good for you. No free lunch.

MagiK said...

Foxone most of that was pretty much stating the obvious that everyone knows, the idea behind coffee or 5 hour energy shot is for those times when you CANNOT climb a mountain for exercise....such as during a 10 hour drive that you have 3 hours left to do. The products and chemicals have their place.