6 replies to this topic

[threshold]

I've noticed that some energy drinks help me focus more than caffeine pills or coffee. I was wondering which ingredient exactly was doing it. Here's a list of what's in it:

B vitamins
Sugar
Taurine
Ginseng
L-Carnitine
Guarana
Inositol
Glucuronolactone
Malodextrin

Any Ideas?

[caruga]

You could try looking the substances up. Guarana is a caffeine source and ginseng is stimulatory (though supposedly not at the doses put into energy drinks).

[JLL]

I've noticed that some energy drinks help me focus more than caffeine pills or coffee. I was wondering which ingredient exactly was doing it. Here's a list of what's in it:

B vitamins
Sugar
Taurine
Ginseng
L-Carnitine
Guarana
Inositol
Glucuronolactone
Malodextrin

Any Ideas?

Sugar can obviously give you a mental boost for a while, but other than that I would say taurine makes the biggest difference for me personally. I don't really notice anything from taking a vitamin B complex or L-carnitine, for example.

[MrSpud]

Monster contains about 160mg of caffeine per 16oz can. This is equal to about 2-4 cups of coffee, depending on the strength. The taurine might make it a little bit different, but not that much. I drink Monster Lo-Carb almost every day after lunch, but I find if I drink a triple expresso I feel about the same as when I drink the Monster. If I take a caffeine pill, even 200mg Vivarin type ones, it doesn't hit me as fast or as strong as the Monster or the Expresso. I think this is because in Expresso and in the Monster you are drinking the caffeine already dissolved and it hits you quicker. The caffeine in a Monster is actually caffeine citrate because the product contains citric acid and caffeine turns into caffeine citrate when mixed with citric acid in water. The dissolved caffeine salt absorbs into the system pretty good, but for me at least not really better than a triple expresso.

[#1hit]

Like Mr. Spud said, it's the caffeine in the monster energy that is bolstering your focus, and the sugar if your drinking regular monster. The other stuff in it aren't present in high enough quantities to take effect.

[TheFountain]

I know a lot of people with fiendish addiction for monster. Such that they become very jittery and go through withdrawal symptoms if they go so much as a single day without it.

Caffeine is a drug, and as such, and like any other drug, it can be abused, which leads to addiction.

[rwac]

Sugar can obviously give you a mental boost for a while, but other than that I would say taurine makes the biggest difference for me personally. I don't really notice anything from taking a vitamin B complex or L-carnitine, for example.

Taurine is supposed to have a calming effect. Are you sure you're not deficient?