Thursday, December 3, 2009

5 Hour Energy

So lately I have been on a bit of a 5 Hour Energy kick. I have been drinking a few a week, and extolling the virtues about them to anyone that will listen. I have a fairly impressive collection of the empty bottles of the stuff at my work, to the point where my students comment on them. One told me that I am drinking way too much caffeine, to which I replied “No, these things mainly give you energy by giving you lots of B vitamins.”

Well, I noticed that today I have a lot of energy. It feels just like I took one of those energy shots. Instead this morning I took a B vitamin supplement I got at Trader Joe’s. I try not to be a mindless consumer in general, so I did a bit of investigating on this 5 Hour Energy thing, and the claims of the company, as well as my own beliefs on it. Turns out I was really just buying into the company’s bullshit.

Do B vitamins give you energy? Yes and no. Turns out they unlock the ability of your body to metabolizing carbs. And as a vegan, I sometimes don’t get enough B vitamins, especially B 12, which omnis and l/o veggies don’t have as much of a problem with. Well, I can tell you that I do have lots more energy after taking B 12 supplement – pretty much the same way I feel after the 5 Hour Energy.

So, is the 5 Hour Energy a scam? I won’t go that far. Let’s just say the stuff is a really expensive B vitamin supplement. You will better off just drinking a cup of coffee with a B vitamin pill from Trader Joe’s or something. I am just posting this since it seems that a lot of vegans who (like me) might be running a little low on the B 12 can feel a very real effect from 5 Hour Energy, and be convinced that stuff is some sort of magical elixir. I just wish I had figured this out sooner. I could have saved some money.

3 comments:

  1. strange that I didn't stumble upon this earlier. I made a wiki. I wonder if you guys would be interested in reviewing it. I started to do a blog, but I think a wiki is better. www.stlveg.wikidot.com

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  2. 5-Hour Engergy is NOT a vegan product.

    Read the information they provide. They are a sleazy group, stating that "our manufacturing process does not add any animal-derived ingredients" whatever the heck that is supposed to mean? I suspect that it means that their manufacturing process does not add any animal-derived ingredients, but the raw materials that they buy to use in that manufacturing process ARE animal-derived...

    I have spoke with a Compliance Administrator with the company. They will not state that their product does not contain any animal-derived ingredients. I suspect that one (or more) of their amino acids is animal-derived.

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  3. I was googling "is 5 hour energy vegan" and found myself on your website. I liked your approach. but still it's not really clear to me if this product was certified as vegan or no... on their website they state that there is no animal ingredient, but what about animal tests???

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