Best Gaming Energy Drinks – Top Energy Supplements for Gamers

Did you know that, according to statistics, energy drinks are a multi-billion dollar industry? After all, most people, when they need a surge of energy- whether to power through a hard workout, an all-night study session, or a long day at the office- turn to energy drinks.

If their popularity is any indication at all, it appears that they are effective. However, there are some who believe they’re doing us more harm than good. In this article, we’re going to explore the world of energy drinks. We’ll explain what they are, compare them with sports drinks, talk about how long it takes for them to kick in, discuss some of the most common ingredients in these drinks, and talk about potential benefits versus potential side effects.

Finally, we’ve taken the time to go through many of the energy drinks on the market and come up with what we feel are the 7 best gaming energy drinks on the market. These promise to help you power through anything that life throws at you.

What Exactly is an Energy Drink?

Before we can really get into the topic, we must first define exactly what an energy drink is. Here we go: an energy drink is a beverage that provides you with energy- either through vitamins and minerals and/or caffeine. Additionally, some energy drinks provide you with improved mental focus. Basically, they are alternatives to soda that bring a little something extra to the table.

For many people, including college students, late-night workers, and a few others, energy drinks are a staple. Basically, energy drinks are like having your own personal, private Starbucks in your fridge to provide you with a jolt of energy- both physical and mental- whenever you need it.

Typically, these drinks include ingredients such as caffeine, taurine, B-vitamins, and ginseng. Most of the time, there is also added calories and sugars- but there are also plenty of options that do not include these things. Typically, sizes range from 2-ounce “shots” to 16-ounce cans that you can drink instead of your afternoon or evening beverage.

Is an Energy Drink the Same as a Sports Drink?

Many people think that energy drinks and sports drinks are the same- they can be used interchangeably. However, sports drinks are formulated to provide hydration via electrolytes. Typically, this is due to a high sodium content. In many energy drinks, you will find sodium- often 180 milligrams to 330 milligrams- but in most cases, this is a by-product of the other ingredients that make up the drink.

Many of the energy drinks on the market contain high amounts of ginseng and caffeine, which pull water from your body. By adding the sodium, your body retains water so you don’t feel parched from drinking an energy drink. Plus, an energy drink increases your productivity and alertness- a sports drink typically will not.

That being said, sports drinks do have a place. They are perfect for rehydration and replenishing vitamins and minerals after an intense training session. That being said, while it’s true that they typically taste better than water and can help you recover from intense workouts, they don’t offer the same benefits as a glass of water.

What it boils down to is this: no, energy drinks are not the same as sports drinks.

How Long Does it Take for an Energy Drink to Kick In?

Before we can give a clear answer to this, we must first explain a few things. It takes about 60 seconds for your blood to travel through your body. For example, the blood that is in your big toe right now will go through your entire body, including your brain and heart, and return back to your big toe within one minute. This is key to how your metabolism works when digesting and using foods and beverages within your body.

Of course, there are some other factors that are associated with how quickly you digest and feel the benefits of whatever it is that you are consuming. Energy drinks are liquid- so they actually absorb into the linings of your throat, cheeks, and stomach fairly quickly.

Therefore, you can expect to feel the effects of an energy drink within 10 to 15 minutes after you consume it. However, if there are organic materials that are new to your body, it may take a bit longer- but usually, it will kick in within 45 minutes.

The vitamins take a bit longer to be absorbed into your body than caffeine. These are the RX of your energy drink and are what keep the effects going for an average of 4 to 6 hours. However, the caffeine is going to hit first, as most of it is absorbed by various membranes on its way to your bladder.

Though the caffeine does kick in quickly, it may take a while to build up enough in your bloodstream for you to really feel it. The threshold for a quick surge of caffeine giving you energy and constricting blood vessels throughout your body is about 10 minutes.

Common Ingredients Found in Energy Drinks

If you’ve ever been curious about what exactly is in your energy drink, you’ve come to the right place. Nearly every energy drink on the market has their own “energy blend” or “proprietary blend”. You will want to be careful of these because the manufacturers are not required to tell you exactly what and how much of each ingredient is included if they are using this term.

Below, we’re going to explore 10 of the most common ingredients found in energy drinks and while this is by no means an exhaustive list, it will give you an idea of what you can expect to find.

Caffeine

We’ve already mentioned that caffeine is often found in energy drinks. This is often the ingredient that gives you a boost. In small quantities, that is less than 200 milligrams twice daily, will improve your alertness, energy, and performance.

Ginseng

Ginseng is an herb from East Asia and is another ingredient that we briefly mentioned earlier in this article. Some researchers indicate that there’s no proof that it does anything at all to improve energy. In fact, there are some indications that it may actually decrease endurance when it comes to exercise. Also, since it is known to lower blood sugar, if you have diabetes and are taking medication for it, you’ll want to avoid anything with ginseng in it.

B-Vitamins

B-vitamins are critical for good health. There are lots of different B vitamins, such as niacin, biotin, B-6, thiamine, and B-12. Together, they help ensure the health of your brain cells, skin cells, and blood cells. These vitamins help with the conversion of food into energy- which is why they are commonly found in energy drinks.

Niacin is the one that is most commonly found in energy drinks. The issue is that many times, there is too much- which can cause health issues. Some of the most common issues associated with niacin are: nerve damage, gastrointestinal issues, and skin conditions.

The good news is, B-vitamins are water-soluble. This means that, in most cases, if there is an excess, they get flushed out of your body.

Sugar

Some of the energy drinks on the market contain up to 62 grams of sugar. This is the equivalent of 15.5 teaspoons of sugar in one 16-ounce can. This can easily add up to 250 calories per can, which is about the same amount found in a 20-ounce bottle of soda.

Taurine

We already briefly mentioned that taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks and now we’re going to take a closer look at it. This is an amino acid that is believed to have an effect on metabolism and overall athletic performance. Experts believe that taurine is safe up to 3,000 milligrams daily.

Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract is added to energy drinks to provide you with a kick minus the jolt. This ingredient is said to have a variety of benefits. It is believed to be high in antioxidants, to help with heart health, reduce cancer risk, provide an energy boost, and so much more. There is some indication that, due to the antioxidants, it can help fight cancer and may lower blood pressure- but more research is needed to confirm.

Guarana

Guarana is an extract sourced from the seeds of the guarana plant from South America. It is said to offer twice the caffeine found in coffee per weight. It is believed that this ingredient can fight fatigue and also stimulate weight loss.

Green Coffee Extract

Green coffee extract is sourced from unroasted coffee beans. This is still a fairly new ingredient. While it doesn’t taste anything like coffee at all, it does supply caffeine. Some preliminary research does indicate that it may help with weight loss.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is made from the leaves of the Ginkgo tree from China. According to tradition, this herb improves memory and fights mental fatigue. However, it’s important to note that the research on these claims is conflicting.

Carnitine

The last ingredient we’ll look at is carnitine. This is also an amino acid that is believed to increase endurance and burn fat. According to the experts, we have all the carnitine we need unless we are deficient- which is very rare. There’s really no reason to get more. You should consume no more than 3 grams per day- anything over that can potentially lead to seizures and stomach upset.

Are There Any Benefits Related to Energy Drinks?

Energy drinks are delicious, so that has to mean they’re bad- right? Not exactly. If you choose the right one, you can actually get some significant health benefits. Below, we’ll take a look at some of these potential health benefits. After this, we’ll bring some of the potential side effects of energy drinks to light. This should help you determine what is best for you.

Increased Energy Levels

You’re probably thinking that this one seems obvious. However, the truth is, there are lots of so-called energy drinks available that make big promises related to increased productivity- but end up leaving you with that feeling that you just hit a wall when they wear off.

Vitamins & Minerals

A good, quality energy drink will provide you with a variety of vitamins and minerals to give you a natural energy boost. If you really think about it, as a general rule, most of us are not getting the vitamins and minerals we need on a daily basis. An energy drink can help you with that and can also improve your focus.

Saves Time & Money

On average, a coffee from your local coffee house will cost you $5+ and you have to wait in line. However, if you buy energy drinks in bulk, this can end up saving you money in the long run because you’ll be spending an average of $2 per day instead of $5+ and you won’t have to wait in line.

Zero- and No-Cal Options

While it’s true that many of the energy drinks on the market contain lots of sugar- there are also plenty of them that have zero sugar, zero calorie, and zero carb. This is helpful if you are on a low- or no-calorie diet. Avoid those sugary sodas from the vending machine that cause you to pack on the pounds and opt for one of the options we have listed here.

Are There Any Side Effects Related to Energy Drinks?

There are some potential side effects related to energy drinks. The primary one being caffeine overdose, which includes symptoms such as:

• Heart palpitations
• Insomnia
• Vomiting
• High blood pressure
• Dehydration
• Increased heart rate
• Anxiety

Also, it’s important to note that you should not mix alcohol with energy drinks at any time.

Top 7 Best Gaming Energy Drinks Reviews

So far, we’ve explained what an energy drink is, explained some of the most common ingredients found in these drinks, and also explained the benefits and potential side effects. At this time, we’re going to offer some reviews for you.

When it comes to energy drinks, there is a wide variety of options. We have taken the time to go through those options and we’ve come up with what we feel are truly the top 7 best energy drinks that every gamer should try. We hope that this will help you decide what your next move will be!

XWERKS Ignite

XWERKS has been in the fitness supplement industry for a while now and has become one of the most well-known and well-respected brands. They bring products to the market that contain clinically proven ingredients. Ignite is their pre-workout formula but is also common as an energy drink for gamers. This is often referred to as the “Tom Brady” of pre-workouts because you can count on it to level up your training and provide you with results that are real and measurable.

The ingredients found in Ignite will provide you with energy and stamina. This means that you can engage in a more intense gaming or study session that will last much longer than your typical one. XWERKS never uses proprietary blends. They make sure to list every ingredient, as well as how much, is included in their formula.

Ignite will provide you with energy that is steady, refreshing, and long-lasting. You don’t have to be concerned that it will flood you with caffeine for a burst of energy followed by a crash when it wears off. This does seem to be an issue with many of the other energy drinks on the market. Additionally, some of the ingredients provide nootropic effects.

Below are some of the ingredients found in XWERKS Ignite:

• Vitamins B-6 & B-12
• Rhodiola Rosea
• Caffeine
• L-tyrosine
• Beta-alanine

There are a few other effective ingredients in this formula as well. You can be sure that Ignite will give you the energy and focus that you need to get through anything. This energy drink is available in 4 delicious flavors:

• Orange
• Watermelon
• Blue Raspberry
• Green Apple

Buy XWERKS Ignite Here

Rogue Energy

Rogue Energy was founded in 2017 by two friends who were on a mission to create a sugar-free cognitive performance beverage. This energy drink is full of nutritional ingredients that can improve your energy and focus.

There are some who believe this is one of the best energy drinks on the market and has even been named as the “World’s Best Gaming Energy Drink” because it is packed with a plethora of nutrients that anyone can benefit from.

When you think about it, this drink does sound too good to be true. However, we can assure you that it is everything it claims to be.

Their flavor, Sour Candy, is nothing like any of the other flavors in their lineup. In fact, it is inspired by Sour Patch Kids- it “starts sour and finishes sweet”. Of course, they do have a variety of other flavors as well, if sour isn’t your preference:

• Black Cherry
• Blood Orange
• Blue Raspberry
• Strawberry Kiwi
• Grape Popsicle
• Pink Lemonade
• Watermelon
• Cherry Limeade
• Mango Pineapple

One word of caution though, there are some that report Rogue Energy to have a peculiar, artificial sweetener aftertaste. If this is something you are sensitive to, you may want to avoid drinking this one. However, if it’s something you can get past, you might be interested in giving this one a try. Each tub costs $34.99 or, if you want, you can get the 3-sample trial pack for free, just pay shipping.

Buy Rogue Energy Here

JuJu Energy

JuJu Energy was founded in 2018 by gaming industry veterans and biochemists. If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that this is definitely one of the best gaming energy/performance drinks on the market. However, you don’t have to take our word for it- check out their website and read through all the reviews- many of them 5-stars!

Many of the gaming energy drinks are primarily made from synthetic caffeine, fillers, meaningless nootropics, and “active” ingredients. However, JuJu Energy offers a powerful formula made with natural caffeine, cutting-edge nootropics (in dosages that are effective), and vitamins. This means that you get a higher dosage of the “good stuff” in each serving.

The founders of JuJu Energy built the company because they were tired of seeing energy drinks with claims that were full of BS. They wanted to create a healthy energy and performance drink specifically for gamers. JuJu Energy comes in a variety of flavors:

• Bomber Pop
• Sour Gummy Worms
• Caramel Apple Squeeze
• Pina Colada
• Blue Raspberry
• Tropical Juggernaut
• Pumpkin Spice
• Horchata
• Grapesicle
• Watermelon Crush
• Green Apple
• Cherry Bomb

You can buy the tubs by themselves, or if you’re just getting started, you can buy one of their starter kits, which includes a shaker bottle. They are $35.99 per container and each container includes 30 servings.

Buy Juju Energy Here

G FUEL

Gamma Labs is the manufacturer of G FUEL. Their goal was to create a natural, healthy alternative to sugary energy drinks. They wanted to create a formula that would meet even the highest demands of active lifestyles. Thus, G FUEL was born. This energy drink has become the “official drink of e-sports.”

Many of the energy drinks on the market are full of sugar and other chemicals that you may not know anything about. However, you can trust that G FUEL is clean. You don’t have to worry about anything being in it that doesn’t belong. This energy drink will immediately increase your Endurance, Focus, and Energy.

You will notice a difference within about 15 minutes of consuming G FUEL. Depending on how many servings you drink- if you’re new to energy drinks, 1 will be enough to start with- you can expect the improved energy and focus to last 4 to 6 hours. The best part is, you don’t have to worry about crashing when it starts to wear off.

G FUEL tubs offer 40 servings and cost $35.99. They seem to offer a lot more flavor options than some of the other brands. Some of their flavors are even inspired by famous YouTube gamers. Flavors include:

• Ragin’ Gummy Fish (inspired by FaZe Jev)
• Bobby Boysenberry (inspired by Logic)
• PewDiePie (inspired by PewDiePie)
• Flavor Fusion
• Doozy Fruit
• Blue Ice

This is just a few of the flavors that they offer. If you’re having a hard time deciding, you can always “Build Your Own Box”- you get a total of 20 servings, 5 packs each of 4 different flavors, for only $30. This way, you can have a variety until you decide on the one that you like best.

Buy GFuel Here

Ghost Gamer

Ghost Gamer contains no sugars and no artificial colors. Basically, Ghost Energy is zero-BS. According to their website, they are the first “full disclosure” energy drink that provides you with the information you need to know what you are getting in every container. This gaming energy drink is available in a variety of flavors:

• Sour Patch Kids (Blue Raspberry or Redberry)
• Sonic (Cherry Limeade or Ocean Water)
• Gamer X Bubblicious (Strawberry Splash)
• Gamer X Warheads (Sour Watermelon)
• Swedish Fish

Of course, this is just a few of their flavors- they do still have several more available as well. Each of these products is soy-free, vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and sugar-free. A container of Ghost Gamer costs $39.99 and you get 40 servings.

Buy Ghost Energy Here

Glytch Energy

Glytch Energy is a family owned & operated business. They do absolutely everything in-house- from formulating to manufacturing to shipping. They are involved in every step along the way, they never outsource anything. They know that you play hard, so they focus on working hard to endure that you have the best possible supplements available and research is ongoing to continue developing new, exciting products.

Glytch prioritizes gamer health and well-being and provides products that increase your energy no matter what time of the day or night. You can find Glytch in a variety of flavors, including:

• Granny’s Greenades
• Blood Orange
• Gumball
• Aim Assist
• Cherry Bomb
• Cotton Candy
• Magic Charms

Again, this is just a few of the many unique flavors they offer. Tubs are $34.95 and offer 40 servings. If you’re just getting started and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of flavor options, you can always try the starter kit for $14.95, which includes a shaker bottle along with 7 packets of their best-selling flavors.

Buy Glytch Energy Here

Nerd Focus Energy

In 2006, a student from the University of Texas was looking for something different than the stimulant-laden drinks that his classmates were drinking. He partnered with some of his professors and created the first “think drink”. This is different than others on the market because it contains the following:

• Huperzine-A: helps with mental focus and memory function. It also slows the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is involved in cognitive functioning
• Ginkgo Biloba: has positive effects on the vascular system, which leads to improved mental acuity and memory
• Alpha-GPC: this is a compound made of glycerophosphate and choline. It has been proven to support memory, learning, and cognition
• DMAE: this is a biochemical precursor to acetylcholine and has been proven to improve mental clarity, memory, and focus
• GABA: this is an amino acid that is produced in your brain and acts as a neurotransmitter to facilitate communication among brain cells and improving mental clarity, focus, and mitigating stress.

Nerd Focus is simple, it only comes in two flavors: Original and Zero calorie. You can get a case of 12 cans for $29.99 or you can get 10 cases for $250.00.

Buy Nerd Focus Energy Here

How We Chose the Best Gaming Energy Drinks

As you already know, there are lots of energy drinks on the market. So, how did we choose the best ones? When we were going through all of the options, we kept the following in mind:

Ingredients

As we have mentioned, there are lots of different formulations and ingredients that are used in these drinks. For example, energy drinks touted for their energy production are going to contain B-vitamins and taurine. On the other hand, if you have an energy drink that claims to facilitate weight loss, it is going to have zero sugars and zero calories.

Flavors

As you can see reading through our reviews, many of the brands offer a wide variety of flavors- typically fruity. However, since most of the time you can’t taste it before you buy it (there are some companies that offer samples), it’s important that you understand it will have less flavor if it is carbonated. Most of the zero-calorie drinks are not carbonated.

Sugar Levels

We know that sugar is bad for your health, which is why many of these energy drinks don’t use it in their formulations. Instead, they use artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, stevia, sucralose, and others to give the drink a sweet taste.

Caffeine Levels

We know that caffeine will give you an energy boost- but it needs to remain within a certain range. Most of the time, drinks contain 100 milligrams to 300 milligrams of caffeine, which is fine. This is approximately one small coffee or 2 large ones. We avoided choosing products that contain high, unstable, caffeine levels.

Reviews

When we were looking over the various supplements, we took into consideration what others had to say. After all, everyone is different and will be affected differently. You may have completely opposite effects from someone else. However, if you have the chance to read through reviews, you should be able to find something that fits your experience.

Price

We considered how many servings came in a package and how much of each ingredient is available in each serving. Price does matter- but quality is also much more important. You don’t want to get a cheap energy drink that will give you health issues- you can’t always trust budget powders. That being said, there are definitely cheaper ones that are better. You just have to consider the above and trust your judgment.

Conclusion

Energy drinks are already a multi-billion dollar industry and growing daily. We went through and selected what we feel are the best 7 gaming energy drinks on the market today. Hopefully we have helped you decide which one you might want to try to fuel your next gaming marathon.

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