Some Popular Energy Shots and Their Ingredients: Are They Safe and Should They Be Used? A Literature Review

• Main Authors: John P. Higgins, George N. Liras, Ioannis N. Liras
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-03-01
• Series: Beverages
• Subjects: energy shots; 5-hour Energy; caffeine; energy boost shot; power shot; exercise; taurine
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/4/1/20

The current demanding and busy lifestyle has spawned the development of supplements that are marketed as energy and concentration boosters. Energy shots are one of the most popular such supplements due to their small volume and efficient packaging. The components of energy shots have very limited evidence supporting their effects, and their efficacy is not consistently proven. This literature review from the past 40 years utilized PubMed, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and EMBASE, using the following keywords: ‘energy beverage’, ‘energy drink’, ‘energy shot’, ‘power shot’, ‘power energy’, ‘exercise’, ‘caffeine’, ‘glucose’, ‘ginseng’, ‘guarana’, ‘l-tyrosine’, ‘green tea extract’, ‘quercetin’, ‘garcinia cambogia extract’, ‘yerba mate’, and ‘taurine’. The effects of each ingredient individually, as well as of energy shots in general, were summarized, and recommendations on use and safety of energy shots are provided.