Updated 8/7/23. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had more energy to get through your hectic day? That’s the premise of 5-Hour Energy, distributed by Living Essentials LLC. Is 5- Hour Energy safe? How much Caffeine does it have? Those are some of the questions I want to address in this 5 Hour Energy review. Also, see these reviews:
6-Hour Power energy shot review
What Is 5-Hour Energy?
The 5-Hour Energy website claims that the product has no sugar and no herbal stimulants. Each bottle is 2 oz. As such, this energy drink is one the smallest in quantity on the market. There are actually three different types of five-hour energy:
- Original 5 Hour Energy5
- Extra strength 5 Hour Energy
- Decaf 5-Hour Energy
Here are the ingredients of each version
5-Hour Energy Ingredients
There are different versions of 5-Hour Energy, so here is a summary of each type.
Regular 5-Hour Energy
Ingredients:
- Niacin (as nicatinimide) 30 mg (150% daily value)
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride ) 40 mg (2000 % daily value)
- Folic acid 400 micrograms (100% daily value)
- Vitamin B12 500 micrograms (8333% daily value)
- Sodium 18 mg (less than 1% daily value)
“Energy Blend” 1870 mg. The energy blend contains:
- Taurine
- Glucuronolactone
- Malic acid
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
- L Phenylanalyine
- Caffeine
- Citicoline
Extra Strength 5 Hour Energy
Ingredients:
- Niacin (as nicatinimide) 40 mg (200% daily value)
picture by joe cannon of supplementclarity.com - Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride ) 40 mg (2000 % daily value)
- Folic acid 400 micrograms (100% daily value)
- Vitamin B12 500 micrograms (8333% daily value
- Sodium 18 mg (less than 1% daily value)
“Energy Blend” 2000 mg. The energy blend contains:
- Taurine
- Glucuronolactone
- Malic acid
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
- L Phenylanalyine
- Caffeine
- Citicoline
Decaf 5-Hour Energy
Ingredients:
- Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride ) 40 mg (2000 % DV)
- Folic acid 400 micrograms (100% daily value)
- Vitamin B12 500 micrograms (8333% daily value
- Sodium 18 mg (less than 1% daily value)
“Energy Blend” 2106 mg. The energy blend contains
- Taurine
- Glucuronolactone
- Malic acid
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
- L Phenylanalyine
- Caffeine
- Citicoline
Notice the “decaf 5 hr energy” has caffeine. But how much does it have? The product's website does not say. We are only told that it has the same caffeine as a cup of “premium coffee.”The caffeine content of coffee can vary according to how the coffee was brewed.
Also, see the review of 5 Hour Energy With Protein for more on that version of the supplement.
How Much Caffeine Does It Have?
In an article written by Barry Meier, appearing in the New York Times on Nov 14, 2012, it's said that when Consumer Reports looked at 5-Hour Energy that they noted that it contained about 215 mg per serving. If this is true, then 5-Hour Energy has a lot more caffeine than I originally thought.
Remember to read my review of 6-Hour Power so you can compare that energy shot to 5-Hour Energy.
Let’s now briefly review some of the ingredients in 5-Hour Energy.
Niacin
It's said that niacin may cause a flushing effect however the niacin in 5 hr energy is in the form of niacinamide which is unlikely to cause flushing.
Because niacin is found in many foods it is very unlikely that healthy people are deficient. Niacin is gaining popularity in the anti-aging arena due to its ability to raise levels of a cellular energy substance called NAD.
Vitamin B 6
This vitamin, found naturally in nuts, beans, vegetables, grains and meat is needed for many things including burning fat and sugars as well as helping with the proper use of amino acids. Older adults and alcoholics may suffer from deficiencies in vitamin B 6. But, it is unlikely that healthy people are deficient in this vitamin.
Those who take too much vitamin B 6 may experience numbness or pain in the arms and legs and even difficulty walking due to this vitamins disruption of nerve impulses. These symptoms go away after vitamin B 6 supplementation has stopped. These effects do not normally occur when vitamin B 6 is consumed in food.
Can Vitamin B6 Alleviate Anxiety?
Watch on my Youtube channel if you like
Folic acid
This B vitamin is found in fruits and vegetables and is also one of the better-known ingredients in prenatal vitamins. Some medical professionals have recommended folic acid to lower heart disease but growing evidence does not support this practice.
Here are 3 facts about folic acid you don't know
Vitamin B 12
This vitamin is found in meat, fish and poultry. Most energy drinks often contain vitamin B 12 because most people believe it gives them energy. Vitamin B12 helps us make red blood cells and in those who have anemia, it might boost energy; however, healthy people store 3-5 years' worth of vitamin B 12, making deficiencies rare. There is no evidence that B12 supplements – or the B12 in energy drinks – boost energy levels. As such, the “B-12 gives you energy” notion is a complete myth.
Does Vitamin B 12 help weight loss? read my vitamin B12 weight loss review
Taurine
This is an amino acid found in eggs, meat, and dairy products. Humans can also make taurine from vitamin B 6. 
Some research finds taurine and caffeine can improve verbal skills and mental reasoning. Not much is known about the long-term use of high amounts of supplemental taurine. Not all energy drinks contain taurine.
Glucuronolactone
This ingredient is found in energy drinks, often alongside other ingredients like caffeine, taurine etc. There doesn't seem to be any research that this compound alone has any effect on energy levels. Likewise, no study appears to exist showing that this compound by itself improves exercise performance.
Malic Acid
Malic acid is sometimes found in anti-aging skin creams because it is an alpha–hydroxy acid. Malic acid helps remove dead skin cells and may temporarily plump up the skin, making wrinkles less noticeable (temporarily). I was unable to find any research that malic acid improved exercise performance or overall energy levels.
Tyrosine
This amino acid has been shown in a few studies to improve alertness in people and this is why it’s often found in energy drinks. 5-Hour Energy does not indicate how much tyrosine it contains. Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid because we can make it from the amino acid phenlanalyine, which 5-Hour Energy also contains.
Caffeine
In the world of energy drinks, caffeine is king. This is the main energy-boosting compound in 5-Hour Energy and all other energy drinks. Again, the New York Times reports that each serving of 5 Hour Energy has about 215 mg of caffeine.
Deaths Caused By Energy Drinks?
Citicoline
Citicoline is related to choline and is made during the production of other brain chemicals. Citicoline has been studied with some success in persons with senility where it might improve speaking ability and memory in older adults with dementia. This may be the reason it's found in this energy drink, the reasoning is that if it works in older, senile people, it may also do the same thing in healthy people. The issue is that nobody is sure if this happens. Side effects from long-term use are also not well known.
What About The Crash?
The 5-Hour Energy website defines a “crash” as the drop in energy levels that occurs after drinking a sugar-containing energy drink. To prove that 5-Hour Energy does not reduce energy levels, the website shows a graph indicating the results of a “clinical study” that compares 5-Hour Energy to two other “competing products”.
It is hard to determine how good this study is because:
No reference to where the study is published is listed. This means the study may not be peer-reviewed.
1. We are not told if the study was double-blind/placebo controlled.
2. We are not told how “energy levels” were measured.
3. We are not told how many people were in the study.
4. We are not told the names of the “competing products.”
Is 5-Hour Energy Safe?
As reported in the New York Times on November 14 2012, the FDA has, since 2008, been notified of 13 deaths that have been associated with 5-Hour Energy drink. Does that mean that 5-Hour Energy killed those 13 people? Not necessarily. I highly doubt that drinking one 5 Hour Energy would hurt hardly anybody – let alone result in death.
That said, I wonder how many 5 hour Energy drinks those people were taking? I don't know the answer to this question. The New York Times article on 5 Hour Energy quotes Living Essentials LLC – the company that makes 5 hour energy – as being marketed to “hardworking adults who need an extra boost of energy.” But, the TV commercials I see don't specifically say not to use the product if you are not “hard-working” – and nowhere do I remember seeing any ad that said “don't use if you're a kid.”
I see 5 Hour Energy sitting prominently in the checkout lines of supermarkets and convenience stores like 7-11 and Wawa, where anybody – including school kids – can buy it.
I think its important to know that caffeine can be fatal in very high doses. This amount is usually said to be 10-14 grams per day. That is A LOT compared to what is in 5 Hour Energy (about 215 mg), but as is reported in a caffeine and mental task performance review, side effects from caffeine – including significantly increased heart rate – can occur at intakes of 150-300 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine might also interact with blood thinner medications. Could this be one of the reasons leading to the 13 deaths associated with 5 Hour Energy? I don't know. Again, I think in “healthy” people, one 5 Hour Energy shot probably won't cause anything bad to happen.
But, in people who are not healthy – and take medications – I think the possibility exists, especially if that person thinks that 5 Hour Energy is safe – no matter how many they drink in a day. This, I think might lead to problems.
Both birth control pills and some ulcer medications might slow down the rate that caffeine is broken down, thus, leading to higher blood levels of caffeine. This might increase caffeine side effects. As a rule, ask your doctor or pharmacist about caffeine and 5 Hour Energy (and other energy drinks) if you take any medications, just to be on the safe side.
Does 5-Hour Energy Work?
I tried 5-Hour Energy for the first time just before I posted this blog. I drank one bottle of the lemon-lime flavor at and noted the time (2 PM) to see how quickly I might notice any effects.
The product didn’t taste as bad as I thought and was much less tangy than Red Bull.
After about 5 minutes, I felt an odd feeling in my stomach. I could also feel my heart beating a little which normally does not happen at rest. Overall, these feelings were not significant.
Over the course of 5 hours, I took note of my energy level to see if I felt any better than normal. I didn't. Unfortunately, I didn't notice any increase in energy levels over the 5 hours I took the product.
I did not notice any flushing feeling from the niacin. Other than feeling a little “out of kilter” – just feeling “different / not right” – I did not notice any added benefit to 5-Hour Energy.
Ironically, the product made me feel like I was not 100% if that makes sense. I didn’t feel bad. But I didn’t feel the same either. That’s a subjective feeling and others may feel differently.
I did not measure my heart rate or blood pressure during my “experiment”. Overall, I didn't notice any difference. Here is 5 hour energy on Amazon if you want to see what others are saying.
Joe,
Have you heard about this? 5-Hour Energy maker raids major counterfeit operation:
http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/19/5-hour-energy-counterfeit/?iid=HP_LN
There is a big chance you had a fake 5-Hour Energy drink while reviewing it.
Stan, thanks for that I missed it. Hard to say if I got the real stuff or not I bought it at a very well-known convenience store.
Joe:
I have occasions where I perform tests on facility infrastructure that requires shutdown and thus overnight work. In that I am mostly a daylight hours worker it means staying awake and alert ( able to travel and drive safely home from the airport ) for 36+ hrs. I have done this work for 15 + yrs and experimented with a number of methods and supplements.
I am a person that normally drinks a minimal amount of coffee ( 1 cup a week) because I develop jitters and irritability and a bad rubber neck crash if I drink as little as one cup a day.
Five hour energy has become my “go -to” supplement for the 1:00 a.m. pick me up. It takes about 15 minutes for the caffeine to kick in. There is a certain amount of jangled nerves – when it’s night and dead quiet these sensations stand out – but that passes in about 60 min. The mental clarity and energy availability for the physical portions of the work are excellent.
I do not experience a crash and do not take any more caffeine – when daylight hits the natural metabolism of my body cycle carries me into the next evening.
I only take a single dose of the normal strength product. The small volume does not mess with my gut and I will usually follow up with a light snack. I have a certain amount of gut sensitivity that has ruled out many of the other larger volume beverages. No good if you have to keep running to the bathroom.
In summary low volume, high caffeine, smooth energy delivery ( once your off the launch pad) and minimal gut burn if taken with food.
Nice site – by the way I’ve read Mauldin for years and he’s not a shil but does promote individuals and products that he is enthusiastic about more from a “check it out for yourself” standpoint and he’s a self admitted tech fan. The quote was from a piece highlighting three different biotech companies.
Ted, thanks for writing. Several have commented on my anatabloc review on Maudlin. I know who he is know 🙂
This is timely and informative. I only use the 5 Hour Energy Supplement when I am short on sleep and need to get through an evening of working at the studio. I have found it gives me a needed boost of energy and alertness from about 5 to 9 pm without affecting my sleep.. Monster and other similar beverages taste bad to me and make me feel ill, and drinking enough coffee to get this boost is too much of a diuretic. I suspected many of the ingredients might be for show.
Glad to know it’s not necessarily unsafe in light of the headlines today. Thanks, Supplement Geek!
Nan, glad to help 🙂
Interesting review, Loved reading it. I drink a lot of coffee and energy drinks and feel “immune to caffeine and energy drinks” most of the time and have only tried 5 hr energy ones. And it hurt my stomach so bad, I felt like I drank a glass of acid or something, which is really weird for me, since I drank so many different energy drinks over time. So I never took it again.
Brankica, wow! Thats quite a reaction you had.
I’m on HP meds and have a family of deaths from heart problems, so my concern is safety. I’m a hard-core caffeine addict anyway, so I wonder would this be the same with less tasty liquids?
Kathleen, well they say 5 hour energy has the same caffeine as a cup of coffee. that probably means its got 80-140 or so milligrams depending on how the coffee was brewed. Do you drink caffeine in coffee? if so, there may be things in coffee that are healthy and may help blood pressure. odds are those things are not in 5 hour energy. Im not an expert on coffee but I do remember seeing something on this in the past.
5 hour energy has been running ads saying that they surveyed doctors about the safety of this supplement however the commercial is misleading because they did not ask doctors specifically about 5 hour energy. All that said because of your family history Id ask your doctor before you start using 5 hr energy regularly.
Interesting to hear other people’s experiences – i’ve tried both the original and the decaf….and felt nothing. At all. I think i’ll stick to just coffee.
Hi guys,
I just want to know if anybody has tried Eternal energy shot? These showed up at my Wal-Mart right next to Five hour, would be curious to see if anybody has tried them. They cost about 1/3 less, but they looked good. I’ve tried the Berry flavor and I thought it tasted a lot better than 5 hr. Still, I don’t really care about taste as long as its works lol
Bryan, I’ve never heard of it. Ill try to check it out next time Im at walmart.
I’m a full time student, and I work TWO full time jobs. Sometimes, like during finals at school, I really need a good energy drink to help me stay awake and complete all the work that I need completed (usually before the next day, so it’s a lot of late nights for me).
I tried a 5 hour energy the other night when I had a major project due the next morning. I took The Original 5 Hour Energy5. I woke up the next morning in the sitting position on my sofa, with my laptop in my lap. Apparently I fell asleep about 15 minutes after I took the drink. I don’t really get a whole lot of sleep, but I must say that I’m rather disappointed.
I love 5 hour energy cause for me it always started working faster than RedBull, Guaranita, Monster, and the other energy drinks. However, I’ve only used it when I need, ie I’m falling asleep, I’ve never used it not in that state so I don’t know how it works otherwise. For people who have to work odd shifts or if you are driving long distances it works wonders.
Do not take this drink. It worked for thirty minutes and it gave me the worst crash. My body is aching so bad right now. My legs are numb and I feel like I am going to throw up, you’re better off drinking coffee!
I pounded some 5 hour energy on an empty stomach and this stuff caused my blood pressure to sky rocket. It also gave me an anxiety attack. If your body is sensitive to stims like mine is DO NOT TAKE THIS STUFF ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! It made me feel like I was having a heart attack. Definitely not healthy and I wouldn’t recommend using it on a regular basis or before workouts!
WOW.. This product is a complete waste of money. I drank the full bottle of EXTRA Strength 5 hour energy. AT first, i was about to throw up just because of the terrible taste. After i got over that, i waited. The kick hit me five minutes later and died down within thirty minute. Its been an hour and a half since them and i am about to go to sleep. Worst energy drink EVER. I’m going to stick with M3 Monster… Everything about it is better.
Sajjad, just remember with Monster, you also get a lot more sugar and calories. I remain just as was unimpressed with 5 Hour myself as when I tried it myself.
I use this product occasionally when I am tired after a long day but need to get to the gym and motivate my clients to work hard and achieve their exercise goals. (I teach yoga and Pilates classes in the evenings after working 9 to 5 at a law firm). I find that it gives me a boost mentally and physically, enough to wake me up and get me through from say 5 pm to 9 pm when I really could use a nap but cannot do that.
I feel like it is a kick start that gives me a little extra. I have never tried it when I was well rested or did not need a boost because quite frankly if I don’t need an energy boost, why waste the time and money? Strictly my opinion. The other energy drinks are awful to me, taste bad, upset my stomach. Funny how differently we all experience these supplements. A small coffee does have a similar effect on me, but sometimes a coffee just is not enough and if I take this and have a small coffee then it really boosts my energy level. I can obviously tolerate caffeine.
Nan, thanks for sharing and yes it is interesting how we all react differently to stimulants. I dont think anybody else Ive talked to has had the same weird feeling I had.
I enjoy reading everyone’s personal experiences with this type of supplement. Really, it seems like you can only get a read on a supplement product if you try it yourself. If you wonder if you are “getting anything out of it,” I think you really have to look hard at what phase you are in several categories, 1. Happiness/attitude, 2. Health in general, 3. How much sleep you had the previous nights, or weeks in comparison, 4. Your workload, 5. what life stressors may be taking a toll on you.
I just took an Energy 2000. I feel like I slept too long, but I don’t suppose I did. I got a solid 7.5 hours. Which is good for me. I’m not in the best shape, but I suppose I appear and feel of average health. (Which may not be saying much). I am not hung over, so I am giving the chance for the supplement to work. I took some melatonin (Well, it was a Dreamwater shot that I got from Walgreens) … so that could explain the lazy feeling I had from 8-9:45. (A horrible time to lag). I hit this “Energy 2000” (It was $1.00 at Cub Foods, vs. the obviously much higher price of “5 hour energy.” Well, I’m writing this, which makes no sense … except for that I’m somehow interested in what other people were saying about these things, and I wanted to give my opinion. (Which typically seems like a total waste of time.)
This gives me evidence, that although I don’t feel much different, there is a subtle burst that is getting me hustling in a way coffee can’t. I had some coffee two days ago, and all I did was check facebook, and shake while I was typing. It isn’t like I have a manual labor job, where I wouldn’t mind a caffeine buzz to automatically start hustling.
Every expert on the subject, or claimed expert, has absolutely conflicting ideas on entire theories of health. And, humans in general have different motivations for writing blogs. Whether they believe it or not, something is influencing their perception of how they felt when they took the supplement.
To me, the stuff works well, and it is better than drinking coffee. Anyone who thinks this is “just like drinking coffee,” I guess … that just doesn’t seem to be possible … in my opinion. Maybe a combination?
My motivation for writing this? Well, hopefully I’m half-high from this energy drink, I’m a lawyer and I’m always trying to get someone to write some type of detailed experience with these energy supplements (although I think supplements are a massive waste because I’ve felt a billion times better about life if I eat right, and don’t date crazy people too much, or drink too much alcohol)
but also, I’m hoping since I take supplements because I have a less than perfect lifestyle in every way … I can at least take this cheap one from Cub Foods … and not have to spend 3-4 times the amount for a shot. The active ingredients are the same, but not in all of them. And, you can never know what proportions or quality the proprietary blend is, but … come on … I just don’t think there is a huge difference in this specific case. Other energy shots, I don’t know. My friend, who is training for the Iron Man, says he can’t trust the quality of anything but a 5 hour energy. But, he is kind of rich, and wouldn’t waste the time to figure out which energy drinks have similar active ingredients. Hope that helps.
GC thanks for writing. I’m glad 5 hour energy helped you. Unlike you I felt no better – in fact I felt little worse. I can see how 5 hour energy would be of use during long road trips if you did not want to take bathroom breaks. I still contend that the active ingredient in 5 hour energy is caffeine. It’s not B vitamins as they like to say.
5 hour Energy is very helpful for a long road trip. Red Bull left me with a headache and a wired feeling and then a cloudy mind afterwards and heightened grogginess – plus a stomach ache.
5-hour Energy left me with a noticeable increase in my alertness, clarity of thought and ability to focus. The improvement was especially noticeable when I was already tired or drowsy. I found it best to drink a little bit at a time over time instead of all at once.
Best results were when I took two sips to start, noticed an improvement and took two more sips when the clarity and alertness began to wear off (after 45 minutes to an hour). Then two sips more at 4 separate intervals in all about once an hour to complete the bottle.
It kept me alert and clear minded for about 5 hours total at a more even pace. My heart beat was a little faster than normal and I did feel a bit flush but never felt a crash or uncomfortable.
Scott. Thanks for your comments. I have several big reviews in the works and people keep asking me to review different products so no worries – I will keep the supplement reviews coming 🙂
Hey Joe,
First let me say thanks for your site. Myself and 3 sons have been workin out now for 7 months, my 2 older boys, a little longer. We have been traversing down the supplement lane lately and found new ways to spend money we don’t have! We’re not buying without studying any more. Soooo you better stay busy! To answer Jason…I have started using B12 subling and I find myself busy on to do list regularly…but without the jitters. I recommend giving it a try. You won’t feel anything, but you might become noticable more active.
Jason. Glad could help! I think it’s really the caffeine, taurine and tyrosine that works the magic. I agree that less money would be better.
I started taking 5-hour Energy after having to kick coffee from my diet (gastro system didn’t much care for it). Personally I felt it worked quite well. Remarkably well, even. I just have to wonder if the same effects can’t be had for far less money, which is how I found your site.
From what I’ve been reading, B6 and B12 play a big part in the energy boost too so I’m considering creating a pill supplement mix of caffeine, B6, B12, taurine and tyrosine, see how that compares. I imagine the liquid makes for much more rapid uptake but…
Thanks for the info!