Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that individuals follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to energy drinks.
5-hour Energy is one of the most popular energy drinks in the U.S. It comes in a small, convenient bottle that's available at many stores and gas stations, and the brand claims that "Within moments, you'll start to feel like your alert and energized self again."
But does 5-hour Energy contain research-backed ingredients for improving energy levels for hours? Does the supplement contain any unhealthy additives? Has its use been associated with any deaths? And how do real customers rate and describe the effects of 5-hour Energy?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in 5-hour Energy to give our take on whether or not the drink is likely to be effective for improving energy levels for hours, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll explain whether any deaths have been attributed to use of the drink based on a New York Times investigation, and share our Product Tester's honest experience trying 5-hour Energy.
We'll also document a concerning ingredient discrepancy between the brand's Amazon listing and website.
Key takeaways:
- Contains an active ingredient combination that negatively affects blood pressure
- Contains inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend 5-Hour Energy
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in 5-hour Energy Regular Strength are shown below:
There are some research-backed ingredients in this drink for increasing energy.
Caffeine has been clinically shown to improve mental energy (source) and improve physical energy (source).
The 200 milligram (mg) dose in 5-hour Energy is equivalent to around two cups of coffee, and is an effective dose for energy according to the above-cited medical studies.
Glucuronolactone is a naturally-occuring substance that was shown in a clinical trial published in the Amino Acids journal to reduce fatigue when combined with caffeine and taurine (both ingredients are in 5-hour Energy).
Citicoline was shown to improve memory in older adults with memory impairments in a 2021 clinical trial, but the daily dose used in the trial was 500 mg, while the average ingredient dose in 5-hour Energy's prop blend is only 267 mg.
Vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and niacin are B-vitamins included at high doses. We can't find any clinical evidence that taking supplemental vitamins improves energy levels in healthy adults, nor does the brand cite any on their product page at the time of updating this article.
While there are some research-backed ingredients in this drink for improving energy, there are also some ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.
The combination of caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone was shown to cause negative changes to blood pressure and insulin sensitivity in a clinical trial, as we documented in our review of Gfuel, another energy supplement containing this combination.
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that was shown to cause negative changes to insulin levels in young, healthy adults in a clinical trial published in the Nutrition Journal.
Potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and EDTA are preservatives, and a 2010 clinical trial concluded that potassium sorbate was "clearly seen to be genotoxic" to human cells when studied in a test tube.
Overall, we consider 5-hour Enregy likely to improve energy levels given the combination of active ingredients caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone.
However, we don't currently recommend the supplement due to the inactive ingredients discussed above, which we consider to be unhealthy.
Has 5-hour Energy Caused Deaths?
In 2012, the New York Times reported that there were 13 deaths attributed to the use of 5-hour Energy, and that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. was investigating. We haven’t seen the results of any such investigation.
While this doesn’t necessarily mean that 5-hour Energy drinks directly caused the deaths, it is a warning sign that consumers should heed. This is especially true for consumers with pre-existing health conditions like high blood pressure.
Given the stimulant ingredients in 5-hour Energy, we recommend that consumers with pre-existing health conditions speak with their doctor prior to using this supplement.
A video published by Slate is under one minute long and covers the relevant facts of this matter:
We Tried 5-hour Energy Ourselves
One of our product testers named Matt Donnelly tried 5-hour Energy. Here's his experience:
The packaging of the product is simple and easy-to-use. It's single-serve.
The package comes with a plastic shaker that has an 8-ounce fill line, so I knew how much almond milk to add. The individual packets had easy-to-open tear-away tops.
The taste was sweet but not too fruity or overly flavored.
The effects were not very noticeable. I skipped my afternoon coffee the day I tried it, and I believe I would have had the same boost from a cup of coffee.
I didn't experience any side effects from using this product.
I might purchase 5-hour Energy as an alternative to coffee, but if a gas station or 7-11 offers coffee and 5-hour energy, I’ll likely opt for coffee.
Overall, I'd rate 5-hour Energy 5/10, and I don't have any plans to purchase it in the near future.
Our Clean Energy Picks
Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract is our top energy supplement.
Panax ginseng extract has been clinically shown to reduce mental fatigue and reduce physical fatigue, and our supplement is third-party tested to ensure its purity and potency.
Pique Breakfast Black Tea Sticks is our top whole food energy pick.
Black tea consumption is "associated with rapid increases in alertness and information processing capacity" according to a clinical trial, and Pique's tea is organic and comes in convenient stick packs that can be mixed into water, so a teapot or kettle are not needed.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Customers Rate 5-hour Energy
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
A 12-pack of the Berry Extra Strength version is the brand's most-reviewed product on Amazon, with over 3,400 total reviews and an average review rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Ken Dunlap" who claims it's a better option than coffee:
"When I first tried this I thought the tang and flavor took some getting accustomed to. Now, I take it almost every morning to get me going, and the tang and flavor are very pleasant. It has replaced coffee."
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Boogie" who claims to have experienced side effects:
"I might love this product if it werent for the sucralose & artificial flavors. Look up sucralose side effects & you wont want this product. A few times I have consumed 5 hr energy sometimes one a day for a couple weeks at a time but after a few rounds of this over a couple years, my stomach began getting upset & I’d start burping immediately after consuming it"
5-hour Energy Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of 5-hour Energy in our opinion:
Pros:
- Should improve energy
- Cheap
- Widely available in stores
- Great Amazon reviews
Cons:
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains preservatives
- High doses of B-vitamins may have no effect on energy
- 13 deaths attributed to its use according to NYT
- Stimulant blend clinically shown to increase blood pressure
