{"id":605321101618,"title":"Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Review: Overhyped?","created_at":"2023-04-22T23:05:11-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Review: Overhyped?\",\n \"keywords\": \"gorilla mind energy drink, gorilla mind energy drink review, gorilla mind energy drink reviews, gorilla mind energy drink side effects\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink based on medical studies to give our take on whether it's likely to improve energy or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and feature real customer reviews.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-energy-drink-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"http:\/\/djmazzoni.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"food, nutrition, health, wellness, microbiome, exercise, workouts, strength and conditioning, probiotics, metabolism, obesity, weight loss, science, medical research, clinical trials, cardiovascular health, diet\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Gorilla_Mind_Energy_Drink_Thumbnail.png?v=1682219664\",\n\"width\": \"2774\",\n\"height\": \"2774\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26424423\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4595381\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16055952\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6836118\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8439683\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30535090\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29458115\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/energy-renew-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21880846\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3198517\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/bucked-up-pre-workout-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15982990\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9449413\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21172396\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"More Plates More Dates\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Alpha-GPC\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"huperzine A\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial sweetener\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"natural flavors\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservative\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-04-22\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Gorilla_Mind_Energy_Drink_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1682218924\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eG\u003c\/span\u003eorilla Mind is one of the more popular nootropic supplement brands, founded by the creator of the “More Plates More Dates” YouTube channel named Derek. The brand recently launched an energy drink that’s described as “the most efficacious energy drink.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut does Gorilla Mind Energy Drink contain ingredients shown in research trials to improve energy or is this just a marketing claim? Are the active ingredients effectively dosed? Does the drink contain any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink based on medical studies to give our take on whether the product is likely to be effective for improving energy, or if it’s a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll also feature real, unsponsored Gorilla Mind Energy Drink user reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGorilla Mind Energy Drink contains a large number of ingredients, so we’ll break our ingredient analysis into two sections: Energy Matrix and inactive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis – Energy Matrix\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 19.75px; margin-left: 19.75px; float: none;\" alt=\"Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Energy Matrix ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Gorilla_Mind_Energy_Drink_Energy_Matrix_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1682218938\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in the “Energy Matrix,” which are the active ingredients in this drink, are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eN-acetyl-l-tyrosine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the highest-dosed ingredient in this formulation at 1,000 milligrams (mg), but we can’t find any clinical trials proving that it increases energy, nor does Gorilla Mind cite any on the product page.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26424423\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJournal of Psychiatric Research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that tyrosine may increase cognition short-term, but the doses used in nearly every trial were vastly higher than that in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink, and tyrosine is different from the form used in this drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlpha-GPC\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown to improve mood as well as physical and mental performance in a 2015 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4595381\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. The dose used in the trial (200 mg) was lower than the dose in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink (400 mg) so we consider this ingredient effectively dosed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is included in nearly every energy drink, and for good reason. As we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGorilla Mind Pre Workout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, caffeine is clinically shown to reduce fatigue, increase energy and improve mental and physical performance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe 200 mg caffeine dose in this energy drink is an effective dose equivalent to around two cups of coffee.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUridine 5’-monophosphate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a nucleotide that may have cognitive benefits based on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16055952\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eanimal studies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, but we cannot locate any human trials proving such.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-theanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an amino acid that’s shown to reduce stress in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6836118\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNutrients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal, so it’s often included in energy drinks to counteract any negative stimulant effects. It’s effectively dosed in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaffron extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e has some interesting clinical backing for various health effects like body weight and depression, but we can’t find any proof that it increases energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHuperzine A\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the final active ingredient in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink, and it’s an overhyped nootropic ingredient in our opinion. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2021 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8439683\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e examined whether this ingredient could improve cognitive function, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe study authors concluded that “Huperzine A does not enhance cognitive function during exercise despite it being marketed as a cognitive enhancer.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we consider Gorilla Mind Energy Drink to be likely effective for improving mental and physical energy. However, we could only find clinical backing at the given dose for two of the seven active ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut does this drink contain any questionable inactive ingredients? We’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis – Inactive Ingredients\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Gorilla Mind Energy Drink inactive ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Gorilla_Mind_Energy_Drink_Inactive_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1682218959\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe entire ingredient list in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink is shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe want to highlight a few inactive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSucralose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an artificial sweetener found to decrease insulin sensitivity in healthy adults in a 2018 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30535090\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. Insulin sensitivity affects blood sugar regulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAcesulfame potassium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another artificial sweetener that was shown to cause negative changes to brain function in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29458115\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePhysiology \u0026amp; Behavior\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis was an animal study so the results aren’t necessarily conclusive, but we still consider this a strange ingredient choice for an energy drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e can cause whole-body inflammation according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eToxicology Reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNatural flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a broad categorical descriptor that fails to document the specific flavoring agents used, and as we documented in our review of another supplement containing this ingredient called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/energy-renew-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEnergy Renew\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, at least one medical review suggested that some flavoring compounds may have toxic effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSodium benzoate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a synthetic preservative.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not currently recommend Gorilla Mind Energy Drink due to the additive ingredients highlighted in this section. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how do real users rate and describe the effects of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink? We’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Gorilla Mind Energy Drink User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named Cooper Duran reviewed the taste of all four flavors of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/00DVietzazw\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok user named Matthew Decloedt reviewed the Kiwi flavor:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote style=\"max-width: 325px; min-width: 325px;\" data-video-id=\"7224923691141074222\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@geekgainzz\/video\/7224923691141074222\" class=\"tiktok-embed\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@geekgainzz?refer=embed\" title=\"@geekgainzz\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e@geekgainzz\u003c\/a\u003e Not as Kiwi-ish as I thought \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fittok?refer=embed\" title=\"fittok\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#fittok\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/lifttok?refer=embed\" title=\"lifttok\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#lifttok\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gymtok?refer=embed\" title=\"gymtok\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#gymtok\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gorillamindenergydrink?refer=embed\" title=\"gorillamindenergydrink\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#gorillamindenergydrink\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gorillamind?refer=embed\" title=\"gorillamind\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#gorillamind\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/exotickiwi?refer=embed\" title=\"exotickiwi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#exotickiwi\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7224923727945812778?refer=embed\" title=\"♬ original sound - Matthew Decloedt\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e♬ original sound - Matthew Decloedt\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt would be more useful to share videos on the energy and strength effects of the drink, but since this product launched so recently, we couldn’t find any (only taste tests). We’ll update this article in the future if some are published.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWill Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Cause Side Effects?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSince energy drinks can be stimulatory, consumers are often curious about whether they will cause side effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGorilla Mind Energy Drink doesn’t appear to have been clinically tested, so we can’t say for certain whether or not the product causes side effects, but we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCaffeine can cause anxiety and increase blood pressure for up to three hours according to a 2011 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21880846\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndividuals who have anxiety or high blood pressure may want to avoid this drink.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArtificial sweeteners may have health-related side effects such as increased cancer risk according to a 2011 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3198517\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we do not consider Gorilla Mind Energy Drink likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy individuals, but as we discussed in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/bucked-up-pre-workout-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBucked Up Pre Workout review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article, we consider energy drinks and pre workouts to be generally more likely to cause side effects than the average supplements because they’re stimulatory.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDerek Explains Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Formulation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe founder of Gorilla Mind explained the formulation of the brand’s energy drink in an incredibly-detailed, hour-plus long video on YouTube with over 100,000 views:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fwS3xyN9vCM\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Energy Picks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Nootropic_Supplement_Image_Optimized_98ecd2a4-24b2-47f6-ad1c-2ea95c379c74.png?v=1685832074\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.performancelab.com\/products\/energy?a_aid=64a3e09e8e7cd\"\u003ePerformance Lab Energy\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is our top multi-ingredient energy supplement pick.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis supplement contains acetyl-l-carnitine which can \"improve energy status\"\u003c\/strong\u003e according to a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5621476\/\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/a\u003e published in the \u003cem\u003eNeurochemical Research\u003c\/em\u003e journal, as well as \u003cstrong\u003eCoQ10\u003c\/strong\u003e which is produced by the body but decreases with age, and \u003cstrong\u003e\"is an effective and safe treatment for reducing fatigue symptoms\"\u003c\/strong\u003e according to a 2022 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/pmid\/36091835\/\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePanax ginseng extract\u003c\/strong\u003e has been clinically shown  to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15982990\/\"\u003ereduce mental fatigue\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\"\u003ereduce physical fatigue\u003c\/a\u003e; both health effects that can benefit e-sports athletes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIlluminate Labs manufactures a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003ePanax Ginseng Extract Supplement\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethat's third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy, and costs\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eonly $15\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eat a subscription price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vitacup.pxf.io\/c\/3271428\/1904060\/9665\"\u003eVitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is our top pick for those who prefer food-based energy products to pill supplements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's made from\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eorganic coffee\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewhich can increase focus and concentration, and no preparation or machinery is needed. The sticks can be mixed into hot or cold water (or other beverages) and consumed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAll of the supplements recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros and Cons of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould improve energy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould reduce fatigue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould improve focus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePotent formulation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNo dangerous stimulants\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains artificial sweeteners\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains flavoring ingredients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains citric acid\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains a synthetic preservative\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDoesn’t appear clinically tested\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExpensive per-serving\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLike all Gorilla Mind supplements that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health, Gorilla Mind Energy Drink is highly potent and should be effective for improving energy (both mental and physical) and reducing fatigue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t currently recommend this supplement due to a number of inactive ingredients we consider questionable from a health perspective like artificial sweeteners.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGorilla Mind Energy Drink is not likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy adults, but energy drinks are inherently stimulatory and may be a bad choice for individuals with anxiety or high blood pressure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost customer reviews that we came across while researching this article said the products taste good.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIf Gorilla Mind updates their formulations to have the same potency but a better inactive ingredient profile we’ll consider recommending the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-04-22T23:20:30-04:00","updated_at":"2023-12-12T13:05:57-05:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink based on medical studies to give our take on whether it's likely to improve energy or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and feature real customer reviews.","template_suffix":"","handle":"gorilla-mind-energy-drink-review","tags":"_related:energy-drink"}

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Review: Overhyped?

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Review: Overhyped?


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Gorilla Mind is one of the more popular nootropic supplement brands, founded by the creator of the “More Plates More Dates” YouTube channel named Derek. The brand recently launched an energy drink that’s described as “the most efficacious energy drink.”

But does Gorilla Mind Energy Drink contain ingredients shown in research trials to improve energy or is this just a marketing claim? Are the active ingredients effectively dosed? Does the drink contain any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink based on medical studies to give our take on whether the product is likely to be effective for improving energy, or if it’s a waste of money.

We’ll also feature real, unsponsored Gorilla Mind Energy Drink user reviews.

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink contains a large number of ingredients, so we’ll break our ingredient analysis into two sections: Energy Matrix and inactive ingredients.

Ingredient Analysis – Energy Matrix

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Energy Matrix ingredients

The ingredients in the “Energy Matrix,” which are the active ingredients in this drink, are shown above.

N-acetyl-l-tyrosine is the highest-dosed ingredient in this formulation at 1,000 milligrams (mg), but we can’t find any clinical trials proving that it increases energy, nor does Gorilla Mind cite any on the product page.

A meta-study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that tyrosine may increase cognition short-term, but the doses used in nearly every trial were vastly higher than that in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink, and tyrosine is different from the form used in this drink.

Alpha-GPC was shown to improve mood as well as physical and mental performance in a 2015 clinical trial. The dose used in the trial (200 mg) was lower than the dose in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink (400 mg) so we consider this ingredient effectively dosed.

Caffeine is included in nearly every energy drink, and for good reason. As we documented in our review of Gorilla Mind Pre Workout, caffeine is clinically shown to reduce fatigue, increase energy and improve mental and physical performance.

The 200 mg caffeine dose in this energy drink is an effective dose equivalent to around two cups of coffee.

Uridine 5’-monophosphate is a nucleotide that may have cognitive benefits based on animal studies, but we cannot locate any human trials proving such.

L-theanine is an amino acid that’s shown to reduce stress in a medical review published in the Nutrients journal, so it’s often included in energy drinks to counteract any negative stimulant effects. It’s effectively dosed in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink.

Saffron extract has some interesting clinical backing for various health effects like body weight and depression, but we can’t find any proof that it increases energy.

Huperzine A is the final active ingredient in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink, and it’s an overhyped nootropic ingredient in our opinion. 

A 2021 clinical trial examined whether this ingredient could improve cognitive function, and the study authors concluded that “Huperzine A does not enhance cognitive function during exercise despite it being marketed as a cognitive enhancer.”

Overall, we consider Gorilla Mind Energy Drink to be likely effective for improving mental and physical energy. However, we could only find clinical backing at the given dose for two of the seven active ingredients.

But does this drink contain any questionable inactive ingredients? We’ll review in the next section.

Ingredient Analysis – Inactive Ingredients

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink inactive ingredients

The entire ingredient list in Gorilla Mind Energy Drink is shown above.

We want to highlight a few inactive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener found to decrease insulin sensitivity in healthy adults in a 2018 clinical trial. Insulin sensitivity affects blood sugar regulation.

Acesulfame potassium is another artificial sweetener that was shown to cause negative changes to brain function in a clinical trial published in the Physiology & Behavior journal.

This was an animal study so the results aren’t necessarily conclusive, but we still consider this a strange ingredient choice for an energy drink.

Citric acid can cause whole-body inflammation according to a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal.

Natural flavors is a broad categorical descriptor that fails to document the specific flavoring agents used, and as we documented in our review of another supplement containing this ingredient called Energy Renew, at least one medical review suggested that some flavoring compounds may have toxic effects.

Sodium benzoate is a synthetic preservative.

We do not currently recommend Gorilla Mind Energy Drink due to the additive ingredients highlighted in this section. 

But how do real users rate and describe the effects of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink? We’ll review in the next section.

Real, Unsponsored Gorilla Mind Energy Drink User Reviews

A YouTube creator named Cooper Duran reviewed the taste of all four flavors of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink:

A TikTok user named Matthew Decloedt reviewed the Kiwi flavor:

@geekgainzz Not as Kiwi-ish as I thought #fittok #lifttok #gymtok #gorillamindenergydrink #gorillamind #exotickiwi ♬ original sound - Matthew Decloedt

It would be more useful to share videos on the energy and strength effects of the drink, but since this product launched so recently, we couldn’t find any (only taste tests). We’ll update this article in the future if some are published.

Will Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Cause Side Effects?

Since energy drinks can be stimulatory, consumers are often curious about whether they will cause side effects.

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink doesn’t appear to have been clinically tested, so we can’t say for certain whether or not the product causes side effects, but we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.

Caffeine can cause anxiety and increase blood pressure for up to three hours according to a 2011 medical review. Individuals who have anxiety or high blood pressure may want to avoid this drink.

Artificial sweeteners may have health-related side effects such as increased cancer risk according to a 2011 medical review.

Overall, we do not consider Gorilla Mind Energy Drink likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy individuals, but as we discussed in our Bucked Up Pre Workout review article, we consider energy drinks and pre workouts to be generally more likely to cause side effects than the average supplements because they’re stimulatory.

Derek Explains Gorilla Mind Energy Drink Formulation

The founder of Gorilla Mind explained the formulation of the brand’s energy drink in an incredibly-detailed, hour-plus long video on YouTube with over 100,000 views:

Our Clean Energy Picks

Performance Lab Energy is our top multi-ingredient energy supplement pick.

This supplement contains acetyl-l-carnitine which can "improve energy status" according to a medical review published in the Neurochemical Research journal, as well as CoQ10 which is produced by the body but decreases with age, and "is an effective and safe treatment for reducing fatigue symptoms" according to a 2022 meta-study.

Panax ginseng extract has been clinically shown  to reduce mental fatigue and reduce physical fatigue; both health effects that can benefit e-sports athletes.

Illuminate Labs manufactures a Panax Ginseng Extract Supplement that's third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy, and costs only $15 at a subscription price.

VitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks is our top pick for those who prefer food-based energy products to pill supplements.

It's made from organic coffee which can increase focus and concentration, and no preparation or machinery is needed. The sticks can be mixed into hot or cold water (or other beverages) and consumed.

All of the supplements recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.

Pros and Cons of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink

Here are the pros and cons of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Should improve energy
  • Should reduce fatigue
  • Should improve focus
  • Potent formulation
  • No dangerous stimulants

Cons:

  • Contains artificial sweeteners
  • Contains flavoring ingredients
  • Contains citric acid
  • Contains a synthetic preservative
  • Doesn’t appear clinically tested
  • Expensive per-serving
Stay up-to-date on our research reviews

Conclusion

Like all Gorilla Mind supplements that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health, Gorilla Mind Energy Drink is highly potent and should be effective for improving energy (both mental and physical) and reducing fatigue.

We don’t currently recommend this supplement due to a number of inactive ingredients we consider questionable from a health perspective like artificial sweeteners.

Gorilla Mind Energy Drink is not likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy adults, but energy drinks are inherently stimulatory and may be a bad choice for individuals with anxiety or high blood pressure.

Most customer reviews that we came across while researching this article said the products taste good.

If Gorilla Mind updates their formulations to have the same potency but a better inactive ingredient profile we’ll consider recommending the brand.




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