{"id":556913524809,"title":"Is Bang Energy Bad for You? An Ingredient Review","created_at":"2022-09-04T22:59:45-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Is Bang Energy Bad for You? An Ingredient Review\",\n \"keywords\": \"is bang energy bad for you, bang, bang energy, bang energy drink, bang energy drinks, bang energy drink flavors, bang energy drink caffeine, are bang energy drinks bad for you, bang energy drink ingredients, how much caffeine is in bang energy, bang energy caffeine, caffeine in bang energy, how much caffeine in a bang energy drink, how much caffeine is in a bang energy drink\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews every ingredient in Bang Energy based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is bad for you or not. We share a Bang review from a Registered Dietitian, and compare the healthiness of Bang to other popular energy drinks like Red Bull.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-bang-energy-bad-for-you\",\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\"creator\": {\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\/Bang_Energy_Thumbnail.png?v=1662347249\",\n\"width\": \"1872\",\n\"height\": \"1872\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/journals.physiology.org\/doi\/full\/10.1152\/jappl.1998.85.3.883?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed\u0026url_ver=Z39.88-2003\u0026rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org\", \n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30535090\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-pedialyte-actually-healthy\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30805607\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/ginkgo-biloba-extract\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11026748\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15982990\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial sweeteners\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"citric acid\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-09-04\",\n\"dateModified\": \"2022-11-11\",\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\": \n\"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\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Is_Bang_Energy_Unhealthy_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1662346823\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDisclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to energy drinks.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eB\u003c\/span\u003eang Energy is one of the most popular energy drink brands, often used by younger generations as a coffee alternative or pre-workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBut is Bang Energy unhealthy? What are the ingredients that provide the stimulatory effect? Does Bang have any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate its effects and taste?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll aim to answer these questions and more by reviewing every ingredient in Bang Energy based on published medical research. We’ll conclude with our thoughts on whether or not the drinks are healthy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Bang_Energy_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1662347134\" alt=\"Bang Energy ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBang Energy comes in a wide variety of flavors, but they all have very similar formulations so our comments about the ingredients in Bangster Berry, shown above, stand for all Bang Energy drink flavors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the predominant active ingredient, at a dose of 300 milligrams (mg). This is equivalent to around 3 cups of coffee. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCaffeine is one of the most well-studied ingredients that can enhance both physical and mental energy. This dose of caffeine can also provide athletic benefits. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/journals.physiology.org\/doi\/full\/10.1152\/jappl.1998.85.3.883?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed\u0026amp;url_ver=Z39.88-2003\u0026amp;rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e cited by Bang Energy on their product page proves that caffeine at this dose can increase endurance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis dose of caffeine should be tolerable for healthy adults, but would be inadvisable for children, and potentially for people with high blood pressure or anxiety, since caffeine can exacerbate both conditions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBang Energy has a wide range of additive ingredients we consider 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 that may negatively affect insulin function. A \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 published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that sucralose consumption decreased insulin sensitivity in young and healthy volunteers. Insulin sensitivity is important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBang Energy contains two different preservatives: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epotassium sorbate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003esodium benzoate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. Both of these ingredients were found to alter gene expression in a 2016 medical review. The study authors concluded that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e“...some of the food preservatives and colorants can contribute to the activation of inflammatory pathways.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e We recommend avoiding preservative intake entirely.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a preservative and flavor enhancer. As we documented in our recent review of the popular hydration brand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-pedialyte-actually-healthy\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePedialyte\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, there is medical research suggesting that this ingredient may cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of consumers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost of the remaining ingredients are a blend of vitamins and minerals including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eVitamin C\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eVitamin B12\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emagnesium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. Added vitamins and minerals are frequently included in energy drink formulations, and we don’t understand why because we have never come across any medical research suggesting that consuming added vitamins and minerals improves energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend avoiding all food products with added vitamins and minerals unless otherwise instructed by a doctor, because the consumption of fortified foods may push blood levels into unsafe ranges for individuals with normal levels of those vitamins and minerals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBang Energy contains a blend called “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUPER CREATINE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e” that contains creatine bonded to an amino acid called l-leucine. While creatine has exercise performance enhancing properties, the dose of this ingredient is not published on Bang Energy, so we cannot evaluate if the dose is effective. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe cannot identify any medical studies on humans suggesting that creatine improves energy, nor does Bang share any on their product page, so we’ll consider this ingredient ineffective for an energy drink formulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we do believe that Bang Energy is likely to improve energy levels short-term due to the effective caffeine dose, but this drink contains many additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding. We cannot identify any ingredients we believe are likely to improve energy other than caffeine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRegistered Dietitian Reviews Healthiness of Bang Energy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular reviews on YouTube of the healthiness of Bang Energy comes from a channel called “General Wellness” that’s run by a Registered Dietitian (RD) named Addie Roberts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe review appears unsponsored and the creator shares both her personal experience using Bang Energy drinks as well as some of the nutritional information:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nykWfHFSycw\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Bang Energy Healthier Than Other Energy Drinks?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are a wide variety of energy drinks on the market, but three of the most popular are Monster, Red Bull and Ghost Energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBelow is our quick comparison between Bang Energy and each of these three drinks, along with a winner in each category.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eMonster Vs. Bang\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMonster contains a significant amount of added sugar (while Bang has none). Monster also contains a mix of three stimulant ingredients (caffeine, glucuronolactone, taurine) that have been found \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30805607\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein medical research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to be particularly harmful to young adults.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinner: Bang\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eRed Bull Vs. Bang\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRed Bull contains 27 g added sugar per can, and many of the same ingredients in Bang that we find questionable; namely citric acid and vitamin blends.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner: Bang\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eGhost Energy Vs. Bang\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Energy has an extremely similar formulation to Bang. It has slightly less caffeine (200 mg), but has citric acid, natural flavor, sucralose, two preservatives and a vitamin blend.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner: Tie\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEven though we noted a significant number of ingredients in Bang Energy that we recommend avoiding, we still consider it to have a healthier formulation than many of the leading energy drinks on the market. We consider the product category as a whole to be rife with poorly-formulated products.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eClean Energy Supplement Recommendations\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Nootropic_Supplement_Image_Optimized_45500da0-b6cf-4dbb-8aa8-0e17eb86221d.png?v=1668151828\" alt=\"\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eConsumers typically use energy drinks to achieve two things: improved physical energy and improved cognition. There are natural compounds which are proven in medical literature to be effective in achieving these outcomes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/ginkgo-biloba-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGinkgo biloba extract\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is arguably the most well-studied nootropic supplement. It’s derived from the leaves of a tree native to China, and has been proven to improve memory, cognition and focus in hundreds of published medical research studies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGinkgo biloba has not only been shown effective in older adults but also in young, healthy adults which is impressive. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11026748\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003cem\u003ePsychopharmacology\u003c\/em\u003e journal \u003cstrong\u003efound ginkgo biloba supplementation to improve attention and cognitive performance in healthy, young adults.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIlluminate Labs sells a ginkgo biloba extract supplement which is standardized to the same potency as used in medical research, and which is third-party tested to ensure purity, potency and label accuracy. Interested consumers can check out ginkgo biloba extract \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/ginkgo-biloba-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e to its product page on our website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePanax ginseng extract\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e can be used to improve energy naturally, and doesn’t have the crash of traditional stimulants like caffeine. \u003cstrong\u003ePanax ginseng has published clinical backing for its ability to \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ereduce mental fatigue and reduce physical fatigue\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15982990\/\"\u003e1\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\"\u003e2\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e; both effects that can benefit e-sports athletes and traditional athletes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIlluminate Labs sells a panax ginseng extract supplement which is standardized to the same potency as that in medical studies, and which is third-party tested to ensure purity, potency and label accuracy. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterested consumers can check out panax ginseng extract\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e to its product page on our website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers who dislike supplements and prefer a drink, we would recommend black coffee as a healthy option for increasing energy. Three cups of black coffee would contain around the same caffeine content as Bang Energy without any of the questionable additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe would consider Bang Energy to be unhealthy. The drink contains a number of additive ingredients that we recommend consumers avoid entirely, especially artificial sweeteners, preservatives and added vitamin blends.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBang Energy has a healthier formulation than some of the leading energy drinks in our opinion, because it’s free of sugar while drinks like Red Bull contain a considerable amount of added sugar per serving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do believe that Bang Energy is likely to cause an increase in subjective energy levels short-term due to its high caffeine content, but we believe there are healthier options for energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePanax ginseng extract and ginkgo biloba extract are herbal supplements with research backing for their energy-boosting and cognition-boosting effects. Black coffee would provide caffeine without any of the additive ingredients in Bang Energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-09-04T23:17:27-04:00","updated_at":"2022-11-11T02:34:52-05:00","summary_html":"We review every ingredient in Bang Energy based on medical studies to give our take on whether the drink is unhealthy or not. We share a Bang review from a Registered Dietitian, and compare the healthiness of Bang to other popular energy drinks like Red Bull.","template_suffix":"","handle":"is-bang-energy-bad-for-you","tags":"_related:energy-drink, _related:nutrition"}

Is Bang Energy Bad for You? An Ingredient Review

Is Bang Energy Bad for You? An Ingredient Review


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Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to energy drinks.

Bang Energy is one of the most popular energy drink brands, often used by younger generations as a coffee alternative or pre-workout.

But is Bang Energy unhealthy? What are the ingredients that provide the stimulatory effect? Does Bang have any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate its effects and taste?

In this article we’ll aim to answer these questions and more by reviewing every ingredient in Bang Energy based on published medical research. We’ll conclude with our thoughts on whether or not the drinks are healthy.

Ingredient Review

Bang Energy ingredients

Bang Energy comes in a wide variety of flavors, but they all have very similar formulations so our comments about the ingredients in Bangster Berry, shown above, stand for all Bang Energy drink flavors.

Caffeine is the predominant active ingredient, at a dose of 300 milligrams (mg). This is equivalent to around 3 cups of coffee. 

Caffeine is one of the most well-studied ingredients that can enhance both physical and mental energy. This dose of caffeine can also provide athletic benefits. A clinical trial cited by Bang Energy on their product page proves that caffeine at this dose can increase endurance.

This dose of caffeine should be tolerable for healthy adults, but would be inadvisable for children, and potentially for people with high blood pressure or anxiety, since caffeine can exacerbate both conditions.

Bang Energy has a wide range of additive ingredients we consider questionable from a health perspective.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that may negatively affect insulin function. A clinical trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that sucralose consumption decreased insulin sensitivity in young and healthy volunteers. Insulin sensitivity is important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

Bang Energy contains two different preservatives: potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate. Both of these ingredients were found to alter gene expression in a 2016 medical review. The study authors concluded that “...some of the food preservatives and colorants can contribute to the activation of inflammatory pathways.” We recommend avoiding preservative intake entirely.

Citric acid is a preservative and flavor enhancer. As we documented in our recent review of the popular hydration brand Pedialyte, there is medical research suggesting that this ingredient may cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of consumers.

Most of the remaining ingredients are a blend of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C, Vitamin B12 and magnesium. Added vitamins and minerals are frequently included in energy drink formulations, and we don’t understand why because we have never come across any medical research suggesting that consuming added vitamins and minerals improves energy.

We recommend avoiding all food products with added vitamins and minerals unless otherwise instructed by a doctor, because the consumption of fortified foods may push blood levels into unsafe ranges for individuals with normal levels of those vitamins and minerals.

Bang Energy contains a blend called “SUPER CREATINE” that contains creatine bonded to an amino acid called l-leucine. While creatine has exercise performance enhancing properties, the dose of this ingredient is not published on Bang Energy, so we cannot evaluate if the dose is effective. 

We cannot identify any medical studies on humans suggesting that creatine improves energy, nor does Bang share any on their product page, so we’ll consider this ingredient ineffective for an energy drink formulation.

Overall we do believe that Bang Energy is likely to improve energy levels short-term due to the effective caffeine dose, but this drink contains many additive ingredients that we recommend avoiding. We cannot identify any ingredients we believe are likely to improve energy other than caffeine.

Registered Dietitian Reviews Healthiness of Bang Energy

One of the most popular reviews on YouTube of the healthiness of Bang Energy comes from a channel called “General Wellness” that’s run by a Registered Dietitian (RD) named Addie Roberts.

The review appears unsponsored and the creator shares both her personal experience using Bang Energy drinks as well as some of the nutritional information:

Is Bang Energy Healthier Than Other Energy Drinks?

There are a wide variety of energy drinks on the market, but three of the most popular are Monster, Red Bull and Ghost Energy.

Below is our quick comparison between Bang Energy and each of these three drinks, along with a winner in each category.

Monster Vs. Bang

Monster contains a significant amount of added sugar (while Bang has none). Monster also contains a mix of three stimulant ingredients (caffeine, glucuronolactone, taurine) that have been found in medical research to be particularly harmful to young adults.

Winner: Bang

Red Bull Vs. Bang

Red Bull contains 27 g added sugar per can, and many of the same ingredients in Bang that we find questionable; namely citric acid and vitamin blends.

Winner: Bang

Ghost Energy Vs. Bang

Ghost Energy has an extremely similar formulation to Bang. It has slightly less caffeine (200 mg), but has citric acid, natural flavor, sucralose, two preservatives and a vitamin blend.

Winner: Tie

Even though we noted a significant number of ingredients in Bang Energy that we recommend avoiding, we still consider it to have a healthier formulation than many of the leading energy drinks on the market. We consider the product category as a whole to be rife with poorly-formulated products.

Clean Energy Supplement Recommendations

Consumers typically use energy drinks to achieve two things: improved physical energy and improved cognition. There are natural compounds which are proven in medical literature to be effective in achieving these outcomes.

Ginkgo biloba extract is arguably the most well-studied nootropic supplement. It’s derived from the leaves of a tree native to China, and has been proven to improve memory, cognition and focus in hundreds of published medical research studies.

Ginkgo biloba has not only been shown effective in older adults but also in young, healthy adults which is impressive. A medical review published in the Psychopharmacology journal found ginkgo biloba supplementation to improve attention and cognitive performance in healthy, young adults.

Illuminate Labs sells a ginkgo biloba extract supplement which is standardized to the same potency as used in medical research, and which is third-party tested to ensure purity, potency and label accuracy. Interested consumers can check out ginkgo biloba extract at this link to its product page on our website.

Panax ginseng extract can be used to improve energy naturally, and doesn’t have the crash of traditional stimulants like caffeine. Panax ginseng has published clinical backing for its ability to reduce mental fatigue and reduce physical fatigue (1, 2); both effects that can benefit e-sports athletes and traditional athletes.

Illuminate Labs sells a panax ginseng extract supplement which is standardized to the same potency as that in medical studies, and which is third-party tested to ensure purity, potency and label accuracy. Interested consumers can check out panax ginseng extract at this link to its product page on our website.

For consumers who dislike supplements and prefer a drink, we would recommend black coffee as a healthy option for increasing energy. Three cups of black coffee would contain around the same caffeine content as Bang Energy without any of the questionable additive ingredients.

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Conclusion

We would consider Bang Energy to be unhealthy. The drink contains a number of additive ingredients that we recommend consumers avoid entirely, especially artificial sweeteners, preservatives and added vitamin blends.

Bang Energy has a healthier formulation than some of the leading energy drinks in our opinion, because it’s free of sugar while drinks like Red Bull contain a considerable amount of added sugar per serving.

We do believe that Bang Energy is likely to cause an increase in subjective energy levels short-term due to its high caffeine content, but we believe there are healthier options for energy.

Panax ginseng extract and ginkgo biloba extract are herbal supplements with research backing for their energy-boosting and cognition-boosting effects. Black coffee would provide caffeine without any of the additive ingredients in Bang Energy.




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