{"id":605738402098,"title":"Is C4 Bad For You? An Ingredient Analysis","created_at":"2023-06-23T23:46:33-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Is C4 Bad For You? An Ingredient Analysis\",\n \"keywords\": \"is c4 bad for you, c4, c4 ingredients\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in C4 based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the energy drink is healthy or unhealthy. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and feature real users trying it for the first time.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-c4-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\"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\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\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\/Is_C4_Bad_For_You_Thumbnail.png?v=1687578520\",\n\"width\": \"1662\",\n\"height\": \"1662\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7912474\/\", \n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34291426\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22777329\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2651845\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7155288\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/energy-renew-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.nsfsport.com\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"beta-alanine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"sucralose\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservative\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Sten Ekberg\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"BuzzFeed Multiplayer\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Red Bull\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"NSF Certified for Sport\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Cole Baker\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-06-23\",\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\/Is_C4_Bad_For_You_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1687578260\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDisclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that individuals follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to energy drinks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eC\u003c\/span\u003e4 is a popular energy drink brand. The company sells both canned drinks and pre-workout powder, and claims that their product line “fights fatigue with clinically studied ingredients.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut does C4 contain ingredients shown in research studies to improve energy levels, or are these just marketing claims? Does the brand use any potentially unhealthy additive ingredients? What do medical experts have to say about energy drinks? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of C4 energy drinks?\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 C4 based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the popular energy drinks are bad for you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll share YouTube videos on C4 from credentialed medical professionals, and feature unsponsored customer reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis\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=\"C4 ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/C4_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1687578276\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in C4 Original, Frozen Bombsicle flavor are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is one of the most effective compounds for enhancing energy, and is included in most commercial energy drinks. C4 contains 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, which is an effective dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCaffeine is clinically shown to improve both mental and physical energy (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7912474\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003esource 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34291426\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003esource 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeta-alanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown in a 2012 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22777329\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to reduce fatigue, although the dose doesn’t appear to be published on C4’s website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBetaine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown to improve muscular endurance in a 2009 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2651845\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which suggests that it supports physical energy improvements.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile there are some research-backed ingredients in C4 for supporting energy, there are also some 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 that was shown to worsen insulin function in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7155288\/\"\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;\"\u003eNutrition Journal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\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 in some individuals, as documented in 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 may be a healthier alternative to artificial flavors, but we still consider it to be a questionable ingredient given the current state of research, as we discussed at length in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/energy-renew-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEnergy Renew reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article on another energy supplement containing this ingredient.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePotassium sorbate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a preservative, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eacesulfame potassium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another non-caloric sweetener.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we consider C4 likely to improve energy levels, and from a strictly energy perspective, it’s a great formulation. Most energy drinks that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health contain only one active ingredient supporting energy (typically caffeine), while C4 contains several.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t necessarily consider C4 to be bad for you in moderation, but we would not call this drink healthy, given the additive ingredients highlighted above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut do medical experts consider energy drinks to be dangerous? We’ll discuss that and more in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAre Energy Drinks Dangerous?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA popular YouTuber and doctor named Sten Ekberg has a video on the health effects of energy drinks with over 190,000 views:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TOpfFBE94Mk\" 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 YouTube video from the “Buzzfeed Multiplayer” channel tested the effects of three popular energy drinks on reaction time and more to see if they actually work:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oaEwkRU_jwA\" 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\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs C4 Healthier Than Other Energy Drinks?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eC4 has a somewhat similar formulation to other energy drinks we’ve recently reviewed. The ingredient list for Red Bull is shown below:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Red Bull ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Red_Bull_Original_Ingredients_Optimized_d9261e52-aec6-4432-986c-71b7d13c00c5.png?v=1687578316\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider C4 to be healthier than Red Bull because it’s sugar-free and free of artificial dyes. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnother huge benefit of C4 over other energy drinks we’ve reviewed is that the brand is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfsport.com\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNSF Certified for Sport\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis certification program ensures that products are accurately labeled and free of contaminants.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor this reason alone, we consider C4 to be healthier than pretty much any other commercial energy drink, because we have not come across any with third-party certifications for product purity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal People Try C4\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “IAmTheJuanAndOnly” rated all C4 flavors from best to worst:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Rbu_VgqKelg\" 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 YouTube creator named Cole Baker shares his first time ever trying C4’s powdered energy supplement:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HgmwJxCSbzU\" 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\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\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 potent (standardized to minimum 8% ginsenosides) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the secure product page on our website, \u003c\/span\u003ewhere it retails for\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\u003cspan mce-data-marked=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.performancelab.com\/products\/energy?a_aid=64a3e09e8e7cd\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003ePerformance Lab Energy\u003c\/a\u003e is our top multi-ingredient energy supplement pick.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan mce-data-marked=\"1\"\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 mce-data-marked=\"1\"\u003eIntersted consumers can check out Performance Lab Energy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.performancelab.com\/products\/energy?a_aid=64a3e09e8e7cd\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the brand's official website.\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;\"\u003eC4 is not healthy in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile it does contain some effectively dosed active ingredients and should support both physical and mental energy levels, it also contains artificial sweeteners, flavoring additives, a preservative and citric acid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHealth-conscious consumers may wish to choose an energy product without these additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do consider C4 to be healthier than most commercial energy drinks, given its lack of artificial dyes and flavors, and given its NSF certification that guarantees the purity and label accuracy of the product.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost customer reviews we came across while researching this article had favorable things to say about the taste and energy-boosting effects of C4.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-06-23T23:52:17-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-24T11:47:58-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in C4 based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the energy drink is healthy or unhealthy. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and feature real users trying it for the first time.","template_suffix":"","handle":"is-c4-bad-for-you","tags":"_related:energy-drink"}

Is C4 Bad For You? An Ingredient Analysis

Is C4 Bad For You? An Ingredient Analysis


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

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

C4 is a popular energy drink brand. The company sells both canned drinks and pre-workout powder, and claims that their product line “fights fatigue with clinically studied ingredients.”

But does C4 contain ingredients shown in research studies to improve energy levels, or are these just marketing claims? Does the brand use any potentially unhealthy additive ingredients? What do medical experts have to say about energy drinks? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of C4 energy drinks?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in C4 based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not the popular energy drinks are bad for you.

We’ll share YouTube videos on C4 from credentialed medical professionals, and feature unsponsored customer reviews.

Ingredient Analysis

C4 ingredients

The ingredients in C4 Original, Frozen Bombsicle flavor are shown above.

Caffeine is one of the most effective compounds for enhancing energy, and is included in most commercial energy drinks. C4 contains 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, which is an effective dose.

Caffeine is clinically shown to improve both mental and physical energy (source 1, source 2).

Beta-alanine was shown in a 2012 medical review to reduce fatigue, although the dose doesn’t appear to be published on C4’s website.

Betaine was shown to improve muscular endurance in a 2009 clinical trial, which suggests that it supports physical energy improvements.

While there are some research-backed ingredients in C4 for supporting energy, there are also some inactive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that was shown to worsen insulin function in a clinical trial published in the Nutrition Journal.

Citric acid can cause whole-body inflammation in some individuals, as documented in a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal.

Natural flavors may be a healthier alternative to artificial flavors, but we still consider it to be a questionable ingredient given the current state of research, as we discussed at length in our Energy Renew reviews article on another energy supplement containing this ingredient.

Potassium sorbate is a preservative, and acesulfame potassium is another non-caloric sweetener.

Overall, we consider C4 likely to improve energy levels, and from a strictly energy perspective, it’s a great formulation. Most energy drinks that we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health contain only one active ingredient supporting energy (typically caffeine), while C4 contains several.

We don’t necessarily consider C4 to be bad for you in moderation, but we would not call this drink healthy, given the additive ingredients highlighted above.

But do medical experts consider energy drinks to be dangerous? We’ll discuss that and more in the next section.

Are Energy Drinks Dangerous?

A popular YouTuber and doctor named Sten Ekberg has a video on the health effects of energy drinks with over 190,000 views:

A YouTube video from the “Buzzfeed Multiplayer” channel tested the effects of three popular energy drinks on reaction time and more to see if they actually work:

Is C4 Healthier Than Other Energy Drinks?

C4 has a somewhat similar formulation to other energy drinks we’ve recently reviewed. The ingredient list for Red Bull is shown below:

Red Bull ingredients

We consider C4 to be healthier than Red Bull because it’s sugar-free and free of artificial dyes. 

Another huge benefit of C4 over other energy drinks we’ve reviewed is that the brand is NSF Certified for Sport. This certification program ensures that products are accurately labeled and free of contaminants.

For this reason alone, we consider C4 to be healthier than pretty much any other commercial energy drink, because we have not come across any with third-party certifications for product purity.

Real People Try C4

A YouTube creator named “IAmTheJuanAndOnly” rated all C4 flavors from best to worst:

A YouTube creator named Cole Baker shares his first time ever trying C4’s powdered energy supplement:

Our Clean Energy Picks

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 potent (standardized to minimum 8% ginsenosides) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy.

Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract at this link to the secure product page on our website, where it retails for only $15 at a subscription price.

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.

Intersted consumers can check out Performance Lab Energy at this link to the product page on the brand's official website. 

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Conclusion

C4 is not healthy in our opinion.

While it does contain some effectively dosed active ingredients and should support both physical and mental energy levels, it also contains artificial sweeteners, flavoring additives, a preservative and citric acid.

Health-conscious consumers may wish to choose an energy product without these additive ingredients.

We do consider C4 to be healthier than most commercial energy drinks, given its lack of artificial dyes and flavors, and given its NSF certification that guarantees the purity and label accuracy of the product.

Most customer reviews we came across while researching this article had favorable things to say about the taste and energy-boosting effects of C4.




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