{"id":556909920329,"title":"Are Celsius Energy Drinks Healthy? A Registered Dietitian Answers","created_at":"2022-09-01T23:30:43-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Are Celsius Energy Drinks Healthy? A Registered Dietitian Answers\",\n \"keywords\": \"celsius, celsius energy drinks, is celsius good for you, is celsius bad for you, are celsius drinks good for you, is celsius healthy\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes every ingredient in Celsius based on published medical studies to give our take on whether the energy drinks are actually healthy. We highlight some questionable ingredients and compare the healthiness of Celsius to Red Bull and Monster Energy.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-celsius-good-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\/Celsius_Thumbnail.png?v=1662090599\",\n\"width\": \"2597\",\n\"height\": \"2597\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5737830\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4399916\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30805607\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4946221\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/drugs-health-products\/medeffect-canada\/safety-reviews\/green-tea-extract-containing-natural-health-products-assessing-potential-risk-liver-injury.html\",\n\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/wellness-milkshakes-chronic-vitamin-overdose-1.6363562\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-naked-juice-healthy\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7155288\/\",\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\": \"Red Bull\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Monster\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"green tea leaf extract\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"added vitamins\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"natural flavor\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-09-01\",\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\": \"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\/Are_Celsius_Drinks_Healthy_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1662089550\" 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\"\u003eC\u003c\/span\u003eelsius is one of the most popular energy drinks on the market. The brand positions itself as a healthier alternative to commercial energy drinks, describing its products as providing “functional energy” that’s “made with only the best ingredients” on the website’s homepage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBut is Celsius really healthier than older-generation energy drinks like Red Bull or are these just marketing claims? Does it have any questionable additive ingredients? Do you really need so many vitamins from an energy drink? And how does Celsius Heat compare to regular Celsius?\u003c\/strong\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 review every ingredient in Celsius and Celsius Heat, and compare the brand to older energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCelsius drinks have a large Supplement Facts label which we’ll analyze in three separate sections: energy ingredients, vitamins and minerals, and inactive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCelsius Ingredient Review - Energy Ingredients\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\/Celsius_Energy_Ingredients_Optimized_6223dfd3-2091-4fc8-b7df-606286608326.png?v=1662090344\" alt=\"Celsius 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;\"\u003eCelsius contains a number of active ingredients meant to increase energy. These are listed in a proprietary (prop) blend called “MetaPlus Proprietary Blend.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe first-listed ingredient is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003etaurine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is an amino acid. We haven’t come across any medical studies suggesting that taurine increases subjective energy levels. We recommend that children and adolescents avoid this ingredient in products that also contain caffeine (such as Celsius), because a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5737830\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e detailed that this combination may pose risks to the adolescent brain.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGuarana seed extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the next-listed ingredient. We consider this an effective ingredient for increasing energy. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4399916\/\"\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;\"\u003ePLoS One\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal found that it provided additional stimulation beyond caffeine alone when the two ingredients were combined.\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 well-studied stimulants in the world. This ingredient is likely to increase energy at the 200 milligram (mg) dose in Celsius. This dose is equivalent to around two cups of coffee and may increase blood pressure and anxiety in some individuals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGlucuronolactone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another stimulatory ingredient. While this compound is likely effective for improving energy and attention, we recommend avoiding it when it’s used in combination with caffeine and taurine (as in Celsius). A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30805607\/\"\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;\"\u003eJournal of Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e caused negative changes to blood pressure and insulin sensitivity in healthy young volunteers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe could only identify one \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4946221\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eanimal study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e suggesting that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eginger extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e may increase energy, but this study included a dose vastly higher than that in Celsius. We’ll consider this ingredient ineffective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGreen tea leaf extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another ingredient we recommend avoiding. A Health Canada \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/drugs-health-products\/medeffect-canada\/safety-reviews\/green-tea-extract-containing-natural-health-products-assessing-potential-risk-liver-injury.html\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ereview\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e indicated that this ingredient may be linked with liver injury, so we recommend avoiding it, especially when its dose isn’t listed as in Celsius.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCelsius Ingredient Review - Vitamins \u0026amp; Minerals\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\/Celsius_Ingredients_Vitamins_And_Minerals_Optimized.png?v=1662089710\" alt=\"Celsius vitamin and mineral 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;\"\u003eThe ingredient list above is from Celsius Strawberry Lemonade flavor, but the ingredients list is similar for all flavors so our comments stand for any Celsius energy drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost of the active ingredients in Celsius energy drinks are vitamins and minerals. The brand has a number of vitamin and mineral additives such as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebiotin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003echromium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe disagree with the practice of energy drinks adding significant quantities of added vitamins and minerals, because we haven’t come across any medical evidence that random blends of vitamins and minerals improve energy levels.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend that consumers avoid products with vitamin and mineral additive ingredients, because consuming these fortified products may be unhealthy for consumers with vitamin and mineral levels already in a normal range. A consumer with vitamin and mineral levels in normal ranges may achieve unsafe blood levels of certain nutrients by consuming fortified products.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/wellness-milkshakes-chronic-vitamin-overdose-1.6363562\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ereported\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e in early 2022, a different wellness company had to recall their milkshakes because the added vitamins were causing toxicity in some consumers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCelsius Ingredient Review - Inactive Ingredients\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\/Celsius_Inactive_Ingredients_Optimized_442614bd-a6d4-454d-8873-79313ce7bc50.png?v=1662090504\" alt=\"Celsius inactive 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;\"\u003eCelsius contains three inactive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe first is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ecase report summary\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 detailed how this ingredient may cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of patients. Citric acid can be derived from citrus fruit, but the majority of the citric acid used in food manufacturing is derived from a fungus called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAspergillus niger\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e as detailed in the above-linked review.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNatural flavor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an ingredient we recommend avoiding because it fails to describe the specific chemical compounds used as flavoring agents. As we discussed in our recent article, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-naked-juice-healthy\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis Naked Juice healthy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, there have been medical studies suggesting potential toxicity concerns with some flavoring agents.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSucralose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an artificial sweetener. 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 found that this ingredient caused unfavorable changes to insulin levels in young and healthy adults.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Take: Are Celsius Drinks Bad for You?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhether or not a food or drink is healthy is certainly relative, but we don’t consider Celsius to be healthy based on all of the questionable ingredients we highlighted in this review.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCelsius may not be actively harmful, but we certainly don’t recommend drinking it regularly.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEven with all of the questionable ingredients we highlighted in this review, we still consider Celsius to be healthier than commercial energy drinks like Red Bull. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eRed Bull contains a significant amount of added sugar (26 grams – nearly as much as a Coke), as well as artificial flavors and artificial colors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe also consider Celsius healthier than Monster Energy, which is arguably the most popular energy drink on the market and contains added sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and artificial colors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eClean Energy Supplement Recommendations\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_45500da0-b6cf-4dbb-8aa8-0e17eb86221d.png?v=1668151828\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\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\u003eGinkgo biloba extract\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\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\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\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\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\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\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\u003ePanax ginseng extract\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\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,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\"\u003e2\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cspan\u003e; both effects that can benefit e-sports athletes and traditional athletes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\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\u003eInterested consumers can check out panax ginseng extract \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e to its product page on our website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\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 Celsius Heat without any of the questionable additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Celsius Heat Healthy?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCelsius sells a different product line called Celsius Heat with a similar formulation to Celsius. We do not consider this product to be healthy either.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCelsius Heat has the same blend of vitamins and minerals that we recommend avoiding, as well as the same proprietary blend containing the ingredients caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone that we recommend avoiding in combination. It also has green tea extract.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe inactive ingredients that we find to be questionable from a health perspective are also included in this formulation: citric acid, natural flavor, sucralose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe caffeine dose in Celsius Heat is 300 mg. This is equivalent to 3 cups of coffee, and we would recommend that consumers speak with a doctor prior to taking this high of a caffeine dose.\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 don’t consider Celsius drinks healthy overall, because they contain additive ingredients like added vitamins, artificial sweetener and green tea leaf extract. However, we do believe that Celsius is a healthier option than commercial energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe would recommend energy supplements with no questionable additives over energy drinks. Panax ginseng extract has research-backed benefits to both mental and physical energy levels, and has a favorable safety profile.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers who are set on an energy drink and not a supplement, plain black coffee would be a healthy option.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-09-01T23:58:45-04:00","updated_at":"2022-12-03T20:47:09-05:00","summary_html":"Our research team analyzes every ingredient in Celsius based on published medical studies to give our take on whether the energy drinks are actually healthy. We highlight some questionable ingredients and compare the healthiness of Celsius to Red Bull and Monster Energy.","template_suffix":"","handle":"is-celsius-good-for-you","tags":"_related:energy-drink, _related:nutrition"}

Are Celsius Energy Drinks Healthy? A Registered Dietitian Answers

Are Celsius Energy Drinks Healthy? A Registered Dietitian Answers


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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.

Celsius is one of the most popular energy drinks on the market. The brand positions itself as a healthier alternative to commercial energy drinks, describing its products as providing “functional energy” that’s “made with only the best ingredients” on the website’s homepage.

But is Celsius really healthier than older-generation energy drinks like Red Bull or are these just marketing claims? Does it have any questionable additive ingredients? Do you really need so many vitamins from an energy drink? And how does Celsius Heat compare to regular Celsius?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review every ingredient in Celsius and Celsius Heat, and compare the brand to older energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster.

Celsius drinks have a large Supplement Facts label which we’ll analyze in three separate sections: energy ingredients, vitamins and minerals, and inactive ingredients.

Celsius Ingredient Review - Energy Ingredients

Celsius energy ingredients

Celsius contains a number of active ingredients meant to increase energy. These are listed in a proprietary (prop) blend called “MetaPlus Proprietary Blend.”

The first-listed ingredient is taurine, which is an amino acid. We haven’t come across any medical studies suggesting that taurine increases subjective energy levels. We recommend that children and adolescents avoid this ingredient in products that also contain caffeine (such as Celsius), because a medical review detailed that this combination may pose risks to the adolescent brain.

Guarana seed extract is the next-listed ingredient. We consider this an effective ingredient for increasing energy. A meta-study published in the PLoS One journal found that it provided additional stimulation beyond caffeine alone when the two ingredients were combined.

Caffeine is one of the most well-studied stimulants in the world. This ingredient is likely to increase energy at the 200 milligram (mg) dose in Celsius. This dose is equivalent to around two cups of coffee and may increase blood pressure and anxiety in some individuals.

Glucuronolactone is another stimulatory ingredient. While this compound is likely effective for improving energy and attention, we recommend avoiding it when it’s used in combination with caffeine and taurine (as in Celsius). A medical review published in the Journal of Nutrition caused negative changes to blood pressure and insulin sensitivity in healthy young volunteers.

We could only identify one animal study suggesting that ginger extract may increase energy, but this study included a dose vastly higher than that in Celsius. We’ll consider this ingredient ineffective.

Green tea leaf extract is another ingredient we recommend avoiding. A Health Canada review indicated that this ingredient may be linked with liver injury, so we recommend avoiding it, especially when its dose isn’t listed as in Celsius.

Celsius Ingredient Review - Vitamins & Minerals

Celsius vitamin and mineral ingredients

The ingredient list above is from Celsius Strawberry Lemonade flavor, but the ingredients list is similar for all flavors so our comments stand for any Celsius energy drink.

Most of the active ingredients in Celsius energy drinks are vitamins and minerals. The brand has a number of vitamin and mineral additives such as biotin and chromium.

We disagree with the practice of energy drinks adding significant quantities of added vitamins and minerals, because we haven’t come across any medical evidence that random blends of vitamins and minerals improve energy levels.

We recommend that consumers avoid products with vitamin and mineral additive ingredients, because consuming these fortified products may be unhealthy for consumers with vitamin and mineral levels already in a normal range. A consumer with vitamin and mineral levels in normal ranges may achieve unsafe blood levels of certain nutrients by consuming fortified products.

As the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported in early 2022, a different wellness company had to recall their milkshakes because the added vitamins were causing toxicity in some consumers.

Celsius Ingredient Review - Inactive Ingredients

Celsius inactive ingredients

Celsius contains three inactive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.

The first is citric acid. A case report summary published in the Toxicology Reports journal detailed how this ingredient may cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of patients. Citric acid can be derived from citrus fruit, but the majority of the citric acid used in food manufacturing is derived from a fungus called Aspergillus niger as detailed in the above-linked review.

Natural flavor is an ingredient we recommend avoiding because it fails to describe the specific chemical compounds used as flavoring agents. As we discussed in our recent article, is Naked Juice healthy, there have been medical studies suggesting potential toxicity concerns with some flavoring agents.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener. A clinical trial found that this ingredient caused unfavorable changes to insulin levels in young and healthy adults.

Our Take: Are Celsius Drinks Bad for You?

Whether or not a food or drink is healthy is certainly relative, but we don’t consider Celsius to be healthy based on all of the questionable ingredients we highlighted in this review.

Celsius may not be actively harmful, but we certainly don’t recommend drinking it regularly.

Even with all of the questionable ingredients we highlighted in this review, we still consider Celsius to be healthier than commercial energy drinks like Red Bull. 

Red Bull contains a significant amount of added sugar (26 grams – nearly as much as a Coke), as well as artificial flavors and artificial colors.

We also consider Celsius healthier than Monster Energy, which is arguably the most popular energy drink on the market and contains added sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and artificial colors.

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 Celsius Heat without any of the questionable additive ingredients.

Is Celsius Heat Healthy?

Celsius sells a different product line called Celsius Heat with a similar formulation to Celsius. We do not consider this product to be healthy either.

Celsius Heat has the same blend of vitamins and minerals that we recommend avoiding, as well as the same proprietary blend containing the ingredients caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone that we recommend avoiding in combination. It also has green tea extract.

The inactive ingredients that we find to be questionable from a health perspective are also included in this formulation: citric acid, natural flavor, sucralose.

The caffeine dose in Celsius Heat is 300 mg. This is equivalent to 3 cups of coffee, and we would recommend that consumers speak with a doctor prior to taking this high of a caffeine dose.

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Conclusion

We don’t consider Celsius drinks healthy overall, because they contain additive ingredients like added vitamins, artificial sweetener and green tea leaf extract. However, we do believe that Celsius is a healthier option than commercial energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster.

We would recommend energy supplements with no questionable additives over energy drinks. Panax ginseng extract has research-backed benefits to both mental and physical energy levels, and has a favorable safety profile.

For consumers who are set on an energy drink and not a supplement, plain black coffee would be a healthy option.




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