My "5 Hour Energy" Confession...
 

I recently have started taking 5 hour energy drink (sugar free) before my exercise sessions (mostly long runs). I kinda feel like it's "cheating"...cuz I wish I had the energy on my own. I work out in the early a.m. (around 8a.m.) and sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything so I pop a 5 hour energy and in minutes I'm TURBO CHARGED!!!! I usually sweat like crazy and really fly through whatever my workout session.

My question is...anyone else do this? AND...is there any drawbacks to taking this before my workouts if it helps?

Thanks:^:

Your 5 hour energy drink isn't any different than drinking a cup of coffee before a workout (with a few B vitamins added) -- both have the same amount of caffeine. Studies have shown that caffeine helps a workout and I'm not aware of any downside unless caffeine bothers you. :)

Me -- I'm a two mugs of coffee before the gym person! How could I work out without it? :faint:

WOW...thanks for making me feel like less of a freak! LOL!:dizzy: I was beginning to think I was going to have to join "5 hour energy anonymous"...haha!

BTW, I love your avi...it's really inspiring...you are literally HALF the person you were..WHOAAAAH..INCREDIBLE!!!

Not only do I down a couple cups of (half-caf) coffee before my run, but when I get home, I tend to walk straight to the coffeemaker and pour another cup.:coffee: I find myself fantasizing about coffee while I'm running. :coffee2:

Some of the gels for refueling during your workout contain caffeine as well. So you are certainly not alone!

I agree with everyone, it's no worse than black coffee, though I don't know how all of you drink either one, LOL, they both taste icky, :P If I drink coffee, it's gotte have soem sugar in it! LOL

I guess I should start "caffeinating" myself. I usually don't drink anything like that, and rarely have any energy. Not sure why this never occurred to me before. lol.

I dont like coffee so I take caffeine in pill form. Just caffeine not anything freaky added. I take about 50 mg which is like strong tea.

A moderate amount can be very helpful!

Can you tell me what it is called? Or is it actually called 5 hour energy? Because between the hay fever and the extra desk work this week the coffee is not doing its usual job for getting me out of the chair, and maybe I need to switch things up a little.

Also does it have any sort of side effects that you notice? Do its effects wear off by the end of your exercise session?

I actually love it. It's energy blend (taurine, malic acid, l-tyrosine, caffeine and some other stuff..lol), niacin, b6, b12 and folic acid sugar free shots. I like that it has vitamin b12 and folic acid as I don't take a daily multivitamin and would all this exercise could probably use the added energy boost of vitamins!:)

www.5hourenergy.com

I've seen these at the store and have considered getting it a few times. But I didn't because I was afraid of side effects. I'm just soooo tired all the time. I really want to try it. I'm certain I could have better workouts if I had more energy.

The one thing I'm most afraid of is getting dependent on it. Like, getting to the point where I feel even more tired without it than I used to and not being able to workout without it.

How long have you been using it? You haven't had any negative effects?

This is really intriguing to me...When I ran my half marathon, I saw a few people taking 5 hour energy before the start. I haven't tried it yet, but I think I may sometime soon.

I currently take something called Jack3d before my weight lifting workouts and it gives me tons of energy so I can push myself harder than I normally would. Never put two and two together that the same idea could work for cardio as well, lol. sometimes i'm slow :dizzy:

Don't worry...you won't get "hooked" or have "withdrawal"..it's not CRACK or at least I don't think so..haha!:o

Check out the ingredients here: www.5hourenergy.com

As you'll see it's just caffeine, vitamin 6, 12 and taurine... I don't take it everyday because I don't want my body to get so used to it that it doesn't work. That's the worse thing that could happen, you know...if you use it everyday it will just get less effective, but there's absolutely NO CRASH.

I use it every other day and so far...so good!

Eve - I use it before my runs and I always out perform my best time or mileage...it's really GREAT before a run! Hmmm...now would you mind telling me about this "Jacked" stuff...I need more umphhhh to my weight training...thx:)

I can't drink 5hr energy. I get a horrible niacin flush. :(

I take Excedrin before my workouts. The aspirin and acetaminophen help with knee pain, and the caffeine gives me a boost. :)

Is that like a flush I get from wine do you think? Red face? Horrible burning, like a sun burn? Just curious. ;)

Doesn't the exercising itself energize you guys? I'm just curious because I don't need anything like this. But my drowsy time is 4 in the afternoon until bedtime...which just makes me a drip at parties. :rofl: But my mornings are all pep! Yes, even at 4:40 AM.

Could be, but I don't think so. My cousin has a similar response to any alcohol, and but it's not the same as mine. Mine is mostly hot face and tingely hands.

I am not much of a morning person. Getting to the gym is 90% of my battle. I need the caffeine to get there!

I use GNC's Burn 60 for my energy boost. I only take one pill before my workouts or I get jittery from caffiene overload LOL. One pill wakes me up and gives me the energy to get a good workout in! :) I know Jillian Michaels also has commented about the benefits of taking caffiene before workouts ;)

I have been wondering if it's the little coffee I drink before runs that recently have had me going faster and harder.

At least we're not hooked on steroids that will give us beards...

I've seen that "5 hour energy" advertised on late night TV and didn't know people really used it. I always figured it was just as much a gimmick as the "ab gadgets"...

Well, I went ahead and tried it out. I can definitely tell a difference. I don't get a huge surge of noticeable energy, but I am able to push much harder. Mostly it's seemed to be I can give 110% the first quarter or so of the workout and then about average for the rest of it. (Before most of my workouts were average for the first quarter then dragging myself through the remainder.) And I am able to go much longer even when the initial push wears off.

I think I feel more tired afterward than I used to, but that's probably because I am working much harder. Plus I don't have the mental fog and crankiness I usually have after intense workouts.

So it's a keeper for me! I'm only going to use it for my really intense workouts though.

Not sure which 5 Hour Energy you were using, but I use the Extra Strength 5 Hour (in black bottle, not red)...I've used the original, but like the extra strength for my grueling runs.;)

Glad it helps you!:)

I take them EVERYDAY. I love them. But I found the SAME stuff different brand at the Dollar General for a buck a piece instead of the $3.99 at the corner store.
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COPIED:
Niacin, by nature, is a great way of reducing your cholesterol. Many over-the-counter cholesterol medications include high does of niacin, among other ingredients. However, one of the side effects of taking doses of niacin is the effect, called "niacin flush". This is actually a healthy response from your body.
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I actually like the buzz. Call me crazy.

I know they advertise no crash, but I crash after coffee with no sugar, how would I not crash after this? I may try it sometime tho, exercise or not.
I am not a morning exerciser, I can think but not move in the mornings. Maybe that would get me moving then. It would be more convenient that after work to exercise.

Actually, on the packaging they have an asterisk next to the no crash statement and farther down is specifies no sugar crash. So a tiny bit of misleading advertising. I guess their point is you won't crash the way you would with a really sugary high calorie energy drink.

Personally, I'm exhausted after my exercise whether or not I have the caffeine so I don't really care.

I also found an off brand at the grocery store where I shop (Winco Foods) that is 98 cents a bottle, compared to almost $12 for a six pack at Walmart. They have nearly an identical ingredient list so I don't see why they wouldn't work the same (though I think the off brand tastes worse). But I'll have to compare my results a little more to know for sure.

I used to love 5 hour energy drink, as i used to need it for school since i would have classes from 9 am to 9 pm twice a week. I would buy cases and have one, to one and half bottles per day. I went for a check up and the doctor told me my heart was racing and the only caffeinated drink i had was the 5 hour energy drink, so i stopped drinking it altogether. I would have the jitters, and niacin flushes while drinking it

Perhaps you have a "caffeine" sensitivity. I know many people who do. Just like there are people who can drink 5 cups of coffee and go to sleep (like me;)).

Also, you say you drank 1 to 1/2 bottles per day, every day? I'm not sure that 5 Hour Energy was designed as a daily supplement. You can overdose on Niacin and B vitamins...it's not like Vitamin C unfortunately.:(

Oh and Bunnah & 2BaHealthyme....please report on how the generic 5 hour energy worked...I pay $14 for a case at Walmart (Extra Strength kind), and could definitely stand to save some $$$! Is Extra Strength kind available in generic too?

Thanks!:hug:

I had no idea you can overdose :?:
I drink coffee daily. just when i was consuming that drink i opted out of coffee to reduce caffeine intake.

Yes, the generic one I saw at the grocery store has an extra strength. I didn't buy it though. I will probably get some next time I go shopping. I'll let you know how it works for me. =)

Well I probably should be more specific. Here it goes:

5 Hour Energy contains a blend of vitamin b6, b12 and niacin (as well as caffeine and some other amino acids). Vitamins b6 and b12 are both water soluable, so like vitamin c CANNOT be overdosed on...your body will simply urinate out any excess. That said, Niacin (which is a form of vitamin b), CAN be overdosed. Here are some symptoms of Niacin overdose as described by the Mayo Clinic:

Signs and symptoms of a niacin overdose include:
■Rapid heartbeat
■Skin flushing combined with dizziness
■Itching
■Nausea and vomiting
■Abdominal pain
■Diarrhea
■Severe liver damage (hepatoxicity)

For more info, look here -----> http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nia...erdose/AN01644

I used to get the skin flushing and turn red in the face and whole face would be warm :dizzy:

thanks for the information,I've always wondered. Found this site by sheer co-incidence, glad I dropped in.

I can't do the x-tra caffeine - I'm prone to breast cysts. I did try the Energize Green-tea-to Go & for me, didn't notice any difference - no energy, but it did taste great!

Interesting! Normal amounts of caffeine don't do anything for me, so I wonder how this would work.

I've taken 5 hour energy a few times. I like it, and it works! It doesn't seem to make me crash either. I try not to take it often though, because I don't want my body to become dependent on it (if that makes sense).

CAN NOT work out without my coffee. Don't know if it's a psychological or physical dependence, but I am definitely dependent on caffeine!
I figure if it helps keep me in shape and healthy, it's better than the alternative.

Great post.. I have not try the 5 hour energy but I might try it...

Hey ladies I don't want to be a downer or anything like that but please be careful when you are drinking things like this.
I understand that you are all grown women, but please be careful, and do full research on these these products. I care about you all and want you to be safe :hug:.

5 hour energy never worked for me. I could pretty much drink it and then go to sleep. :lol:

Thanks but...is there something you know that the rest of us don't? Please tell.:) To my understanding, 5 hour energy only contains aminos, vit b's and caffeine (all of which are good for you).

So could I...it's not crack!:eek::rofl:! But...if you take it before a workout...it WILL help to improve for performance/endurance...try it..you might like it!;)

Ok....I watched the Dr. Oz videos on "energy drinks".

1. 5 hour energy is NOT an "energy drink";
2. 5 hour energy has no more caffeine than a cup of coffee (200 mgs?)
3. There are no "hidden" caffeine in 5-hour energy such as found in Guarana (sp?)
4. Those video series were about "abuse" of energy drinks...it's not wise to abuse anything in hopes of positive results.
5. Dr. Oz has depicted a few bottles of 5-hour energy while he goes on and on about red bull and how you could "DIE"!:eek: If I were the maker of 5-hour...I'd be pretty ticked off at him. It's misleading...5-hour has NOTHING in common with red bull!:mad:

Do you NEED 5-hour...no. Can it help you power through an intense late night or early morning workout...yes. Can you workout without 5-hour...yes.:)

P.S. Dr. Oz is a trip!:rofl:

I've never tried the '5 hour' drinks. I wondered how they worked. Do they really help you?

I like to drink either a cup of coffee before, or a whey protein shake and/or a healthy breakfast before I go to the gym at 1000am.