Energy drinks like 5 hour energy

[jerrymcfadyen]

Has anyone tried using these energy drinks?
My neurologist suggested I try one a day to see if it helps and it does seem to help me to get awake and get going a bit better.
I've got two issues with them though. I don't think the high caffeine is good for you especially on a daily level and secondly I can't afford them every day. Even at the Sam's club and Costco they are still to expensive for daily use.
I know some of you do a lot of research on things like this and thought it would be interesting to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance
Jerry

 

[PennyIA]

I can tell you that the synthetic B vitamins in them are pretty bad for folks with MTHFR (and about 25% of the world has that and doesn't know it). Some of my son's health issues (fatigue, sleep, crashes) improved AFTER STOPPING them.

 

[Gingergrrl]

They are also not good if you have any cardiac or autonomic issues (but not sure if you have those?) They would probably kill me if I tried them!

 

[Sherpa]

I had good luck with Energy Revitalization System multivitamin powder. It's something like a higher grade "5 hour energy drink," formulated by a Dr. specifically for CFS. Less than $1 per day. Contains Cyanocobalmin B12 and Folic acid which are not recommended by some of the people this board with MTHFR sensitivites... but it helped me and replaced handfuls of other vitamins in 1 economical drink.

 

[SOC]

A bunch of B vitamins (and low quality ones at that) and caffeine isn't going to help ME/CFS. Yes, people who are B vitamin deficient might benefit, assuming they don't have MTHFR problems, but ME/CFS is far more than low B vitamins. Caffeine is generally not considered good for people with ME/CFS.
From the Hunter-Hopkins Clinic

From experience we have also learned that certain food groups and habits are not tolerated well in CFS/FM. These are Sugar, Caffeine, Alcohol, NutraSweet® (aspartame), and Tobacco recollected by the anagram, SCANT.

Caffeine is also frequently used for a quick fixer-upper, but it too leads to a “crash” later on.

Caffeine as an occasional boost for a special event works for some people, but it comes at the price of a crash later.

 

[GracieJ]

I stay away from energy drinks. Too many bad ingredients in the form of poorly formulated vitamins, not bio available. Too high in caffeine also.

A relatively small dose of caffeine daily early in the day makes the difference for me to be able to work for a few hours each afternoon. According to Dr. Myhill, it activates an enzyme that speeds up ATP recovery/production in the cells. The days I take it I am okay for a few hours - then I am back to dragging if I try to do much. The days I forget are rough for me. It is a balancing act - too much too late and my night is messed up.

 

[Sushi]

Moderate caffeine first thing in the morning is very helpful for me--both for energy and vasoconstriction. But I would not use an energy drink for many of the reasons already stated. Good quality coffee is what I use.

Some do crash from caffeine but I don't seem to.

Sushi

 

[DeGenesis]

Coffee once in the morning is ok for me. Any more and it impacts my sleep negatively.

 

[heapsreal]

if its a cost issue then just buy no doze which are caffeine pills, 1 pill is 100mg and equal to 1 cup of coffee or just drink coffee, tea or i drink pepsi max which has about 30mg caffeine per can.

In the past people have said to me that my caffeine intake is probably responsible for my sleep issues. I have stopped several times for a few months, sleep didnt improve any and i just felt even more tired. Somewhere in the middle is the truth about caffeine??

 

[GracieJ]

@heapsreal Totally agree! We are so different.

I wish I could blame caffeine for my sleep issues. It would be so easy.

If it were the problem, I would have not slept seven hours a night for several years while taking caffeine in the mornings, same as always.

 

[DeGenesis]

If you have your 23andMe raw data you can see if you have any mutations WRT CYP1A2, the liver enzyme which metabolizes caffeine. IIRC the half-life of caffeine can vary wildly amongst individuals.

 

[taniaaust1]

If I desperately need a boost of energy for something I take just a quarter of a cup of coffee and it gives me an energy hit (any more then that causes me trouble as Im overly sensitive to it). I hardly do it much as it could potentially lead to a crash due to the doing more.

 

[Sherpa]

Dr Myhill says that caffeine activates the enzyme that recycles ADP into ATP and that black organic coffee with ribose, in moderation, may be a good energy boost for CFS sufferers. I find it works best if used no more than about 3x a week or so. And small doses...an old fashioned 6oz cup...not 24 oz super size.

 

[PeterPositive]

Why not trying an adaptogen such as Ashwagandha or Rhodiola?

 

[jerrymcfadyen]

I drink 3-4 cups of coffee every day any way and always have. It's never affected my sleep and with the energy drinks I've tried I don't seem to have a crash unless I way over do activity then I suffer for several days.
I'm just afraid of long term affects of taking these things every day.
Thanks for all your input. I am going to check into some of the suggestions
Jerry