Energy shot

Energy shots are a specialized kind of energy drink. Whereas most energy drinks are generally sold in cans or bottles, energy shots are usually sold in 50ml bottles. Energy shots normally contain nearly the same total amount of caffeine, vitamins or other functional ingredients as their larger siblings, and therefore they may be considered concentrated forms of energy drinks. The one major exception to this is the vitamin-energy shot. Currently, few exist on the market.

Ingredients

Similar to energy drinks, energy shots contain caffeine, vitamins, and herbs such as guarana, ginseng or ginkgo biloba, taurine, maltodextrin, inositol, carnitine, creatine or glucuronolactone. Most energy shots contain sugar; however, many brands also offer artificially-sweetened 'diet' versions. The central ingredient in most energy shots is caffeine, the same stimulant found in coffee or tea. Vitamin based energy shots contain numerous additional vitamins and supplements for sustenance, sustainment, and overall health. RuckPack, one of the few vitamin energy shots, includes electrolytes like Magnesium, Calcium, and Potassium. It also has additional vitamins not traditionally associated with energy shots, like vitamins D3 and C. Other key ingredients include Saint John's Wort, and Ginkgo Biloba. This particular brand even focuses on joint and muscle wellness with the addition of MSM, L-Glutamine, and Chondroitin. Vitamin energy shots will differ in their choice of included vitamins.

The average 50ml energy shot has about 80 mg of caffeine. This is approximately equivalent to a cup of coffee.

Effects

The functional ingredients of energy shots are comparable to those of energy drinks, therefore their effects on improvement in mental and cognitive performances and subjective alertness are in line with the effects of traditional energy drinks. Vitamin based energy shots such as the above addressed will have variable benefits dependent on the additional ingredients. Chondroitin, for instance, can strengthen joints, L-Glutamine can assist in muscle development, and Vitamins C, D3, and St John's Wort offer additional mental and physical wellness.

History

The idea of energy shots started decades ago in the Far East, notably in Japan, where small “tonics” became very popular among consumers, highly concentrated and without carbonation. With the introduction of energy drinks as of the late ‘80s, the efficacy of these energy shots started to travel the world as a new product format. In 2004 the first suppliers, like 5-Hour Energy, Nitro2Go, and ZipFizz, took up the idea and launched these energy shots in the US, opening up a sub-segment in the energy drink market. In 2008, there were over 25 brands offering energy shots in the US alone. In 2009, the famous energy drink producer Red Bull launched an energy shot.

Although originally marketed in the US, energy shots are becoming more popular in other parts of the world, like Europe, Asia and Australia.

Consumers

While the average consumer is not easy to describe (truck drivers, busy mothers and students alike buy them), they all have in common that they look for “energy in a gulp”, high efficacy with little liquid (“the reduced bladder impact of the significantly smaller volume of liquid in the package” says bevnet.com, a beverage product review service), no carbonation and low calories and always at hand ready-to-drink because no chilling is needed.

Packaging

Energy shots are mainly offered in 59ml (2 fluid oz.). plastic bottles of different forms. A niche is emerging within the energy shot space called micro shots. These are shots with 1-5 teaspoons of liquid, such as Dynapep and FIXX Extreme

Products

As of June 2009, there are approximately 250 energy shot brands in the US, with 5-Hour Energy owning 78% of the market share and NVE Pharmaceuticals’ Stacker 2: 6 Hour Power with 7%.

While many of the products in the energy shot category are marketed by companies who also market energy drinks, crossover success hasn't come easy for even the larger brands such as Monster and Rockstar. In addition, Red Bull, the category leader of the energy drink category, launched an energy shot of its own in April 2009.

The top 14 energy shots in the convenience channel for 52 weeks ending April 19, 2009 were:

1. 5-Hour Energy
2. Stacker 2: 6 Hour Power
3. VPX Sports' Redline
4. Rockstar Energy Shot
5. Spike Shooter (likely the Double Shot)
6. Xtreme Energy
7. NOS Powershot
8. BDI Marketing Mini Thin Rush
9. Full Throttle Energy Shot
10. Kickers
11. Shawn Cotten’s X-treme N.R.G. (not a beverage)
12. Ephrine Plus
13. Nitro 2 Go
14. Peptime 357 Magnum

Other products:

1. Quick Energy
2. Street King (Founded in 2011 by platinum selling artist Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and entrepreneur Chris Clarke, contains 0 carbs, cals, or sugars and every shot sold provides a meal for a child in need through the United Nations World Food Programme)
3. RuckPack (Vitamin/Energy Shot founded in 2011 by US Marines and Special Operations Forces to meet a nutritional need during combat operations)
4. FeelGood7 Energy Shot (wasn't available in April 2009)
5. Ubershot (wasn't available in April 2009)
6. X-Race Energy shot
7. HYPE Energy Shot
8. On Go Energy
9. Badboy Energy Shots
10. Relentless Energy
11. Lucozade
12. 6 Shooter Energy Shot
13. NapNock Energy Shot
14. Blastoff double NRG shot
15. Thin Shot

See also

• Energy drinks
• List of energy drinks

Haust Energy Shot

External links

• Quick Energy Sports Supplement Page
• FeelGood7 Official Page
• Street King Official Page
• Official site X - RACE Energy Drink
• Official site OnGo Energy
• Hype Energy Shot
• NapNock Energy Shot
• RuckPack Energy and Wellness Shot
• Blastoff double NRG shot Powered by Mother Nature
• Thin Shot Official Page