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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 can contain 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.[1]

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. Some energy shots contain sugar; however, many brands also offer artificially-sweetened 'diet' versions. Some decaf varieties are also offered. 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. 5-Hour contains vitamin levels thousands of times higher than the recommended RDA, according to a 2010 test by ConsumerLab.com. [2] The company RuckPack 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[3][4][dead link]. 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.[4]

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 2003, the founder of 5-Hour Energy discovered an energy drink at a natural products trade show and formulated a similar product reducing the content from 16 to 2 ounces but keeping the energizing effects. Daily Finance credits them with largely creating the energy shot market. [5] By 2008, there were over 25 brands offering energy shots in the US alone.[6] In 2009, a major energy drink producer Red Bull launched an energy shot.[7] By 2011, energy shots became so popular that 5-Hour Energy sold $1 billion of their product at retail. [8]

Although originally marketed in the US, energy shots are also becoming popular in other parts of the world, such as Europe,[9][10][11] Asia and Australia.[12]


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),[13] 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[14]

Products

As of June 2009, there were approximately 250 energy shot brands in the US. 5-Hour Energy owned 90% of the market share in 2011, according to research firm of Symphony IRI [15]

Some of the manufacturers of energy shots also market energy drinks, however, crossover success hasn't come easy for even the larger brands such as Monster and Rockstar.[16] Red Bull, the category leader of the energy drink category,[17] launched an energy shot of its own in April 2009.[18]

The top 15 energy shots in the convenience channel for 52 weeks ending April 19, 2009 were:[19]

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

Other products:

  1. Quick Energy
  2. Hawaiian Energy Shotz
  3. 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)
  4. RuckPack (Vitamin/Energy Shot founded in 2011 by US Marines and Special Operations Forces to meet a nutritional need during combat operations)
  5. FeelGood7 Energy Shot (wasn't available in April 2009)
  6. Ubershot (wasn't available in April 2009)
  7. X-Race Energy shot
  8. HYPE Energy Shot
  9. On Go Energy
  10. Badboy Energy Shots
  11. Relentless Energy
  12. Lucozade
  13. 6 Shooter Energy Shot
  14. NapNock Energy Shot
  15. Blastoff double NRG shot
  16. Thin Shot
  17. Steaz Energy Shot
  18. SPEED 8

See also

References

  1. ^ “Little competition: energy shots aim for big” profits
  2. ^ O'Connor, Clare. "What's In A Bottle Of 5-Hour Energy?". Retrieved Feb 27, 2012.
  3. ^ "Purchase RuckPack". Ruckpacks.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  4. ^ a b "SPECIAL FORCES- PACKED PUNCH: NPS student develops, markets energy drink". MontereyHerald.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  5. ^ Murphy, Eamon. "5-Hour Energy: A Success Equal Parts Caffeine, Chemistry and Meditation". Daily Finance. Retrieved Feb 9, 2012.
  6. ^ [1][dead link]
  7. ^ October 29, 2008 4:21 pm (2008-10-29). "Red Bull to introduce an energy shot in 2009". BevNET.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ O'Connor, Clare. "The Mystery Monk Making Billions With 5-Hour Energy". Forbes Magazine. Retrieved Feb 17, 2012.
  9. ^ [2][dead link]
  10. ^ "Market reports". Zenithinternational.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  11. ^ [3][dead link]
  12. ^ [4][dead link]
  13. ^ Klineman, Jeffrey. "Little competition: energy shots aim for big profits". Bevnet. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  14. ^ “400mg of Caffeine in a One Teaspoon Shot"
  15. ^ O'Connor, Clare. "The Mystery Monk Making Billions With 5-Hour Energy". Forbes Magazine. Retrieved Feb 27, 2012.
  16. ^ "Red Bull Back In The Herd, But Ready To Bust Out"
  17. ^ "Beverage Spectrum Magazine, May June 2009; Page 21"
  18. ^ "Red Bull unveils energy shot"
  19. ^ "Beverage Spectrum Magazine, May June 2009; AC Nielsen; Page 20"
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