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Why do we often feel the need for a quick energy boost? Every cell in the body produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – our ‘energy currency’ – from the carbohydrates, fats and proteins in our food.
But feeling energetic isn’t simply about ATP. You may eat well enough but poor sleep, high stress levels, fluctuating hormones and nutrient deficiencies such as iron or B vitamins also play a part.
The fast-growing energy-boosting market is only too happy to offer solutions – from fizzy caffeine tablets to mushroom extract. But can you really swallow or sip your way to vitality?
We asked Sultan Dajani, a pharmacist in Hampshire, for his view on some of the latest energy boosters, along with some old favourites. We then rated them.
NOTE: Consult your GP or pharmacist if you have new or constant symptoms, rather than occasional, and if you take regular medication before trying a new product or supplement.
Mushroom extract
Fourfive Lion’s Mane Mushroom, £14.74 for 60 capsules, hollandandbarrett.com
CLAIM: ‘Helps support psychological function, focus and energy, with 4,000mg of lion’s mane extract per serving, plus guarana [a plant extract] and B vitamins.’ Two capsules daily.
You may eat well enough but poor sleep, high stress levels, fluctuating hormones and nutrient deficiencies such as iron or B vitamins also play a role in how much ATP you produce
EXPERT VERDICT: Mushroom extracts such as lion’s mane have recently become hugely popular, but evidence is limited. Only a few small studies suggest that lion’s mane, which contains compounds thought to stimulate nerve growth in the brain, could enhance mood and focus.
The guarana contains caffeine (16mg to 35mg), but only equivalent to a third of a cup of coffee so won’t give a huge boost. Doses can’t be guaranteed in herbal pills like these, so for me it’s too much of a lottery. 2/10
Caffeine tablets
Pro Plus Fizz Hydration, £5.99 for 20 tablets, most supermarkets
CLAIM: ‘A blend of minerals [calcium, magnesium and potassium] and caffeine to increase alertness and concentration.’ One daily, dissolved in water.
EXPERT VERDICT: Pro Plus has been popular among students since the 1950s. This fizzy tablet version has the same key ingredient – 75mg of caffeine, roughly the amount in a small single-shot cup of coffee. This attaches to receptors and blocks adenosine – the natural chemical that builds through the day and makes us feel sleepy – helping you stay alert for longer. The 75mg dose is enough for a noticeable energy boost.
Caffeine is safe in moderation for most healthy adults, but the NHS advises a limit of 400mg a day (200mg in pregnancy), so be careful about drinking coffee as well. People with anxiety, sleep problems or caffeine-triggered palpitations may need to avoid it.
The minerals – potassium and magnesium – aren’t very useful for boosting energy unless you’re actually dehydrated, for example due to diarrhoea or sweating.
Being pre-dissolved means it goes straight into the bloodstream without needing to be broken down in the gut, but it also wears off sooner.
Over-use could make you reliant and more exhausted long-term – if you don’t address the underlying causes of your energy slump. 8/10
Caffeine patches
The What Supp Co Protect Your Energy, £18 for 15 patches, healf.com
CLAIM: ‘Clinically studied ingredients [including 6mg caffeine, ashwagandha, taurine and B vitamins] to support energy production and enhance focus.’ Apply one patch daily.
EXPERT VERDICT: Skin patches are popular because active ingredients are absorbed via the skin straight into the bloodstream, bypassing the gut, which is useful for those who can’t swallow tablets or with conditions that impair gut absorption such as Crohn’s disease.
However, skin absorption doesn’t seem to deliver a reliable, meaningful dose of caffeine. Only 7 per cent of caffeine applied to the skin reached the bloodstream, according to one 2022 study, compared with 90 to 100 per cent from a tablet. In any case, the 6mg dose here is too low to give a meaningful energy boost.
There’s also no evidence B vitamins or ashwagandha can usefully be absorbed via a skin patch – and their doses are very low, too. Don’t waste your money. 0/10
Herbal mix
Boots Ginseng, Ginkgo & Guarana, £7.50 for 30 tablets, boots.com
CLAIM: Contains 50mg ginseng, 40mg ginkgo biloba and 75mg caffeine ‘to reduce fatigue while supporting mental performance and memory’.
EXPERT VERDICT: Ginseng, an Asian plant root, has long been used as an energy-booster, but robust evidence is disappointing.
A 2023 review in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine involving 19 trials found no significant overall reduction in fatigue from ginseng, with some reporting indigestion. I’m also not convinced ginkgo, extracted from the tree’s leaves, would have any effect on fatigue.
The 75mg of caffeine from the guarana (an Amazonian plant) is probably doing most of the heavy lifting for any immediate feeling of alertness. But this would be no better than a small cup of coffee for most people. 4/10
Sugar gel
Lucozade Sport Energy Gel, £1.75, boots.com
CLAIM: ‘A gel to boost endurance, providing 30g of carbohydrates in 2:1 glucose/fructose ratio to deliver energy to your body when it needs it most.’
Up to three gels per hour before or during intense exercise.
EXPERT VERDICT: This is basically just sugar in a fast-to-absorb gel format. The glucose and fructose combination is useful for athletes as the two sugars are absorbed through different mechanisms in the gut.
But really this product is only useful as a quick-fix for serious athletes who need muscle fuel on the move. For most people, a normal diet provides a decent supply of the carbs we need as fuel. And if you’re not exercising, this extra sugar could contribute to weight gain.
Unlike caffeine, sugar isn’t a brain stimulant – instead it’s used as brain fuel, giving a short boost to concentration that quickly wears off, and is followed by an energy crash. Generally, a healthy diet combining carbs, protein, fat plus good hydration is the best way to maintain energy levels. 2/10
Energy tea
Kura Klub Energy Glow, £10.49 for 14 bags, healf.com
CLAIM: ‘Yerba mate with guarana, lemon, peppermint and ginger to help you stay sharp, energised and vibrant.’
EXPERT VERDICT: All tea that contains caffeine could be called ‘energy tea’ – even bog-standard builder’s, which contains about 50mg of caffeine.
It’s been suggested that plant compounds in yerba mate, a South American shrub, may help slow the release of the caffeine, producing fewer jitters and less of an energy crash – but there’s no robust evidence for this.
One cup of yerba mate and guarana tea will contain approximately 80mg of caffeine, so this will actually give a similar energy boost to a small cup of coffee. The other herbs are more for flavour. It’s not intrinsically healthier than other teas. 6/10
Vitamin drink
Berocca Energy, £13 for 30 tablets, hollandandbarrett.com
CLAIM: ‘B vitamins to reduce tiredness – without caffeine.’
EXPERT VERDICT: There’s no proof this will give quick energy. B vitamins don’t provide instant fuel and will only help with fatigue if you’re deficient: 5 to 10 per cent of Britons may be low in one or more B vitamins, most commonly B12 (which affects vegans and those taking specific medications).
The levels of some of the B vitamins here are unnecessarily high – providing 1,091 per cent of your recommended daily vitamin B1 and 586 per cent of your vitamin B6. Excess B vitamins are generally peed out, so it means you’re literally flushing your money down the loo. 3/10
Energy drink
Red Bull Sugar Free, £2.20 for 355ml can, most supermarkets
CLAIM: ‘Contains caffeine (80mg) and taurine to improve concentration and alertness, plus B vitamins to reduce tiredness.’
EXPERT VERDICT: Sugar-free doesn’t mean healthier. Studies link long-term consumption with a higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so they shouldn’t be an everyday habit.
The 80mg of caffeine is the main active ingredient – roughly one cup of coffee’s worth and fine unless you’re sensitive to its stimulating effects, but stay within safe limits.
Taurine, a compound found naturally in the body, supports muscle function and nerve
signalling and may complement caffeine’s effects on physical performance, too, though evidence is limited. The B vitamins won’t instantly improve energy or concentration.
This is fine to have occasionally, not daily. It is not recommended for pregnant women, under-16s or those with heart issues. 5/10
Sugar tablets
Dextro Energy Orange + Vitamin C, £1.50 for 56 tablets, boots.com
CLAIM: ‘A fast-acting source of energy ideal for work, school and sport,’ plus 60mg of vitamin C ‘to help the immune system’.
EXPERT VERDICT: This is simply sugar – the equivalent of half a teaspoon per tablet – repackaged as an energy product.
Rapidly absorbed sugar in this form will fuel the muscles, but won’t give the same boost something containing caffeine would.
Although it contains 100 per cent of your recommended daily vitamin C, most people aren’t deficient. This could be useful for people with diabetes suffering a hypoglycaemia episode – when glucose levels drop dangerously low – but otherwise they’re a waste of money.
There’s also a danger you could eat them like sweets, adding needless calories. 2/10
