Starburst ^TM With an Edge of C4!

C4 is one of the most famous and ubiquitous brands of energy drinks on the market. Its name gets spoken of in reverent tones throughout the gym and fitness spheres. In fact, it may be one of the first energy drinks a rookie gym-goer will hear upon entering the gym.

Starburst is one of the most famous and ubiquitous of candy on the market, with many receiving a blast of nostalgia just seeing the juicy “S” packaging. Battles rage regarding the best flavor, yet most agree lemon or yellow, as it is better known, is perhaps the least desired flavor of Starburst.

And now, the two giants of their respective markets have come together in a massive collaboration of mixing the C4 proprietary blend of energy-inducing ingredients with Starburst’s signature flavors!

The question must be asked, though, is the C4 Energy X Starburst Candy healthy?

Or, more specifically, can the collaborated drink be associated with a healthy lifestyle?

Nutrition Facts

This latest iteration of C4 energy drink falls in line with the rest of C4’s beverage lineup, with this iteration having essentially nothing in it until Niacin and Vitamin B₁₂ pop up at 30 mg and 6 mcg or 190% and 250% DV, respectively.

This means that a casual consumer need not worry about calories, fat, sugar, sodium, carbohydrates, or even protein.

Taking a closer look at the ingredient list, though, one will find ingredients, preservatives, and additives common to nearly all energy drinks. However, some ingredient names may cause alarms to go off in a consumer’s head as they may not recognize chemical names such as beta-alanine, L-Citrulline, or even N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine.

Beta-alanine has been investigated in numerous studies over the past several years and can be attributed to the tingling sensation some may feel after consuming it. Nothing to be alarmed about as this means the body is breaking down the compound, which investigators theorize activates skin sensory neurons, causing a tingling or itching sensation. Vasodilation of the blood vessels can also occur, leading to an increase in overall blood flow, which may cause a flushing of the skin.

And, L-Citrulline and N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine are simply amino acids the body uses as the building blocks of other protein-based molecules. L-Citrulline is used for aiding in reversing muscle weakness, whereas N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine is used for aiding the neurotransmitters of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine which all aid in positive training results. Both are included in many energy drinks to help improve overall training and athletic performance.

Lastly, 200 mg of caffeine awaits the consumer to provide explosive energy!

Benefits

These benefits may be attributed to the proper consumption of the beverage:

· Increased energy

· Vasodilation of blood vessels

· Improved athletic performance

· Improve alertness and focus

· Zero calories

· Zero grams fat

· Zero grams sugar

· Zero grams carbohydrates

· Zero mg sodium

Drawbacks

These drawbacks may be attributed to overconsumption of the beverage. Note, a consumer may experience any or all of these or none at all:

· Tingling or itching sensation

· Potential dehydration¹

· Potential “crash”²

· Headaches

· Fatigue³

· High blood pressure

· Heart flutters

· Insomnia

· Digestive issues

· Addiction or dependence

So… Healthy?

C4 Energy X Starburst Candy is a garden variety of energy drinks with an added oomph due to the collaboration of C4 and Starburst. Its standard health benefits are consistent with other energy drinks such as Absolute Zero Monster, Reign, or Bang! in providing improved energy, focus, and performance while limiting the calories, carbohydrates, and sugars to as minimal as possible.

The drawbacks of this particular C4 are also consistent with excess or consumption of high-caffeinated beverages. The FDA recommends an adult individual consume only 400 mg of caffeine daily, and this C4 has 200 mg of caffeine. Couple that with a daily cup of coffee and any other soda that an adult individual may consume, and 400 mg of caffeine, if not more, could easily be consumed.

Nevertheless, as with any other energy supplement, monitoring one’s own body, overall training, and nutritional lifestyle will allow an adult individual to gauge whether to consume the beverage.

No energy drink can truly be considered healthy because even though some, such as this one, have zero calories, sugars, carbohydrates, and fat, the other ingredients could be just as disadvantageous to a healthy lifestyle.

Therefore, even though no energy drink can be considered healthy, energy drinks can be consumed as part of a healthy lifestyle that includes balanced nutrition and exercise.

*Disclaimer*

From C4’s website:

“Warning: Do not consume this product if you are pregnant or nursing. Not intended for children. Recommended for adults.”

Personal Opinion

Being a personal trainer, athlete, and budding physical therapist, my personal opinion is that an energy drink on occasion will not derail an entire nutrition plan; however, those that are prone to addictive substances, pregnant, have hypertension, and/or other chronic cardiovascular diseases should be wary. As with most anything in this life, almost everything can be a part of a healthy lifestyle so long as it is enjoyed in respectful moderation.

C4 Energy X Starburst ^TM Candy

Honest Brand Reviews Overview

¹Be sure to stay hydrated during a training session and throughout the day if consuming this product due to the anhydrous ingredients, which require water to activate the potency that they receive from the consumer’s body

The “crash,” as it is colloquially known, is when the body is revved up for activity, then immediately boomerangs back to balance out the hyperactivity.

³Oxymoron that an energy drink can cause fatigue, but similar to the crash, it can cause such an energy increase that the body must balance back to reestablish homeostasis.