Let’s slap a bunch of ingredients together and create an energy drink. But first, you must understand what goes inside these energy drinks to ensure there are no contraindications with the ingredients. Also, to know if the ingredients are too high over the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance).

The popular energy drink, Ghost Swedish Fish Flavor, is all the craze today. Here are some answers to concerns people have. Is it healthy? Does it work, or is it just a bunch of hype in a can?

Ingredients

Anytime a product says, “legendary energy and epic focus,” I like it, but I need to look at the label.

Most of the ingredients are standard. It has Vitamin C, B6, B3, and B12.

Carnipure and L-Carnitine (tartrate)

Carnipure® is a specially manufactured grade of L-Carnitine that has a higher potency. L-Carnitine is used to boost your metabolism, help you lose weight, improve exercise performance, and enhance the feeling of wellness. L-Carnitine is a substance made by your brain, liver, and kidneys. It helps turn fat into energy.

Taurine

Taurine is used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It improves energy production pertaining to exercise performance. It helps increase oxygen uptake and reduces fatigue. It also improves recovery during and after your workout. And it has also shown some improved strength and power effects.

Natural Caffeine (from the coffee bean)

Natural caffeine acts as a stimulant for your central nervous system. Also, it enhances focus and concentration. In addition, caffeine is used as a catalyst to combine and enhance the effects of other substances like taurine and Alpha-GPC.

Alpha-GPC (alpha glycerol phosphoryl chlorine 50%)

Alpha-GPC has been shown to improve mental and physical performance. Alpha-GPC increases the release of the neurotransmitters that boost performance. In athletes, Alpha-GPC supplementation increases endurance and the release of growth hormone.

NeuroFactor Coffee Fruit Extract

NeuroFactor™ is a trademark of VDF FutureCeuticals. It has no side effects. It is a nootropic from a natural coffee source. It enhances the function of the brain that boosts focus, concentration, and decision-making ability.

AstraGin and the Root Extracts

AstraGin is a patent product in Ghost’s formula. It improves the uptake of vitamins, amino acids, and other minerals. Also, great for gut health.

Astragalus Membranaceus is used to enhance the endurance of exercise through anti-fatiguing mechanisms. Also, it boosts the immune system, prevents illness and colds, lowers blood pressure, and treats diabetes by managing blood sugar. It also protects the liver. In addition, Astragalus is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

Panax Notoginseng is used to improve endurance with exercise. It also helps relieve pain and reduce swelling and blood pressure.

Other Ingredients

However, the label “Other Ingredients” needs to be more transparent. For example, here is one questionable ingredient in the Ghost energy drink.

Sodium Benzoate and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It is used in foods and beverages, cosmetics, dental products, and pharmaceuticals. Ghost uses it to preserve the energy drink from molding in the can.

The problem with sodium benzoate is that it can become carcinogenic when combined with substances like ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) when exposed to heat and light. When this occurs, they form benzene, a carcinogen. Benzene is a chemical found in the air from the emissions of cars and in oil. Also, it is produced in industrial products like chemicals and detergents.

Due to the volatility of this ingredient and the ascorbic acid regularly added to beverages, companies have been taking this ingredient out of their product. However, it is FDA approval at minimal levels.

Take Away

Be careful of the labels. You need to read them. It does not matter if it says gluten, soy, sugar-free, or vegan friendly. Those are sometimes ways of covering up something that is not so healthy. Sodium benzoate is probably not vegan-friendly. It does not hurt animals but is not natural.

Energy drinks do not need FDA approval because they are considered dietary supplements. This is odd because mixing plants and herb extracts can have a detrimental effect. I say this because I had taken a supplement pack some years ago. I did not read the labels and trusted the name because it was very reputable. When I went to train, I had one of the worst experiences in my life. Let’s say I had to stop exercising in the first 10 minutes of my workout.

Everything went into slow motion. My heart rate was beating like crazy. It would speed up and slow down. My thermal temperature dropped, not with chills, but my skin was hypersensitive. My attention was delayed by seconds, and I stared at the wall until it faded. I found out the Ma hung in the capsules was 50% higher than the RDA. And the interaction between Ma hung, and other ingredients were detrimental.

Verdict

Ghost energy drink is not bad for you, except for one issue.

It just depends if they are within the legal limits of their artificial flavors and preservatives that are not recorded on the label.

The takeaway. If you are concerned, always do your own research on the product before consuming.

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