Caffeine Critic

[Review] Vital Energy (Tangerine)

One of the biggest problems with energy drinks is the fact that they dehydrate your body. Why do energy drink cause dehydration? Because caffeine is a minor diuretic, and tells your brain to move liquid from your kidneys to your urine stream, which also explains why you always have to pee so bad after downing a can of your favorite energy drink. Most people who use these drinks want energy for sporadic activities such as biking, jogging, and sports. Combine the systematic removal of liquid from your body through urine with sweating from strenuous activities, and it is easy to see why you become dehydrated from energy drinks.

Some drinks like Brawndo and a few others cancel this effect by adding electrolytes to help your body replenish what it loses, but the help isn’t as effective as what you’re going to find in Vital Energy. The front of the bottle says it all, it is composed primarily of water to keep you hydrated, caffeine for the burst of energy, and B vitamins, for similar reasons to caffeine.

But as an energy water, is it really effective enough to give that kick that energy addicts such as myself crave?

Review

Now that we are done with that boring introduction, let’s get on to what you really care about. Is Tangerine Vital Energy any good? Well, let’s break it down.

When twisting the cap off of the very Vitamin Water-like bottle and examining aroma, you are treated with a very Vitamin Water-like scent. It’s sweet and refresh, though very diluted. I’m not really so sure that it smells like tangerine so much as it smells close enough to artificially scented tangerine to be considered a tangerine aroma. Does that sentence make sense? I just proofread it and yes, it does make sense.

The flavor is a bit of a mixed bag, in all honesty. It tastes great for energy water, the citric tangerine flavor is stimulating and refreshing, it is diluted heavily in the water, making it very light but appealing none the less. Really, it tastes just like a Vitamin Water and is pretty well executed except for one thing. Bitterness. If you’ve read my past reviews, you know I’m very tough on energy products with a stinging bitterness, caused by the caffeine and B vitamins. Here, however, I’m not so displeased with it. Sure it exists, but it is very slight and is easily forgotten about because it doesn’t linger in your mouth or torture your throat. Still, it is a detraction from the overall quality of the beverage.

The only real energy ingredients Vital Energy packs are caffeine and taurine, which are present in 150mg and 100mg, respectively. In all honesty, I almost prefer it this way. Vital packs a very impressive punch, without all those other ingredients to get in the way. It is the bare essentials, and it works just fine. I had my bottle during a workout session, one serving before and one and a half during. It kept me going harder than usual, feeling great and with more endurance than I have on water alone. After the workout, I still felt fantastic and full of energy. No crash followed.

Vital Energy sells for about two dollars per bottle when you get the 24 pack from the Vital Energy Online Store. Each bottle is 20oz and holds 2.5 servings, putting it below industry standard costs for traditional energy drinks. Not only is that a value in and of itself, but the quality of the product is high enough to win it some points in value as well.

Final Words

I really like Tangerine Vital Energy. It is very refreshing, gives a great kick, and keeps you hydrated. It isn’t a product for everyone, i.e. gamers or students, but it works great for athletes, skaters, bicyclists and anyone else who needs energy without suffering dehydration and all the unhealthy aspects of traditional energy drinks.

Pros

• Tangerine flavor works well
• Keeps your body hydrated while delivering an impressive kick
• The list of ingredients is simple
• A pretty good value

Cons

• Aroma and flavor are diluted
• Bitterness from caffeine and B vitamins

Score: 8.3/10 (Great)

Aroma: 7.75/10
Taste: 7.5/10
Kick: 9.0/10
Value: 8.75/10