I have a Starbucks double shot vanilla energy coffee cold every morning for breakfast. Like almost every day for the last decade. It has a good dose of caffeine but also lots of B vitamins, C, D, some potassium, added protein, etc. I started creatine about 2 years back but go HCL because for some people it seems to have a little less water retention at first and it's what I am used to. It has better density per unit volume so only about .75g is a typical
Daily amount.

If you are having trouble staying awake, you need a sleep evaluation or test, a proper fitness program, a reasonably good diet, and enough sleep every night.

I have Celsius and Optimum's AmiNO Energy on my Amazon subscription service. I get a 12 pack of each every 2 weeks and it covers most of my caffeine needs. The Celsius is 200 mg so that usually for the mornings and the Amino is 100 mg so I like it after lunchtime. I will also usually have a cup of mushroom coffee in the mornings while driving the kids to school. My daily caffeine intake is in the 300-500mg range, depending on the day.

If I'm out and about and grabbing from a gas station, I also like a C4 (200 mg) or Alani (200 mg). I also have trail packs of the Mtn Ops Ignite mentioned earlier in this thread to mix in a bottle of water if/when I want that. It's also 200 mg caffeine.

I already know I don't get enough sleep. My typical day 6 days per week for the last several years:

Drive 1-2 hours to that days job site. Usually have to be on site at 6am.
Do 8-10 hours of surveillance.
Drive 1-2 hours home.
Do admin work from my case for that day.
Do admin work from my employees cases for that day.
Process and research new cases.
Somewhere in there I cook & eat dinner. Sometimes my wife cooks.

By the time that's all done it's usually 10 or 1030pm and I shower and go to bed.

FSGuide said:

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I already know I don't get enough sleep. My typical day 6 days per week for the last several years:

Drive 1-2 hours to that days job site. Usually have to be on site at 6am.
Do 8-10 hours of surveillance.
Drive 1-2 hours home.
Do admin work from my case for that day.
Do admin work from my employees cases for that day.
Process and research new cases.
Somewhere in there I cook & eat dinner. Sometimes my wife cooks.

By the time that's all done it's usually 10 or 1030pm and I shower and go to bed.

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Man, that is a long day.

Can vouch for the Jocko -Go as posted above & I also drink Monster White can (no sugar) before the gym sometimes. I don't get the jitters from either of them.

Maximus Johnson said:

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HIGHLY recommend MTN Ops Egnyte. Look at the nutrition facts. I think it is about as clean of an energy drink/preworkout as you are going to get.

Also look into Beta Alanine

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I use the ignite. I really like it. Seems least jitter inducing than white monster

instead of looking for boosters and energy to keep you awake- most of them are not healthy especially long term and your body gets immune to them- consider looking at it the opposite way: find some sleep aids to get much better quality rest and sleep before your surveillance tasks.

Aust Ag said:

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All I know is that the Energy drink section at my HEB is insane. Sooo many choices…yet not ONE brand with a twist off container. So annoying. I don't always need the whole can.

But apparently the entire industry wants you to drink it in one sitting.

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Uptime used to be in an aluminum can with a lid, kind of like the beer cans with the twist off cap. I don't really care either way, but I do think it's gotta be cleaner to drink out of.

I asked my doctor about this because I oftentimes would put in 16-17 hour days on the road driving a lot.
He told me to get a quality dark chocolate and eat a little of it while traveling. He said it was good for your heart as well. I was not a coffee drinker so I tried it and it seemed to help. It will also knock out a headache as well.

Quote:

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Healthy energy drinks?

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Not sure that exists. I don't think I would ever recommend traditional energy drinks to anyone, from a recurring consumption and health perspective.

I haven't quite decided if this is more of a passing fad/gimmick, but I have transitioned to using greens powder for my pre-workout (not AG1 but a comparable product). My energy levels have been solid, and it may be worth a try, especially if it provides some additional vitamins, minerals, etc.

ETA: Here are some travel packs with bottle from AG1. It is certainly not cheap, but neither would be an energy drink 4-5 times a week at $2-3 per drink. Again, I do not use AG1, but it may be a good place to start that offers convenient packaging.

https://drinkag1.com/products/greens-powder-travel-pack?flavor=tropical&quantity=1&plan=subscription&f=nb&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Test_US_Google_StandardShopping_NB_AllProducts_AG1&nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A23463558957%3A189511886377%3A793176675284&nb_adtype=pla&nb_kwd=&nb_ti=pla-2461450811021&nb_mi=117988768&nb_pc=online&nb_pi=AG1-TP-TR-1-SUB-NB&nb_ppi=2461450811021&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23463558957&gbraid=0AAAAADvAmD5g_DvVyRdQjJxp2vcyPDw5Y&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9-PNBhDfARIsABHN6-1UETyHeve2cZgfGacRg4ruwh07SwX6lHoLIdro_7u8qquwmn0kb2YaAlpwEALw_wcB

I've basically switched to Bum Energy only, with the occasional Ghost Energy or Gorilla Mind. Not to high of caffeine, just about as much as a cup of coffee. The root beer Bum is almost all I drink caffeine wise. Other flavors are good too.

Also recommend Gamers Drink mix. Bunch of different flavors (recommend going to the website and read the flavors since they name the different flavor options in a different way than everyone else). About 100mg of caffeine per serving. Each container has about 100 servings, and is only $40. Also, relatively a local Texas company ("office" is in Austin).

aftershock said:

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Aust Ag said:

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All I know is that the Energy drink section at my HEB is insane. Sooo many choices…yet not ONE brand with a twist off container. So annoying. I don't always need the whole can.

But apparently the entire industry wants you to drink it in one sitting.

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Uptime used to be in an aluminum can with a lid, kind of like the beer cans with the twist off cap. I don't really care either way, but I do think it's gotta be cleaner to drink out of.

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Yeah, and I use to drink Uptime until they folded and bowed down to someone and started doing like everyone else with the standard cans. It's so weird, every other sort of beverage has the option of screw tops except energy drinks.

10andBOUNCE said:

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Quote:

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Healthy energy drinks?

---

Not sure that exists. I don't think I would ever recommend traditional energy drinks to anyone, from a recurring consumption and health perspective.

I haven't quite decided if this is more of a passing fad/gimmick, but I have transitioned to using greens powder for my pre-workout (not AG1 but a comparable product). My energy levels have been solid, and it may be worth a try, especially if it provides some additional vitamins, minerals, etc.

ETA: Here are some travel packs with bottle from AG1. It is certainly not cheap, but neither would be an energy drink 4-5 times a week at $2-3 per drink. Again, I do not use AG1, but it may be a good place to start that offers convenient packaging.

https://drinkag1.com/products/greens-powder-travel-pack?flavor=tropical&quantity=1&plan=subscription&f=nb&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Test_US_Google_StandardShopping_NB_AllProducts_AG1&nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A23463558957%3A189511886377%3A793176675284&nb_adtype=pla&nb_kwd=&nb_ti=pla-2461450811021&nb_mi=117988768&nb_pc=online&nb_pi=AG1-TP-TR-1-SUB-NB&nb_ppi=2461450811021&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23463558957&gbraid=0AAAAADvAmD5g_DvVyRdQjJxp2vcyPDw5Y&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9-PNBhDfARIsABHN6-1UETyHeve2cZgfGacRg4ruwh07SwX6lHoLIdro_7u8qquwmn0kb2YaAlpwEALw_wcB

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My algorhythm is now showing me every option under the sun. I know Huel is a fairly popular product in the meal replacement/shake space; I have never seen these canned drinks they have now. Seems like it fits in well with a standard energy drink alternative.

https://huel.com/products/huel-daily-greens-ready-to-drink

OP

When are you drinking your caffeine

SweaterVest said:

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C ROC N said:

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Try Course Record with 5-10 grams of creatine for mental clarity and focus.

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Yeah, I agree with this too. Unless you have a health reason precluding it, creatine should be in your routine.

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D3, Fish oil, sulforaphane supplement or broccoli sprouts, High Quality Multi-vitamin, Magnesium glycinate before bed,

Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a good resource along with Huberman.

Organic vegetables home grown are the best if you have your own garden.

Small organic blueberries, kale, spinach, purple sweet potatoes, Homemade Greek yogurt, sourdough bread, wild caught fish, venison, local raised beef and eggs, and the list goes on and on.

Food is your medicine!

Doubt it's healthy but I drink one Ghost per day in the morning when I get to work. Waking up at 4 AM takes a toll on this guy.

I drink V8 energy. Sparkling Strawberry Kiwi x2 in the morning. Very boujee sounding.

OasisMan said:

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OP

When are you drinking your caffeine

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In my truck on way to job site at 4 or 5am.
If it's a boring surveillance with nothing going on by 9 or 10am, I struggle to stay awake. Sometimes I lose the battle.

Yeah, Huberman is pretty big on the effects early caffeine has on Adenosine. I tend to listen to what he says but it's also just a recommendation - not everyone has to do this.

I would also make an argument that consuming 400mg or more a day of caffeine just from energy drinks is not ideal. And this is coming from someone that used to consume 800 on workout days + work, so not a giant Va-jay-jay.

When you drop your daily intake to <250mg or so, your sleep is vastly improved and your caffeine requirement drops significantly - which in turn increases your sensitivity to caffeine and reduces the amount needed to feel the effects.

Caffeine isn't a bad thing but having to consume insane amounts every day is either masking a problem and/or creating a bad pattern in your sleep.

I don't disagree. I just think it's funny when people who drink a pot of coffee, or worse, multiple sugary coffee drinks act like energy drinks are the last stop before a heart attack.

I could probably cut down, and probably should, but it also doesn't bother me to go without on the weekend. If I was struggling to get through the day without it, or struggling to sleep well at night I'd be more concerned.

I know plenty of people that can measure their coffee consumption by the half gallon or more and drink very little water a day…. It's terrible.

And yeah, wasn't trying to bash you just saying the less caffeine the better.

AgEng06 said:

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Fair point. I don't think the caffeine is my problem though, I think it's more the nose candy.

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back when I was in high school I am pretty sure some of the early preworkouts I took had at a minimum meth, if not cocaine too lol

FSGuide said:

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OasisMan said:

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OP

When are you drinking your caffeine

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In my truck on way to job site at 4 or 5am.
If it's a boring surveillance with nothing going on by 9 or 10am, I struggle to stay awake. Sometimes I lose the battle.

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Yeah, you have a pretty tough schedule to work around and only getting 6 hrs of sleep a night or less is going to be tough to function without high levels of caffeine….

That is tough. I'd try starting your day with an ice cold shower, or at least finish your shower with a 60 second cold blast. You'd be surprised the lasting effect that can have.

After that, I'd try to make it until 6 or 7 am before consuming caffeine. Let your body wake up on its own, see the sunrise, then hit the coffee or energy drink. I also drink a ton of water, but understand that can present challenges during surveillance. Bring an old Nalgene or two I guess.

I stack a lot of late nights and early mornings and if I go to coffee or energy drink right after waking up, I'm playing from behind all day. For me it's best to let the fog clear on its own.

Slightly off topic- a buddy of mine worked at the cotton gin in Danevang 40 years ago.
Apparently the head ginner got paid based on number of bales and he went from gin to gin.
He typically worked straight through for days, never leaving the gin.

Buddy saw the head ginner's technique for staying awake to keep on working.
He stuck a bobby-pin, the kind ladies use in their hair, into a 120VAC outlet and gave himself an electric shock !

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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AgEng06 said:

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Fair point. I don't think the caffeine is my problem though, I think it's more the nose candy.

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back when I was in high school I am pretty sure some of the early preworkouts I took had at a minimum meth, if not cocaine too lol

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Old school Jack3d was something else.

Jacked, 1MR, NO Black Powder, you name it… straight up amphetamines

I work nights and as I get older this becomes a challenge for me. The past few months I've done the following to help my energy levels.

Pre Workout with approximately 100mg of caffeine per serving (Amino Energy)

I also recently got into the peptide game I am on week 5 on Mots-C and my energy levels have significantly increased. This is something to definitely look into.

SweaterVest said:

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Huberman is a great resource. Another thing he recommends is waiting 60-90 minutes after waking up before consuming caffeine. I've followed that for some time now and I feel like it makes a difference.

I drink a lot of caffeine, multiple Celsius a day, but I know exactly what my intake is and it's not unreasonable. Just because caffeine comes from a can or packet instead of a mug doesn't make it bad.

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Who knew? I wake up at 4:10 and drink my ghost when I get to work at around 6:30. I think my daily consumption of caffeine is between 200 and 300mg total/day.

I drink a couple of energy drinks a day.

Some of them that contain B12 have an ingredient called Cyanocobalmin.
Anyone else heard/read that there may be a risk of elevated levels of Cyanide in your system from consuming a lot of those.

I try to drink the ones that contain Methylcobalmin.

Drinks with Cyancobalmin I know of:
Celsius
C4
Some Monsters
5 Hour Energy

Drinks with Methylcobalmin:
Bang
Gorilla Mind
Bucked up
Bum
Amino Energy

Has anybody seen or tried these? Energy pouches.
https://wip.com/

Reign isnt too bad. 300 MG caffeine and gets the job done. Do not taste like chemicals as Monsters do. Can find them in most gas stations.

StillNotAnAggie said:

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Has anybody seen or tried these? Energy pouches.
https://wip.com/

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I tried a few from a different brands as a substitute for Zyns. Destroyed my gums. I was used to the Nicotine ones (20 pouches a day), but for some reason the Caffeine ones destroyed my gums.

Quit nicotine cold turkey for lent so the energy pouches were what a turned to.

I have tried Alp pouches while I work, have to order them online, I don't know of any stores that sell them.

https://alppouch.com/