A Healthy Booster for Your Workout: C4 Energy Drink Review
Fact checked by Mark Johnson
The C4 energy drink has been around since 2018 and has become a favorite among athletes and fitness lovers. C4 stands out from other energy drink brands due to its powerfully robust mix of particular ingredients.
This unique blend assists the body in maintaining peak performance during any workout. It also contains other benefits like being sugar and calorie-free, which ensures you don’t gain weight or intake too many sugars per can.
While C4 is ideal for keeping you stealthy and chock full of energy while you exercise, the amount of caffeine in each can may pose a problem for some.
So, Let’s review whether or not a C4 energy drink is something you should consume and the potential risks that may come with drinking it.
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Pros
Although it’s an energy drink, C4 contains benefits that promote better health. For example, it has components that aid in weight loss and help maintain a daily intake of sugars and calories.
Sugar-Free
One of the best benefits of C4 is it’s sugar-free especially since most energy drinks are loaded with sugar. Not consuming high amounts of sugar can help you avoid several diseases and conditions.
The daily sugar intake for men is only 36g for men and 25g per day for women—It’s highly recommended to avoid going over these limits.
Eating and drinking too much sugar each day can easily lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and certain cancers.
On the other hand, some benefits of sugar free drinks are clearer skin, an enhanced mental state, more energy, weight loss, and reduced headaches.
Calorie-Free
You can consume C4 energy drinks without the worry of packing on pounds. It contains zero calories which means more opportunity to focus on more healthy calorie choices.
You can be free to enjoy a C4 without the calories but instead have a great increase in energy
and liveliness.
Contains Energy-Inducing Components
C4 contains several components that aid in effectively jump-starting your workouts. If you’re someone who is performing high intensity workouts regularly, these ingredients are especially beneficial.
They help to keep you alert, hydrated, and ultimately help you shed pounds. These ingredients also help lower your blood pressure, benefit certain organs like the liver, and regulate stress.
C4 is beyond ideal for those looking to add an extra kick to their workout without compromising your health in the process. 
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Cons
There are some potential downsides to some ingredients in C4. However, the effects typically occur or become problematic if the recommended daily consumption is disregarded.
High Caffeine Levels
Caffeine is great for providing a boost in energy and helping you to feel a burst of vitality for hours at a time. But too much can cause some very unpleasant side effects.
C4 contains 200 mg of caffeine in their 16 fl.oz cans. For some, this may be considered too much if you have caffeine sensitivity issues.
It’s recommended only to consume 400 mg of caffeine daily. That said, it’s best not to go overboard drinking numerous cans daily.
Too much caffeine can result in serious side effects and risks. Some include:
- The jitters
- Insomnia
- Dehydration
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- Caffeine dependency
- Restlessness
Although C4 only contains 200mg of caffeine which is significantly less than the recommended limit, it’s still best only to limit consumption to a couple of cans per day.
It’sIt’s also best to check the can for warnings and to be sure you don’t suffer from any conditions that may be affected by C4.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are typically made out to be safe and somewhat healthy to consume. However, the artificial sweeteners in C4 have long-term effects on health that you need to beware of.
Sucralose
While there isn’t any sugar present in C4, the energy drink does contain artificial sweeteners. One of these is sucralose; although it may seem harmless, it can cause long-term health problems.
Sucralose has been deemed a great sugar alternative, but if consumed in high amounts, it can lead to the development of leaky gut and diabetes. Some other problems include:
- Increased chance of digestive issues
- May contribute to the development of certain cancers
- Creates toxic compounds if heated up
- It alters the health of your gut
- Causes GI tract problems
Overconsumption of sucralose can also lead to depression and a decrease in the good bacteria in your gut. The recommended safe amount to consume daily is 5mg for every kg of your weight.
Ace-K
Ace-K, another artificial sweetener, was approved by the FDA as safe to eat. However, just like many artificial sweeteners, this one may not be so safe.
Studies show that Ace-K can cause depression, cancer, kidney & liver problems, and headaches. Other problems include:
- Hinder appetite regulation
- Cause visual disturbance
- Disrupt blood sugar
- Interfere with metabolic processes
Keep in mind these ingredients don’t make C4 bad; only by consuming energy drinks in large quantities do these health issues potentially manifest.
Side Effects of Too Many Energy Drinks
Energy drinks in excess can cause serious health problems. So it’s crucial to monitor your intake as it’s straightforward to build a habit of drinking too many on a daily basis.
This habit can easily lead to heart problems, seizures, vomiting, and in worse cases, death.
Other side effects can lead to anxiety, headaches, heart arrhythmias, and cholesterol problems.
Essentially, a lot of energy drinks can cause overstimulation within the body. In other words, it switches on the fight or flight mode due to overstimulating the sympathetic nervous system.
This effect immediately triggers the heart, leading to a rise in blood pressure. Cellular function is also negatively impacted during this process.
Over time, this overstimulation can also lead to organ damage and an increase in inflammation within the body. In addition, some energy drinks are also loaded with B vitamins which if taken in excess, can cause blurry vision, nerve damage, skin conditions, and toxic liver.
If you have heart problems of any kind, it’s probably best to stay away from energy drinks. The condition of supraventricular tachycardia, for example, can be worsened from the beverages.
A blockage can occur in those with the heart condition. This happens due to the chemicals in some energy drinks, adenine combined with ribose.
Although there are good ingredients in C4, you should still exercise caution with any energy drink. Closely examine the warning label before consumption. 
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Ingredients
There are several ingredients in C4 that all contribute to providing lots of energy and stamina during a workout. Some of these ingredients naturally occur in the body and greatly benefit endurance during training.
Citrulline Malate
Citrulline Malate is an amino acid that’s naturally found within the body. You can find it in certain foods like squash, cucumbers, chickpeas, and nuts.
Citrulline can also be found in the intestines and liver and plays a vital role in building muscle and the expansion of blood vessels. It also helps to increase oxygen in the muscles and improve overall athletic performance.
CarnoSyn Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid. However, it helps with the production of carnosine, an important compound that aids in muscle endurance during workouts.
Carnosine helps muscles during workouts by building up acid within the muscles to help prevent fatigue. It also aids in more extended performance during high-intensity exercise while prolonging exhaustion.
N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
N-acetyl-l-tyrosine is a byproduct of L-tyrosine, an amino acid. L-tyrosine helps produce neurotransmitters, proteins, and other compounds.
N-acetyl-L-tyrosine is generally used to assist in better mental and physical performance. Some other benefits include:
- Increase in thyroid hormones
- Speeds up metabolism
- Improves mood
- Enhances alertness and cognition in stressful situations
How to Use C4 Energy Drink
Drink a C4 20-30 minutes prior to working out. If you have a tingling feeling during your workout, it comes from beta-alanine.
Beta-Alanine is an amino acid in the body that helps reduce muscle fatigue and enhance your workout capacity. The benefits of beta-alanine include anti-aging properties and antioxidants.
Who Is C4 Energy Drink for
C4 energy drink is ideal for those in the world of fitness. This includes athletes, those who go to the gym, and people who are big on dieting.
It’s important to note that you should only consume this drink if you’re healthy. For example, pregnant women and men on ED meds should not drink C4.
Also, if you suffer from chest pain and take nitrates. Generally, anyone taking any medication should talk with their doctor before drinking C4.
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out of 10
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| Best For | Price | Annual Discount | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Builder | $20 / mo. | 3 Months Free | Up to 30% off |
VL’s Opinion:
Look, C4 has been on the market for a long time, anybody that’s been in the fitness game knows that this product has had its ups and downs.
What we really wanted to discover in this review is whether or not anything changed from the original C4 to the new C4… besides the flashy container.
And yes indeed it has changed! The formula is stronger & better with a higher level of ingredients and at a similar price point compared to past formulations.
If you’re looking for a decent pre-workout C4 original is the one for you.
Conclusion
C4 is among the “good guy” brands in the energy drinks world. As a result, it’s a guarantee that you will see a positive impact on your workout and how you feel.
Again, it’s better to keep to the suggested daily consumption, which is two cans. However, maybe one per day is best because of how much caffeine it contains.
Although you need to be mindful of how any condition could be impacted by consuming it, you can be sure to receive some decent benefits from this energy drink that will forever impact your workouts in the best way.
https://cellucor.com/pages/c4-energy7
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-citrulline#:~:text=Several%20studies%20show%20that%20citrulline,help%20to%20improve%20your%20endurance.
https://killcliff.com/blogs/drinkhole-digest/the-dangers-of-acesulfame-potassium-ace-k#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20major%20issues,term%20exposure%20to%20methylene%20chloride.
About the author
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Co-Founder, NASM, ACSM, L.D.N. at Vegan Liftz
Hey, I’m Jason and welcome to my website. I created VeganLiftz because of my passion (more like obsession) with the vegan diet, strength training, Bodybuilding, Health & Wellness. Feel free to peruse the various articles on this website; I hope you find something useful!
