ENERGY

What it is

Guarana is the seed of Paullinia cupana, a climbing plant from the Amazon region. The seed naturally contains caffeine, roughly two to four times as much by weight as a coffee bean. In Energy, guarana contributes 10 mg of caffeine per sachet; the sachet's total caffeine content is 124 mg, comparable to a strong cup of coffee.

What it does in your body

Caffeine is molecularly similar to adenosine, a substance that builds up in your brain during your waking hours and causes the feeling of sleepiness. Caffeine fits the same receptors and occupies them, without sending that sleep signal.

So strictly speaking, you don't gain energy. Your fatigue signal is temporarily muted. Meanwhile, the build-up of adenosine simply continues, which is why you still feel the tiredness once the caffeine wears off.

It's often said that guarana releases its caffeine more slowly because it's bound to tannins in the seed. Research on this is limited and inconclusive, so we don't present that here as an established fact.

What it is

Panax ginseng is the root of a plant that has been used in East Asia for centuries. The active compounds that research focuses on are called ginsenosides.

What it does in your body

Ginseng is classed among the adaptogens, an umbrella term for substances thought to help the body cope with stress. Research has looked at effects on fatigue and cognitive performance, but the studies vary widely in design, dosage and quality, and the outcomes are inconclusive.

What it is

A group of water-soluble vitamins. Your body barely stores them, so you depend on what you take in daily.

What it does in your body

This is the most misunderstood point in the whole category: B vitamins don't provide energy themselves. They're coenzymes, indispensable helpers for the enzymes that convert carbohydrates, fats and proteins from your food into ATP, the fuel your cells actually run on.

If you're deficient, that conversion runs less smoothly and you notice it as fatigue. If you already have enough, the engine doesn't run any faster. Supplementing mainly helps those who are falling short.

What it is

Natural extract of lime. This is the formula's flavour ingredient.

What it does in your body

Functionally, nothing. And that's exactly the point. It makes sure you still enjoy drinking it without added sugar, which is what determines whether you keep it up daily.