ABSTRACT
In 2015, global sales of energy drinks were estimated to be $45 billion and expected to exceed $60 billion in 2020. The reasons for energy drink use can be separated into three primary focus areas; cognitive, ergogenic or aesthetic. There are several ingredients found in energy drinks that are stimulatory in nature. These could be used to enhance focus, delay fatigue, increase energy and increase metabolism and control appetite. The chapter focuses on the common ingredients found in energy drinks and discuss the specific efficacy of the ingredient. Most energy drinks contain a cocktail of ingredients with various purposes of each ingredient. The chapter discusses several investigations that were conducted on combination supplements using multiple ingredients as part of an “energy drink cocktail.” Evodiamine is a major alkaloid from evodia fruits that has been reported to stimulate vanilloid receptor activities comparable to capsaicin. Hoodia gordonii extract is an ingredient found in several energy drink formulations.
