Which Brand of Energy Drink Has The Most Caffeine?
According to research, Bang Shot contains the most caffeine in an energy drink. Others included for contention include 5-Hour Energy, Monster Energy, Red Bull and more.
Written by CraftJack | Updated | 5 min read
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It's interesting to note, though it should come as no surprise, that the two most popular energy drinks in the world, Redbull and Monster Energy, have a moderate amount of caffeine when compared to all of their competitors.
Bang Shot | 100 mg/oz
You might even feel like you're mainlining the caffeine straight into the bloodstream at that rate. The Bang Shot is an explosion of caffeine at 100 mg/oz. Just four ounces and you're done for the day.
5-Hour Energy Extra Strength | 70 mg/oz
Extra Strength 5-Hour Energy boasts a whopping 70 mg of caffeine per ounce. That's fairly ridiculous.
5-Hour Energy | 47 mg/oz
For well over a decade now 5-Hour Energy has captured the hearts, minds and endocrine systems of "energy" seeking folks across the world. In fact, they launched in 2004, so almost two decades.
Sales declined each year from 2015 to 2020, going from 241.74 million USD to 180.4 millions USD. However, 2021 saw a 15 million dollar bump. Perhaps people started visiting there convenience stores again?
Who knows. But what we do know is that even the regular strength 5-Hour energy packs a wallop at 47 mg per ounce.
Proper Wild | 40 mg/oz
Proper Wild is a 100% plant-based, low calorie energy drink that has a 100 mg boost of caffeine per drink. What's interesting is that the energy drink comes as a shot, so that 100 mg boost can be broken down to a level of 40 mg per fluid ounce.
What is wild about Proper Wild is that the energy drink company suggests that there are 6 servings per bottle. Or displayed another way, the same amount of caffeine as not one, but two shots of Espresso.
Also included with the elevated caffeine levels is a 120 mg dollop of L-theanine.
Redline Xtreme Energy Drink | 31 mg/oz
A fast-acting, ready-to-drink energy shot that we didn't even know existed until now, a Redline Xtreme comes in a bit lower than it's shot-style competitors at 31 milligrams per ounce. However, that could be due to the medium-sized container - at least in the energy drink world - of 8 ounces. It's bigger than the true shots and smaller than the can and bottle versions of it's brethren.
Spike Hardcore Energy | 22 mg/oz
Spike goes hardcore with their labeling, letting you know in no uncertain terms that you will be served 350 milligrams of caffeine per 16oz can. Broken down, that's about approximately 22 milligrams per ounce.
Gotta love the one word titles of energy drink brands. Just a wide collection of action verbs.
Bang Energy Drink | 18.8 mg/oz
Unlike the shot version, Bang's Energy Drink comes in on top of the top dogs, Monster and Red Bull, with nearly 20 milligrams per ounce. Once again, we've never enjoyed (is that even the correct word?) a Bang Energy Drink, but we can imagine its jolting power.
Celsius Sparkling Energy | 16.66 mg/oz
Gluten-free, certified Vegan, zero sugar, and enough caffeine to prevent the late-in-the-work day slump is a can of Celsius Sparkling Energy. Sparkling Energy has a most excellent ring to it, don't you think?
Prime Energy | 16.66 mg/oz
A newcomer to the world of energy drinks, Logan Paul and KSI's Prime Energy Drink is poised to take plenty of market share from everyone on this list. That's because their marketing is top notch.
So is there caffeine, with the Energy version, as opposed to the Hydration version, including a 16.66 milligram to ounce ratio. Grab a 12 ounce can of Prime Drink and enjoy the 200 mg of caffeine that goes along with it. Then spend another couple of hours on TikTok reliving other people's mishaps.
Starbucks Triple Shot Energy | 15 mg/oz
You didn't think the coffee giant would let others steal their lunch in perpetuity, did you?
Starbucks Triple Shot Energy hits you with 15 milligrams of caffeine per ounce. A 15 ounce can also includes Inositol, Panax Ginseng, and Guarana, as well as Vitamin B6. Plus, you get that Starbucks Mocha flavor that you enjoy so much.
Mountain Dew Rise | 11.25 mg/oz
Leave it to soft drink brand, Mountain Dew to make sure that they are among the challengers to the title of most caffeinated energy drink. Their Rise series of drinks contains an impressive, though not Earth-shattering amount of caffeine at 11.25 milligrams per ounce.
If you're looking for a little more than just doing the Dew, look to a Mountain Dew Rise.
Monster Energy | 10 mg/oz
The Regular Monster Energy drink contains 10 mg of caffeine per ounce. That's really not as much as a we thought there was going to be when we set off to acquire this data. To us, Monster Energy just kind of had a zap associated with it. So it's a bit of a surprise.
While it's not hitting the highest amounts of caffeine, the Java Monster type of Monster Energy Drink does have the highest caffeine in any Monster, coming in a 20 mg per ounce. That's more in line with what we were initially thinking, though still well below the 70 mg/oz of the extra strength 5-Hour Energy.
Unlike most of these energy drink brands, Monster Energy does have an alcoholic version with Monster's The Beast Unleashed.
NOS | 10 mg/oz
A straight up 10 milligrams per ounce is what can be found in a can of NOS. To be honest, we've never had a NOS Energy Drink, so we aren't sure of what the effects of the caffeine inside the can can do or what the taste is like.
But if you're the type of person who likes flavors like Nitro Mango or Turbo, than a NOS just might be for you.
Red Bull | 9.5 mg/oz
Red Bull is the premium player in the energy drink market. While other brands sell in the millions, Red Bull sells in the billions.
It's so large that it's the only energy drink that bars regularly stock as a mixer. You know the beverage as a Red Bull & Vodka, or, Red Bull Vodka. As a soft drink brand, you're doing quite alright if you can get enough recognition to be mixed with hard liquor.
But back to the caffeine content, a Red Bull only contains 9.5 milligrams per ounce. Despite it being a significant amount of caffeine, it almost feels like a letdown given the brand's pervasiveness in society.
Red Bull energy drinks do in fact fall below the coffee caffeine line. Maybe something to keep in mind the next time you're trying to drown your liver with a boosting beverage.
Sidenote, anyone ever thought that Red Bull tastes like a melted clear gummy bear?
Rockstar | 9 mg/oz
Rockstar isn't the most potent of energy drinks, equaling a 8 milligram share per 9 ounce serving. Perhaps it makes sense, as while real rock stars are big deals, there is a fair amount of posturing and posing that goes along with the status.
Rockstar is officially has the lowest amount of caffeine per ounce of all of the energy drinks we've reviewed here.
Which Energy Drinks Have Zero Caffeine?
- 5-Hour Energy Decaf
- Bang (Caffeine-Free)
- Monster Energy Unleaded
- Synapse
How Much Daily Caffeine Is Enough?
According to a Harvard study, an amount of 400 milligrams - or 4 cups of coffee - is the most amount of caffeine that should be ingested per day. If we use the highest caffeinated energy drinks, that comes out to roughly 2-2.5 bottles/cans per day.
Children, on the other hand, should not consume energy drinks, as their personal limit is approximately 100 mg of caffeine per day.
Do Energy Drinks Have More Caffeine Than Coffee?
It depends on the brewing method and the variety of coffee, as well as energy drink, as to whether or not energy drinks have more caffeine than coffee.
Article Sources
- https://properwild.com/blogs/blog/what-energy-drink-has-the-most-caffeine
- https://5hourenergy.com/
- https://www.redbull.com/us-en/energydrink/red-bull-energy-drink-ingredients-list
- https://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-content/monster
- https://coffeeaffection.com/how-much-caffeine-in-nos-energy-drinks/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/558119/us-sales-of-5-hour-energy-drinks/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/306864/market-share-of-leading-energy-drink-brands-in-the-us-based-on-case-volume-sales/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull
- https://foodfornet.com/energy-drinks-without-caffeine/
- https://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-content/bang-energy-drink