Wow, we very are proud to announce that we are the first official store on the web to carry BioFuel Caffeine Infused Popcorn.  This stuff is the epitome of addiction – sweet, salty, caffeine, and POPCORN! C’mon everybody loves popcorn!

And this stuff is made with love. They have a proprietary process and are made in small batches so that the freshness is maximized. In fact we were only able to get a small amount to also make sure that you got the absolute freshest product possible. So hurry before its all gone!

Also from our friends over at Caffeine-A-Holic this stuff tastes great. Take a look at his review and then make sure you get your BioFuel today.

What?! Energy Toothpicks?

Oh yeah we have said it many times, and the site itself proves it! They will – and have – caffeinate anything! This time it is every ex-smoker, truck driver, or just your average oral fixators favorite thing: ToothPicks

They say these things have about a cup of coffee’s worth of caffeine in it (which can be from 80mg-12mg so we’re not totally sure). They also have a slight flavor to them – cinnamon or mint. This is probably to help mask the caffeine flavor, but is a nice thing when you are a chewer of toothpicks.

But if you need a true calorie free way of getting your caffeine, there is no better way than a caffeinated toothpick.

Healthy Energy

Zenergize is a great name we think. A great name for a product really trying to give you a healthy boost. They have a whole line of products you may have seen in your local health food grocer. With vitamins for everything for immunity to weight loss. But we of course grabbed the Energy formula. Because what does it matter if you feel good if you aren’t caffeinated!

One tube of this has 10 drinktabs in it. You just drop it in your water (or whatever) and it adds a nice kick and a Citrus flavor. Grab a tube and get Zenergized.

Stock up for Halloween!

Yeah get ‘em while they’re hot, as they say. Don’t forget to load up for Halloween and all the festivities that commence around All Hallows Eve. And never fear there are always new things coming down the line. Stay tuned and STAY UP!

~King

Have you heard of it? FreeShippingDay.com. It is a site that gathers dozens of online retailers to commit to at least a day of Free Shipping for the holidays. On December 17th dozens – possibly hundreds – of online retailers will provide some form of free shipping and still guarantee to get your package to you by Christmas eve.

As you know we provide Free Shipping for all orders over $20 but for the month of December – the 17th included – we will be providing Free Shipping for all orders.

We will guarantee that if you order by the 17th we will get your package to you by the 24th at our cost, so that your stocking stuffers will be to you by Christmas.

That being said we all know that we’re all going to need that boost to get us through all of the holidays. So get your order in early and have what you need for all the events this holiday season. All the energy for hanging with the family; all the energy you need to keep you going during your holiday shopping.

~King

Let’s get right to it: 5150 Juice has landed and it’s no energy drink. It’s no energy shot. It’s the fabled bottle of piss and vinegar, and I’m here to review it for you. Movin’ on

Taste

5150 Juice is basically an eye dropper of liquefied caffeine, without any of those fru-fru flavor ingredients. I shouldn’t have to say much more here, because believe it or not, every one of you has tasted 501 Juice. Don’t remember? Think back to the last energy product you consumed that had a bitter after taste. That after taste? It was 5150 Juice.

Now, 5150 Juice is not meant to be drunk on its own, but mixed with a beverage of choice. Power to the people! When mixing a recommended capful of 5150 Juice with your favorite vending machine product, you won’t have to concentrate hard to pick up on the 5150 aftertaste. It’s noticeable, but by no means does it destroy your drink.

Ingredients

Every cap of liquid gives you roughly 100mg of caffeine. Movin’ on

Effect

A capful of 5150 Juice will go to work with respectable intent, much to my delight. I never found out what more than one cap will do, because one was always enough! There’s not much to expect when it comes to crashing.

Verdict

This one’s got my thumbs up. I just love the idea of having a resealable, highly portable, bottle of concentrated caffeine. Keeping one in a jacket pocket is the epitome of being prepared for an energy lover.

So, while you’re here, fun little story for you. I recently got a job, and drug testing was required. When I got to the drug testing lab, I remembered that I had just foolishly used the bathroom about 15 minutes before. This was a horrible situation, because I needed to get the test that day without choice, the lab was about to close, and I had nothing left for the pee cup.

I panicked a little, and then got smart. The 5150 Juice in my jacket vest pocket had about 1/4 left, so I gulped it all down and followed that up with a greedy water fountain session. 25 minutes later, the caffeine worked its magic and I went through with the drug test! You see, it never hurts to have caffeine in your pocket. You’ll never know when it can come in handy.

Reviewed by Dusty Smith

You can get your own 5150 Juice from KingofCaffeine.com

[This stuff has been flying out the door - people are caffeinating everything with it! Get yours now and STAY UP!

~King]

A Cup of Coffee Can Help Shift Workers Improve Performance, Cut Down on Errors, Researchers Say

By Kelli Miller Stacy
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

May 12, 2010 — Bleary-eyed shift workers appear to make fewer mistakes on the job when they consume caffeine, such as a cup of coffee or a caffeinated energy drink, researchers report.

Shift and nighttime work can sometimes disrupt the body’s natural clock, or circadian rhythm. This can lead to shift-work disorder, a sleep disorder in which a person has symptoms of insomnia or excessive sleepiness related to work schedules. The lack of quality sleep can make workers very drowsy while at work.

About 14% of Americans are shift workers, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Nurses, truck drivers, and emergency personnel are some examples of people who usually work off-hour shifts. Sleepiness on the job has been linked to medical errors, automobile accidents, and occupational injuries.

Researcher Katherine Ker and colleagues of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine reviewed data from 13 studies regarding the effects of caffeine on shift workers’ performance. Participants were between the ages of 18 and 65, but most were between the ages of 20 and 30.

Depending on the study design, the workers received caffeine through coffee, energy drinks, food, or pills. In most studies, the workers completed neuropsychological tests to gauge their memory, attention, reasoning, and perception skills. Several studies compared the results of neuropsychological testing in participants given caffeine versus a placebo.

The study authors say that, compared to doing nothing at all, the caffeine helped shift workers improve their cognitive performance and reduced job-related errors. None of the studies reviewed assessed the effects of caffeine on work-related injuries.

“It seems reasonable to assume that reduced errors are associated with fewer injuries, although we cannot quantify such a reduction,” Ker says in a news release.

[You know the best place on the web to get your Energy Snacks! Get some now!

STAY UP!

~King]

We now officially have a new category of energy supplement, the energy drink mixer. These are things you add to your drinks to turn them caffeinated, without really affecting flavor or color, like Fein, Energy Catalyst and 5150 juice. These are sort of like an anti roofie. Rohypnol + Beer = Bad Bad Bad. Hijinks + Beer = good good good! These products are available on their site, or from my gracious friends at Kingofcaffeine.com, who sent me some samples to try out.

Think of all the cool things you could do with this that you can’t with normal energy drinks. Is your Middle School not allowing energy drinks? Sneak some in your juice carton for a big lunchtime buzz your teachers will love you for! Girlfriend or boyfriend sleepy after a night out? Pop some in their favorite beverage and they will keep poppin it like it’s hot at 3A.M! When anything can become an energy drink, the possibilities for fun and mischief are everywhere!

(note: anything stupid you do with this stuff is your responsibility. But I’d love to hear about it in the comments below)

Buzz:10
Here is the difference between Hijinks and the other mixers I have tried. This one actually makes an energy drink, rather than just add caffeine. And you can really feel the difference! While the 200mg of caffeine is some pretty serious stuff, it is definitely helped out with the old energy drink favorites, taurine, glucurolactone, l-carnatine and inositol. While I have certainly had more caffeinated mixtures – this stuff will easily kick anyone’s ass for hours.

Taste:8
While the taste disappears in strong -flavor-filled drinks, this is the most taste filled of the no-taste mixers I have had. Shooting it by itself is akin to slamming a shot of Everclear – down to the chalky “yeerrrrgh” face and shudder that inevitably follows. If you have never had Everclear before, imagine the flavor and texture of liquid chalk. Although Real Men like Clint, Bronson and Jon Wayne could knock this back without even squinting their eyebrows, my work friend made a mad dash for the soda on her desk and the back of my mouth felt curdled.
Now, in a drink, this stuff is pretty damn good. It is a little noticeable in 6 ounces of soda, and too much to handle in unsweetened chamomile tea or breakfast blend coffee. But, in something more flavorful, like in Gatorade, Coca-Cola, Grape Juice and Vodka Tonics, this stuff was absolutely flavorless.
So keep it in mind – coffee:no, Double mocha latte: yes. Light Pilsner: no, Strong IPA: yes. Sodas are always a good bet, and for hours of fun, try it inside your next Red Bull!

Packaging:5
Really, this one threw me. The name, the sanscript-y font, the medicinal labeling – who is this appealing to? The gold, black and white label on the clear non-recyclable medicine dropper-like bottle is also an odd choice. This does not really scream out energy, more like screams out Essential Oil or maybe lotion. Without stopping and closely reading the label I would have no idea it contained energy ingredients. I would expect this more in the natural foods store or herbal shop.

Although the package sent to me initially did not have any shrink wrap, I was told by the CEO of Hijinks that ALL of the production line does, and the wrap has a UV coating on it, to keep the labeling white and the liquid crystal clear.

[As this is a new product we're still waiting on it to get into the warehouse.  As soon as we have you can pick some up and kick start your favorite drink. Till then:

STAY UP!

~King]

Shiny Blitz gum a decent buzz for a decent value

Caffeine seems to be coming in more and more unique methods of delivery. While I never would have believed there could be a caffeinated gum ten years ago, now the market seems absolutely flooded with them. The latest is Blitz Energy Gum, sent to me by the ever gracious Kingofcaffeine.com

This comes in three very different flavors. There is cinnamon, peppermint, and spearmint. The big difference here is that they add caffeine to the entire gum, rather than just the coating. This means a more bitter flavor when you start off, and a mellowing out the more you chew. That is one of the things that I enjoy about this gum - that you can keep chewing on it for a good 10 minutes before it starts to lose flavor. While not as unassuming as Amp gum, it is not nearly as jolting an experience as when you pop a Go Fast in your mouth. These are selling at a very decent price for all the caffeine that is involved here - and works very well as a drink substitute.

Taste: Spearmint:8 Peppermint:6 Cinnamon:4
The spearmint Reminds me more of a inexpensive stick of Trident than anything else. It is a light an unassuming flavor, and definitely the one closest to uncaffeinated gum. If you are unused to the bitter flavor of caffeine in your foods, I would start of with this one. It is easily the most pleasant of the lot

The peppermint is a bit spicier, but mellows out after the first 2 minutes or so. While the caffeine flavor is not noticeable, they used a whole lot of spice to mask it out. It does not taste fantastic, but I can eat a couple of them before it gets too much. This is a hot one - so it would do well as a breath freshener as well. It also lasts the longest - at keast a good 10 minutes before the flavor runs out

The cinnamon still needs work. It is a bitter and harsh mess that does not taste horrid as much as unfinished. The sweet they use to mask the bitterness of the caffeine just does not work, and there is a chalky taste in your mouth when you finish up. The food scientists need to spend another couple weeks making these right.

BUZZ:8
Each piece of gum contains 55 milligrams of caffeine as well as taurine, and vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12. Like most gum, you will feel this much faster, as it is absorbed sub-lingually, rather than having to be digested ( your mouth absorbs caffeine into your bloodstream much faster than your stomach). They advertise the buzz hitting you in about 10 minutes, but I felt it much faster. a pack lasts a good half hour - and you can get quite a buzz after chewing on three or four of them in a row!

Packaging:9
packaging is really cool - in a design scheme of a 50s diner. The whole package is in a bright shiny aluminum, looking like the outside of an old diner. This is helped by the font choice of the logo, straight out of a 1950s scene. The blister pack is normal, and they helpfully list the caffeine on back as well. It's hard to turn down chewing a piece when it looks as hip as this one does.

[Thanks Big Red Boots! Get your Blitz Energy Gum now!]

Where does Caffeine come from?

What people think all caffeine comes from

Almost all Americans consume caffeine at some point during the day, every single day. When the morning rush hits the local starbucks everyone is there for coffee right, no they are there for the caffeine inside. Caffeine can be found in several products we consume everyday but do we actually know where caffeine comes from?

Well before you stop reading this and say “it comes from the cup/can of [insert drink here] I’m drinking, you might be surprised at what you read. Caffeine comes from several places some natural and some made in a lab. The most commonly known natural sources of caffeine come from the coffee bean the tea plant (Camelia Sinensis) and cocoa. If you drink soda then you are getting your caffeine from the Kola nut, get it Cola. If you’re a fan of energy drinks that’s Guarana

Guarana Berry plant

and it contains twice the amount of caffeine then a coffee bean. I will get into each one of these in more detail in the coming weeks.

Caffeine has been around forever, well no one actually knows when but as long as people have been drinking coffee and tea there’s been caffeine. In the early 1800’s Caffeine made its way to a lab and by around 1900 caffeine was made synthetically. Though it’s not common it’s usually synthesized from dimethylurea and malonic acid. It’s also being used in the medical field for a variety of things since it directly affects the central nervous system.

So to answer the questions caffeine comes from several different things each with different applications but they all have the end result on us we…..STAY UP!

Written by: Joshua Wood

Joshua is the owner and writer for the up and coming MMA website MMAValor.com. The site is dedicated to the world of Mixed Martial Arts and he does his fair share of caffeine consumption.

[Our friends at PossessedbyCaffeine.com are telling us like it is again.  Here is the latest review on one of the latest products. Get your energy in a nice candy wrapping - energy gummies.]

Kickbricks might have started off with something commonplace – a slightly sour chew, but have abandoned them for something seriously interesting. Caffeinated energy gummie bricks! These little fantastic chewy squares are a nice kick in the ass when you need it, and give the candy freak in you the sticky toothed glack your sugar taste buds are craving. While I would not put this flavor up to a gourmet gummie bear, I would say that you get quite a bang for the buck.

Taste:10
I am a big fan of gummie bears by and large, and these are pretty fantastic. Now these really are not bears, but the bricks are the same chewy gelatinous texture. The flavor is pretty intense, sharp and sour – but sweet in the back of the tongue and very flavorful. This is not the crappy flavorless gummies you find in cellophane bags – but a real candy treat!

What I did not find in this is any bitterness of the caffeine, and a nice aftertaste that was not fake sugared or medicinal. The move away from chews to these bricks is a fantastic thing.

Buzz:8
Three of these equal one energy drink. What does that mean, I don’t exactly know. I can tell you that the 25-30mg of caffeine provides quite a nice boost – especially because it is hard to stop at three. I suggest you just give in and plan on finishing all six in the pack. There was also a generous helping of Taurine and Vitamin B to help kick it too.

Nutritionally, there is exactly what you would expect from a gooey gummie brick, except for the artificial colors or flavors. Instead, they use black carrot juice concentrate for color and all natural flavors.IF you are looking for a nice bouncy pick me up, I would rip open a bag in a heartbeat.

Packaging:7
This came in an easy to shred open plastic bag, which looked great! In terms of the layout and design, this works really well. My only issue with this is that they really should label the bag as 1 serving, or find a way to reseal it when it is closed so it can save. It also seems dumb to have 3 sad little gummies in the bottom of one of these bags. A big thanks goes out to kingofcaffeine for providing me the samples

[Well get your Energy Gummies now at your friendly KingofCaffeine.com]

~King

Caffeine is a stimulant to the body and is consumed by over 80 percent of the world’s population on a daily basis. The body absorbs caffeine within 45 minutes after ingestion, and the effects of this stimulant are diminished after three hours and eventually excreted by the body leaving no accumulation. Caffeine has been researched as good, bad, and indifferent regarding its effects on the body. Recent research indicates that caffeine is beneficial in moderate doses. The Mayo Clinic indicates this to mean up to four cups of coffee a day or 300 milligrams.

Physical Health Benefits
Caffeine targets the central nervous system, stimulates the cardiovascular and digestive system and is known for alleviating mental fatigue. The result of caffeine on the central nervous system is mood elevation, alertness, increased focus and cognitive clarity. Caffeine is also credited for aiding with metabolic functioning and is one ingredient used in weight loss supplements. Caffeine is touted as an aid for increasing energy, which influences fat burning. Additionally, the diuretic effect of caffeine prompts frequent elimination of waste from the digestive system. Caffeine has also shown a protective effect against heart disease when used daily in moderation. However, the type of drink containing caffeine is a consideration as well as pre-existing medical conditions. It is recommended to speak to a physician before utilizing caffeine as a regular health supplement.

Mental Health Benefits
Caffeine increases the feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain, also known as dopamine. The pleasure center of the brain is impacted by the level of dopamine present. Caffeine stimulates the dopamine receptors allowing for improved emotions, bursts of energy and feelings of optimism. Many people who start their day with a cup of coffee tend to be more alert, willing to take on the challenges of the day and have a positive attitude. A study reported by the “American Physiological Society” regarding caffeine’s influence on mood concluded that students who used caffeine prior to attending university lectures reported enhanced mood, mental clarity and willingness to participate versus students who did not use caffeine prior to lectures.

Additional Benefits
Although caffeine has gotten a bad reputation over the years, current research is showing that there are several benefits of use when caffeine is ingested in moderation. The key to caffeine remaining beneficial is not creating a dependency on the stimulant and knowing how much is too much. Additional benefits of caffeine use include pain relief, increased acidity in the stomach that aids in medication absorption, headache relief and wakefulness.

[Stay tuned for our own series on "What is Caffeine?" written by guest blogger Joshua Wood of MMAValor.com. An avid user of caffeine and great friend of KingofCaffeine.com. STAY UP!]

~King

With consumption on the rise, how much is too much?

By Kristi Eaton

VIEW ON HEALTH

Caffeine has received a bad rap for years, with the media dwelling on the dangerous and harmful effects caffeine can have on the body. While too much can be detrimental, research shows that moderate amounts of the stimulant can actually be good for your health.

Caffeine, the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, can be found in everything from coffee and tea to chocolate and soft drinks like Coca Cola. In recent years, a litany of energy drinks, packed with large amounts of caffeine, have appeared on the market, and soap and shampoo companies are now putting the stimulant in some of their products, claiming it can improve the skin.

But as the number of products with caffeine increases, so too does the criticism about its use and consumption. Following are some of the positives and negatives of caffeine to help find the truth behind the stimulant that more than 80 percent of Americans consume on a daily basis.

CAFFEINE PROMOTES WAKEFULNESS

The No. 1 reason most people consume caffeine it to wake up in the morning or help stay awake during periods of drowsiness. But how much is the right amount? Research shows that a steady stream of low amounts of caffeine can promote wakefulness throughout the day. In 2004, scientists within the Division of Sleep Medicine of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Medicine showed that small doses of 0.3 mg (about 20 mg per hour) was effective in “countering the detrimental performance effects of extended wakefulness.” Another study from The Institute for Sleep and Fatigue Medicine at Israel’s Chaim Sheba Medical Center found 200 mg of caffeine is effective at combating the dip in cognitive performance often experienced at night.

However, like with most things, too much of a good thing is possible with caffeine. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say moderate doses of caffeine — about 200 to 300 mgs per day, or two to three cups of brewed coffee per day — are not harmful for the average person. But consuming large amounts — around 500 to 600 mgs, or four to seven cups of coffee — can start producing side effects like insomnia, nervousness, irritability, headaches and muscle tremors.

Scientists at John Hopkins University have called for warning labels on energy drinks, saying consumers need to be well aware of the amount of caffeine they are buying in the product.

“The caffeine content of energy drinks varies over a 10-fold range, with some containing the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, yet the caffeine amounts are often unlabeled and few include warnings about the potential health risks of caffeine intoxication,” said Roland Griffiths, one of the scientists who called for the change in an article published in a 2008 issues of Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Without prominent labels, Griffiths said, people have no idea how much they are consuming. “It’s like drinking a serving of an alcoholic beverage and not knowing if its beer or scotch,” he said in a statement.

REGULAR COFFEE DRINKERS MAY LIVE LONGER

In a 2008 Annals of Internal Medicine, scientists reported that women who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 25 percent less risk of dying from heart disease compared to non-coffee drinkers. They also had an 18 percent lower risk of death from a cause other than cancer or heart disease compared with non-coffee drinkers.In addition, several studies have shown regularly drinking coffee lowers the risk of strokes for women, and may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease for people with high cholesterol.

CAFFEINE CAN PROTECT AND IMPROVE YOUR SKIN

Several studies have shown that caffeine can decrease the chances of skin cancer. Scientists found that in cells damaged by UV rays, caffeine interrupted a protein called ATR-Chk1, causing the damaged cells to self-destruct. There is no effect on undamaged cells, according to the research team from the University of Washington in Seattle

The stimulant is also popular among dermatologists for facial flushing because caffeine constricts blood vessels.

“For that reason, caffeine can be a tremendous boon to those who suffer from rosacea, which is essentially caused by frequently dilated blood vessels that lose their ability to contract,” said Leslie Baumann, a former professor at the University of Miami’s Cosmetic Center and Cosmetic Medicine & Research Institute.

Caffeine’s ability to constrict blood vessels also makes it popular as an eye cream ingredient because it alleviates puffiness and redness, added Baumann, author of The Skin Type Solution

You can recover from workouts faster by consuming caffeine

A study from scientists at the University of Georgia published in The Journal of Pain said moderate amounts of caffeine — about two cups of coffee — post-workout helped ease muscle pain by up to 48 percent.

In explaining the findings, co-author UGA professor Patrick O’Connor said the caffeine likely blocks the body’s receptors for adenosine, a chemical released in response to inflammation. It’s unclear, however, if the findings are the same for people who regularly consume caffeine.

CAFFEINE CAN BE CONSUMED DURING PREGNANCY

Gone are the days where it’s believe that women should not have a single sip of coffee or soda while pregnant. However, during pregnancy it’s even more vital to consume in moderation. Caffeine crosses the placenta into the baby, so even though you may be able to handle the amount of caffeine consumed, the baby will not be able to properly metabolize it. This can affect the baby’s heart rate, according to the Mayo Clinic. Studies differ on the whether caffeine consumption has any impact on miscarriages or low-birth weight. But experts tend to agree that a moderate amount of caffeine is OK.

[Stay informed, stay caffeinated, and STAY UP!]

~King