Many beverages on the market advertise themselves as energy drinks. However, not all energy drinks deliver on their promise of boosting our energy and gearing us up for a long day.
Because of this, I have decided to do some research on the energy drink brand NOS to see if it really works. I’ve discovered favorable results and would like to share them with you.
A quick answer: NOS does a pretty good job of elevating your energy and sharpening your focus.
But if you want to know for how long and which flavors work best, then read along. I will also share with you some facts about how NOS affects your body!
Let’s get to it.
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How long does NOS Energy Drink keep you awake?
NOS keeps you awake for around 5 to 6 hours. After taking NOS for thirty minutes, you should begin to experience an increase in focus that lasts for several hours. NOS helps prevent you from falling asleep in the afternoon and keeps you alert when you do due to caffeine.
Caffeine, when consumed, inhibits adenosine, which in turn reduces feelings of tiredness and sleepiness. Caffeine is the reason you feel more alert after drinking it. Because caffeine stimulates your brain in this way, drinking beverages containing caffeine makes it easier for you to concentrate.
How long does the high from NOS last?
The high from NOS Energy drink last for around 2 to 3 hours. Experiences show a bottle of NOS Energy (GT Grape), gives a steady surge of energy that lasts for around 2-3 horus. Concentration will immediately improve 30 minutes after ingesting NOS, remaining elevated for a few hours.
Therefore, take things slowly and become familiar with the boundaries that your body can tolerate. You are not required to drink the entire can of NOS right away; rather, you have the option of beginning with half of the can.
How Long Does NOS Energy Drink Take to Work?
Surprisingly, NOS takes a fairly short amount of time to take effect. In my experience, I noticed my focus and alertness improved within 10 minutes.
Compared to other energy drinks, NOS delivers immediate results. When I tried NOS Original, I felt renewed and revitalized within minutes.
Based on experience, of all the six flavors of NOS, Original delivers the fastest results and also the safest flavor to try out. NOS Original has a good, neutral flavor without a strong aftertaste, guaranteed to suit the palate of even the pickiest of drinkers.
I believe the immediate effect can be traced back to the high sugar content of NOS. The high sugar level speeds up the body’s reaction time to the energy drink, making you feel alert and energized within a matter of minutes.
As I have shared with you before, NOS contains a significant amount of sugar at 53 grams per can.
This exceeds the maximum daily sugar intake recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA), which is 25 g for women and 36 g for men.
As for the other flavors, I thought the GT Grape flavor was really interesting. It gave me a good balance of energy boost and focus.
After finishing a can of GT Grape, I didn’t just feel energized, but I also found it easy to concentrate and be productive.
If you have adventurous taste buds, I suggest you try NOS Loaded Cherry, which has a distinct taste and savory flavor.
The reaction time is not as fast as NOS Original, but it has a different kick you’ll still love. I noticed this when I was playing video games and felt a bit more aware and focused. I also observed that my reaction time improved much better after consuming NOS.
Now let’s discuss the overall advantage and disadvantages of drinking NOS.
NOS Energy Drinks Pros and Cons
Like most food and beverages, energy drinks come with benefits as well as risks. Let’s take a deeper look at each one, starting with the advantages of drinking NOS energy drink.
Advantages
NOS contains a high level of taurine which improves brain concentration. NOS is also enriched with different kinds of B-Vitamins.
Taurine is one of the featured ingredients in NOS. It is also an essential amino acid needed by the body, responsible for various important functions.
According to experts, taurine helps:
- support metabolism
- boost physical performance
- protect musculoskeletal system
- improve eye and ear health
- protect the heart
- fight brain aging
The body of a healthy person produces taurine to help digest food. However, for people with diabetes or other heart conditions, they may stand to benefit more by consuming foods or drinks rich in taurine.
Aside from taurine, NOS is also packed with B-Vitamins.
B-Vitamins, also known as “B complex,” is a type of water-soluble vitamin. It has different kinds and performs various functions in the body, such as helping in the synthesis of red blood cells.
The NOS Original and GT Grape contain similar nutrients with a supplement of vitamin B1 and B12.
On the other hand, the rest of the NOS energy drink flavors like Nitro Mango, Sonic Sour, Power Punch, and Turbo contain additional supplements of Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B5.
To help you learn more about B Vitamins, here’s a list of its different types and corresponding benefits.
| Types of B Vitamin | Name | Function |
| B1 | Thiamine | Metabolism of fats |
| B2 | Riboflavin | Antioxidant, fights free radicals |
| B3 | Niacin | Skin health |
| B5 | Pantothenic Acid | Improves energy and immune system |
| B6 | Pyridoxine | Helps protect cells |
| B7 | Biotin | Good for metabolism, healthy skin, hair, nails |
| B9 | Folate | Good for nervous system |
| B12 | Cobalamin | Beneficial for production of red blood cells and nerve cells |
Now, let’s talk about the disadvantages of drinking NOS.
Disadvantages
The primary concern in consuming NOS energy drinks is their high level of sugar content. In some instances, drinking this much sugar might lead one to suffer from sugar crashes.
NOS contains twice the amount of the recommended daily sugar consumption. This is why drinking NOS carries some risks especially for people with existing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
For instance, sugar crashes are the countereffect of consuming too much sugar which leads to a sudden drop in energy level.
Instead of feeling focused and energized, you will feel jittery, distracted, and unable to complete the most basic of tasks.
To help you recognize a sugar crash, we’ve compiled a list of its most common symptoms below:
- lightheadedness
- dizziness
- shaking
- anxiety
- confusion
- irritability
- sweating
- weakness
- sleepiness
- hunger
- fainting
I have a high sugar tolerance and a reasonably active lifestyle, so I didn’t notice any type of sugar crash whenever I was drinking NOS. All of its variants contain sugar content greater than 50 grams, so there may be a high chance of other NOS drinkers experiencing sugar crashes.
If you’re wary about the high sugar content, you can opt to drink NOS’ Sugar-Free variant instead. The downside, though, is that it takes longer for the energy drink to kick in.
NOS Sugar-Free energy drink is hard to find in physical stores, so you’re more likely to find it online.
Is NOS Energy Drink worth it?
NOS Energy drink is worth it. However, this still depends on an individual’s personal preferences, needs, and tolerance to caffeine. If someone is seeking a quick energy boost, increased alertness, or enhanced focus, NOS may provide the needed temporary benefits.
However, it’s important to consider potential downsides as well. NOS contains added sugars and artificial sweeteners, which can contribute to excess calorie intake and potentially impact dental health. Excessive consumption or dependency on energy drinks can also lead to adverse effects like increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and potential dehydration.
How does NOS Energy Drink affect the body?
NOS Energy Drink affects the body primarily through its high caffeine content. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can stimulate the release of adrenaline, increase heart rate, and temporarily elevate blood pressure. These effects can lead to increased wakefulness, improved focus, and a perceived energy boost.
However, it’s important to note that excessive consumption of NOS or energy drinks, in general, can have negative effects on the body. These may include increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, restlessness, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and potential gastrointestinal discomfort on your body.
Does NOS Energy Drink Work?
NOS Energy Drink works well in giving you the energy boost you need. How soon the effects kick in depend on the flavor, but it is nonetheless guaranteed to be effective.
This high-performance energy drink works well because of its rich formulation. NOS is manufactured by the Monster Beverage Company and it’s marketed to contain “CMPLX 6” ingredients.
The “CMPLX 6” formulations are caffeine, taurine, guarana, B6, B12, and L-Theanine.
Earlier, we have discussed the benefits of taurine and B vitamins so let’s now move on to the rest of the “CMPLX 6” formulation.
Caffeine
NOS energy drink contains 160 mg of caffeine per regular serving of 16 fl. oz. This is a fairly average amount of caffeine relative to other energy drinks.
The caffeine content in the energy drink gives you an idea of how effective it is in boosting your energy. This is because caffeine has natural properties that increase the body’s temporary sense of wakefulness.
Too much caffeine, however, may cause you to feel anxious and panicky; while too little of it may not improve your energy at all.
The caffeine content in NOS is acceptable for me. It leaves me energized without the bad side effects associated with caffeine overdose.
Experts suggest limiting the daily caffeine intake to up to 400 mg per day. This is equivalent to about four cups of coffee and 10 cans of soft drinks.
Guarana
Guarana is another stimulant found in NOS energy drinks. It is reported to improve athletic and mental performance.
Another featured ingredient in NOS is Guarana. It’s actually a plant that contains caffeine. According to related studies, Guarana is also used for weight loss and to reduce mental and physical fatigue.
Together with caffeine, Guarana contributed to the overall effectiveness of NOS as a high-performance energy drink.
L-Theanine
Another power ingredient that is found in NOS is L-Theanine. This is an amino acid found in tea that is known to enhance mental function.
Specifically, L-Theanine improves attention, focus, memory, and learning.
Aside from cognitive benefits, L-Theanine also carries positive effects on the body’s physical wellness, such as lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
I actually find this information comforting because if you think about it, the properties of L-Theanine helps negate the effects of high sugar level on your body.
See this study to learn more about the benefits of L-Theanine especially when combined with caffeine.
To check out the effectiveness of other energy drinks, watch this video.
A Final Word
In judging whether an energy drink is really effective, I think it’s important to combine scientific evidence and personal experience.
As we found out, the ingredients found in NOS really support its function as an energy drink. Taurine, Guarana, and L-Theanine all have properties that enhance mental performance and alertness.
This tells us that the tagline advertisers use actually has a basis. It’s not just empty words because formulation and research actually back the advertiser’s claim.
Also, it’s essential that we take into account personal experience. I included this because each of us has a different tolerance level when it comes to caffeine or sugar.
Following the recommended limit by experts is a good guideline, however, at the end of the day, our bodies react differently. What works for one person might not have any effect on another.
We can do all the research and preventive measures to stay on the safe side, but our body’s reaction sometimes differs from what is expected. This is normal because we all have different lifestyles and metabolic rates that could affect how our body reacts to energy drinks.
Because of this, it is important to take into consideration personal experience when doing your research on energy drinks. As the old saying goes, you have to dip one foot in the water to actually find if it’s cold.
That’s it for me. I hope you picked up something valuable. Drink NOS moderately!
On a side note:
If you want to know how many cans of NOS Energy Drink should you have to stay energized without feeling jittery, I recommended checking out this article that I have written.