C4 is known for having zero sugar and zero calories in its energy drinks. Putting the drink more on the healthy side.
But is the drink gluten-free? The answer is… The drink is gluten-free.
We take a deep dive on this topic, including what exact nutrients and ingredients are used in one C4 can. Along with its caffeine amount and more. Stick around to know more.
Let’s get started…
Page Contents
C4 Energy Drink Ingredients
Let’s start with what ingredients that goes into one C4 energy drink can.
- Carbonated Water
- Citric Acid
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame Potassium
These are the basic ingredients that are used in energy drinks.
| Ingredients | Source | Gluten-free? |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonated Water | Synthetic | Yes |
| Caffeine | Naturally obtained from guarana or synthetic | Yes |
| Natural and Artificial Colors | Synthetic | Yes |
| Sodium Gluconate | Synthetic | Yes |
| Malic and Citric Acid | Naturally extracted from fruits or synthetic | Yes |
| Potassium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate | Synthetic | Yes |
| Vitamin B3, Vitamin B12 | Natural or synthetic | Yes |
| Maltodextrin | Processed from wheat | Yes |
| Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium | Processed from natural sources or synthetic | Most probably |
| L-Tyrosine | Synthetic | Yes |
| Potassium Citrate | Synthetic | Yes |
| Antioxidant Blend | Natural sources- fruits and vegetables | Yes |
| L-Theanine | Natural or Synthetic | Yes |
| Steviol Glycosides | Plant-based | Yes |
Explosive Performance Energy Blend
The ingredients used in this blend is listed and described low.
- Citrulline Malate
- CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine
- BetaPower Betaine Anhydrous
- N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
- Caffeine Anhydrous (200mg)
Citrulline Malate
Citrulline is an amino acid, naturally found in Citrullus or watermelon.
This supplement can help in healthier blood vessels, and if taken more than a week, can even decrease high blood pressure.
Citrulline Malate can improve performance while working if it’s taken in the right amount. The supplement is in the energy blend of C4, so the energy drink can assist with this.
CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine
CarnoSyn® is the only Beta-Alanine that has been proved scientifically for giving a boost of performance while working out or in physical activities.
Beta-Alanine burns fat boosts your muscle gain, so if you take this supplement, the results will be muscle gain and fat loss.
That’s why Beta-Alanine is commonly used as a pre-workout supplement. But again, due to the caffeine amount in C4, you may not see major results from the start.
BetaPower ®Betaine Anhydrous
Betaine Anhydrous is an element the body uses to break down harmful substances. It’s used to promote your liver’s health as well as improve your athletic performance.
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
Tyrosine is commonly used as a dietary supplement that mostly helps in improving focus, alertness and attention. It can even increase your reaction time. Tyrosine too, is an amino acid.
Even with all the benefits, Tyrosine’s cons are causing insomnia, headache, upset stomach. restlessness and even heartburns.
Even with all the benefits, Tyrosine’s cons are causing insomnia, headache, upset stomach. restlessness and even heartburn. Tyrosine helps your body in conserving energy as well as monitoring your body’s use of adrenaline.
The normal dosage for L-Tyrosine is 150 mg daily. You can take this supplement before your meals. If you are taking it after your meals, make sure you take it within one hour after your meal.
Caffeine Anhydrous
“Anhydrous” means without water, caffeine is dehydrated after extracting it from the plant. This causes the production of a highly concentrated caffeine powder, which is more potent and stronger than regular coffee.
Up to 400 mg of caffeine anhydrous is safe if taken daily. Fortunately, the caffeine anhydrous content in C4 is 200mg.
Caffeine anhydrous promotes weight loss and helps in a solid athletic performance boost. It also comes in pill or powdered form. It is made through the seeds of coffee plants.
Nutrition Label of C4 Energy Drink
C4 has used regular nutrients along with some vitamins. Here’s a table to help you understand better.
| Nutrients used | Amount Per Serving (1 can) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 0 |
| Sugars | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0g |
| Niacin (Vitamin B3) | 30mg or 150% |
| Vitamin B12 as Methylcobalamin | 6mcg or 100% |
| Potassium | 85mg or 2% |
C4 just used 2 vitamins in their energy drinks. That being Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B12.
Niacin or Vitamin B3
Niacin helps in having a healthy lipid profile in your body and also delaying atherosclerosis. Not only that, but Niacin also helps in preventing heart diseases, and mostly it boosts your brain function. Giving you a smooth mental energy boost.
Keep in mind that a high level of Niacin can be bad for your health as the vitamin if taken too much can cause fatal liver damage.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 can improve your memory, help you into learning things better. It also gives you more energy.
As for Vitamin B12 itself, it’s used for your body’s metabolism of fats and carbohydrates in energy drinks. They also give you an energy boost. They’re also used for DNA and RNA production. The loss of neurons can be prevented by Vitamin B12.
Caffeine Content in C4 Energy Drink
One 16 fl.oz C4 has 200mg caffeine.
For the caffeine content, C4 does have more caffeine than an average energy drink. For example, a regular Red Bull can have 150mg of caffeine, Raze energy drink has 80mg of caffeine.
Try to follow the recommended by FDA which is 400mg per day for adults. Intaking too much caffeine causes health problems like sleep problems (insomnia), anxiety, restlessness, etc.
Sugar Content in a C4 Energy Drink
C4 doesn’t have any sugar.
Instead of using actual sugar, C4 uses an artificial sweetener named Sucralose. Sucralose is used by many energy drink companies as an alternative to sugar.
That being said, you should also keep the daily sugar intake in mind. The American Heart Association (AHA) has recommended a daily intake of 25g of sugar for women and 36g of sugar for men.
Due to no sugar content in the energy drink, you may want to drink multiple C4 cans every day, which you absolutely shouldn’t as that will be consuming too much caffeine. Might lead even to causing a caffeine overdose.
Artificial Sweeteners used in C4 Energy Drink
As I mentioned earlier, C4 uses artificial sweeteners. But Sucralose isn’t the only sweetener used in C4, the company uses Acesulfame Potassium too.
Sucralose
Sucralose is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener used instead of sugar most of the time. Splenda is the most common sucralose product.
However, sucralose can upset your microbiome balance. FDA says sucralose is safe and limiting the sweetener intake at 23 packets a day, which is 5.5 teaspoons.
Acesulfame Potassium
Acesulfame Potassium is a zero-calorie sweetener too. It is also known as Sunett. Acesulfame Potassium is one of the safest artificial sweeteners out there.
Is C4 Energy Drink Gluten-Free?
If you’re following a gluten-free diet, I have good news for you. C4 is gluten-free!
However, it’s always better to double-check the ingredients list to know if there are any wheat or barley materials in them.
Not just the energy drink cans, C4 powders are gluten-free too. But, there’s a catch, the company mentioned that although C4 is gluten-free, the drinks have been made with types of equipment that made products that are not gluten-free.
So, keep that in mind while picking a C4.
This video shows everything you need to know about gluten-free foods.
Is C4 Energy Drink Vegan-friendly?
Yes, C4 energy drinks are vegan-friendly.
As most of the ingredients used in the energy drink are made synthetically, making the drink vegan. However, C4 pre-workout is not vegan as it has creatinine in them. Which does not technically make the pre-workout cruelty-free.
If you are an ethical vegan, C4 energy drinks will work for you, but if not, there are always alternatives.
Can You Drink C4 Energy Drink Everyday?
If you’re a person who drinks energy drinks daily, then yes, you can drink C4 every day but within a limit, of course.
But I strongly urge you to drink not more than one can of C4 or any energy drink per day. Intaking too much caffeine or energy drinks has its bad sides too.
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Hands being shaky
- High Blood Pressure
- Anxiety
C4 energy is not bad for you neither can you not drink it every day as long as you consume it in a moderate amount. As C4 energy drink has 200 mg caffeine per can, you can consume up to two cans per day as the daily caffeine intake is 400mg if you’re an adult.
What are side effects of C4 energy drink?
Too much of C4 energy drink can lead to jitters, headaches, increased heart rate, and trouble sleeping. It can also dehydrate you, so make sure to drink plenty of water. If you’re feeling weird or experiencing negative side effects, take a break or chat with a doctor.
Additionally, energy drinks often contain large amounts of sugar, which can lead to weight gain and other health problems. C4 Energy Drink also contains artificial ingredients and chemicals, which can have negative health effects for some people. It’s important to consume energy drinks in moderation and to always be mindful.
How long does C4 stay in body?
How long C4 Energy drink stays in your body will typically last for 4-5 hours. However, the length of time C4 energy drink stays in your body depends on various factors such as the amount consumed, your metabolism, and other individual factors.
On average, caffeine, which is the main active ingredient in C4 energy drinks, has a half-life of about 4-6 hours, meaning it takes about 4-6 hours for the body to reduce the amount of caffeine in your system by half.
Flavors of C4 Energy Drink
C4 Energy Drink has 10 flavors. Below are some of my personal picks.
- Midnight Cherry
- Cotton Candy
- Purple Frost
- Orange Slice
- Strawberry Watermelon Ice
- Frozen Bomsicle
How Much Does A C4 Energy Drink Cost?
One can of C4 costs around 2.50$ to 3$, the price depends on the can size or which version you are getting.
You can also get your hands on a C4 buy ordering through the company’s official website or Amazon. I do prefer buying it online, but if you want to buy in person, that is your personal preference.
Gluten-Free Energy Drinks Alternatives
In Conclusion
People who don’t have celiac disease or other gluten allergies can drink the drink with confidence. C4 Energy Drink is a highly effective drink that can assist you in remaining alert and focused on your sport or work.
Those with gluten allergies shouldn’t take the risk just because it claims to be gluten-free. Minute amounts of gluten may still be present, or it may have been unintentionally contaminated with gluten. To be certain that you are safe, you should contact the manufacturers.