How do I play this?

I like energy drinks. I started to get a SoBe Citrus Energy every so often back in college. On a whim I then tried a SoBe No Fear. Hey, I liked it! So then I bought more of them. At the time, I did not drink coffee, and I tried to stay away from soft drinks while I had classes during the day. From there I branched out, trying to discover myself broaden my horizons to see what other energy drinks I may enjoy.

I found out that Red Bull was "okay" but a bit too overpriced. Monster tasted like liquid chalk and, surprisingly, I quickly find out I don't much care for the taste of chalk. It didn't help that Monster left a nasty aftertaste in my mouth for far too long. Five Hour Energy also left a weird aftertaste in my mouth and I actually found it difficult to drink even the small bottle of the largely vile liquid. A variety of Amp flavors have passed through my lips and I have largely enjoyed most of what I had there. I could go on about the various energy drinks I've had over the years. The point I'm trying to make is, I like them. If I don't like a particular kind, I'm going to say so.

With that said, when I was offered up a chance to get some samples of BetaNOX Ultimate Energy from New Whey, I jumped at it. I mean, I like energy drinks, especially trying out new ones, and I like free. Plus, it gives me a chance to provide some additional content for the site. It was really a win-win for me and the BetaNOX people get some word of mouth and probably some SEO out of the deal. Of course, it could always turn out that I hate the provided samples and reviewed the product poorly.

Fortunately for them and for my taste buds, the samples were actually pretty good! They provided me with two "vials" (3.8 fluid ounces in a tube like container) of BetaNOX Ultimate Energy in their Berry Lemon Blast flavor and two in their Citrus Blast flavor. Though they both had a pretty decent taste, I will say that I much preferred the Citrus Blast. This may only be due to the fact that I'm not a huge fan of berry flavors in general, so that really shouldn't be considered a knock against the product itself.

But what is BetaNOX Ultimate Energy? What does it promise to deliver you? I mean, what does it promise to deliver to you besides energy? Well, it promises to deliver B vitamins, caffeine, arginine, citrulline, and beta alanine. If you don't know what half of that stuff is, you aren't alone. According to this handy little promotional paper I was sent, this is what all of these things do to you and for you.

They claim that BetaNOX is "scientifically engineered for sustained endurance, improved performance, and mental focus." Though it's probably important to note that "these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA." Now, I'm not about to break down the science of any of these ingredients mainly because I work for a gaming site and I haven't seen a science lab since college. All I know is that these drinks contain no sugars, which is great. Each of them also contains 1000% of your daily value of vitamin B6 and 16,667% of your daily value of B12. Yes, those numbers are correct. No, I did not mistype. Please note that an excess of B6 or B12 can cause some side-effects (gastrointestinal, abnormal heart rhythms, acne, etc.) and may not jive well with those with certain pre-existing conditions.

The company also issues a warning for these drinks, stating that those under the age of 18 probably shouldn't consume them. It should also not be consumed by those who are "sensitive to caffeine." Oh, and they also warn that Arginine may induce what is called an "Arginine flush," which is a hot feeling and your skin may get a bit red. But don't worry, this only lasts a few minutes and it is "caused by increased blood flow near the skin."

That sounds a bit scary, doesn't it? I don't know for sure but I'm going to assume though that most of the energy drinks that I typically consume also have similar concerns and warnings. Just be sure to know your limits and know if you have any reason to avoid consuming certain things. Those with existing conditions are probably already fully aware of what should and should not consume.

To make what is already a lengthy review just a bit longer, I will just say this: I enjoyed the drinks. The initial sip gives an immediate hit of tartness regardless of flavor. It's not something I was able to consume all in one go but over a few minutes the bottle was consumed. I would also say that this initial hit of the sharp, tartness gave me an immediate "jolt" long before any of the ingredients had time to work their energizing magic. Over a period of a couple of hours, I felt no side-effects aside from feeling maybe a slight bit warmer for a few brief moments. I assume this is the "tingle" that the sticker on the top of the bottle urged me to experience. I would say that I experienced roughly the same amount of an energy boost as I do after consuming my current favorite energy beverage, a 23 fl. Oz. can of Arizona Rx Energy Herbal Tea, a drink which actually contains no caffeine. I don't know the exact amount of time before the energy boost "wore off," but I'd say my energy remained sufficiently increased for at least a few hours after fully consuming the drink.

With a tagline of "Get Your NOX off," BetaNOX Ultimate Energy may not appeal to everyone. It goes for the whole "extreme" vibe with that line and splashes of bright color on its packaging. For a large subset of video game players, this style of marketing is a perfect fit. I'm personally at the point where I'm not so swayed by fancy packaging or in your face taglines, but that is just because I'm old and disgruntled. What appeals to me, however, is that something tastes good and that it's a reasonable price. BetaNOX Ultimate Energy tastes "pretty good" with a personal bias in favor of the Citrus Blast flavor. As for the price? Well, it seems as though if you order online you have to at least buy 12 of the vials. Ultimate Energy comes in a pack of 12 3.8 ounce vials and will run you roughly $28.89 (USD), at least through Amazon. I can only assume that you can purchase individual bottles at places like your local gas station, 7-Eleven, or other convenience store type place.

Let's face facts here: At the end of the day, it's an energy drink. It does what it advertises and doesn't taste terrible. I probably could have just had my entire review be those two sentences, but where's the fun in that?


Score
[ATTACH=CONFIG]18806[/ATTACH]


Additional Information
BetaNOX Ultimate Energy
Starting at around $28.89 (USD) for a 12-pack
Rated AO for Adults Only (Not officially rated by anybody but myself. Parents should make sound decisions on if they want their children to consume this or any energy drink.)
BetaNOX Ultimate Energy was provided to Total Gaming Network for review purposes.

Additional Images (From Amazon because I forgot to take pictures of the bottles before I drank them. I'M NEW AT REVIEWING FOOD AND DRINK, OKAY?!)