Generally I am not a huge fan of overloaded energy drinks.  It’s not that I don’t believe that they work it’s just that I generally don’t find the need for that much caffeine, or 200% daily values of vitamins in one small shot.  However there are definitely times when these products can be of service.

Recently I have been using Eternal Energy premium energy shots, a small shot that contain 25 vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants.  The primary ingredients in the energy blend are Taurine, caffeine and L-Theanine.  Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many energy drinks and is believed to be potentially harmful in large doses far above that which is found in Eternal Energy products.  Caffeine needs no introduction, and L-Theanine is an amino acid found mostly in tea that studies have shown improves brain function.  The remainder of the list of ingredients includes several other amino acids including, riboflavin, tyrosine, beta alanine, and L tyrosine.

With the large amounts of taurine and caffeine I didn’t feel that this would be a product that I used on a daily basis (I’m not really a pre-workout guy) but in order to give it a fair trial I downed a shot before a few of my workouts, with mixed results.  The energy boost was undeniable and I definitely felt improved focus as well, which I felt was my main take away with this product.  My heart rate however was noticeable elevated, which actually raised my level of perceived exertion at low intensity efforts.  This went away however as the intensity got higher.

As advertised I felt no crash and was actually quite surprised with how even my energy held for workouts up to 2 hours.  Where I found more success was when I took half a shot, usually mixed in with my amino blend.  I found that I felt all the same benefits as before but without the noticeably raised heart rate.  For ultra-distance efforts this could also allow you to take the second half several hours into your effort making the benefits last twice as long, something that I will definitely experiment with at some point.

As a product for athletic improvement I liked the eternal energy shots but they are not something I would use on a daily basis.  It is however a tool that I find useful in certain situations.  It can definitely give you a boost in longer harder workouts, and has potential for use in ultra-endurance events, especially 24 + hour races or multi day adventure races where sleep is limited.  Eternal energy however is not necessarily designed to be used solely for athletic improvement and outside of the athletic realm is where I found the most success with this product.

As a corrections officer I work 12 hour shifts that rotate from days (0700-1900) to nights (1900-0700) every 4 weeks.  I have adjusted to this quite well and don’t generally need the help of an energy supplement to get through a 12 hour day or night of work.  However once a week while I am on night shift I arrive home at 0800 just as my wife heads off to work leaving me with my 4 year old and 18 month old boys just out of bed and ready to go.

In the past I have tried to stay active to stay awake because as soon as I sit down on the couch all I want to do is fall asleep.  I generally don’t want to go far though because driving has the same effect.  This usually means going for a run from home (stroller adventure) to a creek where the kids can play for a bit before we end up back home where I crash and drag until my wife gets home.  These days are where eternal energy has been a savior.  Half a shot in the morning mixed with my amino’s and we can hop in the car and go to a playground without me worrying about falling asleep at the wheel, or we can stay home and I can be involved with the kids play instead of just being there.  I take the second half of the shot after lunch and I am going strong until my wife gets home.  Generally on these days I can still get in a stroller adventure and a decent strength workout while having a good day with the kids, something I struggled to do without the use of essential amino’s.  With these results in mind it is definitely something I am going to bring anytime I am heading out into the wilderness, whether I end up needing it or not, and would also be something that could be useful in the field when you don’t know when your next few good hours of sleep might come.

Sample drink:

Eternal Energy premium energy shot is the best value on the market. Specially formulated to provide a smooth, focused energy experience without the jitters! For sharp focus, balanced energy and increased athletic endurance, Eternal Energy is the healthy choice for lasting energy!

  • More powerful and half the price of 5-hour ENERGY®**
  • 25 vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants
  • Increased performance with Quercetin
  • Complete B-Complex
  • Specially formulated to offset the jitters
  • Zero calories. Zero sugar crash

**5-hour ENERGY® is a registered trademark of Living Essentials, LLC and is not associated with the makers of Eternal Energy. Powerful refers to the feeling of alertness from caffeine intake. Does not provide energy from caloric intake. Half price refers to the manufacturers suggested price.

Material Disclosure

I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

By jordan mcdougal

Currently sponsored by the North Face as an ultramarathon runner. Jordan loves his family, running and makes time to stay fit. 2014 Bushido 2 Challenge, 1st place 2014 Spartan Super, Evergreen, 8th place Jordan has placed first in: North Face Endurance Challenge, New York 50 M Hells Hills 25 KM Rothrock Challenge 18 M North Face Endurance Challenge, Kansas City 50 KM North Face Endurance Challenge, Washington 50 M North Face Endurance Challenge, New York 50 M Nueces 50- 50 M Placed in top 3 in multiple endurance challenges. Attended Liberty University, majoring in Kinesiology and competed on the track and cross country teams. While at Liberty earned several conference titles and was part of the 2006 US Junior Cross Country team that competed at the World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. PR’s are 3:50 for the 1500m, 14:00.13 for the 5k and 29:34 for the 10k. Member of the North Face Team, McDougal rolled through the desert trails in 6:30 to earn the U.S. 50-Mile Trail Championships/Nueces 50 – Rocksprings, Texas. 2007 (R-Jr.):Five-time All-Big South performer (one cross country, two indoor track, two outdoor track) … finished as runner-up at the Big South Cross Country Championships … earned first all-region honor of his career at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships … finished 16th at the meet, in a personal-best 10K time of 30:27, narrowly missing a berth in the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships … became the first men’s runner to win three straight 5K titles at the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships, and also anchored the Flames’ distance medley relay squad to victory … garnered a pair of second-place finishes at the Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5K. 2006 (R-So.):Five-time All-Big South performer (one cross country, two indoor track, two outdoor track) … Big South third-place finisher in cross country … Liberty’s No. 2 runner (32nd overall) at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships … defended his Big South indoor 5K title and finished as 3K runner-up … 1,500-meter and 10K runner-up at outdoor conference meet. 2005 (R-Fr.):Five-time All-Big South performer (two indoor track, three outdoor track) … finished second behind his brother Josh at each of the first three cross country meets of the year … ran an 8K PR of 23:46 to finish as the Stanford Invitational runner-up … placed fifth at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Junior Cross Country Championships, earning a trip to Japan for the World Championships … 5K champion and 3K runner-up at the Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships … 5K and 10K champion and 1,500-meter runner-up at the Big South outdoor meet … finished second in the Penn Relays 5K. 2004 (Fr.): Redshirted the season … placed fourth at the USATF Junior National Championships in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:29. Prep: Home schooled … placed 23rd at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional Cross Country Championships as a senior. Cross Country Bests: 8K – 23:46, 10K – 30:27 Track Bests: Steeplechase – 8:58, 5K – 14:00 Jordan subscribes to the Spotter Up way of life. “I will either find a way or I will make one”.

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