by Matt Weik
I’m a sucker for energy drinks. However, I love nootropics as well. I work long hours (16+ hour days) and need to stay focused and energized throughout the day and night. My day demands constant production of content and copy for my clients and even the slightest lapse in energy or mental performance can mean the difference between completing several projects and only a couple. That’s where C4 Smart Energy comes into play.
I was walking around my local supplement store (Trinity Nutrition in Wyomissing, PA – formerly called Fitness Mania for you locals reading this) and noticed they brought in a bunch of new RTD (ready-to-drink) beverages. I saw the C4 Smart Energy and wanted to definitely give them a try as I frequently use nootropics (pills or powders) on a daily basis. Being that it’s in an RTD version I figured it would be a nice change of pace from just slamming a couple of pills or having to mix the powder in a shaker to get the benefits. Many times I end up taking my nootropics in the morning while also drinking something like a Monster Ultra (white can) or Reign energy drink.
Trinity Nutrition was pretty limited on their flavor selection, so I chose the C4 Smart Energy Peach Mango Nectar. While I wasn’t all that surprised based on my previous experience with different C4 and Cellucor products, the flavor was absolutely delicious. If you’re a fan of peach and mango, I think you’re really going to enjoy this RTD. That being said, I want to get my hands on the Cotton Candy flavor (I’m a sucker for the Bang and Reign Cotton Candy beverages).
C4 Smart Energy Performance
If I said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – I believe the future of the industry is in nootropics, not energy. However, the combination of both in one RTD like the C4 Smart Energy beverage is a good play. As people start losing the effects of caffeine due to adrenal fatigue, they’re going to look for the next best thing, and in my opinion, that would be nootropics. But for the time being, I think the guys over at Cellucor/Nutrabolt nailed it with the C4 Smart Energy RTD.
The callouts on the can are the 200mg of InnovaTea (providing natural caffeine for an increase in energy), 250mg of patented Cognizin Citicoline (helps support mental focus and attention), and 50mg of N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (aids in cognition and can enhance mood).
When it comes to energy drinks, I’m pretty immune to the effects of years of use and testing during my time at MET-Rx (I would always raise my hand to be the guinea pig when testing new products and formulas). If you’re like me, it probably takes a fair amount of caffeine for you to feel anything. That being said, I did get a slight increase in energy, but it wasn’t the energy that got me excited about the C4 Smart Energy RTD.
As I sit here writing this article (or I guess you could say “review”), the product has fully kicked in and to my surprise, it has me dialed in. My focus is laser-sharp and while I don’t feel any smarter (that’s a joke not only due to the name of the product, but I’m not that bright, to begin with), I’m getting the mental performance benefits from the product, which if you’ve never experienced anything like a nootropic, I highly suggest you give it a try.
Who Is This Product For?
The nice thing about the C4 Smart Energy RTD is that anyone can use it (assuming you’re over the age of 18 and do not have any medical conditions that could be exacerbated by the use of an energy drink). If you’re at work in an office setting it’s perfect, if you’re a gamer you’ll enjoy the benefits, if you’re using it as a pre-workout you’re good to go. Regardless of what you’re doing, drinking a C4 Smart Energy RTD can support your overall performance.
What pulls me in with nootropic products is the ability to benefit from the ingredients no matter what you’re doing. And surprisingly, I actually prefer having nootropics in my pre-workout products. There’s something about getting completely dialed in and really feeling the mind-muscle connection that helps me get skin-tearing pumps every time I pick up a weight.
But the real benefit (in my opinion) is the cognition and focus benefits that you can leverage throughout the day. For me, I have no problem getting up in the morning and getting after the day in terms of work and running my businesses. However, I need a little somethin-somethin to kick my butt in gear (like coffee or a caffeine product). Taking the energy aspect and combining it into an RTD that also includes nootropic properties (for me at least) is a home run. I’m talking, knocked it out of the ballpark with the idea and execution of the C4 Smart Energy RTD.
The Profile
Overall, there’s nothing to complain about with the profile. On top of the key ingredients already mentioned above, you’re looking at 0 calories, 0g of sugar, 0g of carbohydrates, no artificial colors, and they’re naturally flavored. It’s hard to be critical of their profile. And for those who are looking for the caffeine content, each can (I’m happy to see they made the serving a full can – brands who make each can two servings should be smacked in the face with a wet noodle) contains 200mg of caffeine.
If you’re looking to purchase these online, the C4 Energy website is selling a case of them for $24.99 as a one-time purchase or you can opt into their subscription program which takes the price down to $19.99 with free shipping (not a bad deal). At my local supplement shop, I paid $2 per can.
Have you tried these in the past? What were your thoughts? If you haven’t, are you interested and what flavor sounds appealing? Let us know down in the comments. For me, I need to get my hands on the cotton candy flavor.
