The trouble is, of all the performance enhancement drugs out there, it’s also one of the most addictive, costly and destructive to a person’s health — both physical and mental.

So I prefer methyltheobromine… it’s cheaper, less taxing on the body and mind, and is a much easier habit to kick.

Counter-point: For some performers, especially ones with short-lived careers, anger (plus whatever caffeine they can get) is probably an effective short-term strategy given all the juice their competition is on in their profession. Examples include: gladiators, boxers, television pundits and Dark Lords of the Sith.

Does the nature of your career (or industry, or employer) require you to be angry, in order to succeed?

 As Terrence Bollea once said, “From the can, to the Man.” 

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In other energy drink news, the good people at Glaceau have finally stepped up to the plate on this phenomenon with VitaminEnergy.  Nice brand extension, and as usual, consistent messaging and market differentiation.  The folks in Whitestone know what they’re doing.   As a  casual fan of their product, I already know what it’s going to taste like… it will be mild and fruity, with a crisp watery finish, i.e., nothing like Full Throttle or any of the other mainstream energy drinks.   I’ll try it, despite the fact that they’re telling me for $0.14 an ounce I may not be getting as much caffeine as I’d like to get.  More than an attempt to nudge out Steven Segal from store shelves (as if), I think this product offering is an internal sell to their most loyal SmartWater/VitaminWater drinkers, i.e. Glaceau will increase their “footprint” (or “share of beverage-related wallet”) within their existing customer base.

Cheers.

Energy Drinks. The last frontier of high-margin product in the beverage industry.  Red Bull blazed the trail in the U.S. with its harsh tasting (but well-mixing) formula and many others followed. AMP, ROCKSTAR, MONSTER, the list goes on. Even HOOTERS recently got on the band wagon.  My personal favorite is brewed by none other than Coca-Cola, although I think I’ve had a few too many in the past year and am now immune to its, er, productivity effects.  

But for those of us who actually drink this s–tuff, the latest and greatest, biggest and badest, most hardcoredest new drink is SPIKE.  

Just how crazy is SPIKE? 

I’ll tell you how crazy.  MAD CRAZY.  It’s got enough caffeine to kill a pregnant rhino…. though apparently it’s got no sugar or carbs (????).  I’m suspicious… and yet, feel strangely compelled to try it. The drink is currently available only in Colorado for high-altitude consumption. Apparently, some kids out there drank too much of it and now the Seven-Eleven chain of convenience stores won’t carry the stuff. You can order it off strange websites like this one.