Caffeinated Gum? Too good to be true?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
B

blondemed

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
I recently came across the "Blitz" brand of gum in my medical bookstore that claims its caffeine formula is absorbed by the oral mucosa and works faster than consuming caffeinated beverages. A package of 8 pieces is supposedly equivalent to drinking "6 energy drinks". Is this too good to be true? It would certainly cut down on my intake of diet coke and coffee every day! Any thoughts, experiences?
Members don't see this ad.
 
What's wrong with coffee and energy drinks? The gum and/or pills might just make you jittery, give you a serious case of ADD and then leave you tired. I don't get the impression that's much of a benefit.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
theres a lot of these brands out there...jolt (like the cola) also makes a gum which is sold in a lot of convenient stores around me. It does the job but really leaves the option of taking too much since its easy to just chew and chew piece after piece (or 4 pieces at a time!). They also make mints which are caffeinated the same way. I prefer the gum and mints over caffeine pills since the majority of the caffeine is absorbed quickly in your mouth instead of having to run it through your stomach which can probably irritate some people.
On the downside I've found that taking too much caffeine tends to make it difficult to recall things quickly and gives me the tip of the tongue phenomenon. Oh..and you'll develop a nice addiction pretty quickly!...but it gets you through
 
Green Chimneys said:
How about YOU buy a pack and tell US how it goes...since you have easy access?

Or you could just do it the ol' fashioned way a la Jessie Spano.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c:laugh:
Click to expand...

also well done with finding this old scene!...I actually remember watching it back in the day...at that point in time I thought she was taking speed or something....the fact that its just caffeine pills makes it absolutely hilarious. Leave it to saved by the bell to tackle the serious problems our society is facing!
 
I tried one these gums--the Jolt one I think--purely for the novelty (LOVED jolt and jolt2 back in the day).

But it was pretty nasty. And that's coming from a guy who really enjoys energy drinks. In fact, I'm downing a sugar-free RockStar right now.
 
I'm a fan of the spearmint Mad-Croc. I chew it because I think it tastes good; I didn't realize it was caffinated until I purchased my second pack; I thought "energy gum" meant it had your vitamin B12 and some sort of ginsing-type all-natural additive.
 
Uhh...I would stay far away from products promising to deliver a punch "equivalent to 6 energy drinks." ;)

A cup of joe is no big deal, but these crazy energy products are not doing you service. For sustained energy I eat/drink a fast acting high quality protein source such as Whey as well as a slow metabolizing protein such as Casein (keeps me going for 7 hours). Roughly 40% is protein blend, and other 40% is unrefined carbohydrates derived from low glycemic index sources such as oats, wheat, and barley. Low GI carbs keep my energy level sustained all day long and don't allow me to crash - most younger people are probably hypoglycemic like me so this also helps stabalize my blood sugar level. I also eat 20% fats for sustainable energy - composed of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT oil), monoglycerides, and diglycerides, flax seed oil. Adequate amounts of B6 and B12 will keep energy going, and aid in metabolizing amino acids from protein. How do I do all this you ask????? Look into a carefully engineered meal replacement product :D
No caffeine, no crazy energy suppliments, just efficient use of dietary energy!
 
OncoCaP said:
What's wrong with coffee and energy drinks? The gum and/or pills might just make you jittery, give you a serious case of ADD and then leave you tired. I don't get the impression that's much of a benefit.
Click to expand...

At my school, we aren't allowed to have anything but water during the lecture. It makes staying awake for some of the lectures excruciatingly painful. I still haven't found a source of H2joe around my town.
 
DSpagnoli said:
Uhh...I would stay far away from products promising to deliver a punch "equivalent to 6 energy drinks." ;)

A cup of joe is no big deal, but these crazy energy products are not doing you service. For sustained energy I eat/drink a fast acting high quality protein source such as Whey as well as a slow metabolizing protein such as Casein (keeps me going for 7 hours). Roughly 40% is protein blend, and other 40% is unrefined carbohydrates derived from low glycemic index sources such as oats, wheat, and barley. Low GI carbs keep my energy level sustained all day long and don't allow me to crash - most younger people are probably hypoglycemic like me so this also helps stabalize my blood sugar level. I also eat 20% fats for sustainable energy - composed of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT oil), monoglycerides, and diglycerides, flax seed oil. Adequate amounts of B6 and B12 will keep energy going, and aid in metabolizing amino acids from protein. How do I do all this you ask????? Look into a carefully engineered meal replacement product :D
No caffeine, no crazy energy suppliments, just efficient use of dietary energy!
Click to expand...


Kinda like slim-fast: "A shake in the morning, another for lunch, and headaches and the $hits the rest of the day!" :thumbup:
 
blondemed said:
I recently came across the "Blitz" brand of gum in my medical bookstore that claims its caffeine formula is absorbed by the oral mucosa and works faster than consuming caffeinated beverages. A package of 8 pieces is supposedly equivalent to drinking "6 energy drinks". Is this too good to be true? It would certainly cut down on my intake of diet coke and coffee every day! Any thoughts, experiences?
Click to expand...
I've never heard of caffeinated gum before, but I'm definitely going to get some and try it the next time I get a migraine. It would be way faster than trying to drink a whole can of extra-caffeinated "energy drink" whenever I get an aura, and much easier to have on hand, too!
 
racerx said:
At my school, we aren't allowed to have anything but water during the lecture. It makes staying awake for some of the lectures excruciatingly painful. I still haven't found a source of H2joe around my town.
Click to expand...

They don't let you have anything but water? Is that a "we don't want you drinking that crap" thing, or a "we wanna keep the hall nice and pretty" thing?

Either way, that's rather crappy..
 
Members don't see this ad :)
This is what is used in the military. I use it when I get up in the middle of the night to run calls. It wakes me up pretty well, and I don't get too much of a jittery feeling. I'm not sure if its the bitter taste or the caffeine that does the waking. Can't beat that buccal absorbtion, although I'm not sure how good mainlining two of those 100mg pieces is for the ticker, but it works in the short term...

http://www.stayalertgum.com/
 
BigKurz said:
They don't let you have anything but water? Is that a "we don't want you drinking that crap" thing, or a "we wanna keep the hall nice and pretty" thing?

Either way, that's rather crappy..
Click to expand...

It's a "we don't want you to spill anything on our nice showpiece lecture hall. In the first year lecture hall, you can bring in whatever you want. The second year hall is where VIP's are entertained, so we can't bring in anything 'cept water.

I'm tempted to fill my camelbak with coffee, sneak it in in my bag, and just snake the hose under my shirt and out through the top.:thumbup:
 
ParamedicMan said:
This is what is used in the military. I use it when I get up in the middle of the night to run calls. It wakes me up pretty well, and I don't get too much of a jittery feeling. I'm not sure if its the bitter taste or the caffeine that does the waking. Can't beat that buccal absorbtion, although I'm not sure how good mainlining two of those 100mg pieces is for the ticker, but it works in the short term...

http://www.stayalertgum.com/
Click to expand...

Can't be any worse than when we'd take the coffee packets from MRE's and just pour it under our tongues. Tasted like a$$, but it sure woke us up!:eek:

I'm going to see if I can get some of that gum.
 
Mad-Croc is the best energy gum. They sell it in cases at Costco - I have two cases right now. It tastes like regular gum (spearmint is better than peppermint), and the pieces are too big to chew more than two at a time. Which is convenient, because they say two pieces has the same caffeine as one energy drink. I think that's supposed to be 120mg (about the same as a cup of drip coffee, IIRC). Works fabulously well in lecture, and doesn't taste like ass the way Jolt gum does.
 
racerx said:
Kinda like slim-fast: "A shake in the morning, another for lunch, and headaches and the $hits the rest of the day!" :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Slim fast is not quite what I was referring to. Very outdated and poor product.

I don't replace meals with drinks. One in the morning with breakfast and it helps get me through the day with plenty of energy. No ****s or headaches :thumbup:
 
I just about live on caffeine, but usually go for the coffee route. I hear that many people in the US get a ton of their daily anti-oxidants from coffee. Then there's also some epidemiological associations with some decreases in cancer risk too!

On another note--has anyone taken a look at the book "The Caffeine Advantage" ??

It's a pretty interesting look at the effects of caffeine. Time for a cup of coffee!
 
racerx said:
Curse you!!! Now I "have" to go and make a pot! :scared:
Click to expand...

i love going to bed looking forward to that first cup of coffee in the morning. ahhhh.... time for bed.
 
blondemed said:
I recently came across the "Blitz" brand of gum in my medical bookstore that claims its caffeine formula is absorbed by the oral mucosa and works faster than consuming caffeinated beverages. A package of 8 pieces is supposedly equivalent to drinking "6 energy drinks". Is this too good to be true? It would certainly cut down on my intake of diet coke and coffee every day! Any thoughts, experiences?
Click to expand...

I enjoy my daily cup o' joe, but nothing replaces 7-8 hours of sleep. Students always say they can't find the time for more sleep, but I study less and do better than when I was getting 5-6 hours a night.
 
supa76 said:
i love going to bed looking forward to that first cup of coffee in the morning. ahhhh.... time for bed.
Click to expand...

I am so addicted, I can drink a cup of coffee and go to bed. It su cks because of the diminishing returns on my cup o' joe investment during the day.

Also just learned that excessive caffeine can induce tubulointerstitial nephritis in some folks. Double su cks!
 
racerx said:
I am so addicted, I can drink a cup of coffee and go to bed.
Click to expand...

Yes - that used to be me. Although, to be completely honest, I felt it was a point of pride that I could chug a coffee and then fall asleep. :D
 
I have tried most of the caffeine gums and Jolt in the best by far. Mad-Croc leaves a weird taste in my mouth after chewing it for about 5 minutes. Jolt tastes good and has the same amount of caffeine as far as I can tell. I ordered a whole box online- just search for Jolt energy gum.
 
Jolt is narsty. I should point out that all the Mad-Croc flavors really do suck except for spearmint. Oddly.
 
I just tried Stay Alert, and I will say it seems to do a fine job of waking one up. I don't really know for how long it really works, but I think it will be handy for me to keep in my car on long drives.

On the other hand, it might wake me up so well because it really does taste like anus. Not that I would know.
 
I saw the boxes of Jolt on Amazon. I'm considering buying a box or 2 for the ER staff. They'd get a kick (literally) out of it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

U23527
MD Too late to switch into ortho?
Replies
5
Views
557
JuicedToTheSocks
J
O
  • Locked
Too late to leave?
Replies
2
Views
1K
M&L
M&L
D
How to "recharge" without losing too much study time?
Replies
10
Views
1K
PathNeuroIMorFM
PathNeuroIMorFM
T
MD Is end of August for step 2 CK considered too late for ERAS deadline?
Replies
7
Views
662
Putkernerinthehall
P
D
To get into medical school, it seems like any research publications are good. Is the same true for residency applications?
Replies
3
Views
741
GoSpursGo
GoSpursGo
Top