Supplement Review: Nuun Energy

Nutrition, Gear
By Kate Schwartz
A glass of Nuun energy beside a canister and berries

By the Fleet Feet Review Team. With over 80 years of combined experience, our review team is dedicated to providing in-depth gear and shoe reviews to help you find the best shoes and gear for your next run.

Looking for an energy boost? Many runners count on a pre-run coffee, energy drink or caffeinated gel to fuel their workouts. Caffeine is shown to reduce fatigue and improve endurance, but too much can leave you jittery and dehydrated. The source of the caffeine, the amount and what you take it with all affect the way you perform and feel.

Product Creators at Nuun say they saw a need for a better energy drink.

“We saw that there was a major gap in the market in providing an energy drink that used clean ingredients and tasted good. We knew that we could whip up a unique formula that wasn’t just about caffeine,” says Vishal Patel, Nuun’s Director of Product Development.

Nuun Energy is designed to boost your energy whether you’re conquering a workout or a lineup of Zoom meetings. Each tablet packs 80 mg of caffeine from organic green tea combined with electrolytes, Panax Ginseng, B vitamins and 2 grams of sugar. The formula is specifically designed to be hydrating and easily metabolized for top athletic performance and cognitive support throughout your day.

You don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy the benefits. Patel says, “The product was created for everyone. It can be used as a daily energy boost (mid-day) or before a run or workout.”

Nuun’s effervescent tablets come in four flavors: Berry Blast, Ginger Lime Zing, Watermelon Burst and Tropical Punch.

Fleet Feet reviewers tested each flavor for taste and performance, and we talked to Patel to understand the science behind how the products work.

Watermelon Burst Nuun energy canister front and back

To hydrate for morning workouts

Patel says to take Nuun Energy 30 to 45 minutes ahead of your workout to hit the sweet spot for performance.

One Fleet Feet reviewer says, “I usually drink coffee every morning, an hour before I run. I swapped the coffee for Nuun Energy, to focus more on hydration. What I didn’t expect was that Nuun Energy seems to wake me up faster than coffee does for early morning runs. I think it helps me get out the door quickly, feeling more prepared to run. That’s a big bonus for me on a busy day.”

We asked Patel if the difference was in our imaginations.

“The effervescent nature of the product helps increase absorption of the nutrients so you can feel it more and faster,” he says. “Nuun Energy has a different effect than coffee because it contains a cleaner [organic] source that is shown to stay in your system longer. And the combination of caffeine with ginseng enhances the impact.”

That’s because ginseng has been shown to work with caffeine to enhance the stimulant impact without causing a spike or crash that you see with some caffeine drinks. It also supports cognitive health.

A cannister of Berry Blast Nuun spills open to reveal the tablets inside

To focus throughout the work day

Reviewers say they enjoy using Nuun Energy to power through the work day. “I like using Nuun Energy right after lunch when I tend to hit that afternoon slump,” one reviewer says. “I have to be careful not to take it too late in the day because it will keep me awake, but it’s tasty, and gives me a boost without the jitters that I get from afternoon coffee.”

To power through afternoon workouts

One Fleet Feet reviewer tested Nuun Energy ahead of her regular afternoon workout. “I took Nuun Energy about two hours before my workout in the afternoon,” she says. “I noticed a definite increase in my energy level and hydration.”

A tube of Tropical Punch Nuun tablets

Clean product makes a difference

Nuun uses top quality ingredients for optimum health and performance. Because Nuun is considered a supplement instead of food, it isn’t regulated by the FDA. So, Nuun uses third party certifications like Informed Sport and Non GMO Project to ensure that their ingredients are clean and safe. The B Vitamins used in Nuun Energy, for example, are higher quality than those found in many other energy products.

“The B Vitamins help your body convert food into energy,” Patel says. “We are using a source of B12 (Methylcobalamin) that is typically absorbed at higher rates as opposed to typical B12 sources (Cyanocobalamin) in energy drink on the market.”

Fleet Feet reviewers say they prefer products with ingredients they trust.

“I usually am concerned about the quality of supplements I put into my body, so it’s a relief to know that Nuun only uses the best ingredients in their products,” says another tester. “As I’m getting into race season, I want to make sure my body is working as efficiently as possible, and I feel confident when I use Nuun Energy that it’s actually helping my hydration and performance rather than bogging me down with junk I don’t need.”

A variety of fizzy flavors

Nuun delivers on the flavors for their Energy line. Reviewers praised the taste and variety. “The flavors are awesome, they aren’t overpowering but they definitely add some extra pizzazz to my hydration routine,” one reviewer says. “My favorite is the Tropical Punch! They’re just the right amount of sweet and fizzy without feeling like I’m drinking a soft drink.”

“The Nuun Energy flavors are really good and all different,” says another. “They have just enough sugar to be tasty but not overly sweet. I love the Tropical Punch and the Ginger Lime Zing flavors.”

Final Thoughts

Patel says Nuun Energy was created because their team saw a need for a cleaner (and tastier) energy drink. And it delivers.

“Nuun Energy uses B vitamin complex and other natural derivatives to give my body long lasting energy that won’t leave you jittery or dehydrated. All the ingredients work really well together to give you what you need to get through a hard workout.”

Nuun Energy
4 Styles

$8

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