Caffeine-Free Energy Drinks: Which Are Really Caffeine-Free, and Which Energy Drinks Have the Most Caffeine

People look for caffeine-free energy drinks for good reasons: sleep, anxiety, pregnancy, a heart condition, or simply quitting caffeine. The problem is that “energy” on a can almost always means caffeine. Below we explain how caffeine-free versions claim to work, list the ones that are genuinely caffeine-free, and compare the caffeine in the leading energy drinks using each brand’s own figures.

How Do Caffeine-Free Energy Drinks Work?

Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, the brain chemical that builds up and makes you feel tired. Take it away and an “energy drink” has to rely on other things:

• Calories and sugar. This is energy in the nutritional sense. It can help if you are actually hungry, but sugar is not a stimulant, and NCCIH notes a single 16 oz energy drink can contain 54 to 62 g of added sugar (NCCIH).
• Fluids and electrolytes. Even mild dehydration can make you feel tired, so a hydration drink may help after exercise or heat. That is why many caffeine-free “energy” products are really hydration drinks.
• B vitamins. B vitamins help your body turn food into energy, but extra amounts mainly matter if you are deficient. They don’t produce the alert feeling caffeine does.
• Amino acids and botanicals such as taurine, L-carnitine or ginseng. Evidence for a noticeable energy effect from these, without caffeine, is limited. Watch for guarana, yerba mate, green tea extract or green coffee: these are caffeine sources, so a drink that contains them is not caffeine-free (NCCIH).

Which Energy Drinks Are Actually Caffeine-Free?

Watch the brand name. CELSIUS Hydration has no caffeine, but CELSIUS energy cans have 200 mg. PRIME Hydration is caffeine-free, but PRIME also sells a separate Energy line. Check the front of the can for the product line and the label for a caffeine figure every time.

If what you really want is a lift without caffeine, the most reliable options are boring ones: water, a snack with protein and carbohydrate, daylight, a short walk and enough sleep. See our natural energy boosters and healthy alternatives to energy drinks.

Energy Drinks With the Highest Caffeine Content

Here are the leading US energy drinks ranked by caffeine per can, using each brand’s published figure. We also show caffeine per fluid ounce, our calculation, because can sizes differ.

Two things stand out. First, a 300 mg can is three-quarters of the FDA’s 400 mg daily guide for healthy adults in one drink. Second, the smaller cans are more concentrated than they look: ounce for ounce, CELSIUS Essentials is the strongest drink in the chart. NCCIH also notes that energy drink labels are not required to declare caffeine, and that guarana adds caffeine on top of what is listed as caffeine (NCCIH).

How Many Cans Reach Common Caffeine Limits?

These limits count all caffeine, including coffee, tea and soda. Health Canada advises children keep to 2.5 mg per kg of body weight per day (Health Canada), so even one 200 mg can is far above the limit for most children. Pregnant people should talk with their doctor or midwife; ACOG advises less than 200 mg a day (ACOG).

Why Cut Back on High-Caffeine Energy Drinks?

• Heart and blood pressure: NCCIH warns large amounts of caffeine may cause heart rhythm disturbances and raise heart rate and blood pressure.
• Emergency visits: energy drink-related emergency department visits doubled between 2007 and 2011, according to NCCIH.
• Alcohol: mixing caffeine with alcohol can make people feel less drunk than they are, while their coordination is just as impaired.
• Sleep and anxiety: caffeine may be linked to anxiety and sleep problems, which can create a cycle of needing more energy drinks the next day.

If you drink two or more high-caffeine cans a day, stopping all at once can bring headaches, fatigue and irritability. Swapping one can at a time for a caffeine-free drink is usually easier. Our guide on how to quit energy drinks safely has a step-by-step plan, and you can compare more drinks in our energy drink caffeine comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there energy drinks without caffeine?

Yes, but few drinks sold as 'energy' are caffeine-free. Products such as CELSIUS Hydration powders and PRIME Hydration are labeled caffeine-free; most of their 'energy' claims rest on B vitamins, electrolytes, sugar or calories. Always check the label, because the same brand's energy line usually has 200 mg or more.

Which energy drink has the most caffeine?

Among the major US brands we checked, Bang and REIGN list 300 mg per 16 oz can, followed by CELSIUS Essentials at 270 mg. CELSIUS, C4 Smart Energy and GHOST Energy list 200 mg, Monster 160 mg per 16 oz and Red Bull 80 mg per 8.4 oz.

Do caffeine-free energy drinks actually give you energy?

Not the way caffeine does. Calories and sugar provide energy in the nutritional sense, and fluids and electrolytes help if you are dehydrated, but caffeine is what drives the alert, stimulated feeling. B vitamins mainly help if you are low in them.

Is decaf or caffeine-free energy drink safe for kids?

Caffeine-free versions avoid the stimulant, but many still contain sugar or sweeteners. Health Canada advises children keep caffeine to 2.5 mg per kg of body weight per day, and NCCIH notes energy drinks raise particular concerns in children and teens. Ask your pediatrician.

How much caffeine is in a Red Bull?

Red Bull says an 8.4 fl oz can of Red Bull Energy Drink contains 80 mg of caffeine.

How many energy drinks a day is safe?

The FDA says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally linked to harmful effects in healthy adults. That is two 200 mg cans or just over one 300 mg can, counting any coffee or tea you drink. People who are pregnant should stay under 200 mg a day, per ACOG.

Do energy drinks always list caffeine?

Not always. NCCIH notes there is no requirement to declare caffeine amounts on energy drink labels, whether they are sold as beverages or dietary supplements. All the brands in our chart do publish a figure.

Sources

• CELSIUS. Essential Facts (CELSIUS and Vibe 200 mg per can; Essentials 270 mg; Hydration powders contain no caffeine).
• CELSIUS. CELSIUS Hydration, Fruit Punch.
• PRIME. PRIME Hydration, Lemonade (“Caffeine-Free”, 25 calories, 10% coconut water).
• Red Bull. Red Bull Energy Drink: ingredients (80 mg per 8.4 fl oz).
• Monster Energy. Monster Energy Original Green (160 mg per 16 fl oz).
• REIGN Total Body Fuel. Products (300 mg per 16 fl oz).
• Bang Energy. 16 oz can label (via GNC) (300 mg).
• Nutrabolt. C4 Energy 101 (C4 Smart Energy 200 mg per can).
• Vons. GHOST Energy 16 fl oz (label text: 200 mg caffeine per can).
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Energy Drinks.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?
• Health Canada. Caffeine in Foods
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Moderate Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy