Looking for an Energy Boost?

People are looking for ways to boost energy levels. A recent report by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) found issues related to energy and vitality are a concern to 75 percent of consumers. These concerns centered on fatigue and people looking for products that can provide the stamina needed to get through the day.

The traditional boost has come from stimulants, like coffee, that can result in an energy crash more debilitating than prolonged fatigue. Stimulants can also boost the heart rate, dehydrate the body and disrupt sleep patterns—all of which can add to daily stress and deplete energy stores.

So, in addition to diet and exercise, many people are turning to healthier natural alternatives to increase energy levels.

The average American is probably familiar with placing effervescent Alka- Seltzer® tablets into a glass of water to ease the discomfort of heart burn. But fizzy vitamins have also been developed to help boost the immune system and boost energy.

The biggest boon of the effervescent formula is that it completely dissolves tablets into a liquid, which can provide the benefit of nearly 100-percent absorption in the body. Ola Loa, which manufactures several multi-vitamin mineral formulas, said the body absorbs 10-percent to 20 percent of the nutrients in vitamin pills.

One such product on the market is Energit’s Imu-Lift, which the company said it designed to sustain energy levels without the crash associated with stimulants like caffeine. The formula is a blend of B vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants and nutrients. “The B vitamins are known as the ‘energy vitamins’ because of their energy creating traits,” said Martin Majdanics, a spokesman for Energit Vitamins. “These vitamins are essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which provides us energy.”

Hansen’s Beverage Co. is also in the effervescent game with its Fizzit product, which comes in several flavors and formulas. According to the company, another advantage of the effervescent formula is that it is already dissolved and buffered to decrease the supplement’s chance of destruction by stomach acids.

Unither Nutriceuticals’ fizzy drink mixes also contain arginine, while their Vcapsules also contain coenzyme Q10 and vitamin B12. Arginine naturally dilates blood vessels, which makes it easier to transport the oxygen to help make for adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—the body’s primary energy carrying molecule.

In addition to energy drinks, consumers are also looking toward specialty nutrients that can play a role in aiding depleted energy levels. The following are a few examples.

• Magnesium plays a key role in the energy process because it helps turn on hundreds of enzymes, which allow the carbohydrates and fats in the diet to be used as energy. Insufficient levels of magnesium can lead to fatigue and weakness. “Magnesium is also essential for regulating potassium levels and for the functioning of the adrenal glands, both of which are important for maintaining high energy,” said Ken Whitman, spokesman for Peter Gillham’s, which produces a magnesium drink the company said can help restore higher energy levels.
• ATP can be significantly reduced during strenuous exercise. Ribose in supplement form can help restore energy by speeding up the rate at which ATP is regenerated in the body. This can be particularly helpful to athletes and even those with cardiovascular disease and ischemia.
• L-carnitine is a naturally-occurring vitamin-like substance that releases and transports fat stores so the body can use them as energy. L-carnitine is largely consumed in beef, pork and poultry, as well as smaller sources such as eggs, dairy, whole-grain products, fruits and vegetables. L-carnitine deficiency can lead to fatigue, which can be alleviated through supplementation.
• “The Chinese have been using ginseng for over 1,000 years to promote energy, endurance and vitality,” said Gregg Arends, senior vice president, marketing and sales for Hansen Beverage, which also produces energy drinks that contain ginseng. It is one of the best-known adaptogens, compounds that allow the body to adapt to stress, while boosting energy levels and working at the cellular level to rid the body of toxic materials and restore the body’s natural function. Ginseng has also been used to increase stamina and endurance while reducing recovery time after workouts.
• The Russian herb Rhodiola rosea is also an adaptogen that helps improve athletic performance and recovery from exercise. Also known as golden root or arctic root, the herb has been shown to delay fatigue and increase ATP levels in the body, thus increasing energy levels. Researchers speculate rhodiola helps reduce the stress that occurs secondary to exercise by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, which causes relaxation (as opposed to the sympathetic nervous system, which causes stimulation).
• The tart-tasting schizandra berry is native to China and is another adaptogen with a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. It is used to strengthen and quicken reflexes, improve mental function and increase work efficiency. Research has also shown it has a calming effect on the central nervous system that can counteract the shakes after too much caffeine.
• Green foods can also deliver an everyday energy boost for consumers. Also known as “super foods,” green foods are packed with compounds that go above and beyond what is required for basic nutrition. They are not synthetic and are not isolated compounds making green foods different from most vitamins and mineral supplements on the market. Super foods contain a wide variety of phytonutrients including vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fatty acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, and other substances. In addition to an energy boost, these combinations also have an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and a detoxifying effect.

Green foods come from microalgae, cereal grasses and dark green vegetables, including broccoli, alfalfa, kale and spinach. Many also contain live enzymes, minerals and chlorophyll, which is a blood cleanser.

A slew of energy-boosting products have made their way to store shelves as more people have started to search for natural alternatives. Therefore, it’s important for a retailer to position products in a way to catch the eye of the wandering consumer.

One technique might be to alter the way the product is delivered to the customer. Finding a supplement in pill form can be an arduous task in some stores, but drinks can sometimes be more attractive to consumers. “Smoothie and juice lines are the ones people seem to understand the best,” said Jeremy Black, global brand manager for Sambazon, which markets products with açai, which is a Brazilian berry with energy boosting properties.

Arends said retailers should think about the size of the can when trying to market energy drinks. “The bulk of the recent growth has been in the 16-ounce size cans,” he said. “Natural food retailers should consider adding this size to their energy drink offerings.”

Coldbox displays, refrigerators and barrel coolers are another way to market cold energy drinks because many consumers want to drink the product on the spot. Arends also said to make sure secondary placements are made of shelves as many people also like to stock up on certain products.

The countertop at checkout is prime real estate in the store and retailers can take advantage of the “grab and go” effect. “We believe that when correctly priced, everyday energy and dietary supplement products are sort of an ‘impulse buy’ item and have a huge potential of being sold at the checkout counter,” Majdanics said. He added countertop displays are ideal for checkout placement.

Products can also gain an advantage if consumers have had them before. “Giving out samples is a great way to introduce products to consumers,” Whitman said. “The key is educating store personnel in the supplement area so they can advise customers as to what products would be appropriate for their needs.”

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