Suppose you’ve frequented YouTube or general social media. In that case, you’ve likely seen ads for a brand of energy drink powder called G Fuel. Many of your favorite influencers have promoted the drink in partnership with the brand. If they’re lucky, they might have also gotten to the point of getting their own personally licensed flavor. It’s one of the more unique brand deals in the world of social media influence. Some even contribute G Fuel to the early rise and prominence of social media influence with branding. Jam-packed with colorful art for the labels & packaging along with an insane array of flavors and options one was bound to have the product catch their eye at least a few times. As a person who’s been seeing the promo spots all over the internet, my curiosity finally peaked and I decided to give it a try. Here’s my experience with the drink mix after a week of use.

Editor’s Note: This article is not sponsored in any way, shape, or form by product owner G Fuel. I purchased the test product for the sake of this article and my interest in the product for the most honest opinion possible. The Dragon Ball-themed “Evil Emperor” flavor collector’s box was purchased for product testing. 

The first step to take when it comes to deciding to try G Fuel is figuring out what flavor will be your first. And for the sake of honesty, you’re probably gonna be trying to figure this out for a while. As of the writing of the article on my count, there’s a total of a whopping 69 (nice) flavors available to purchase now or through a pre-order of a future release. The brand’s variety is insane and somewhat intimidating, but it does lend itself to having at least one flavor for just about everybody. 

The next very optional step to take is looking over a potential shaker cup that G Fuel proudly bundles with many branded versions of the drink mix. These range from the aforementioned social media influencers to other major IPs like Dragon Ball as mentioned above, Naruto, and Mortal Kombat. There’s also a new line of horror-themed drinks featuring A Nightmare on Elm Street & Child’s Play among others. The shaker cups are exactly what they sound like they’re shake cups to ease the process of mixing the powder with water. Otherwise, any old cup will do, but G Fuel recommends one at least 16 ounces with a lid. Give your shaker or cup of choice a few gentle or aggressive shakes for about 10 seconds or as necessary to get rid of as much of the powdery taste as possible.

Making up my mind on the flavor I wanted to try, I chose the Evil Emperor flavor themed after Dragon Ball villain Frieza. There were a few reasons I chose the flavor in particular: Frieza is one of my favorite villains, I generally love Dragon Ball, and the flavor had a lot in it that I already enjoyed individually. It’s a strange cocktail combination of cranberry, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, but oddly works. I feel like the branding and flavor will play big factors in what first-timers choose for a flavor as well.

The second I opened my tub the smell hit me instantly, and I didn’t expect it to smell so good. I’m not exaggerating when I say I thought it smelt better than it tasted. Usually, I’m not too fond of that taste/smell switch-up, but I didn’t mind it too much in this case. The drink almost tasted exactly as it smelled after I properly mixed it. That’s something I was happy about as I tend to have the worst luck with these scenarios when it comes to trying new food and drink products. It either smells good & tastes bad or vice versa and rarely any middle ground.

G Fuel promises zero sugar energy, but it should be noted that the drinks can be a little sweet tasting if you’re not a fan of that. This is likely due to their use of sweeteners to fight off any potential bitterness it is a powder mix, after all. I’ve tried many an energy drink brand, with my current go-to being Monster. They never hit instantly, even though some market themselves as “instant energy.” It usually takes a few minutes and swallows before remotely taking effect. I haven’t had any real experience with sugar-free energy drinks so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Even without the sugar, though I did get to feel its boost.

Unlike drinks like Monster or Red Bull, G Fuel benefits from a crashless burn from sugar, however, it does contain caffeine. While I’ve never completely crashed out drinking the former I have at the very least experienced fatigue. During my experience with G Fuel, I never felt burnt out hours after use outside of general exhaustion because humans need sleep. I found myself much more focused and motivated to work or at least be active in some form or fashion during use. It should be noted that I’m hyperactive and have ADHD. Some studies have shown that caffeine can help hyperactive ADHD individuals focus more, but it’s nothing 100% concrete.

Overall, I’ve had a fairly positive experience with G Fuel, but like any other energy drink health concerns remain. Mainly the use of artificial sweeteners and food coloring which can cause certain health effects including some pretty heavy ones such as cancer. So if even the slightest off chance of being effective from use scares you it may be best to stay away. There are also different alternatives of the G Fuel products such as snack bars, canned drinks, and caffeine-free hydration versions of their drinks if that’s something that interests you. At least as far as performance goes, I think G Fuel mostly comes as advertised, but you should always do personal research to see if it or any other energy drinks feel right for you. Also, keep in mind you should limit your use to between once and no more than three times per day or one can of the canned version per day as explained on the website. 

This wasn’t a review of the product, but I will include a score just for the sake of it based on my opinion above. Otaku Dome gives G Fuel an 80 out of 100.