G-Fuel is a caffeinated, powdered energy drink that has become unfathomably popular, thanks to deals with popular internet gaming celebrities like PewDiePie, KSI, Dr DisRespect, FaZe Clan and more. Billed as The Official Energy Drink of Esports ™, it’s meant to make you more alert, more focused and better at playing video games. Its increasing popularity has spawned countless clones and similar products. It’s also not available locally, here in South Africa.
Now however, one of those similar products is. X-Gamer is a “focus and energy formula” dietary supplement that like G-fuel, staves off fatigue and promises better focus, more energy, better reflexes and enhanced stamina. I’ve been using the stuff for two weeks now, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night when I plan to play videogames.
I suppose it’s worth prefacing this with something about me. I have more than a keen interest in human physiology, biology and pharmacology, So I’ve always been interested in this stuff. I’ve also dabbled in nootropics, supposed cognitive enhancers and their often dubious claims. That’s an important point, because X-Gamer claims that it has nootropic effects. Like many other such claims from a litany of similar products, some of them are…equivocal.
The principal ingredient in X-Gamer is, of course, caffeine. The world’s most used psychoactive substance, caffeine is responsible for giving X-Gamer its kick. In each serving of the stuff, you can expect to find 200mg of caffeine, which is roughly as much as you’d get from two cups of decent filter coffee. It’s also more than twice as much caffeine as you’d get in a regular 250ml can of Red Bull and about 25% more than you’d get in a 500ml can of Monster Energy. It’s a lot of caffeine for a single serving. So much so that the recommended maximum of the stuff is two servings, so it comes in at the UK’s maximum recommended allowance of 400mg of caffeine per day.
It’s not just flavoured liquid caffeine though. Like Red Bull, it also contains Taurine, the Amino sulfonic acid that’s naturally occurring, prevalent in meat and fish and nobody really knows why it’s in energy drinks. It’s supposed to increase mental and athletic performance, but current research on that is mixed.
More interesting is its inclusion of two amino acids; l-carnitine and l-tyrosine. L-carnitine as an amino acid has a number of useful functions. Primarily, it functions as a shuttle for fatty acids from the blood into the mitochondria. If you remember anything from high-school biology, it should be that the mitochondria are your cells’ energy producers. L-carnitine also helps with post-workout fatigue by inhibiting lactic acid build-up, enhancing recovery. Thing is, it’s an odd inclusion as it’s a non-essential amino acid, which the body happily makes itself.
The more interesting amino acid is L-tyrosine. While it’s also non-essential, it has been proven to increase alertness, attention and focus. It’s also one of the amino acids responsible for creating dopamine – the chemical that triggers the reward centre in your brain, and is also responsible for motor skills. It’s also responsible for the synthesis of adrenaline and noradrenaline, the chemicals that trigger human fight-or-flight response. Together, all of this stuff – along with the B vitamins, other vitamins and minerals, means that X-gamer should do what it says on the tin: increase energy and focus. In truth though, it’s effectively no different to what you’d find in a general pre-workout formula that folks who exercise use, except for the excessive caffeine that makes it unsuitable for that job unless you want your heart to beat right out of your chest.
My own experience with the stuff has been positive, save for a few minor annoyances. The local distributors for X-Gamer sent me a great big tub of the stuff, along with a shaker that had single serving sample sachets. They have very silly names like Bluenitro, Nukefusion, Powacrush, Hypabeast and Hydrostorm. They’re mostly vaguely fruit flavoured, but how in god’s name is anybody supposed to guess what Nukefusion is supposed to taste like? I get needing to be edgy and appeal to gamers, but damn, some simpler flavour names such as Peach PWNage would be appreciated. I also found the shaker – which comes with a handy ice-guard – to be prone to a bit of leaking, which is of course less than ideal. None of them actually taste especially nice though (Nukefusion is sort of lime flavoured, by the way). They all have a synthetic, slightly sweet flavours with a very mild bitterness behind it. They’re not off-putting or disgusting in any way, but I haven’t started my days off rubbing my belly exclaiming “Yum yum, I want some of that X-gamer in my mouth!”
It’s a fine powder that dissolves incredibly quickly and easily and I have, for now, replaced my second morning cup of coffee with a shaker full of X-Gamer, which I sip on gradually during the day. And honestly? I feel like it’s helped me work through the day without that 2 pm lull, where all motivation and energy disappear into the nether. On the nights that I’ve used the stuff, I’ve been able to stay awake longer, playing games into the wee hours. Let’s face it, I’m old – so anything that keeps me vertical beyond 11 pm has to be doing its job.
As to whether or not it’ll make you a better gamer? Well, that’s the dubious part of this. No supplement is going to increase your reaction times more than practice would. If that’s what you’re hoping to get out of this, then you’re probably barking up the wrong tree. If, however, you want a low calorie (31 kcal per serving) alternative to energy drinks to keep you up at night, then X-Gamer is a good option. At its usual R499 price for a 600g tub, you get 60 servings at a cost of R8.30 or so per serving. With more than twice the caffeine you’d get in a Red Bull, that makes it a pretty cost-effective value proposition – and one without the sugar and calorie content. It’s also pretty convenient just having an effective pick-me-up in the cupboard, ready to be diluted on a whim. It’s available from Takealot.
Me? I think I’ll stick to coffee as my caffeine delivery system of choice.
Last Updated: August 30, 2019
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
So I have those resealable stainless pods for Coffee Pod machines… I have a crazy idea.
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
I… I like that idea.
Admiral Chief Emissary
August 30, 2019 at 15:13
Let me know how that works out
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
I stay away from caffeine after 10am otherwise my insomniac ass gets no sleep and I spend the next day a wreck. If I want to stay up late playing a game, I’ll just find an engrossing one instead (wish me luck).
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
If you need a good caffeine antagonist, l-theanine counteracts caffeine’s sleep disturbance properties – along with the jitteriness etc
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
So a cup of good green or black tea then?
I thankfully don’t get the jitters and stuff, but my already over-active brain goes into overdrive until the inevitable come-down.
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:34
You can get l-theanine in capsule form, and it works alongside caffeine to boost its good effects, but counters the negative ones. Also works as a sleep aid for some people/.
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 14:35
I will look for it tomorrow then, thanks. I assume at my local pharmacy?
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:35
Yeah, and if not, a health shop will stock.
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 14:35
I don’t have the budget to buy from a health store. XD
Tarryn van der Byl
August 30, 2019 at 14:43
I drink so much coffee that caffeine has almost zero effect on me. I can drink a double espresso just before bedtime, no problem.
Which probably is actually a problem.
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:51
My wife is the same. I can;t even have a coke before bed.
Tarryn van der Byl
August 30, 2019 at 14:51
Funny thing, I wasn’t always like this. I’ve been a coffee drinker most of my life, but I can remember it hitting me so much harder when I was in my 20s. Feel like it should be the other way around.
Dresden
August 30, 2019 at 17:23
I can relate. It’s such a big hindrance in my life because I’m a massive coffee fan, yet I can’t enjoy it like other people whenever I want to. 🙁
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
Why are they on the daily deals list with Takealot already?
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 14:27
So they can inflate the price like usual?
WhiteRock
August 30, 2019 at 14:51
That is bloody expensive. You could get the same but for much cheaper by looking at (as example) a BCAA or Pre-workout supplement from someone like USN or BioGen. You could also buy the ingredients separately in pill form or powder form and make your own mix based on the RDA of each substance. Sorry, as someone who has gone through a lot of supplements in their lifetime, most are unnecessary or overkill and in a lot of cases overpriced marketing.
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:51
You are not wrong. As i said, it’s effectively pre-workout formula, but with more caffeine and aimed at gamers, with the typical gamer premium and the marketing that comes along with that.
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 14:51
And the pretty RGB colours
Magoo マグ
August 30, 2019 at 15:02
Unhealthy, unnecessary and hardly serves a purpose. But people pay bank and eat up because it’s relevant.
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 15:02
Ever had that curios feeling about Gfuel when you see it on streams?
Magoo マグ
September 2, 2019 at 13:47
Not once ever.
Morne Nell
August 30, 2019 at 15:02
So I need to mix this myself :(, no time. I prefer bubbles…..
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 15:12
a) it takes zero time to mix and b) you can mix it with soda water.
G8crasha
August 30, 2019 at 15:02
There is nothing like a good night’s sleep to keep you going the next day. I say, if possible, adjust your life to facilitate your gaming experience, and get a good night’s sleep the day before to keep you on top of your game!
Mistake Not...
August 30, 2019 at 15:13
Yeah I’m unfortunately the kinda guy who drinks Monster more out of habit than anything else nowadays. I’ve wanted to give G-Fuel a try but since it’s not available here I might give this a shot since it seems like a slightly healthier alternative. Hopefully it becomes a bit more easily available (i.e. Pick ‘n Pay etc.). And before y’all start giving me health advice, don’t worry, I don’t care about myself lol.
CrAiGiSh
August 30, 2019 at 15:52
Don’t hold out for GFUEL.
It wont be allowed into SA anytime soon.
Just general fyi.
Mistake Not...
August 30, 2019 at 15:52
Yeah, thanks, it’s what I’ve come to realise. Something to do with lead in G-Fuel or something. Doesn’t matter now, I’ll give this a shot.
Admiral Chief Emissary
August 30, 2019 at 15:13
No ChocoTaco mention, aggenee man
Dresden
August 30, 2019 at 17:14
konfab
August 30, 2019 at 14:34
This type of thing is exactly how you make very expensive urine. Your liver and kidneys will filter out most of the additives that they put in this stuff.
Rather enjoy life and just drink a cup of coffee.
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:35
Yeah, look, the vitamins – especially the B ones – will just end up giving you bright yellow piss. There’s benefit enough to tyrosine and carnitine – but mostly, it’s all just caffeine.
Tarryn van der Byl
August 30, 2019 at 14:43
Taking vitamin B like this is a fake-out, though – it’s a temporary boost that’s going to crash haaaaard.
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 14:35
I’m always drinking a Monster on weekends before gaming into the late hours of the night. Might as well give this a whack.
Geoffrey Tim
August 30, 2019 at 14:42
This is a) obviously not carbonated, but also b) DOESN’T CONTAIN 55 grams of sugar per 500ml serving. Monster has a lot of sugar in it, and unfortunately when you’re using glucose as an energy pick me, it also means you can expect a bit of a crash. You wont get the crash with this.
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 14:42
Yea I always limited myself when it comes to energy drinks. I love the stuff but know they are hella bad for me. This is not to be used every day. It’s for Friday and Saturday nights when we push 6 to 9 hours of gaming starting at 7pm.
Pariah
August 30, 2019 at 15:13
My sister actually got kidney stones from drinking too many energy drinks. She works for a biking apparel import store and they have a ton of Monster in stock always. She doesn’t drink them any more.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 30, 2019 at 15:02
You need a handy drink in a can is what you need.
Yahtzee
August 30, 2019 at 15:02
There is a line that was crossed and you know it.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 31, 2019 at 07:59
https://media.giphy.com/media/Hhj51uDSycwrS/giphy.gif
CrAiGiSh
August 30, 2019 at 15:52
Since we can’t get GFUEL, this might be a decent choice.