We'll PUMP You Up (for $3.99 a can)

Red Bull was first, but now it’s not alone. The energy drink that comes in a sleek blue and silver can now has numerous competitors.

The formula of Red Bull, some taste-bud-deficient late-night paper writers’ best friend, was first invented in 1987 by an Austrian company whose managing partner was inspired by drinks he saw in Asia. But energy drinks have multi-national appeal, from Brazil’s Black Booster to the Czech Republic’s Erectus, and the craze has now been picked up by mainstream American drink companies. The skinny aluminum cans just keep on coming.

The most recent addition to the market is Jones Soda Co.’s simply titled Energy Drink, a sibling product to Jones’ Whoop Ass Cola. SoBe and Mountain Dew have gotten into the game as well, with their respective products Adrenaline Rush and AMP.

Their packaging, slick ad campaigns and promotions prompt some people to splurge. But why would someone go back for more? Since it can’t be the taste, it must be the toxins.

A brief guide to energizing chemical compounds:

Guarana: a serious stimulant, it comes from the guarana seed that grows in the Amazon and contains a substance much like caffeine. (AMP, Whoop Ass, SoBe)

Taurine: an amino acid found in nerve tissue, bile and the juices of muscle, especially in invertebrates. The taurine in drinks is synthetic and aids in the production of neurotransmitters. (All drinks and baby formula)

Inositol: an isomeric alcohol that is similar in construction to simple carbohydrates; promoted as giving a sense of “well-being” and found to lessen depression in an NYU Medical School study. (SoBe, Jones Energy)

CoQ-10: also known as ubiquinone, an important fat-soluble antioxidant; supports ATP production. Found to be effective in prolonging the lives of cancer patients, and homeopathic practitioners say it even helps such varied aliments as periodontal disease and heart disease. (Jones Energy)