Gluten-free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, driven by a rise in gluten sensitivities, celiac disease diagnoses, and lifestyle choices. For those avoiding gluten, navigating food and beverage options can be challenging. Many people are surprised to learn that some energy drinks contain gluten. This article will explore which popular energy drink brands are gluten-free and which contain gluten.
What is gluten and why do some people need to avoid it?
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. For most people, consuming gluten is not a problem. However, for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten can cause serious health issues like intestinal damage, malnutrition, and chronic inflammation.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body mounts an attack against itself when gluten is ingested. The attack damages the lining of the small intestine, leading to an inability to properly absorb nutrients from food. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity causes similar gastrointestinal symptoms but does not damage the small intestine.
The only treatment for celiac disease is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. For those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a gluten-free or reduced-gluten diet may help manage symptoms. With gluten-free diets becoming more mainstream, the market for gluten-free products has expanded rapidly.
Do energy drinks normally contain gluten?
Many popular energy drink brands do contain gluten, primarily from gluten-containing grains and starches used for flavoring and coloring. Barley and wheat are commonly added to energy drinks, either as whole grains or through maltodextrin, a starch derived from grains.
Other gluten-containing ingredients found in some energy drinks include:
- Oat fiber
- Barley grass
- Wheatgrass
- Maltodextrin
- Dextrin
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Hydrolyzed barley protein
So while gluten-containing ingredients are common in energy drinks, not all brands contain gluten. Reading ingredient lists carefully and looking for “gluten-free” labeling is the only way to determine if a particular energy drink is safe for a gluten-free diet.
What are some mainstream energy drink brands that are gluten-free?
Here are some of the most popular mainstream energy drink brands that produce gluten-free options:
Red Bull
Red Bull markets their Original, Sugarfree, and Zero products as gluten-free. The company states that none of their ingredients are derived from gluten-containing grains. Independent gluten testing has confirmed that Red Bull beverages contain less than 5 ppm of gluten.
Monster Energy
Monster Energy does not make any gluten-free claims on their packaging. However, according to the company’s customer service department, all Monster Energy flavors are considered gluten-free to less than 20 ppm except for Mutant Super Soda and Dragon Ice.
Rockstar Energy
Rockstar Energy drinks are labeled gluten-free except for the following: Rockstar Roasted flavors, Rockstar Roasted CoconutWater, Rockstar Punched flavors, and Rockstar Boom. Independent testing shows Rockstar beverages contain less than 5 ppm of gluten.
NOS Energy
NOS Energy Original, Sugar Free, and Loaded flavors are labeled gluten-free and test below 5 ppm of gluten. Other NOS products, like NOS Rowdy and NOS Active, contain gluten.
AMP Energy
AMP Energy Original, Cherry Blast, Citrus Blast, and Apple Crisp flavors are labeled gluten-free and indicate that they use gluten-free grains. Other AMP flavors contain gluten.
Celsius
All Celsius energy drink flavors are labeled gluten-free and third-party testing confirms less than 5 ppm of gluten.
XS Energy
XS Energy Citrus Blast is gluten-free. Other XS Energy flavors contain gluten.
Are there any smaller or specialty energy drink brands that are gluten-free?
In addition to the major mainstream brands, there are many smaller gluten-free energy drink options:
GFuel Energy Formula
GFuel touts their energy drink formula as gluten-free with less than 5 ppm of gluten from testing. They offer over 40 flavors of powdered energy drink mixes.
CELSIUS Heat
This Celsius spin-off product offers a thermogenic version of their gluten-free energy drink in flavors like Inferno Punch and Sparkling Orange.
Zevia Energy
Zevia Energy provides an energy boost from 120mg of caffeine sourced from coffee beans and tea leaves. It is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit extract.
Liquid I.V. Energy Multiplier
This non-carbonated energy mix contains hydrating electrolytes, vitamins, and caffeine from green coffee beans. Liquid I.V. states their product has been third-party tested gluten-free.
Rogue Energy
Rogue offers seven gluten-free energy drink options like Cherry Limeade and Grape. Their caffeine comes from green coffee beans and green tea leaves.
C4 Energy
C4 Energy produces gluten-free pre-workout energy drinks in carbonated and non-carbonated options.
| Brand | Gluten-Free Flavors |
|---|---|
| Red Bull | Original, Sugarfree, Zero |
| Monster Energy | All flavors except Mutant & Dragon Ice |
| Rockstar Energy | All flavors except Roasted, Punched, & Boom |
| NOS Energy | Original, Sugar Free, Loaded |
| AMP Energy | Original, Cherry Blast, Citrus Blast, Apple Crisp |
| Celsius | All flavors |
| XS Energy | Citrus Blast |
| GFuel | All flavors |
| CELSIUS Heat | All flavors |
| Zevia Energy | All flavors |
| Liquid I.V. Energy | All flavors |
| Rogue Energy | All flavors |
| C4 Energy | All flavors |
What about gluten-free versions from energy drink brands that normally contain gluten?
Some mainstream energy drink companies that generally use gluten-containing ingredients have released specialty gluten-free versions:
Bang Energy
While Bang’s standard energy drinks contain gluten, they now offer multiple gluten-free flavors under their Bang Keto line. These are sweetened with sucralose and stevia without grains.
Full Throttle
Full Throttle energy drinks mostly contain gluten, however their Blue Agave flavor is labeled gluten-free.
Nos Active Hybrid
The Nos Active line has several gluten-containing varieties, but their Nos Active Hybrid energy drink is gluten-free.
Starbucks Doubleshot Energy
Starbucks Doubleshot Energy comes in both gluten-free and gluten-containing varieties. Their initial Doubleshot and Doubleshot Zero are gluten-free.
Should you consume energy drinks on a gluten-free diet?
While it’s helpful for those avoiding gluten to have access to gluten-free energy drinks, these beverages may not be the healthiest choice. Energy drinks often contain large amounts of caffeine, sugar, herbs, and other stimulants.
Potential risks and side effects of excessive energy drink consumption include:
- Insomnia
- Nervousness and jitteriness
- Headaches
- Stomach upset
- Rapid heart rate and blood pressure increases
- Anxiety and restlessness
- Crashes as caffeine effects wear off
Those who opt to drink energy beverages should do so in moderation and ideally avoid heavy consumption daily. People with certain medical conditions like heart problems and anxiety disorders should exercise particular caution or avoid energy drinks altogether after consulting their doctor.
For a clean caffeine boost, beverages like coffee, tea, and seltzer waters are typically gluten-free and do not come with the excess vitamins, sugars, and herbs seen in energy drinks. Ultimately, the optimal beverage choices come down to individual factors and needs.
Conclusion
Energy drinks have carved out a growing niche, but their gluten-containing ingredients limit options for those avoiding gluten. While the major energy drink makers do not tend to advertise them as “gluten-free,” many flagship varieties from brands like Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar test below the FDA’s gluten threshold. Smaller brands like GFuel and Celsius build their formulas from the ground up to be gluten-free.
With celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity on the rise, demand for gluten-free energy drinks should continue expanding. Brands launching specialty gluten-free lines show they recognize and want to capture this growing market segment.
Still, energy drinks large amounts of caffeine, sugar, and other additives raise questions about their health impacts, especially with heavy use. Those on gluten-free diets have options in the energy drink arena, but may be better off getting occasional caffeine boosts from more natural sources like coffee and tea.
