MEG(Military Energy Gum) - Cinnamon | Enhance Your Physical Performance with 100mg of Caffeine Per Piece, Ultimate Energy Boost for Workouts, Alternative to Energy Drinks | Pack of 24

As a former caffeine user who paid an extremely high price for abusing its legendary positive qualities, I was wary. Couldn't again face the prospect of teeth enamel erosion, shattered sleep patterns, browning of the chompers, major jitters, and the unfocused aggression that came out when the need to get my fix overcame my better nature. After many years of solid abuse, it took a solid week to detox; to break an addiction that left me a manic, body aching, thrashing sweat-soaked junkie. Understandably, I'm unwilling to go thru that nightmare again.Today, caffeine is a very specific tool; taken only when that extra energy boost is needed. And because I'm no longer a regular user, it works when I reach for it. And perhaps more importantly, once the job is accomplished, I flat walk away cold turkey. As much as I absolutely love that luxurious liquid gold, one-hundred percent Kona ground; falling back into addiction isn't an option.Still, I needed something with a kick, ideally without the usual accompanying detrimental side effects. In truth, I haven't yet tried the various B-12 based energy pick-me-ups, which retail for as much as $3 a hit, so perhaps there are better options. But I felt that 100 milligrams of old school might be a workable solution, especially as a cost-effective means of infusion.So far - so good.Now, let's get this out of the way. Yes, the reviews which state the before-and-after flavors of the gum are spot on accurate.Did several tests over the course of a couple weeks to properly gauge the product. Here are the overall results:=================================================================================Minute 1 - Very sweet and refreshing. Typical of most mint flavored gums.1: 30 - The flavor is still there but fading quickly.2:00 - Mint is pretty much gone now. But there's a lingering aftertaste, enough to cover the true flavor of the caffeine. Which, by the way, is damn near unpalatable.2: 30 - The flavoring is gone. However, and it took several doses, I'm getting used to the unpleasantness. Based on comments and observations made by family and friends who quit tobacco, this is similar to nicotine impregnated chews. Essentially, a nasty medicinal flavor.3:00 - From this point it's just work. The instructions say that you must chew for a full five minutes to obtain all 100 milligrams.4:00-5:00 - Not going to lie, the last two minutes are genuinely difficult, but doable.Yes, the taste is foul. But not unbearable. The first time I couldn't finish the product; literally spitting it out to relieve myself from the nastiness. However, with more use, the less offensive it became. With a bit of effort and an expected adult palette, one can accomplish the five minutes.=================================================================================One interesting note: Almost every time I used the gum, within a minute or so, it produced a headache. At first this was quite upsetting as I very, very rarely get headaches. But realized that this was proof that the caffeine was hitting the bloodstream much faster than when drinking either Coffee or Diet Coke, both of which take quite a while to kick in. Again, speaking only for myself, the headaches were light and passed away within an hour or so of ingestion. Also, if you have a sensitive stomach, I suggest eating something prior to using the product.Overall, effective. The advertising accurate.The energy level tick-up was quite noticeable and remained for quite some time. However, remember that I only use the product "as needed" so the effect is likely more profound when compared to a person regularly mainlining.Like all stimulants, the more you use them, the less effective they become. So use it in specific situations as needed.UPDATE (11.13.14): That Free Spearmint pack turned out to be a great marketing tool. Why? Because I LOVE that flavor! This product is now a mainstay at my workstation. Works better than coffee or other liquid caffeine deliver systems. In my experience, the kick takes place very quickly and leaves the body just as quickly; a perfect stimulant. Additionally, I'm no longer staying up for super long periods of time or hand-shaking jittery, which were common side-effects when I did the black gold. <g>I've also bumped this from a 4-Star to a 5-Star, something I very rarely do with Amazon Reviews. It's that good. :-D

I work full time. I go to grad school full time. I like caffeine.This is caffeine. All the pros and cons of caffeine obviously apply to this gum. There are some additional pluses and minuses in this form, though.(+) This seems to work faster than other forms of caffeine, probably because it begins to absorb through the mouth instead of waiting for it to get to the digestive tract.(+) Simply the act of chewing any gum seems to help me stay alert and focus. Yes, this could be achieved by consuming another form of caffeine and having non-caffeinated gum... but I like the efficiency of this approach.(-) Unfortunately, using this too often (~5+ pieces per day for a few days) seems to make my mouth slightly tender. I try to mitigate this slightly by drinking a lot of water with it, but sometimes I have to switch to other forms of caffeine to give my mouth a break.I've given pieces to coworkers and classmates, and they all agree that it really works.Most people dislike the taste, but no one has hated it enough to spit it out right away. I actually like the flavor of the arctic mint and the spearmint is okay. The cinnamon flavor is STRONG, but most brands of cinnamon gum are strong, so you might like it if you like that sort of flavor.If you've tried this back when the gum was circular, note that the recipe was improved when they switched to a more rectangular geometry. The gum is now softer and seems to stay fresh longer.Some hints for improving the boost you get from this:- Take a vitamin B complex with it, and you'll essentially have a cheap form of "5-Hour Energy." (Yes, I know that 5-Hour Energy has other ingredients, too... but most of the effect is simply due to the vitamin B with the caffeine.)- Drink lots of water while chewing this gum, since lack of hydration can cause fatigue. This is especially important since caffeine negatively affects the body's hydration, and the gum (unlike soda or coffee) doesn't contain water.- Chew half a piece at a time (50 mg), twice as often. This helps even out the energy. For some people, a half piece might be all you need. A half piece provides a little more than a soda worth of caffeine.- To prevent my body from becoming totally dependent on caffeine, I avoid caffeine on the weekends. I also go off of caffeine completely for a week every couple of months. This helps the caffeine work better when I really need it.