FRS Energy Drink All Smoke and Mirrors?
October 5th, 2010. By janem
Before you spend money on a FRS energy drink, consider reading the label’s list of ingredients. Sure, the good stuff is included, but so are sugars. And that amount doesn’t bode well with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines.
Let’s start with the FRS label. If you’ve consumed one FRS energy drink, you’ve almost had your quota of sugar (One 11.5 oz can contains 19 grams) for the day. The USDA recommends the following:
1,600 calories – Limit sugar to 6 teaspoons per day or 22 grams per day
2,200 calories – Limit sugar to 12 teaspoons per day or 44 grams per day
2,800 calories – Limit sugar to 18 teaspoons per day or 66 grams per day
FRS also contains caffeine—but the label doesn’t say how much. Interestingly, the label shows vitamin percent daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet, but neglects to add the percentage information regarding sugar or Quercetin. So is it all smoke and mirrors?
According to the Mayo Clinic, quercetin and other antioxidants that are contained in FRS energy drinks are considered healthy, but studies have shown that the most benefits come from eating or drinking them in foods or beverages where they occur naturally, such as apple skins, red onions and berries, rather than taking supplements. Furthermore, taking large quantities of antioxidants can cause health problems, so it may not be a good idea to consume more than the recommended daily allowances. And the jury is still out on the recommended daily Quercetin allowance, which is why FRS states on its label that Quercetin’s “Daily Value not Established”.
The people at FRS claim their product is a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks (such as Red Bull or Monster) because it contains antioxidants rather than relying on large amounts of sugar and caffeine to boost the energy levels those who drink it.
Well that may be true, but comparing any energy drink to Red Bull can make just about any product look healthy. Their claim doesn’t mean that energy drinks are healthy. If Red Bull or Monster were healthy, that would be another story. Or if FRS claims it was a healthier alternative to, say, eating an apple and a banana, it might have something worthwhile to promote. That is based on the assumption that the FRS energy drink isn’t falsely advertised.
FRS Spokesperson Lance Armstrong
It’s hard to believe that Lance Armstrong, FRS poster boy, would be associated with any false advertising. Or is it? FRS, is a savvy multi-million dollar company with Pepsi-cola backing and knows how gullible the public can be when it comes to having sports heroes promote their product. Case in point: Coach Levi
, who seems to have fallen hook, line and sinker for Lance Armstrong’s promo ads.
” It turns out that this energy drink is endorsed by none other than Lance Armstrong!,” says coach Levi. “Apparently Lance scrutinized the science behind this energy drink and deemed it worthy of consumption. He’s even sitting on the Board of Directors for the company now, so he must really believe in this stuff.”
Sorry to break the news to you Coach, but your hero not only sits on the board–he is also an investor in FRS. That means he is getting paid to say good things about FRS. But coach, enjoy the scam while you can. (By the way, I sat through your video, demonstrating how to make a drink from FRS concentrate or powder, and it’s about as exciting as watching cheese ripen—hope FRS paid you well.) And sorry to really break your bubble, but according to Zeta Interactive, a marketing firm that tracks online sentiments, Mr. Armstrong’s golden boy image is in jeopardy.
Recently, prosecutors subpoenaed documents from a 2004 case in which a Texas company with business ties to Armstrong tried to prove he used drugs in order to avoid paying him a performance bonus. The Lance Armstrong Foundation has not been accused of wrongdoing, but it is so closely linked with Armstrong it could be hurt.
Meanwhile FRS is expanding its commitment to Armstrong and the foundation and plans to feature the FRS investor and board member in national television ads this October. FRS also recently agreed to support the foundation for at least three more years.
“Anyone or anything associated with Lance Armstrong should be very worried right now,” Zeta Interactive CEO Al DiGuido said. “He has faced these kinds of allegations before, but the fuel really seems to be kicking in this time.”
And here are some last words of advice from Jock Joose:
” I can’t believe athletes such as Lance Armstrong actually promote this stuff. It’s a total scam. Offering a sub par supplement and praying on people in a bad economy. I now hate Lance because of this as well. This is a warning to anyone who is considering getting the free trial – DON’T DO IT.”
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Wow. What a brillant post. Maybe you should look at new formula that has less sugar. Anyways, getting ramped up on sugar is so 1980s. How were your cocoa puffs this morning or was the Coke (39 sugar grams) and "salad" with ranch dressing better.
Hi Ronnie, Why, thank you–we appreciate your bestowing our post with a most high commendation: "brilliant". And yes, the sugar fix is indeed so '80's–but alas some folks may have forgotten those glorious big hair, big shoulder pads, and big sugar days for they've seemingly bought into the energy burst Lance touts one can get from what's basically, uh, sugar water–oh, but my bad, that's organic sugar in there–major difference. Oh–we did happen to check out the new "Low Cal" formula, but for my money, 5g of sugars is still almost a quarter of your day's recommended sugar intake based on a 1600-calorie dietary intake per day. And heck, if I'm going to blow 25% of my sugar quota in one place, I'd prefer to be at a Cold Stone Creamery–or compliments of some Teuscher truffles (ok, I'll settle for Lindt).
…additionally, I like the quote from Jock Joose. Without his great quotes and intellectual guidance, where would this country be.
Gee, maybe listening to Lance Armstrong?
Um, it's a sports drink. It should have sugars in it. If you are doing any endurance exercise you will need to replace energy while you are exercising. I can't comment on FRS as I've never used the product, but maybe you should educate yourself about what makes a good sports drink. An athlete also has a higher daily requirement of vitamins and minerals than your average couch potato. As such, addition of these substances is justified. And the antioxidants you mention? Most are water soluble, meaning you simply urinate out any that you don't use. The only antioxidant you really need to worry about taking megadoses of is vitamin A.
The levels of sugar are on par with any sports drink. It's meant for sports. If you're some deluded individual that thinks drinking this stuff magically gives you energy, then you deserve to get fat and suffer ill health from consuming them.
I'm not an Armstrong worshipper, but maybe you should read up a little more before making your posts. Seems like a legal advice website should understand the importance of getting facts straight.
Hi Jason, Thanks for your comment–and you raise some good points, however, the issue with FRS isn't the presence of those ingredients–it never was the issue in and of itself. And sure, Gatorade also contains sugars. The issue with FRS is the advertising claims it makes–which, you'll note, Gatorade is not under fire for such at present, is it? And, we do have our facts straight–there is also opinion in there as it's a blog. In terms of your argument about "some deluded individual…", well, that smacks of the argument Coke tried to use in defending its VitaminWater recently–and they became the laughing stock of the press as a result of it.
Also, you mention that this is a sports drink–"meant for sports". I couldn't agree with you more–however, I wonder if FRS agrees. Here's a line right off their website:
"What began as a way to help endurance athletes to run, pedal and train faster and longer has become an energy solution to help keep everyone on their toes."
An energy solution to help keep everyone on their toes? Sounds like that athlete target audience got a little broader on the way to the cash register, no?
So put whatever you want in whatever drink you want–but have the balls to market it honestly, and to the right target audience.
I have used FRS for 5 weeks. I prefer the chews. FRS has benefited my cervical dystonia. Somehow this quercetin has toned down my involuntary contractions. They can say whatever they want about FRS that it is this and it is that. If something works use it. I am against Botox as I have taken it for 3 years. It is poison. FRS is not. Any smart person in my shoes who has an incurable condition such as cervical dystonia which is a living hell because you are constantly having uncontrollable movements, and now feel like a normal person then I say GO FOR IT!!! Also, I had breast cancer and have been on tamoxifen. I have had NO energy for 4 years until I started taking FRS. It has brought my life back!! Those scientist at Harvard are no idiots who developed FRS. When something good comes along, the competition whoever it is wants to squelch. I have tried all the energy drinks, and they left my hyper, hyper, hyper and jittery. FRS DOES NOT DO THAT TO YOU. THEY HAVE CHEWIES, POWDER DRINKS, CANS, & A LIQUID CONCENTRATE. YOU JUST HAVE TO TRY ONE THAT FITS YOU. I DO NOT WORRY ABOUT SUGAR. I DO NOT HAVE A WEIGHT PROBLEM. I DON'T GAIN WEIGHT BECAUSE I DO NOT EATG ALL THE WHITE STUFF: potatoes, granulated sugar (I use Stevia), rice, bread. I am healthy and even more so now that FRS has helped my cervical dystonia.
Hi Cindy, Clearly FRS has worked for you–and I'm glad it seems to have been the long-awaited "cure" for your cervical dystonia. Who knew? I imagine you've ruled out all other possible dietary changes or medications, etc as contributing factors as you seem fairly certain that quercetin is solely responsible for controlling your involuntary contractions.
More importantly, however, I hope your cancer is in remission and that you continue to receive a clean bill of health as you finish your course of tamoxifen–if FRS is helping you feel more energetic given all you've been through, good for you.
Admin – I truly appreciate your reply. I just looked at the bag of chewies and the sugar content for each chew is 3g. I take one chewy a day which is 250mg of quercetin. It is strange that this antioxidant is lessening my involuntary contractions. It seems that unexpected or accidental events are the ones that bring positive change. I would rather pay $14.00 for a bag of chewies than pay $3500 for an injection treatment of Botox. Wouldn’t you? And, at the end after the botox, your copayment is $200 a month plus the expenses of going 400 miles roundtrip to get the treatment because it is a renoun hospital. I am counting on this supplement to sustain me with energy that I need because of my medical issues. By the way I did not have the invasive cancer as I consider myself lucky. But I had to take tamoxifen to block the estrogen. This plus CD has definitely played with my immune system. But I am eating well (using the NuWave Oven), taking bee pollen, mega red, and Diatomaceous Earth. Please look this up at earthworkshealth.com IT IS AMAZING!! It is so cheap that is why nobody wants to talk about it. I believe this is something everybody should take.
This so called blog is incredibly disturbing to me to say the least. I have to wonder if the writer has ever tried the free two week trial to get an educated opinion on how FRS might make them feel?! Wouldn't it be nice if it curred their pessimism and gave their readers a sense of much needed hope during the dark times that we are facing today.
I am a three time cancer survivor and lost my right lung after my testicular cancer relapsed miraculously after 18 years of remission. I literally could not get up off the couch for an entire year and I saw this product online that your blog is calling a "scam" and ordered the free two week trial 5 years ago. I have taken 2 servings of the light orange concentrate practically every day for over 5 years straight and on the very rare chance that I've run out for few days I go right back to my previous recovering couch potato lifestyle. Which is what I imagine your writer's daily routine is like. I tried all of the other energy supplement type drinks hoping to get some motivation going and nothing seemed to work. Just one month after starting FRS I finally decided to put a new engine in my Cigarette Boat and completely finished restoring it with teak wood floors and a 6000 watt stereo system. I then started working out again three times a week at my gym that I had been wasting my money on every month and my endurance and energy levels well exceeded my expectations. My Oncologists from Moffitt Cancer Research Center are amazed at my progress and my Platelet counts in my blood tests have normalized from my bone marrow now producing more. This rarely ever happens after multiple rounds of TIP chemothereapy and my Oncologists are completely baffled at how I've been able to overcome this life threatening side effect of many toxic chemo treatments. Over the years I have recommended this product to many of my friends that have watched me improve and I'm even running circles around some of the skeptics that are much younger than me. Not one person that has tried the two week trial has ever stopped taking it since they started and they still thank me all the time for telling them about it. The constant daily smooth energy levels and extra boost when exerting myself are priceless for someone like me and especially when this product was first released it was over $35 dollars a bottle for a one month supply at two servings per day and now due to it's growing popularity it's only $12-$15 a bottle on Amazon or drugstore.com!! I could go on and on about the healing benefits I've experienced from this product and the fact that I Never get sick even with a compromised immune system when everyone else around me is addicted to nasal spray and zinc tablets. However, please don't put a negative spin on my two glasses of FRS when your report is less than half empty if you've never even tried a full glass……..
Cheers with a Glass that is Half Full,
Dr. David Brian<<<
A Walking Living Half Breathing One Nut Nutty One Lung Optimist of a Miracle
I have been drinking FRS for years. It is a better alternative to most energy drinks on the market. BTW… Don’t all athletes sell their souls for money. Peyton for Buick, and Buick’s suck in my opinion. Shaq, Jordan, etc.. Companies pay athletes to promote their products. Here’s my 2 cents. If an athlete promotes a product they believe in (or maybe it’s just the money) then it’s worth a shot to try it. FRS works for me and everyone that I tell about the product. It helps with my concentration and it gives me a steady stream of energy for hours. The flavors take some getting used to.. but it would take a knock out punch from Mike Tyson to get me drink a red bull or rock star drink.
Without warning I received notification my VIP supply of orange FRS Drink has been discontinued. Thanks. I have a B12 deficency which is accelerated by cycling — B12 is water soluable and lost through body sweat. I have two solutions: B12 injections and FRS drinks both of which I depend on. Other digestible B12 products do not work for me; sugar is not an issue; caffine is not an issue. I am not interested in other energy drinks that have clear health challenges including unsafe amounts of caffine especially when mixed with alcohol. FRS worked for L. Armstrong and works for me. I have integrated this product into my personal health regimen. Do not villianize this product with your witch hunting of athlete doping. There are those of us who depend on it for health reasons.
M. Colleen Hamilton, M.A., RPA
Safety Program Administrator
Hello everyone,
I’ve been a faithful consumer of FRS orange concentrate since it’s early days of endorsement by the now dethrown Lance Armstrong.
My own story, August 2, 1969 I was on my motorcycle, traveling the speed limit 65 mph
And a drunk driver hit me head on at the same speed, what happen? You can do the math? Many many broken/compound fractures. Long story short 4 things kept me a live.
1. I was in the best shape of my life!
2. I was wearing a helmet.
3. A Doctor just happen to be driving by, and rendered emergency first aid.
4. The Main Man Upstairs Said it just wasn’t my time.
…moving ahead to the present:
Friday July 28, 2017.
I had 2 total knee replacements. And I have a Medtronics Morphine Pain Pump surgically implanted in my abdomen, to control the nerve damage done by the motorcycle accident.
I’m still buying and drinking FRS orange concentrate. The problem being, the FRS Company is going through some hard times,
I CAN’T get them to commit to sending me
their product? Somebody (in Administration)
DROPPED THE BALL!!! ERRRR I’m so bad and disappointed in them!!!
Their Concintrated Orange drink
reg or low cal; has increased my energy level so much, and at the age of 67 times my health failings? I REALLY depend on their drink.
When I compare Red Bull, etc; they all are carbonated?
I don’t like, nor do I want the carbonation.
…and AND even after consuming the
“Red Bull” and or “Rock Star” carbonated drinks, 5 hrs later I’m TOTALLY depleated of the ENERGY?
…ok now back to the your main write up against FRS and Lance Armstrong. are you right, are you correct in your writings? I’d say mostly I agree with you.
About Lance Armstrong, and his continual denial of using inhancing drugs, blood doping. He is human just like the rest of us.
Just like TV most popular Dad Bill Cosby.
If they would just admit, yes…I screwed up!
Truth is, When it comes to advertisements
On any product? No one is “completely honest?”
I mean I enjoy and love drinking Coke!
(Even though there’s some guy on the internet showing what happens when you mixed Cocoa Cola and milk together, and how cocoa cola is a good rust solvent).
I enjoy and love drinking milk.
Milk consumption is under fire by the Vegans?
I’m NOT a vegan, I love a good steak!
Ok, so accordingly, here’s what we have:
* FRS isn’t good.
* Coke isn’t good.
* milk isn’t good.
* meat isn’t good.
What’s a person to do?
Learn all you can about life and living healthy, in a balanced way.
Extremism in any form is DANGEROUS!
(I have a 96 yr old great grandpa that smokes cigarettes, cigars and uses a pipe and tobacco as well).
Bottom line, trust your gut, live accordingly.
One final question?
Does anyone know, if there is a product on the market similar to FRS?
“Let your Dignity lead you, and your Integrity be the footprints you leave behind.”
Steve A. Kois
Too much sugar is in so many products why single them out. And keep in mind you can buy (it’s all I use) much lower sugar versions they produce (for many years now). And even some non sugar versions (powder) and very low sugar (the chews). They do publish exactly how much caffeine and it is far less than most energy drinks. Bottom line is a slug of the concentrate or one or two chews does indeed give me a nice smooth boost, no caffeine jitters, low sugar intake – so what’s not to like? It would appear from what we know the lower sugar versions are likely NOT unhealthy, the stuff works, I’ve been using it for MANY years and my biggest concern is are they still in business since currently they are out of most things.