If you’re interested in trying the popular caffeine supplement No Doz, you might be curious to read about the experience of others who’ve tried it. You’ve come to the right place! We tried No Doz so we could tell you more about it and help you make a decision.
Read on to see our quick summary of No Doz, what we did and didn’t like about it, how it stacks up to other caffeine supplements, and how to get faster-acting caffeine.
At a glance:
No Doz Pills Review: Quick Summary
In a nutshell, this supplement works, but it’s very mild and slow-acting. In our experience, you won’t feel the full effects for about half an hour. The good news is that you won’t experience jitters or a crash, and the effects last a while, about two hours total. It’s also available in most drug stores. But if you’re really looking for quick energy, this isn’t the way to go.
For those who want a faster-acting caffeine supplement, there’s no better choice than the caffeine vaporizers from HELO Air. Our customers frequently report that they feel the effects within 10-15 minutes, and as with No Doz, they don’t experience any sort of jitters or a crash. We’ve made our vaporizers as safe as possible, and they come in a wide variety of awesome flavors. More on these later!
No Doz Pills Review: Pros and Cons
In this section, we’ll go into more detail about all the pros and cons of this supplement. We’re including our own experience here as well as some third-party reviews, in order to give you as much information as possible.
No Doz Pros
No Doz is effective, and most people seem to enjoy the effects. Here, we’ll tell you what we (and others) like about the supplement.
High Dose of Caffeine
Each No Doz pill has 200 mg of caffeine. While the pill won’t have the same effect as a beverage with 200 mg of caffeine, you will feel a noticeable boost of energy. Our reviewer described the feeling as “perky” but “not overwhelming.” He also commented that he was a bit sleep deprived, so he was glad to see that No Doz could help keep him alert.
Long-lasting
While the effects of coffee and caffeinated beverages tend to taper off somewhat quickly, No Doz provided a sustained boost of energy for about two hours. If you normally drink coffee in the morning, you may find that this supplement can enhance the effects.
Others have found that the effects last even longer. One reviewer on WebMD says the effects can last up to 5-6 hours.
No Jitters or Crash
Our reviewer, who normally consumes 1-2 cups of coffee per day, noted that No Doz didn’t make him feel jittery the way that coffee sometimes does. He commented that the effects were “not unpleasant but present.”
What’s more, he also didn’t feel any sort of crash when the effects wore off. He said he noticed his energy dipping back to its normal level about two hours after taking the supplement, but there was no “dramatic downturn” of energy.
That said, one reviewer on WebMD felt “a little antsy” when taking a single pill. So some people may experience very mild jitters, but it’s unlikely to make you feel as jittery as coffee might.
Pleasant Minty Flavor
While some caffeine pills have a bitter aftertaste, and others don’t really taste like anything, No Doz had a slightly minty flavor which our reviewer found pleasant. The pills are also very small and easy to swallow, as some reviewers on WebMD have pointed out.
No Doz Cons
The effects of No Doz were mostly positive, in our experience. But it still had some cons. Here, we’ll tell you what we (and others) didn’t like about this supplement.
Very Mild Effects
Despite the fact that each pill contains 200 mg of caffeine — the equivalent of slightly more than two (8 oz.) cups of coffee — you most likely won’t feel as if you just drank an energy drink with that much caffeine.
In general, No Doz does give you energy, but it’s very mild. If you have a high caffeine tolerance or just really want a stronger effect, you may need to take two pills, or opt for a different kind of supplement altogether.
You might think No Doz Plus has more caffeine, but it actually has less: Each pill has just 100 mg of caffeine. This supplement also contains vitamins B1 and B3, whereas regular No Doz contains only caffeine, so the name is a bit misleading. It won’t give you a bigger boost of energy than regular No Doz.
Takes a While to Kick In
If you want a fast-acting caffeine supplement, No Doz isn’t the way to go. It can take upwards of half an hour to kick in, and the onset is very subtle. Unfortunately, this is how most caffeine pills work. For instance, we had a similar experience with the onset speed when we tried Vivarin — check out our Vivarin vs. No Doz post for more information. We’ll see later on why caffeine pills are slow to kick in, and what sort of supplements work faster.
Some People May Have a Bad Experience
While adverse reactions seem to be rare, they’re not unheard of. Some reviewers on WebMD have said they had a bad reaction to No Doz. One reviewer complained of dizziness and throat tightening, almost like an allergic reaction. Another reviewer complained of an excessively rapid heartbeat and was actually hospitalized for “symptoms that mimic a heart attack,” despite taking the recommended dose.
Meanwhile, other reviewers complained that they weren’t sure the supplement actually has the amount of caffeine advertised, suggesting they didn’t get a sufficient energy boost from it. Clearly, No Doz affects people differently, so the only way to be sure how it’ll affect you may be to try it yourself.
Contains Sugar and Artificial Ingredients
While our reviewer did enjoy the taste of the No Doz pill, part of that is probably because the pill actually contains sugar. As such, it may not be suitable for those who prefer to avoid sugar, or who just don’t want extra sources of sugar in their diets. The list of ingredients includes sucrose, i.e. table sugar.
No Doz also contains artificial coloring, propylene glycol, and titanium dioxide, among other artificial ingredients. So, while the only active ingredient is caffeine, some of the inactive ingredients may be cause for concern.
How Caffeine Pills Compare to Other Caffeine Supplements
In this section, we’ll tell you how caffeine pills like No Doz compare to other types of caffeine supplements: beverages and vaporizers.
Caffeine Pills: Lowest Bioavailability and Slowest-acting
While pills are perhaps the most popular way to take supplements, they are also probably the least effective. An article from Medicare Europe estimates that pills have an average bioavailability of just 39% to 53%. That means most of the contents of the pills you take are probably being wasted!
What’s more, pills take a long time to kick in. This is because they need to be broken down and digested by your body before their contents can be absorbed, and this process can take upwards of half an hour.
Caffeinated Beverages: Better Bioavailability and Faster-acting
The article from Medicare Europe says liquid supplements have much better bioavailability compared to pills, an average of 98%. Additionally, they can be absorbed in as little as 1-4 minutes. Just don’t expect to actually feel the effects that quickly. While your body can absorb liquids much faster than pills, it still takes time for you to feel the effects.
This explains why caffeinated beverages like coffee tend to have much stronger, faster-acting effects than caffeine pills like No Doz.
Caffeine Vapes: Best Bioavailability and Fastest-acting
Caffeine vapes are relatively new to the market, so scientific research is still catching up. But we have plenty of anecdotal evidence in the meantime to suggest that caffeine vapes have better bioavailability than either pills or liquids, and they are no doubt the fastest-acting option.
This makes sense: While pills and liquids both need to pass through your digestive system before being absorbed, vaporized substances get into your bloodstream almost right away via your lungs, bypassing your digestive system altogether.
While caffeine vapes tend to have a small fraction of the amount of caffeine you’ll find in energy drinks and caffeine pills, there’s no question that you’ll feel the effects. Many people find caffeine vapes can replace expensive energy drink habits. The fact that caffeine vapes can give you the same effect with substantially less caffeine is what tells us they appear to have the best bioavailability of all your options. They’re also available online and in your local shops. Check out our article on where to purchase caffeine vapes for recommended sources and retailers.
Try HELO Air for a Quick Hit of Caffeine
To recap, No Doz provides a mild boost of energy for about two hours, and you’ll most likely feel the effects within half an hour. It has a nice minty flavor, but it also has added sugar, and some people experienced adverse effects when they tried it.
HELO Air Caffeine Vapes Are Fast-acting and Safe
If you’re looking for a quick hit of caffeine with essentially no side effects, try HELO Air from MELO Labs. Our caffeine vapes are second to none: We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure no ingredients known to harm the lungs have been included. This means there’s no nicotine, no vitamin E acetate, no propylene glycol — just caffeine, organic vegetable glycerin, and natural flavors. It works fast and effectively, but you won’t get any jitters, and you don’t need to worry about taking too much caffeine.
HELO Air Has the Most Flavor Options of Any Caffeine Vape
Speaking of flavors, you have no shortage of options! Our vaporizers come in 12 awesome flavors, 8 in the original size and 4 in the plus size (which has double the capacity of the original size). This is way more flavors than you’ll find from any other caffeine vape company, and all are customer-approved. With so many to choose from, you’re sure to find one (or more!) that you love.
Try HELO Air today to see just how quickly you can get your hit of caffeine.
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