Saturday, July 25, 2015

Lipovitan D Pro

About
Lipovitan D Pro is an energy drink(eiyouzai) sold by the Taisho Pharmaceutical Company. It is part of the lineup of Taisho Pharmaceutical's famous "Lipovitan D" series of energy drinks.

Ingredients
The drink contains 1000mg of taurine, 0.2mL of Morinda officinalis extract, 50mg of inositol, 20mg of nicotinamide, 5mg of vitamin B1, 5mg of vitamin B2, 5mg of vitamin B6, and 50mg of caffeine.

Difference with the regular "Lipovitan D"
Unlike the regular Lipovitan D which is a quasi drug energy drink(指定医薬部外品), Lipovitan D Pro is a Type 2 Pharmaceutical(第2類医薬品) energy drink. This is despite the fact that the Pro version does not share many differences with the regular Lipovitan D. In fact, when it comes to the active ingredients, there is only one difference. Lipovitan D Pro contains the Morinda officinalis extract while the regular Lipovitan D does not. Morinda officinalis is an ingredient used in Kampo(traditional Chinese medicine in Japan).

Taste
The taste of Lipovitan D Pro is just like the regular Lipovitan D; it is sweet like syrup but not fruity.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

S-CUP E

About
S-CUP E(エスカップE) is a quasi-drug energy drink sold by SS Pharmaceutical Company, a company which has its roots in the Edo Period. 
"S-CUP" was first sold by the company in 1963. "S-CUP E" is one of the products in the "S-CUP" lineup and is targeted at women.
What makes this energy drink unique is the fact that it contains vitamin E and panthenol.
The drink contains 100mg of vitamin E, 10mg of vitamin B1, 5mg of vitamin B2, 5mg of vitamin B6, 20mg of nicotinamide, 15mg of panthenol, 100mg of inositol, 100mg of carnitine,  500mg of taurine, and 50mg of caffeine.
Compared to the regular S-CUP, this one contains vitamin E, panthenol, and 5mg more vitamin B1, but contains 500mg less taurine. It also comes in a different glass bottle, with a bottleneck reminiscent of a beer bottle.

Taste
The drink has a green apple-like taste to it and is quite sweet. It does not have a strong medicinal flavor to it, so it is easy to drink.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Oronamin C - Taste & Review

About
Oronamin C(オロナミンC) is a carbonated energy drink sold by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company in Japan. The drink was first sold on February of 1965 and has been a long-seller ever since. The drink's slogan "元気ハツラツ(genki hatsuratsu)" which basically means "lively vigor" is also well known. The drink comes in a distinctive glass bottle which has not changed much since the drink was first sold. It also has a distinctive cap which can be removed by pulling the plastic lever connected to it.
The "C" in Oronamin C stands for the vitamin C that is inside the drink.
The drink is also sold in South Korea.

Ingredients
The drink contains 220mg of vitamin C, 2.4mg of vitamin B2, 4.9mg of vitamin B6, and 12mg of niacin.

Taste
The drink has a citrus candy-like taste much like that of PEZ. The fizz also makes the drink much more enjoyable than non-carbonated quasi-drug and pharmaceutical energy drinks.

Where to Buy
The drink is not classified as a "drug" and can be found in both convenience stores and drug stores.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

TIOVITA GOLD 2000 - Taste & Review

About
TIOVITA GOLD 2000(チオビタゴールド2000) is a pharmaceutical energy drink sold by the Taiho Pharmaceutical Company in Japan, which sells the "Tiovita" lineup of energy drinks. The drink comes in a small, 50ml glass bottle, a package which usually signifies that the drink is a pharmaceutical energy drink and not a quasi-drug or carbonated energy drink.(More info on classification of energy drinks). The "2000" signifies that the drink contains 2000mg of taurine. This naming trend is followed by other companies as well.

Taste
Like most pharmaceutical energy drinks, the taste is a little bitter and unsurprisingly, like that of medicine. However, it does have a vanilla-like flavor to it, quite strong actually, but not tasty.

Ingredients
The drink contains 2000mg of taurine, 0.15ml of royal jelly extract, 0.1ml of Epimedium grandiflorum(Inyoukaku) extract, 5mg of vitamin B1, 5mg of vitamin B2, 5mg of vitamin B6, 30mg of nicotinamide, and 50mg of caffeine.
Epimedium grandiflorum is an ingredient used in Kampo(traditional Chinese medicine in Japan) as well as in traditional Chinese medicine. The other ingredients are also commonly used in other energy drinks.

Effect
Medium. I did get a boost by the drink, but it was a kind of boost I could have gotten from a normal(quasi-drug) energy drink.

Consumption & Purchase
Since it is a pharmaceutical energy drink, the drink is not sold in regular convenience stores or a supermarkets. Your best bet is to go to a drug store. The price is also more expensive than that of a usual quasi-drug energy drink.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Alinamin 7 Zero - Taste & Review

About
Alinamin 7 Zero is an energy drink sold by the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. The drink contains Fursultiamine, a derivative of thiamine(Vitamin B1) which was developed in Japan by Takeda in the 1960s and is incorporated into most, if not all of its Alinamin lineup of products. According to Takeda, Fursultiamine is more easily absorbed into the body compared to thiamine(vitamin B1).
The drink contains 2.5mg of Fursultiamine, 2.54mg of riboflavin(vitamin B2), 10mg of vitamin B6, 25mg of nicotinamide, 125mg of l-aspartic acid, 1000mg of taurine, and 50mg of caffeine.

Taste
It has a lemon-like citrus taste to it and is easy to drink. Since this drink contains "zero" sugars, the drink is sweetened with sweeteners which gives it a kind of artificial sweetness.

Effect
The drink has quite a kick to it. For the price, the effects are satisfactory.

Reference
http://alinamin.jp/alinamin/fursultiamine/