Listerine Strips have been around for a long time: those minty paper-like strips that you place on your tongue when you just don’t have time to use mouthwash. Now the same sort of packaging is being used for an energy boosting product.
Sheets is a brand of energy strips that are individually packaged and dissolve quickly after you place them on your tongue. At this point, there are just two flavors to choose from: Cinnamon Rush and Berry Blast. Makers promise more flavors in the future.
So what is it in Sheets that gives its users a boost of energy? There’s as much caffeine as what is in the average cup of coffee. It’s also loaded with vitamin E, B5, B6, and B12. But let’s make no bones about it, it’s the caffeine that gets you going.
“Unfortunately, many people believe that energy products provide a boost due to the vitamin B that’s added,” says certified personal trainer and competitive natural bodybuilder Raphael Calzadilla. “However, only a person who is deficient in vitamin B (a very small percentage of the population) would derive any benefit at all. The energy increase from these products comes from caffeine, and sometimes sugar.”
We live in an overworked society, which has created an entire industry around the need for energy boosting products. I’m sort of old-school in that I prefer a simple cup of coffee, but “kids these days” are more apt to grab their favorite energy drink.
Once energy drinks got a little tired, companies started to get creative with how to deliver the energy. So the next steps were 5 Hour Energy Shots, chewing gum, and now dissolving energy strips.
The Verdict
Let’s start off with what is good about Sheets. The website not only offers full disclosure of what is in their product, they warn people who should not use Sheets (pregnant women, children under 12) and recommend speaking with your doctor before using Sheets.
Now for something that I think is a little underhanded. In promoting the benefits of Sheets, the website says that it has “no sugar, no calories, and no crash”… but “no crash” comes with a disclaimer saying that “no crash means no sugar crash.” So, what they are saying (without actually saying it) is that there is no crash, but there is, just from caffeine, not from sugar. Those of us who occasionally have a little too much coffee can attest – caffeine will make you crash pretty much the same as sugar.
One thing you can say for sure is that Sheets has some heavy hitters as spokespeople: NBA superstars LeBron James and Amar’e Stoudemire. There’s also a goofy promotional video with Denver Nuggets player Danilo Gallinari. There are also old school rappers (DMC of Run DMC and Doug E. Fresh), an NFL running back in Ray Rice, and even your everyday working class people who just need a pick-me-up in the middle of the day.
The bottom line is that most people can safely enjoy products like Sheets in moderation. However, if you have any health issues or any doubts, speak with your doctor. You can order Sheets products directly from www.takeasheet.com. A pack of 10 strips goes for $5.95 and you get free shipping if your order is worth $11.90 (two packs).
Strips image via TakeASheet.com