Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quick energy but use with caution, November 25, 2007
At first I was skeptical about Stay Alert's claim of providing alertness almost instantly. I decided to see for myself if this product's claim was true by using it on the tenth hour of a 12 hour work day in a busy trauma ICU where I work. I used two pieces, equivalent to two cups of coffee. In a matter of minutes I noticed my energy was up and I felt that my mind was sharp as when I was well rested. So it does give you that instant gratification of alertness that you need when you must continue to think critically and physically drive on.
A few words of caution.
1. Can cause tachycardia (heart beating very fast). If you have an irregular heart rhythm or any sort of cardiac problems, hypertension, or are on any hypertensive medications, you should hold off using this product until your doctor gives you the okay to use it.
2. Common sense should rule while using Stay Alert. Even though the manufacturer's claim of safety is noted, you shouldn't chew a handful at a time. While it would be considerably more difficult to consume 10 cups of coffee, chewing 10 pieces of this gum would be relatively easier to do. Therefore, you are opening yourself up to risk of some serious palpitations, that can lead to hypertension, stroke, or even cardiac arrest if you consume too many. So this gum with all of its good points for keeping you alert, is not as innocent as it appears.
3. Children should not consume this gum at all. Caffeine is a drug, and it could cause problems in children with underlying heart conditions.
4. Stay Alert contains Aspartame. Aspartame was denied approval by the FDA for eight years for many reasons. I would not consume aspartame on a daily basis for its cumulative effects.
I gave this product 4 stars out of 5 for the quick alertness it provides when you need to stay sharp to save your life and others. The aspartame it contains, brings the rating down by one star. Overall, Stay Alert is a good product.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the Price, June 6, 2007
I've developed a terrifying habit of getting very sleepy while driving. I've never had an accident, but I avoid driving at night, and even in the daytime staying awake can be difficult. If necessary I pull over and nap or exercise, but that takes time. I've tried taking along a quart of coffee, but that's a bother. Buying coffee can work, but it takes time, and there isn't always a source of coffee near at hand.
A couple months ago I discovered 24, by Jolt, and that gum works well and has little aftertaste, but I need usually six pieces--half a pack. I recently found Stay Alert on here and bought a lot of it. It arrived two days later. It costs about $1 for five pieces, so about 20 cents a piece. Each piece is twice the thickness and twice the strength of a piece of 24. Depending on how sleepy I am, I find that if I chew one or two pieces, within a couple minutes I'm feeling fine. It's much cheaper than buying coffee. I like the fact that the packaging is much simpler and cheaper and eco-friendly than 24, and it packs easily into a pocket or bag.
The only bad thing is that after a minute of tasting sugar and cinnamon in a nice burst, there is about fifteen minutes of tasting the bitterness of the caffeine (ever got a no-doze pill stuck in your mouth?). Then that pretty much goes away, and there's an acceptable but mild cinnamon taste thereafter. Stay Alert has a much more unpleasant aftertaste than 24, but it's stronger and a bit cheaper. It may work a bit faster than 24, and more of the caffeine may be entering the blood stream from the mouth, rather than the stomach. What that might do to the mucous membrane, I don't know.
In any case, it is literally a life saver, because it always wakes me up when I'm getting sleepy while driving. Highly recommended for truckers and travelers. The caffeine isn't good for you, but probably this is better for you than drinking the coffee, and it's sure cheaper.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works as advertised, August 20, 2007
I brought some of this with me on a long car trip this summer. From experience I know that when my head starts nodding, I have but a few minutes to pull over and take a catnap, or become a danger to myself and others. Trouble is, there isn't usually a place to pull over right away--the nearest rest area is often a half hour or so away (and on some state highways there are none at all). Not a problem with Stay Alert! This time I popped one piece, started chewing, and literally within a few seconds my head stopped nodding and I felt exactly as though I had taken a nap. I was wide awake. The effect stayed with me for 2-3 hours, and by then I was able to find a rest area and take a nap.
I used it sparingly, only when I had no choice; I took naps whenever I could, and Stay Alert saved my behind several times on this trip. This stuff really works. And Amazon has it for the lowest price I've seen online.
It has a cinnamon flavor which is acceptable, but not the best. But then again, you don't chew this for the flavor. When you're tired but you need to keep going, you don't care about flavor; all you care about is staying awake. This stuff will get you over the hump.
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