Are Caffeine Pouches the New Zyn?

With the breakthrough popularity of nicotine pouches like Zyn and Velo, it was only a matter of time before caffeine pouches started to appear on our shelves. Promising the same convenience as nicotine pouches, are caffeine pouches the new, best way for your mid-day energy boost?

Convenience, convenience, convenience

Look, we get it. Life moves fast these days, and we hardly have time to take a breather, much less reach for a cup of coffee or energy drink. What happens when you need your energy boost right now, in the classroom, office, gym or when driving? Caffeine pouches have emerged as an alternative, promising convenience and ease of use.

The key thing is the convenience. I can bring my can around anywhere and pop a pouch anytime I need it. There are around 16 - 20 pouches in a can which lasts a few days for me.

Delilah, TX

Wintergreen is the best flavor, reminds me of my chewing tobacco which I used to love. I'm still used to spitting though, although I'm told I should swallow my saliva to get the maximum caffeine.

Joe P, UT

New to caffeine pouches or curious about the experience? Let's break it down:

1. Convenient and portable. Pouches come in a flat, plastic canister which can be thrown in your bag, although they're a tad too bulky to carry in your pocket. This means your caffeine pouches are within reach most of time time, as long as your bag is with you.

2. Good caffeine absorption. Pouches may be better than drinks, pills or gummies because some absorption occurs through the gums. However, pouch brands also advise to swallow your saliva to support caffeine absorption. It is an option to spit, but that means you get your full caffeine boost comparably slower.

3. Great flavors. Similar to nicotine pouches, caffeine pouch brands carry a wide range of eclectic flavors from minty, fruity to mellow. Since pouches are designed to sit at your gum for about an hour, this gives ample time to enjoy your chosen flavor. As each pouch is relatively thick, it has ample volume to carry a high amount of flavor ingredients.

However, caffeine pouches also suffer the same drawbacks as nicotine pouches. It's a matter of personal preference if you are willing to look past them.

1. Slower caffeine boost. For the caffeine to start reaching your body, the ingredients (and the pouch itself) needs to get sufficiently soaked in your saliva. The caffeine then needs to pass through the cloth or fiber pouch material to your gums, where it enters your bloodstream. As advised by many brands, if you don't swallow your saliva, a big chunk of caffeine doesn't reach your body. In any case, caffeine absorption is much slower when swallowed, as it needs to pass through your digestive system first before entering your body.

2. Discomfort at your gums. It does take some getting used to, but some people never get over the feeling of something jammed between your lips and gums. I've never been able to talk or eat naturally when using pouches, but ymmv. More seriously, prolonged usage of pouches has the potential to irritate your gums and cause ulcers and swelling. As with all good things, use in moderation and listen to your own body. Many pouch users mitigate this by alternating between the left and right sides or the mouth, but you can work out what's best for your habits.

There's a new alternative for your energy fix

Originally developed as a pharmaceutical delivery system, oral dissolving strips are the new revolution in convenient supplement consumption. STIM is the world's first energy strip using time release caffeine. Simply place one strip on your inner cheek, and enjoy your boost in seconds.

1. Extremely quick energy boost. STIM works 4.8x faster than drinks, pills or gummies, because virtually all caffeine absorption happens directly in the mouth without having to pass through your tummy. Compared to caffeine pouches, STIM does not ask you to choose between spitting or swallowing. That's because all the caffeine is absorbed in seconds via your inner cheek.

2. Paper thin and discrete. One STIM strip is barely paper thin, and your job is done once its placed on your inner cheek. Say goodbye to the discomfort of something jammed between your lip and gum. Within seconds, the strip dissolves totally, meaning no need to dispose of gross, saliva soaked pouches.

3. Pocket sized energy. While caffeine pouches are certainly easy to carry around, one STIM pack of 20 strips literally fits in the palm of your hand. Easily carry STIM in you pocket for Energy On Demand. Unlike pouches, each STIM strip is individually wrapped in peel-apart foil, preserving freshness of the caffeine.

Now, let's be fair. Energy strips like STIM are paper thin and almost feel weightless, but this means pouches are able to carry more flavor ingredients. You won't be able to get similar levels of flavor between an energy strip and a pouch. However, if a faster, more convenient boost without discomfort is more appealing to you, then STIM is definitely for you.

Nicotine and caffeine pouches trace their origins from spitting and chewing tobacco, while dissolving energy strips like STIM emerged from new methods of fast and accurate pharmaceutical drug delivery. In essence, it's still down to you to make an informed decision on how you want to get your daily energy boost.

For Fast, Convenient Energy that Tastes Great, join the STIM revolution.