C4 Energy Shots: Shoot Your Shot with 200mg Caffeine in a Pocket-Sized Bottle

C4 Energy Shots deliver 200mg caffeine, beta-alanine, and betaine in a 2oz bottle. NSF Certified for Sport for drug-tested athletes. Performance ingredients without the 16oz commitment.

Remember when Nutrabolt launched C4 Shot Rocks on April Fools' Day 2019? The candy-style pre-workout was real, and it was glorious. Now, C4's back with another compact format that's no joke: C4 Energy Shots.

These 2-ounce bottles pack 200mg of caffeine alongside CarnoSyn beta-alanine and BetaPower betaine anhydrous in a 3.45g performance blend. That's a respectable amount of active ingredients crammed into something you can toss in your gym bag, glove box, or back pocket.

C4 Energy Shots: Trusted by Drug-Tested Athletes

Like the C4 Sport pre-workout powders and C4 Energy cans, these shots carry the NSF Certified for Sport seal. Professional and collegiate athletes can use them confidently, knowing each batch has been third-party tested for banned substances. It's a critical detail for anyone whose career depends on staying compliant.

The flavor lineup leans into C4's licensing partnerships. You'll find Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red (extending the Hawaiian Punch collaboration that launched with the 5th Generation powders), Popsicle Grape, and Frozen Bombsicle. Zero sugar, zero artificial colors across all three.

Sign up for PricePlow's C4 news alerts below, then keep reading for the full formula breakdown:

C4 Energy Shot Ingredients

Each 2 fl oz bottle provides the following:

• C4 Performance Energy Blend - 3.45g

  The blend combines three ingredients, with only caffeine's dose disclosed:

  • CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine

    CarnoSyn is a branded form of beta-alanine, a non-essential amino acid that serves as the rate-limiting precursor to carnosine synthesis in muscle tissue.^[1] Carnosine functions as an intracellular pH buffer, helping neutralize hydrogen ions that accumulate during high-intensity exercise. This buffering capacity becomes crucial during activities lasting 30 seconds to 10 minutes, where metabolic acidosis can limit performance.

    While the exact beta-alanine dose in this proprietary blend isn't disclosed, chronic supplementation (typically 4-6g daily over several weeks) increases muscle carnosine concentrations by up to 80%.^[1] Even in this shot format, repeated daily use may support gradual carnosine elevation.

    Beta-alanine often produces a harmless tingling sensation called paresthesia, typically appearing 15-20 minutes after consumption. This effect is temporary and doesn't indicate toxicity.

    For athletes focused on explosive, high-rep training or conditioning work, beta-alanine provides pH buffering support beyond what caffeine alone can offer.

  • BetaPower Betaine Anhydrous

    

    BetaPower is a branded form of betaine anhydrous (trimethylglycine), a compound serving dual roles in the body: as an osmolyte regulating cellular hydration and as a methyl donor supporting metabolic pathways.^[2]

    As an osmolyte, betaine helps maintain cell volume under stress, which may support performance during intense training. As a methyl donor, betaine participates in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, helping maintain healthy homocysteine levels. Single doses of 3-6g have been shown to reduce plasma homocysteine within two hours.^[3]

    While the exact dose isn't disclosed in C4's proprietary blend, betaine's inclusion alongside beta-alanine and caffeine follows the research-backed approach of combining complementary ingredients. Betaine even works synergistically with creatine (which your body synthesizes from methionine and you can always supplement more of), making it a logical addition to this performance-focused formula.

  • Caffeine Anhydrous - 200mg

    The 200mg caffeine dose lands squarely in the range shown to enhance both endurance and strength performance. Research demonstrates consistent improvements in power output (2-7%), muscular endurance, and time-trial performance when caffeine is consumed 30-90 minutes before exercise.^[4]

    

    Caffeine works through adenosine receptor antagonism in the central nervous system, reducing perceived exertion while increasing motor unit recruitment and muscle fiber activation. This translates to better rep performance on resistance exercises, faster sprint speeds, and enhanced focus during training.

    In the context of C4's performance blend, caffeine amplifies the endurance benefits from beta-alanine's intramuscular buffering and betaine's cellular hydration support. The shot format delivers these compounds rapidly without requiring you to sip through 16 ounces before training, making it ideal for athletes who need performance ingredients fast.

• Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin) - 6mcg (250% DV)

  Vitamin B12 serves as a cofactor for enzymes involved in energy metabolism, DNA synthesis, and cellular function. Within mitochondria, it supports methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, converting methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA during fatty acid and amino acid metabolism, feeding substrates into the citric acid cycle for ATP production.^[5] It also functions as a cofactor for methionine synthase, converting homocysteine to methionine in one-carbon metabolism.

  The 6mcg dose (250% DV) provides supplemental support beyond dietary intake. Cyanocobalamin, the stable synthetic form used here, relies on passive diffusion for absorption (approximately 1% bioavailability), requiring higher oral doses than food-bound B12. While not the active coenzyme form, it converts intracellularly to methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin as needed.

Flavors Available

Here's an up-to-date list of all flavors of C4 Energy Shots:

How to Use

• When to take it: 15-30 minutes before training or whenever you need a performance boost.
• Frequency: One bottle per day; assess tolerance before combining with other caffeinated products.

Who It's For

• Athletes needing portability: When mixing powder isn't practical and a full 16oz can is overkill.
• Drug-tested competitors: The NSF Certified for Sport designation makes this a safe choice for pros and collegiate athletes.
• Anyone who wants more than just caffeine: The beta-alanine and betaine add endurance support you won't find in standard energy shots.

Conclusion: Big Energy, Small Package

C4's had RTD cans since 2018, but a true shot format fills a different niche. Sometimes you don't want to sip 16 ounces of liquid before hitting the gym. Sometimes you need something fast and portable that still delivers performance ingredients beyond basic caffeine.

That's where C4 Energy Shots land. The 3.45g performance blend puts them ahead of most gas station energy shots that rely on caffeine alone. Add the NSF Certified for Sport credential, and you've got a format that works for everyone from weekend warriors to professional athletes traveling between competitions.

The 5th Generation C4 lineup continues expanding, and this shot format proves Nutrabolt isn't done innovating on convenience. Keep an eye on PricePlow for availability, pricing, and upcoming flavor drops.