There are few things I’m more skeptical of than a CBD product that claims to increase energy and productivity. While possible, it’s a tricky genre consisting of mostly ineffective products with a few great ones peppered in. This is mainly due to the fact that CBD is not an inherently energizing substance. While it can help ease the anxiety that contributes to procrastination, CBD is more relaxing than anything, so for these products to actually work, they need to employ additional ingredients to get the job done.
In the press release announcing the launch of Go, New Phase Blends CEO Dale Hewett was quoted saying, “I truly believe that CBD is an excellent natural supplement, but it works best when paired with other natural compounds.” And he’s right.
When New Phase Blends launched Go – CBD Oil for Energy, a tincture that combines a low dose of CBD with synephrine, a natural stimulant derived from bitter orange, I was intrigued.
No stranger to adding natural substances to bolster CBD’s effects, the Florida brand, which specializes in patented, effects-based CBD blends, had already blown me away with Sleep, its melatonin/CBD tincture that remains one of the most effective sleep aids I’ve ever experienced.
So let’s check out Go.
First impression
When I first tried Go I thought, “what is synephrine?” After a quick Google search, I found that synephrine, an alkaloid found in the rind and fruit of bitter orange, is a common ingredient in natural weight loss supplements known for its stimulant-like effect.
The caffeine-like stimulant is used to increase focus and productivity, but supposedly does not cause the energy crash of caffeine, or the raised blood pressure associated with ephedra, a similar stimulating herb that was banned in 2004 by the FDA due to its tendency to increase risk of heart attacks and strokes. Synephrine has also been linked to an increase in fat oxidation rates during exercise, meaning it could help you burn more fat during physical activity.
The aroma of Go is a mix of mint and citrus, at once invigorating and inviting. While tinctures tend to not smell like much, or worse, smell like moldy hay, I found this to be a bright, delicate scent that made me feel excited to experience the product.
The branding of all New Phase Blends products is clean and medicinal, and Go is no exception. In a standard amber tincture bottle with an orange and white label, the tincture’s aesthetic is nothing to particularly write home about, but it commands a medicinal presence that I immediately put trust in.
Flavor
The flavor is my least favorite aspect of this product. While the mint tries its best to cover the taste of the synephrine, it’s clear that it was derived from bitter orange — the key word being bitter. There is a sharp, biting flavor that I had a hard time taking on its own. However, when I put the tincture in juice or tea, the flavor was barely detectable which was an easy fix.
Effectiveness
I found Go to be extremely effective, light years ahead of its competitors in the space. Almost immediately upon ingesting this bright, bitter concoction, it was like the zing of an Adderall high or a Venti iced coffee shot through me all at once.
I felt clear, focused, and alert without the jittery physicality that often comes with stimulants.
Experience
Most days, I awake by springing from my bed. Though on this particular day, the weight of procrastination’s consequences made me heavy. There was no time left. The work I’d left untouched for far too long simply had to get done.
Rolling from bed into a pile on the ground, I materialized in the living room, surveying a coffee table crowded with cannabis products. I review them for a living, so to say I have a lot of them would be an understatement. It came down to Sour Diesel prerolls, Super Silver Haze Live Resin, “Focus” gummies, Tommy Chong’s Energy Shot, or Go: CBD Oil for Energy. I chose Go and promptly emptied half the dropper into my mouth.
The flavor was strong and bitter enough to feel my pupils dilate. I put the rest into my juice and finished it. Though the flavor was surely abrasive, it awakened a latent fire of energy that kickstarted the experience as soon as it entered my system.
Almost immediately, I went from a sleepy, cozy version of myself to an unstoppable machine, finishing articles, cleaning stuff, and existing in a state of wild productivity. While I usually use coffee to achieve this work-monster-flow-state, coffee is hard on my weak stomach and often leaves me feeling nauseous, anxious, and physically shaky.
After a few hours, I felt the energizing aspect of the tincture begin to subside, but the physical downsides of consuming stimulants never came. Instead, I went from feeling bright and productive to zingy and relaxed. Then, I got hungry, ate, and fell asleep.
Bottom line
New Phase Blends Go Tincture is a really incredible alternative to more harmful productivity aids like coffee, energy drinks, and Adderall. I finished way more than I thought I would in a day’s time without any of the negative aspects that often come with transforming yourself into a cog in the wheelhouse of capitalism.
If you have a bunch of stuff to do and don’t feel like doing it, this tincture could help you get it done without your typical stimulant side effects. And the best part, unlike almost all other CBD productivity aids on the market, this one actually worked for me.
Featured image by New Phase Blends
