Is MUD WTR good enough as a coffee alternative? It’s key selling point is that it contains 1/7th the amount of caffeine to 12 ounces of coffee. According to their booklet, six grams of MUD WTR with 12 ounces of water equals 32 milligrams (mg) of caffeine. The main ingredients include Masala Chai, Cacao, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Reishi, Cinnamon, Turmeric and Himalayan Salt. MUD WTR is listed as organic, gluten free, vegan, non-GMO, Whole30, and Kosher.
Is MUD WTR Good? Disclaimer
Before I begin, you must know that I am not paid for this review. I have not been asked to review this product. I’m not a health expert nor will I go into great detail about the benefits that each of these ingredients offer. For a much more detailed breakdown of its health effects, read this blog post from Michael Kummer. This review is solely to give other potential buyers a possible outlook on what they may experience if they purchase MUD WTR.
Always consult a doctor before taking any supplement.
My Caffeine Intake Before Using MUD WTR
I’ve spent the better part of the last decade using preworkout powders. About once or twice per week I’d swap that out with a large black coffee. My estimated caffeine consumption would’ve been around 150 to 200 mg per day.
That changed in March 2022 after I experienced a fluttering heart issue. The issue never returned after I took a week off from all caffeine. I can’t say for certain whether it was because of the caffeine, work stress, mental health, anxiety, or a combination of these problems.
I had no issues when I drank coffee again. But when I tried preworkout, it gave me severe heartburn without any of the previous benefits that I had experienced. Not only that, but during the week that I quit supplements, I was making better progress at the gym. Warming up with a mild 500 to 1,000 meter row has been a welcomed change.
It looks like my preworkout days are over. Ironically, I don’t miss it. I still have a strong but controllable crave for a large coffee about twice per week. There’s just something about preworkout that my body and spirit have rejected. And I loved that stuff for more than a decade.
I’m actually more of a fan of cold brew black coffee. The problem is that I can’t drink it before a workout. It makes me too nervous and jittery. What’s more, drinking it too late during the day keeps me awake at night.
Why Did I Try MUD WTR?
I purchased MUD WTR because I wanted to see whether it could a provide a mental or physical boost at the gym or my job. The added health benefits from mushrooms were a bonus. Oh, and I love cinnamon.
I’ve done well without supplements. That said, a bombardment of ads from MUD WTR peaked my interest. I was turned off at having to spend $40 to purchase a container with 30 servings. Eventually, I gave in. I wanted to see whether a mushroom coffee had any place in my daily routine.
My Normal Daily Nutrition
I eat differently than most people. My average daily food intake includes the following:
- Almonds or Peanut Butter
- Eggs
- Fruit (Strawberries, Pineapples, Grapes)
- Greek Yogurt 0% with Blueberries and Spirulina
- Lentils with Salsa
- Quinoa or Millet with Sunflower Seeds
- Salmon or Tuna
- Spinach
- Water (80 to 120 Ounces)
April 27 (MUD WTR TRIAL 1)
My first use of MUD WTR happened around 1:00 in the afternoon. I mixed 12 ounces of water with a pinch of chocolate milk. No cream or sweetener.
I had to do some cooking before my work shift started at 3:15. My desire was to get enough of a boost that would get me to 6:00. My previous night rest (coming off my first trial of MUD WTR: REST) didn’t go well. So I’m already very tired and face 10 hours in a warehouse.
I was listening to music. There was an initial buzz for about 20 minutes. Following this was an overwhelming relaxed state that complemented my already tired state from not sleeping enough the night prior.
After I finished cooking, I drove to work. I felt too relaxed. At one point I nearly fell asleep at a stop light. After reaching my worksite, I was desperate to eat more food. That helped me to wake up.
My goal was to reach 6:00. I got to about 3:00. Within two hours it felt as if this product was already out of my system.
April 28 (MUD WTR TRIAL 2)
I consumed MUD WTR around 4:15 in the afternoon. Since Trial 1 made me extremely tired, I didn’t use chocolate milk. I figured that maybe the sugar overpowered the rest of MUD WTR’s ingredients. I just went with a scoop of MUD WTR and 12 ounces of water. Drink it straight.
This experience was worse than the first one. I didn’t even get that initial energy jolt. I kept yawning. Deep yawning. For the first 45 minutes, I felt about 10 minutes of anything that could help me get through the day.
Remember those 10 minutes.
It’s about 5:30. I’m at the supermarket. I’m more tired than before taking this product. Outside of those 10 minutes, MUD WTR didn’t wake me up.
But those 10 minutes were enough to make me think when I walked past the coffee aisle.
This had me thinking, “What’s the point of a coffee substitute when it has caffeine? Won’t that tiny caffeine boost give me the crave for something more? Give an alcoholic an ounce of alcohol and he or she will want the entire bottle.”
I didn’t buy the coffee. Once again, after about two hours, the MUD WTR effects had worn off.
Is it all in my head? The sedative effects seem to outweigh any focus or energy benefits. It makes me too relaxed.
April 29 (DID NOT USE)
No MUD WTR today. I felt better. More productive at work. Yawned far less.
April 30 (MUD WTR TRIAL 3)
This was my first day with a positive experience. I used it before heading to the gym for chest and triceps day. Maybe these sedative properties are better for relaxing my muscles before lifting heavier weights?
My workout routine included:
- Chest Press Incline Machine
- Pec Deck
- Pushups
- Overhead V-Bar Extension
- V-Bar Pulldown
The workout went pretty well. I enjoyed my best numbers on both of the first two chest exercises. The best benefit was that I had an easier time controlling my breathing pace. I tend to rush things. This helped me during pushups. No tired spells.
I’m giving MUD WTR one more trial. After seeing how it affected my breathing and pushups, I wanted to see whether it could help me stay relaxed when doing something that affected my cardiovascular state.
May 3 (MUD WTR TRIAL 4)
Can MUD WTR help me stay relaxed during a 2,000 meter row? Over the last two months, I’ve trimmed my time from about 11:00.0 to 7:55.1. Rowing concentrates on two of my biggest physical weaknesses: upper leg strength and cardiovascular health. Rowing has opened up my lung capacity and given me a reason to focus on leg training. It’s an efficient way of training legs, back, and cardio all on the same day.
It’s go time. My preworkout meal included Greek yogurt, millet, sunflower kernels, blueberries and spirulina. I mixed 12 ounces of water with MUD WTR powder. My workout started about 40 minutes after this.
The final result was satisfying. My time declined from 7:55.1 to 7:47.5. That’s an improvement of about two seconds per 500 meters. Considering my last pull was 1:35 per 500 meter, I could’ve went a little harder and gotten closer to 7:45.0. Another encouraging side note was that I was consistently pulling around a 1:55 to 2:03 per 500 meter before finishing the last 100 meters going all out.
How much of that improvement was MUD WTR? I’ve improved my 2,000 meter row time almost every time I’ve attempted it. That was a pretty good increase from one try to another. A larger sample size is required.
I’ve got about 26 servings left. I’ll probably use the rest of it before 2,000 or 5,000 meter row days.
Meditation vs. Amplification
Coffee and preworkout supplements give me an amplified energy that lasted for hours. There’s a buzz that puts me on Cloud 9. Think Patrick Beverley jumping on the announcer’s table after fulfilling his promise with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The supplements were good for weightlifting; however, not so much for cardio. I don’t want to peak too early during workouts.
MUD WTR gave me more of a relaxed energy. The booklet that comes with the starter kit goes into the benefits of meditation, breathing exercises, and psychedelics. This made me think that it wants to offer an energy that’s more suited for meditation than amplification.
Is MUD WTR Good?: Not Enough For A Monthly Subscription
It provides a relaxed energy boost. A $40 per month subscription can get you 30 servings. I don’t recommend drinking it everyday because then you’re replacing one addiction with another one.
There were a few problems.
- The main one was that its effects were unnoticeable after two hours. I have no idea how anyone enjoyed sustained energy after consuming this produce. EDIT: I’ve since consumed about half the can and this hasn’t changed.
- Terrible value that’s magnified when I consider that I can make it much cheaper at home.
- There was just enough caffeine to make me crave coffee. And if it relaxes you too much like it did to me at the beginning, then that craving was intensified.
A good diet is far more important. I’d rather use that $40 on fruits, vegetables, and spirulina. If you have enough money or feel it gives you a huge boost, then maybe purchase a bulk bag (90 servings) for $125.
