Advocare is a nifty little energy drink that can be used as an FDA approved pre-workout drink, or simply as a little tonic to give you a boost to power through your afternoon energy slump.
But you may have reasons for ditching the Advocare brand. You may find it too expensive, or you may have a problem with the company after hearing why they got sued.
Advocare was found to be operating an illegal pyramid scheme. As a result of this, they changed their business model. Their products are still in circulation, but they remain as expensive as ever.
The good news however, is that there are some really great alternatives out there. We’ve been checking them out, and have hand-picked our favorite ones to review for you here today. These reviews are unbiased and contain both pros and cons.
But we get that choosing one can be tricky, which is why we’ve also put together a handy buying guide for you that will walk you through the different key points to consider before you buy.
Then we’ll wrap up with a quick conclusion before rounding off with answers to some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
But before we go any further, let’s discuss what’s actually in Advocare drink mixes that has made them so popular. By laying this out we can directly compare alternatives to Advocare itself.
What Exactly Is In Advocare Spark?
Advocare Spark is basically an energy drink mix that comes in the form of a powder that you stir into water or into your pre-workout mix to provide a long-lasting energy boost, and a sharper mental focus.
This supplement contains a wide range of 20 important vitamins and minerals, and also amino acids, which are important for building muscles.
Interestingly, Advocare Spark is entirely sugar-free, so the energy it provides does not come from sugar. Instead, it comes in the form of caffeine, 120 mg to be exact. So it’s a great way to get a caffeine hit if you don’t like the taste of coffee.
So you can certainly see its attraction for gym junkies and bunnies. You get plenty of vitamins and minerals, as well as amino acids for muscle building, and all without any sugar and very few calories, so you can use the drink and still maintain a calorie deficit if that’s your plan.
And of course the 120 mg of caffeine is significant enough to help you to power through a grueling workout.
But at a cost of over $70 for one tub, there’s got to be a cheaper alternative, right?
Well, there are several. And we’ll walk you through.
People are raving about this energy drink powder elsewhere on the net, so we just had to see what all the fuss was about. And we weren’t disappointed.
First off, it has a lot in common with Advocare, but is available at a fraction of the price. Like Advocare, it features several important vitamins and minerals, 18 to be exact, and has zero sugar.
It’s aimed at fitness enthusiasts as a morning drink to replace both your morning coffee and your pre-workout drink. It’s designed primarily to boost your energy, endurance, and mental clarity.
But where this is really different to coffee is that it’s designed to produce all-day energy without the usual energy crash a couple of hours later. And you won’t get coffee jitters.
It’s available in a selection of different flavors, including orange burst, blue raspberry, fruit punch, and blueberry lemonade. All of which taste way better than bitter coffee, and are much more nutritious. You simply add it to water and stir.
The blueberry lemonade option also features BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids), which are very important for muscle growth, which makes it the best option to use before your morning workout.
And it contains antioxidants and is gluten-free to boot.
Pros
Received high praise across the net
Features 18 vitamins and minerals
There are 4 great tasting flavors
It provides long-lasting energy
Zero sugar & minimal calories
Cons
Not available in single serving packs
EDITORS CHOICE
Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy + Electrolytes - Pre Workout Powder
Not only is this drink formula a fraction of the price of Advocare, but it’s better in several ways…
Like Advocare, it provides a great energy boost in the form of caffeine. The caffeine dose comes in at 100g, which is about the same as a regular cup of coffee, but with a nice fruity taste. This caffeine is derived from all natural sources.
And like Advocare, it has other important nutrients besides, though admittedly not quite as many as Advocare does.
But where this product beats Advocare is that it features electrolytes for hydration, replacing those lost in sweat during exercise.
Moreover, this particular energy drink can be used both before and after a workout, because it contains BCAAs, (Branched-Chain Amino Acids), which are very important for muscle building and recovery.
It’s available in 3 great flavors, a sharp pineapple twist, a mild watermelon, a tangerine which is somewhat in between, and a cranberry lemonade breeze flavor.
The other great thing about this supplement is that it’s available on Amazon’s Subscribe and Save scheme, whereby you can save 10% on repeat deliveries at no charge. You can cancel anytime. (Just click “Check price to be taken to the product page.)
Now, this energy drink contains a far higher dosage of caffeine than Advocare, coming in at a whopping 350 mg compared to Advocare’s 120 mg. And as such it’s tagline is very fair “Max-strength energy, focus & performance”.
And while it doesn’t contain as many vitamins as Advocare does, it sure contains a lot of other beneficial ingredients. More specifically, ingredients that are perfect as a pre-workout drink…
These include high doses of the likes of betaine, N03-T red spinach extract, L-citrulline, beta-alanine, zynamite, and dynamine. These ingredients are built for endurance, muscle building, and promotion of lean muscle mass. And they boost plasma markers of nitric oxide for up to a whopping 8 hours.
It’s available in 3 interesting flavors, namely glacier berry, icy charge, and sour burst candy.
The other great thing about this supplement is that it’s available on Amazon’s Subscribe and Save scheme, whereby you can save 15% on repeat deliveries at no charge. You can cancel anytime. (Just click “Check price to be taken to the product page.)
Pros
Provides a 350 mg dose of caffeine
Really boosts workout performance
Boosts markers of NO up to 8 hours
Choice of 3 interesting flavors
Available on Subscribe and Save
Cons
You have to take a low dose to begin with to test your tolerance
RUNNER UP
Evlution Nutrition BCAA Anytime Energy Powder
Now this is a great energy drink powder that can be used at any time of day. (Though, ideally, either before or after a workout.)
Like Advocare, its energy and endurance and mental focus properties come from its inclusion of caffeine from natural sources, and from other energy boosters besides.
It also contains a range of beneficial vitamins and minerals. But its star ingredients are its BCAAs, (Branched-Chain Amino Acids), which are very important for muscle building and recovery.
And its focus in this direction makes it a far better pre-workout formula than Advocare. And it’s good for muscle recovery after a workout, too.
There’s a wide selection of flavors to choose from, 13 to be exact. (We won’t list them all here.)
The 65-serving pack is available on Amazon’s Subscribe and Save scheme, whereby you can save 15% on repeat deliveries at no charge. You can cancel anytime. (Just click “Check price to be taken to the product page.)
Pros
Each drink contains a dose of caffeine
It contains 5 grams of BCAAs
It contains vitamins and minerals
Great pre- and post-workout
There’s a wide choice of flavors
Available on Subscribe and Save
Cons
The caffeine dosage isn’t anything special, and it’s about the same as a regular cup of coffee (though some say the taurine makes up for it)
RUNNER UP
Pureboost Clean Energy Drink Mix + Immune System Support
In terms of the number of vitamins and minerals it contains, this product can really rival Advocare, but is available at a fraction of the price. And it also contains about the same amount of caffeine for a real energy boost.
It also contains antioxidants to protect against aging, electrolytes for hydration, and several nutrients to support the immune system.
It’s also keto and vegan friendly, non GMO, and contains no soy or dairy.
The other thing we love about this supplement is that it comes in a pack of 30 pre-measured stick packs. So you don’t have to do any measuring, and you can simply slip a stick pack into your gym bag, and take it with your water before you work out.
It’s available in a choice of different flavors, including acai alert, berry boost, citrus sunrise, green mojo, or in a combo pack.
The one drawback to this supplement as a pre-workout tonic is that it doesn’t contain amino acids. However, you could easily add this vitamin supplement to your usual pre-workout drink.
The other great thing about this supplement is that it’s available on Amazon’s Subscribe and Save scheme, whereby you can save 15% on repeat deliveries at no charge. You can cancel anytime. (Just click “Check price to be taken to the product page.)
Pros
Each drink contains a dose of caffeine
Contains a range of vitamins & minerals
30 pre-measured individual stick packs
There’s a nice choice of flavors
Available on Subscribe and Save
Cons
There are no BCAAs
It’s not marketed as a pre-workout tonic
RUNNER UP
Celsius Fitness Energy Drink
Now, the great thing about this energy drink is that you don’t have to prep it or worry about messy powders. The drink is ready to go in a can that you can slide in your gym bag and take on the go.
It provides a healthy energy boost, accelerates your metabolism, and burns excess body fat. This energy comes from a high dose of caffeine, coming in at 200 mg. That’s about 2 cups of coffee. Much more than that provided by Advocare.
It also contains strong doses of a range of 7 important vitamins and minerals.
The properties of the ingredients of green tea, ginger and guarana seed promote thermogenesis in the body, and this is the means by which the drink can boost your metabolic rate.
But unlike many other canned fizzy energy drinks, there’s no sugar, no preservatives, and no artificial flavors or colors.
It’s available in a wide range of flavors, including a nice cola one, and even in a variety pack. And you can buy it in packs of 4, 12 or 24. There are both sparkling and non-sparkling options.
Pros
No measuring or mixing required
Designed to boost metabolic rate
Contains 200 mg dose of caffeine
You can get sparkling options
You can buy in bulk, e.g. packs of 24
Cons
There are no amino acids present
It’s a ready-made drink, and is not designed to be added to pre-workout drinks
Now, this energy supplement has earned a full 5 star average rating on Amazon - even after well over 7,000 individual customer ratings. Impressive hey?
The great thing about this energy supplement is that you don’t have to prep it or worry about messy powders. Instead, you get a measure of flavored gel in a portable packet that you can simply slide in your gym bag and take on the go.
It’s aimed at endurance athletes, and as such it contains both fast absorbing and slow-release energy.
It also contains BCAAs which are important for muscle development and recovery
It’s available in a range of flavors, including chocolate outrage, salted caramel, vanilla bean, strawberry banana, and tri-berry. Or you can buy a pack of assorted flavors.
It’s important to note at this point that the caffeine content in these sachets varies according to the flavor. So, if you’re interested, be sure to do your homework on the flavors before you buy.
This inexpensive energy supplement is arguably better than Advocare. Not only does it contain a range of beneficial vitamins and minerals, but it also contains electrolytes, to help keep you dehydrated throughout your workout.
And it contains a higher dosage of caffeine than Advocare does, coming in at 150 mg. And it contains other energy boosters, including taurine and ginseng.
Moreover, you don’t have to do any measuring, and it comes in sachets that you can slide in your gym bag and take on the go. Just add it to water and stir.
It’s available in a range of flavors, namely blue raspberry, lemon lime, orange, pink lemonade, and watermelon.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular supplement, simply click on “Check price” to see if there happens to be a deal on now.
Pros
Has a very inexpensive price tag
Contains a range of great nutrients
Also has taurine and ginseng
Contains 150 mg of caffeine
Nice choice of flavors
Cons
Contains the allergen coconut
Best Advocare Spark Alternatives Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. It’s basically a checklist of key points to consider before you buy.
Flavor
We made this the first point to consider, because if you don’t like the taste, you’re really unlikely to take the supplement on a regular or frequent basis.
Vitamins and Minerals
One of the key features of Advocare Spark is its inclusion of vitamins and minerals. If you aren’t getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, it’s important for you to take them in a supplement.
Amino Acids
The presence of amino acids in Advocare Spark is one of the reasons why it is used as a pre-workout drink, since amino acids are important for building muscle and for muscle recovery after a workout.
Caffeine Dosage
One of the reasons why Advocare saw such popularity is because of its caffeine content. It’s a great way to get a good dose of caffeine without having to taste any bitter coffee.
Sugar-Free
Advocare Spark is also sugar free and holds negligible calories, which makes it a great supplement for anyone who is watching their weight or trying to maintain a calorie deficit.
Individual Sachets
Another great thing about Advocare Spark is that it's available in individual sachets that you can take on the go.
Electrolytes
Advocare Spark doesn’t have electrolytes, but many of it’s alternatives do. They’re great for helping you keep fully hydrated.
Vegan
While Advocare Spark is not vegan certified, some of it’s alternatives are. Where we were aware of this we included it in the reviews that made our shortlist.
Subscribe and Save
Some of the Advocare Spark alternatives that made our shortlist also happen to be on Amazon’s Subscribe and Save scheme, whereby you can set up regular deliveries of a supplement to your home at a time period that suits you, with no fee. You can cancel anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Comparable To Advocare?
We would argue that all of the health food supplements that made our shortlist are comparable to Advocare Spark in one way or another. In some ways, some of these supplements are even better than Advocare Spark.
What Is A Product Similar To Spark?
Out of all the health food supplements that made our shortlist, we would say that the ones that are the most similar to Advocare Spark are:
Our number 4 pick, the Evlution Nutrition BCAA Anytime Energy Powder
Our number 5 pick, the Pureboost Clean Energy Drink Mix + Immune System Support
Our number 8 pick, the VitaminHydrate Electrolyte Supplement Drink Mix
Conclusion
As to which is the best Advocare Spark alternative is very hard to say. All of the ones that made our shortlist are great candidates for sure. Which is the right one for you depends on what aspects of the supplement are most important to you, personally.
Hi, I’m Kevin Harris and my interest in bodybuilding began when I first saw Arnold Schwarzenegger wielding a sword on-screen as ‘Conan the Barbarian’. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be all that I could be, and that I wanted to be like Arnold. As soon as the movie finished, I joined my first gym.
Nothing in life is easy, but the lessons that I’ve learned from the time that I’ve spent lifting weights and pushing myself in the gym have served me well - that’s why I want to share them with you.
I want you to be the best version of yourself that you can be, and I hope that my site will help to inspire you to reach that goal and meet every challenge that you encounter head-on.
Thanks for spending some time on my site and with me, and maybe one day we can spot each other while we’re reaching for perfection.
