The media personality Kim Kardashian has launched a new energy drink collection in collaboration with UPDATE, with a viral debut campaign that mocked tabloids and the public commentary that surrounded her attempts at the bar exam.
The newly revamped drink, called Update, uses paraxanthine to deliver "smooth, steady energy without the jitters, crashes, or sleep disruption commonly associated with traditional energy drinks.”
The company also claims the drink contains "zero sugar, zero calories and zero artificial flavours or colours."
Caffeine without the crash
Paraxanthine is a naturally occurring compound produced when the body metabolises caffeine.
The liver metabolises caffeine into three main substances: paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline, with paraxanthine being the predominant metabolite in most individuals.
UPDATE says the ingredient provides most of the effects consumers typically seek from caffeine, including alertness, focus and mental stamina, but is associated with lower rates of anxiety, racing heart rate and subsequent energy crashes compared to equivalent doses of caffeine.
Paraxanthine also bypasses the liver enzyme variation (CYP1A2) required to break down caffeine, meaning fast and slow metabolizers process it more uniformly.
UPDATE's formulation uses the patented, pure form of paraxanthine — enfitinity — from TSI Group.
A new generation of energy drinks
Kardashian originally discovered UPDATE as a consumer in 2023 and joined the business as a co-founder to help overhaul its visual identity, minimalist packaging and long-term brand strategy.
The company is positioning the new energy drink as an alternative to traditional caffeinated drinks in an increasingly crowded functional beverage market.
Brands have begun to offer sugar-free, low-calorie, functional beverages focused on natural ingredients and extracts, such as adaptogens and nootropics, to satisfy consumers’ search for more balanced options.
For example, Liquid Death introduced its first “better-for-you” energy drink last year, developed with no sugar, low calories and an “unextreme” amount of caffeine at 100 mg — compared to up to 200 mg in many energy drinks on the market.
The new drink line from UPDATE also uses Alpha-GPC, supplied as GeniusPure Alpha-GPC from NNB Nutrition, a cognitive nutrient that supports mental clarity and memory during sustained effort.
Other ingredients include L-theanine and vitamin B12.
The company will hope that these ingredients help to carve out a niche for itself in the evolving energy drinks market.
