Product Review: Mini Chill

With the energy-drink craze in full swing, it’s no surprise to find someone heading the other direction and presenting consumers a relaxation beverage that offers “natural stress relief” as the label states. Mini Chill is a berry-flavored drink that comes in 2 oz. bottles and contains zero calories, sugar, caffeine and melatonin.

The Mini Chill website explains its creation:

Fitness expert Steven J. Panzella and PhD Bio Chemist Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks worked closely together to first isolate and then combine the four most proven effective herbs and aminos known to man for relaxation and mental focus. These four ingredients are Valerian Root, GABA, L-Theanine and 5-HTP. Together in the correct amounts they are called Relarian™, our proprietary blend.

The website also links to the peer-reviewed scientific journal Medical Science Monitor. One of the more interesting aspects in their coverage is the “self-report subjective trial with 61 healthy individuals who consumed Mini Chill. In this study, 52 people reported feeling relaxed after consuming Mini Chill, with 39 of these individuals also reporting increased focus at tasks. Only one of these individuals reported feeling drowsy.” The reason I find that interesting is I would have been one of the nine out of 61 not reporting any effects.

I conducted two tests although I make no claims to the veracity of the science other than my own observations. I drank one bottle at 6pm on a Saturday after a leisurely afternoon spent watching the documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage. I was experiencing no major stress. Just the typical anxiety due to concern for loved ones and my workload. After an hour, I didn’t feel any sense of relaxation kicking in or extra focus. After 60 more minutes, still no difference.

I tried it a second time a couple of weeks later one night as I was preparing to leave town. I was extremely stressed out planning for a weeklong trip, dealing with family issues, and facing the realization of not getting all my work done that I needed to before leaving. Drinking one Mini Chill didn’t affect my anxiety levels whatsoever and I question their claims that “students who drink Mini Chill before a test, before studying, or before writing a paper will get better grades.”

And if that weren’t all, the website promotes Mini Chill as an alcohol enhancer to offer a better buzz and less hangover. They even include recipes on the site. While it mixes well with vodka taste-wise, I didn’t notice any different effects from other mixed drinks.

Mini Chill is marketed toward young college kids as both its studying and partying applications are highlighted.  While it did zilch for me, they are willing to let you to try it risk free with a money-back guarantee, so it wouldn’t hurt to conduct your own experiments.