Gillian Anderson wants us to find her G-spot

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If you’re a parent of school-age kids, you’re probably at least vaguely familiar with Prime, the drinks brand that’s been changing hands on playgrounds of late for up to £10 a time. Promoted by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI (subscribers: 24 million each), this range of sports and energy drinks is based on a sugar-free blend of coconut water, muscle-boosting electrolytes, B vitamins and BCAAs. Some varieties contain caffeine; flavors include tropical punch, blue raspberry, and grape. Think of him as the bastard child of Red Bull, Vita Coco and Lucozade.

It’s easy to scoff until you see the numbers, says Paul. Major made $40mn in January alone. And the truth is, consumers of all ages are increasingly thirsty for beverages that not only hydrate them, but make them smarter, stronger, leaner, stronger, and maybe even a soft touch as well.

CBD sodas opened the floodgates for more experimental ingredients

It sparked an explosion of “functional” drinks with adaptogenic and nootropic ingredients; plants that in some cases have been used for thousands of years to improve mood and cognitive performance. Pioneers include vermouth-like “social elixir” three spirit (and its alternative to wine blurry vines) and euphoric kina rather woo-woo range of drinks endorsed by Bella Hadid that includes everything from turmeric and the “aphrodisiac” damiana to complexion-brightening collagen. Function is a non-alcoholic strain of beer mixed with reishi, chaga, and lion’s mane, adaptogenic mushrooms often used in meditation. WTR JUMP is a non-alcoholic sparkling water with hops made with nootropics and adaptogens.

“CBD soft drinks have opened the floodgates for more experimental ingredients,” says Stuart Bale, founder of Melting pot in East London, who has helped develop disruptive recipes for some of the world’s biggest brands. “Lion’s mane and cordyceps are very popular, and ashwagandha. People create ‘loads’ of ingredients to get a wide range of benefits.”

Sex education star Gillian Anderson’s bold new brand G point is a range of all-natural fizzy drinks that promises to hit “the sweet spot between taste and functionality” (before you get too excited, it’s not meant to make you better in bed). “I’ve had a serious soda habit for the last 20 years and I don’t drink enough water,” says Anderson, who is also a teetotaler. “I know sugar and caffeine aren’t good for me, but I haven’t found an alternative that has the same effect. So I thought, ‘If what I’m looking for doesn’t exist, why can’t I get it?'”

Made from a blend of fruit juices, botanicals, and no added sugar, G Spot comes in three varieties. Lift is a fruity and spicy blend containing mood-boosting theanine and bacopa; Protect is a fortifying blend of turmeric, chaga, lemon and ginger; Soothe contains apples, sage, soothing reishi, and ashwagandha. I’m not a big soda drinker, but I liked them: they were refreshing and not too sweet, with a subtle hint of spicy and/or bitter herbs. However, as far as the actual function is concerned, they did not move the dial. Perhaps 20 years as a beverage journalist has left me immune to herbal highs.

The world’s leading market for state-of-the-art functional beverages is North America. At the non-alcoholic retailer Boisson, which has nine outlets in the States, as well as an online store, the business is brisk. “Demand is primarily coming from a mix of Gen Z consumers and drinkers looking for the ‘feel’ without the sensation of tomorrow,” says CEO Nick Bodkins. “But the customers who abstain entirely are a very small subset of our consumer base.”

When it comes to hero ingredients, l-theanine, a calming amino acid found in tea leaves, is “very important,” he says, along with “full-spectrum mushrooms and hemp.” Regulation is struggling to keep up with the change, which can make brand claims very difficult to prove. The quality of the ingredients, and therefore the potency, can also be erratic, warns Professor Michael Heinrich of the UCL School of Pharmacy. “Always ask yourself: do producers provide evidence of the quality of their products and responsible and sustainable sourcing? Unfortunately, many growers are not doing this.” He cites the example of pink rhodolia plant, a wild-harvested adaptogen, whose population has been decimated in the rush to meet demand.

Unfortunately, I do not believe that the plight of pink rhodolia it will keep KSI awake at night. And if she’s having trouble sleeping, it’s no doubt due to an overdose of Prime Blue Raspberry and too much screen time.

@alicelascelles