Dopamine is the “happy hormone,” the neurotransmitter behind the biochemistry of our brain’s reward system that drives a lot of our behavior on a molecular level, including seeking happiness. Although we naturally produce dopamine in our bodies, a significant number of substances stimulate increased dopamine in our systems, some of which are powerful and dangerous, like heavily regulated or banned drugs like MDMA. Others, however, are mild supplements with far less legal or medical implications, such as B vitamins, amino acids like L-Taurine, and other consumed herbal extracts from ginseng and green tea.

Despite the name, Illicit Elixirs is a new line of legal RTD (Ready-To-Drink) sparkling beverages flavored with fruit juices and boosted with a purportedly functional and proprietary dopamine-producing blend the brand calls “DopaJoy.” Illicit Elixirs’ DopaJoy includes amino acids, herbal extracts, and vitamins long believed to positively affect our minds, including helping to amp up our natural dopamine output.