Energy Drink Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and How to Quit

Can you be addicted to energy drinks? Yes, you can. And it’s a growing problem around the world. 

Energy drinks are packed with habit-forming substances like caffeine and sugar, which can easily hook you on needing several drinks a day just to function.

In one shocking story from the BBC, one woman claims she drinks 30 cans a day, and she’d rather give up her relationship with her twin sister than quit drinking energy drinks!

Research published in the Journal of Caffeine Research by Meredith, Steven E., et al., entitled Weekly Energy Drink Use Is Positively Associated with Delay Discounting and Risk Behavior in a Nationwide Sample of Young Adults, found that “weekly energy drink users were more likely to report a recent history of risk behaviours, illicit stimulant use, and unprotected sex”. Those are all hallmarks of addiction.

In this article, we’ll cover some fascinating facts and research on energy drink addiction. You’ll also learn some alarming health risks of consuming these drinks, some signs and symptoms of addiction to look out for, and how you can get help and recover.

Why Are Energy Drinks So Addictive?

Energy drinks can be addictive due to a combination of factors, but it’s mostly related to their high doses of caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants.

Let’s start with caffeine, the number one reason why energy drinks are so addictive.

Caffeine is scientifically proven to be habit-forming. It’s not as addictive as other drugs, but it can lead to physical and psychological dependence. If you’re experiencing mood swings, withdrawals, or anxiety and depression from energy drinks, there’s a good chance it’s due to the caffeine.

Energy drinks pack a tonne of caffeine. For example, one 16-fluid ounce can of Monster (the normal size in the USA) contains around 160 milligrams of caffeine. That’s about double the caffeine content of a standard cup of coffee. Some, like Celsius Heat or Rockstar Xdurance, contain 300 mg of caffeine in a single can!

Here’s why caffeine leads to dependence. Caffeine is a stimulant that changes how your brain functions, especially if you drink it every day in large amounts. When you consume it regularly, your body adjusts to its effects, making you need more to feel the same level of alertness. We call this tolerance in the addiction and recovery community.

This is why you may feel like you “need” your daily energy drink to function normally. Energy drinks also contain other habit-forming stimulants, like sugar, taurine, and guarana.

These substances amplify the effects of caffeine and can contribute to feelings of euphoria and reward, making you want more. And when you don’t have it, you crave it all day. Sometimes, you’re better off just grabbing another boost of energy than dealing with the negative side effects of not having it. That’s why we call it a vicious cycle.

It doesn’t help that energy drinks are everywhere, and they’re marketed to the public as a safe and effective way to combat fatigue. Easy access, social norms that normalise their use, and clever marketing campaigns all contribute to increased consumption and the risk of addiction.

Understanding the Risks of Energy Drink Addiction

Many people assume energy drinks are completely safe because they’re so easy to buy. But that’s not the case.

Energy drinks contain a potent blend of stimulants that can have serious and sometimes dangerous effects on your health. This includes heart problems, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and even tremors.

Energy drinks have even been related to myocardial infarction in healthy 17- and 19-year-old boys, according to a study by Alsunni, Ahmed Abdulrahman, published in the International Journal of Health Sciences and referenced in the National Library of Medicine.

Here’s more on the health risks and dangers of high-caffeine drinks like Red Bull and Monster

Health Risks and Side Effects

Energy drinks typically contain a potent combination of stimulants, including:

• High levels of caffeine: Too much caffeine puts immense strain on your heart. It triggers your body’s stress response, which makes your heart beat faster and your blood pressure spike. Over time, this added pressure can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, especially if you already have heart issues. Caffeine can also throw off your heart’s natural rhythm, sometimes leading to dangerous arrhythmias that make your heart feel like it’s racing or skipping beats.

• Sugar: Energy drinks are loaded with sugar, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, dependence, and heart disease. Some energy drinks contain 100% or MORE of your recommended daily intake of sugar in a single can. It’s also rough on your teeth, wearing down enamel and causing cavities. The sugar rush might give you a quick boost, but over time, it takes a serious toll on your health. If you’re noticing mood issues, weight gain, lethargy, or anxiety, the sugar in your energy drink has something to do with it.

• Other Stimulants: Many energy drinks also contain other stimulants like taurine, guarana, and ginseng. These substances can interact with caffeine and other ingredients and amplify their effects. For example, one study showed that guarana can increase anxiety levels, while another research suggests that high doses of taurine may contribute to heart problems in some individuals. These additional stimulants can create a dangerous cocktail, and their long-term effects are still being studied.

Nervous System Issues

Energy drinks can seriously disrupt your nervous system, often causing anxiety, insomnia, and headaches that are frustrating, exhausting, and difficult to manage.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the side effects these drinks can have on your nervous system:

• Anxiety and Nervousness: Caffeine triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which is why you may feel restless, jittery, and on edge. Many people struggle with racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and an overall sense of unease. And if you’re already suffering from anxiety, energy drinks can make your symptoms worse. If you’re struggling with either of these side effects, we recommend quitting drinking energy drinks immediately. You’ll feel better very quickly.

• Insomnia and Sleep Disturbances: The stimulating effects of caffeine interfere with your body’s ability to wind down, which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Even if you do manage to sleep, caffeine can reduce sleep quality, leading to frequent awakenings and daytime grogginess. And poor sleep usually leads to poor mental and physical health. What’s the solution? People tend to turn to energy drinks to wake up and function…and the cycle repeats.

• Headaches and Tremors: When caffeine wears off, your body reacts to the sudden drop. That’s why you may experience withdrawal symptoms like pounding headaches, brain fog, and difficulty concentrating when you don’t have your “fix”.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Excessive energy drink consumption can wreak havoc on the digestive system. The high acidity of these beverages can irritate the stomach lining, leading to discomfort, heartburn, and even acid reflux. Besides, they can cause a range of unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

Other Potential Risks

Energy drinks’ immediate effects are your primary concern. However, you must understand that they also pose long-term health risks to your vital organs.

• Liver Damage: Some studies have suggested a link between excessive energy drink consumption and liver damage, although more research is needed to confirm this association.

• Kidney Problems: High caffeine intake can increase urine output and potentially strain the kidneys.

• Seizures and Convulsions: While rare, in some cases, very high doses of caffeine can trigger seizures and convulsions.

Recognizing the Signs of Addiction

While there is no single, universally accepted diagnosis for energy drink addiction, several key symptoms signal that you’ve got a problem. If you notice any of these signs in yourself or someone you know, we recommend you seek help immediately. Energy drink dependence can quickly get worse and cause serious side effects, especially to your heart

Here are the most common signs of addiction:

• Cravings and Compulsive Use: This can include intense, frequent cravings and difficulty limiting consumption. People may continue using energy drinks even when facing negative consequences like health problems, relationship issues, or financial strain. If you keep trying to cut back but are never successful, that’s a clear sign of a problem.

• Tolerance and Withdrawal: Tolerance develops as your body adapts to the presence of caffeine and other stimulants. If you’ve developed a tolerance, you’ll notice that you require increasing amounts of energy drinks to achieve the same “buzz” you used to get. This is a hallmark of addiction. You need more and more of the substance, which leads to worse and worse side effects. And when you don’t have it, you experience energy drink withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

• Neglecting Responsibilities: Prioritising energy drink consumption can lead to neglecting work, school, or social obligations. Individuals may find it difficult to fulfil responsibilities due to the effects of energy drink consumption, such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

• Social and Relationship Problems: The effects of energy drink consumption, such as irritability, mood swings, and social withdrawal, can strain relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. This is especially true in younger populations whose parents may try to get them to cut back. As we stated before, energy drink consumption is associated with risk behaviours, which can have a serious negative impact on familial relationships.

• Physical Dependence: If you’re experiencing headaches, fatigue, irritability, and trouble concentrating when you cut back on energy drinks, then your body has likely become dependent on the stimulants in them. We recommend gradually cutting back and replacing your Red Bull or Monster with something healthier like tea or soda water.

Impact of Energy Drink Addiction on Adolescents

Adolescence is a time of incredible growth and change, and it’s also a time when young people can be especially vulnerable to the negative effects of things like energy drinks.

Research has shown that energy drinks can be even more damaging to younger children than they are to older ones. The association between energy drink consumption and substance use was generally much stronger among middle school students compared with high school students, according to Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues S., et al. in their paper Energy Drink Consumption and Substance Use among Middle and High School Students published in the International Journal of Environmental Research And Public Health.

Here’s more on the impact of energy drinks on adolescents:

• Developing Bodies: It’s important to remember that adolescents’ bodies are still under construction. This makes them especially vulnerable to the powerful effects of stimulants. Their nervous and cardiovascular systems are still developing, and that makes them much more sensitive to the intense effects of caffeine and other stimulants. This can cause their heart to race, their blood pressure to spike, and their body to feel overstimulated more quickly than an adult’s.

• Increased Risk of Impulsive Behaviours: Teen brains are a work in progress, especially the prefrontal cortex—that’s the part responsible for good judgement, controlling impulses, and thinking about risks. Because this area is still developing, teens are naturally more prone to impulsive behaviour and trying new things. This can make them more likely to overdo it with energy drinks because they don’t think about the potential consequences.

• Growth and Development Issues: We need to be mindful of how excessive caffeine can impact a teen’s growth and development. Studies suggest it could interfere with healthy bone development and normal growth patterns.

• Sleep Disorders: Sleep is when an adolescent’s brain and body recharge. If they don’t get enough sleep, it can affect everything from how well they learn and focus in school to their mood and physical growth. Energy drinks can seriously mess with sleep, which can lead to chronic sleep deprivation. This kind of sleep loss can impact school performance, make them feel constantly down, and even increase the risk of anxiety and depression, which are already a struggle for many teens

• Behavioural Problems: Research has also linked energy drink consumption to increased aggression, anxiety, and impulsivity in adolescents. These behavioural changes may be attributed to the stimulating effects of caffeine and other ingredients, which can exacerbate existing emotional and behavioural difficulties. If you’re noticing these signs in your child, please talk with them about the problems of addiction.

• Increased Risk of Substance Abuse: This is a serious concern. As we mentioned before, teens who drink energy drinks may be at a higher risk of developing other substance abuse problems, including alcohol and drug addiction. It might be because they share some of the same risk factors, like impulsivity and a desire for excitement, or it could be that energy drinks sometimes become a first step towards other, more dangerous substances.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

There are several legal and regulatory concerns that we—and many others—have about energy drinks. While we recognise everyone’s right to a pick-me-up (we have several coffees a day each here), we believe more regulation needs to be enacted to prevent aggressive marketing aimed at children and misleading health claims about energy drinks. 

Many countries have started to take action. Some have placed restrictions on sales, labelling, and advertising. But there’s still a long way to go in protecting public health from the unchecked promotion of these dangerous beverages.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Caffeine Consumption Guidelines: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends a maximum daily caffeine intake of 400 mg for adults. However, excessive energy drink consumption can easily exceed this limit, especially for those who consume multiple drinks throughout the day.

• Marketing Restrictions: To minimise the appeal of energy drinks to children, many countries have implemented restrictions on their marketing. These restrictions often include limitations on advertising in children’s media, restrictions on the use of cartoon characters and celebrity endorsements, and restrictions on point-of-sale displays in areas frequented by children.

• Age Restrictions: Some jurisdictions have implemented age restrictions on the sale of energy drinks to minors. These restrictions aim to protect young people from the potential harms of excessive energy drink consumption, particularly given their developing bodies and increased susceptibility to the effects of stimulants

Mental Health Implications

Energy drinks can have life-altering effects on your mental health, including anxiety and depression. The high caffeine and sugar can change your brain’s reward pathways, causing mood swings, panic attacks, and emotional instability.

If you notice any of these mental health issues, please cease drinking energy drinks immediately:

• Anxiety and Depression: Excessive caffeine intake can exacerbate existing anxiety symptoms and may even trigger anxiety disorders in some individuals. The stimulating effects of energy drinks can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to sleep deprivation, which is a major contributor to anxiety and depression. In some cases, excessive energy drink consumption may contribute to the development of depression.

• Mood Disorders: The stimulating effects of energy drinks can lead to significant mood swings, including irritability, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating. These mood fluctuations can interfere with daily life and strain relationships.

• Psychosis: While rare, in some individuals, very high doses of caffeine can trigger psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions. This is more likely to occur in individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions.

The Dangers of Mixing Energy Drinks with Alcohol

Combining energy drinks with alcohol is extremely dangerous and can have serious health consequences:

• Increased Alcohol Consumption: The stimulant effects of energy drinks can mask the depressant effects of alcohol, making it difficult to feel how intoxicated you are. This can lead to individuals consuming significantly more alcohol than they would otherwise, increasing the risk of alcohol poisoning.

• Impaired Judgement and Coordination: The combination of alcohol and energy drinks can severely impair judgement, coordination, and reaction time. This significantly increases the risk of accidents, injuries, and risky behaviours, such as driving under the influence.

• Heart Problems: The combined effects of alcohol and energy drinks on the cardiovascular system increase the risk of heart problems, including sudden cardiac death. This is particularly concerning for individuals with underlying heart conditions.

• Increased Risk of Injury and Violence: The combination of alcohol and energy drinks can increase the risk of aggressive behaviour and violence.

Energy Drink Withdrawal Symptoms

What happens when you stop drinking energy drinks? When individuals attempt quitting energy drinks, they may experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, including:

If you or someone you know is experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, please get them emergency medical care right away. Caffeine overdose is a real thing, and it can be fatal.

Treatment and Recovery

If you’re struggling to stop drinking energy drinks, we want you to know that it can get better. You just need a plan that addresses both the physical cravings and the mental dependence. If you take small steps, you’ll start to notice improvements very quickly, and soon, you’ll feel better without relying on them.

Here are the best treatments to recover from energy drink addiction:

• Gradual Reduction: Gradually reducing energy drink consumption is the most effective way to get off energy drinks completely. This allows your body to gradually adjust to lower levels of caffeine and minimises the severity of your withdrawal symptoms. We recommend speaking with a mental health professional to come up with a plan.

• Lifestyle Changes: We recommend adopting a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein combined with regular physical activity. This can provide sustained energy and reduce reliance on stimulants. In addition, practising stress-reducing techniques such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness can help manage withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings, and improve overall mental and emotional well-being.

• Therapy and Counselling: Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours associated with energy drink addiction. Therapy can also help address any underlying mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, that may be contributing to or exacerbated by energy drink use.

• Medical Supervision: In some cases, medical supervision may be necessary to manage withdrawal symptoms and address any underlying health concerns. A healthcare professional can monitor vital signs, prescribe medications to manage withdrawal symptoms, and provide guidance on safe and effective detoxification.

Important Considerations About Energy Drink Addiction

Recovering from energy drink addiction is different for everyone, but it is absolutely possible. You need a plan that fits your life and helps you understand why you rely on them. 

This process takes time and commitment, but every step forward makes a difference, and you can usually start feeling better almost as soon as you reduce your intake. 

Just remember that relapse can happen, and it doesn’t mean failure. A strong plan, knowing your triggers, and using healthier coping methods will help you stay on track. You can break free and start feeling better both mentally and physically.

The Bottom Line

Energy drinks, marketed as quick fixes for fatigue, have become very popular in modern society. However, their intense stimulant effects can lead to dependence and a range of serious health consequences.

Recognising cravings and withdrawal symptoms is essential for identifying addiction. If you or someone you know is looking for ways to stop energy drink addiction, seek professional help from healthcare providers, therapists, support groups, or rehab centres, like The Cabin Chiang Mai. Prioritise healthy lifestyle choices, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress-management techniques. Remember, overcoming energy drink addiction requires commitment and support, but it is possible.