Self-medicating with energy drinks

Post Reply New Topic

I do not know if it's ADHD / Asperger's / Depression that causes my total lack of energy some days, or very low energy levels other days, but I have noticed chugging a couple of energy drinks(with caffeine) a day keeps me going. When I know I will do something exhausting, like a big gathering with lots of people for a couple of hours, I get through it much easier if I drink an energy drink with caffeine first. I do not drink it every day.

This is not something I would want to do the rest of my life, it's not the healthiest lifestyle. Are there any alternatives other than coffee? Is there more like me out there, who don't survive without an energy boost?

Then it's the question of addiction. I don't consider myself an addict, I have stopped for months without getting any kind of withdrawal symptoms. But it do kind of resemble how an addict would need his "hit" to function like others would without a "hit". I don't think I'm in denial, and I hope I'm not in denial of my denial.

I drink coffee to the point of audio hallucination so I'm not probably the most relible person to say this, but I'll say it anyway: I wouldn't worry.

In terms of drug addiction and withdrawal, caffeine is nothing to worry about. At worst you will end up with some headaches for a week (and light headaches for month if you have been drinking lots of coffee for years) in withdrawal and some minor feeling of exhaustion. No uncontrolable urges to drink coffee. Caffeine is probably the savest substance you can intake, measured by relative effect.
I have been drinking diet cola (4.5L a day) half my life and never stopped because it helps me concentrate so much. I tried to switch to other things, like black tea and coffee and caffeine pills, because the weak acid content in cola corrodes your dental enamel over time, but they just don't work as well as diet cola.

Here are other things to try:
- Yerba Mate tea (contains other harmless stimulant substances besides caffeine)
- l-tyrosin (might do something, might not - more expensive)
- Guarana seed powder (basically like caffeine pills)

Don't try ephedrine, the withdrawal can be awful, like going through depression and physical illness.

Most stimulants other than caffeine are much worse for you, or have worse addiction, are illegal, etc. Stick with energy drinks - maybe try other energy drinks to find whichever ones work the best for you. I like to drink NOS energy drinks when I drink them (which is not often - caffeine can make me very shakey), because they have higher caffeine than many others, with some other things added in.

That is quite a lot of cola.

Only milk tends to make me feel more relaxed in my mind. I don't know the scientific explanation as to why, but it works.

The problem with energy drinks is the excessive amount of sugar. I use caffeine pills like NoDoz or the generic equivalent. If you need some sugar in addition, other drinks or foods have a more reasonable amount. The thing I like about caffeine pills is that the dose is precise. Coffee and tea can vary a lot, depending on brew time, etc. Also, swallowing a pill is quicker than a coffee break.

You may already be ingesting too much sugar. Most people do. You can slowly cut back to see if you can do without so much sugar.

Obviously, you should avoid taking the pills too close to the time you need to sleep.

i also have days of low energy, but that is usually the day after intense social interaction
coffee, energy drinks and other cafeine containing drinks will give me a short boost, but once i start with that, i keep on needing them troughout the day.

the only thing that really works is to just do things that need less energy, keeping the cafeine to a bare minimum, and staying clear of energy drinks untill it is the absolute final option (since with energy drinks, after they run out, you're more tired then you would have been after the same amount of time without the drink, coffee doesn't have that effect on me).

if i'm truly low on energy, i just shut down myself, stay hidden from society as much as is possible and spend the day sleeping and meditating

A couple things:
-Yerba Mate typically has caffeine in it, the tea leaves just naturally have caffeine not as much as energy drinks though.
-I have to disagree about caffeine being one of the safest substances you can take, the more you take at once the more dangerous it is and of course building up tolerance could be an issue. I mean its true deadly caffeine overdoses are not that common as far as I know but it would be easier to die from that than cannabis for instance. There is a reason some energy drinks say 'Do not exceed 3 cans in a day, or some that advise against any more than 1'
-As for the withdrawl sure it's just a headache, but pretty freaking painful headache and then the only thing that helps is well...caffeine. Though technically there are other caffeine withdrawl symptoms one could have not as bad as the withdrawls from some things though I imagine.

Also what about a different soda? not that any of those are really any better for you...but if its coke specifically that messes up the enamal maybe.

I have 2 -- 4 cups of coffee a day for about 40 years now, strong, no milk, no sugar, and there's no tolerance built up, i. e., it doesn't lose its effect nor do i ever feel an urge to drink more.

Energy drink once or twice a month since i dislike all these chemicals they stir in.

I've thought about drinking energy drinks in the mornings when I go to work. Coffee usually doesn't keep me awake and will sometimes give ma stomachaches. I've thought of drinking energy drinks in the morning to prevent sleep attacks as I call them. Once it's time to go bed I figure it'll have worn off.

From my experience I found energy drinks to be addicting and unhealthy. For a while I was finishing up a commercial driving job with the intention of quitting. So before getting home I started Monster Energy just to keep up with dispatch.

Finally got the truck home and quit and went home, but still craved the things.

Then after that I had more first ever attack of Gout in my foot. I suspect the sugar from the Monster Drinks contributed.

So.... these days I stick with black coffee. I like taking a thermos mug into coffee shops where I can get a variety of brewed coffee like Sumatra.

Make certain you have a healthy nutritional baseline and are not deficient on energy related nutrients such as B-12 Carnatine and Taurine.

Watch your glucose levels! If glucose goes high, you will feel wrung out. Walmart carries testers that are very economical -- get one and test when you are feeling particularly good and when you are feeling bad to see what your levels are. The readings should be under 100 fasting and under 140 after eating.

I find that tea and Emergen-C works for me. Emergen-C comes in small packages and they boost your energy without the caffeine.

I will be sure to check these out, thanks! I am not sure if Guarana seed powder is legal in Norway, but I will absolutely check it out.


I think I do ingest too much sugar, thats my main reason to look for other sources of energy boosts. I have used caffeine pills earlier, but it's not legal to sell in my country, so I have to travel to my neighbouring country to buy them, and then I am free to import and use it.


I am taking vitamins and nutrition supplements already. I took a tissue mineral analysis a few months ago to find out what I lacked. My glucose levels have been messured the last months aswell, and they are somewhat higher than normal, but not enough to be in the dangerzone for diabetes yet. I can't go shopping at Walmart, but I will take a look around the web to see if I can find it cheap somewhere.


Emergen-C...I will research it.

Thanks for the tips all! Keep 'em coming!

5 hour energy

emergen-C is if your feeling sick, not for if you need an energy boost

I drink a LOT of coffee every day, but have discovered that pasta or wholegrain bread give me a much better energy boost at an even and sustained rate. Energy drinks are far too sugary and fast acting to last a whole meeting, and tend just to leave me with less energy after 30mins or so