You're addicted to the caffeine.
Despite all the other bullshit ingredients they put in these drinks, the only active ingredient is the caffeine.
The so-called "energy" is fake. The large doses of caffeine are burning out your adrenals and helping to dissolve the calcium in your bones.
Lastly, you're wasting lots of money. If you must have your 'fix', go to any pharmacy and buy generic caffeine tabs... MUCH less expensive.
The whole calcium leaching and adrenal burnout is greatly exaggerated. But I'm not saying energy drinks are totally safe either, they do F with you to some degreee.
Regarding tabs, it's not the same thing. Tabs hit you too quickly and are crappy. It is no comparison to, say a cup of coffee in the morning. It's all about the administration. Plus there are many compounds in coffee that aren't understood by science, it's actually good for you in moderation.
I was addicted to sugar free rockstar a few years ago, drinking 2 a day. I played a soccer game one night after drinking one and had a rapid heart rate and felt palpitations. I quit right then and have never touched them again. Now I drink a cup of coffee in the morning and sometimes one in the early afternoon. The caffeine is what we are all addicted to. Within a week, you can kick a caffeine habit though but be prepared for a nasty headache.
I get a few palpitations too from them. Never from coffee though, even pounding it.
