Energy drinks can seem like a quick fix for fatigue, but they may threaten your mood stability. Learn why experts advise caution.
That quick jolt from an energy drink might feel like the perfect pick-me-up when you’re running low on energy. But if you have bipolar disorder, the high levels of caffeine and stimulants in these drinks can put your stability at risk.
Emerging research suggests these beverages can fuel manic symptoms, throw off your sleep, and impact other lifestyle habits you rely on for your mood. Knowing the risks can help you decide whether these beverages are worth it.
How Do Energy Drinks Work?
Energy drinks are beverages that typically contain caffeine. They may also include added (or artificial) sugars, as well as other ingredients like taurine, ginseng, guarana, and vitamins and minerals, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Energy drink products differ in their ingredients and amount of caffeine. Typical energy beverages can have 41 to 246 milligrams (mg) of caffeine in a 12-ounce drink, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For reference, the same amount of brewed coffee might contain 113 to 247 mg of caffeine, making energy drinks relatively comparable.
According to a review published in the journal Nutrients, for anyone consuming an energy drink, there’s a risk of side effects, such as:
- Anxiety
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Dehydration
- Nervousness
- Increased heart rate
The review, which assessed 96 scientific papers and a total of 86 cases, found that these beverages have also been linked to rare but severe reactions like acute kidney injury, seizures, and stroke. The researchers also found three deaths attributed to energy drink consumption, although the people who died also had underlying conditions such as obesity and heart problems.
The Link Between Energy Drinks and Mood Changes
There’s a reason you might feel as if you can charge through the day or maintain laser-focus when drinking energy beverages: “Energy drinks exert acute stimulatory effects on the nervous system, primarily through caffeine and refined sugars,” says Uma Naidoo, MD, director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and author of Calm Your Mind With Food.
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain to boost alertness, reduce fatigue, and improve reaction time, says Dr. Naidoo. Caffeine is a known disruptor of sleep, particularly when consumed in excess or too late in the day, and sleep disruption can precipitate a manic event, she says.
Refined sugar in the beverage is another problem, as it raises blood glucose levels quickly, resulting in a spike — and, unfortunately, a subsequent crash. “The sugar content adds to the stimulatory effect of caffeine, prompting greater anxiety, agitation, and fatigue,” she says.
“Individuals with mood disorders may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of energy drinks. This can be both psychosis or mood symptoms,” says Naidoo, whose thoughts are echoed in a systematic review that appeared in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry.
As for the other ingredients in an energy drink, some of these might favorably affect brain function (such as B vitamins), says Naidoo. Others, like taurine and inositol (a form of sugar), may have mood-altering effects, according to the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry paper.
What’s important to remember, says Naidoo, is that even if the ingredients were to have a positive impact on mood, you’re adding these to a base of caffeine and sugar. Meaning: Adding vitamins, minerals, or herbs to these drinks doesn’t transform them into healthy sips.
Common Mania Triggers
Mania triggers differ from person to person. You can learn yours by keeping a “mood diary” to track how you feel before an episode of mania. Some case reports suggest that monitoring your mood daily this way can help decrease manic or depressive episodes when paired with mood-stabilizing medication.
According to a systematic review in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, as well as Cleveland Clinic, some of the most common triggers of manic episodes include:
- Medications, such as antidepressants
- Overstimulating environments (loud noise, bright lights, big crowds)
- Stress or great life changes (such as bereavement, childbirth, divorce, or being laid off)
- Problems sleeping or insufficient sleep
- Substance use (drugs, alcohol)
Other potential triggers, according to the Journal of Psychiatric Research review, include:
However, more research is needed to establish these as definitive triggers for mania.
What the Research Says About Energy Drinks and Mania
No robust clinical trials conclusively prove causation, and the research on energy drinks and mania in bipolar disorder mostly consists of case reports and small observational studies.
“That’s not surprising — prospective trials exposing people with bipolar disorder to high-dose stimulants or energy drinks to test for manic outcomes would raise ethical concerns — so we primarily rely on observational signals and case descriptions,” explains board-certified psychiatrist Lisa Harding, MD, assistant clinical professor in the Yale Department of Psychiatry in New Haven, Connecticut.
That said, there is a possible link between ingestion of these stimulants and mood destabilization, according to a review of various studies. The review included questionnaires and case reports that described people developing manic episodes and other mood symptoms — such as agitation, alertness, insomnia, and impulsivity — after very high, short-term intake of energy drinks (for example, six to nine small cans per day over days to weeks).
These case studies varied in dose and timing, and they often involved sleep disruption and other potential factors that may have contributed to the impact of energy drinks on mood. But, taken together, the case reports suggest a possible link between energy drinks and mood destabilization.
There’s also a case study (which Dr. Harding coauthored) of a 17-year-old girl with no history of psychiatric illness who had a manic episode following withdrawal from cannabis and consumption of one or two energy drinks containing 300 mg of caffeine per day the week prior to hospital admission.
There is also research on the effects of caffeine on mood in people with bipolar. Although a systematic review of existing studies found that overall, the evidence is not conclusive, the study authors note that acute increases in caffeine consumption may trigger manic symptoms in people with bipolar. Caffeine may affect mood changes either directly (as caffeine is a stimulant) or indirectly by affecting sleep patterns and the circadian rhythm (which are known triggers for mania). Caffeine may also interfere with how lithium is metabolized in the body.
Given this research, caution around consuming energy drinks is widely advised in high-risk populations, including those with bipolar disorder. “Even though there isn’t a ton of research, if we integrate clinical research and concerns about the nutritional aspects of these beverages, I’d say that these energy drinks can trigger mood elevations or exacerbate symptoms in people with mood disorders,” Naidoo says.
Warning Signs of Mania After an Energy Drink
If you’re living with bipolar and experience any signs of mania after consuming energy drinks, or if you develop extreme mood changes, connect with your doctor. Below are some of the telltale signs of a potential manic episode, according to StatPearls:
- Becoming unusually talkative
- Speaking more quickly than usual (rapid speech)
- Sleeping much less without feeling tired
- Having racing thoughts
- Getting distracted more easily
- Feeling unusually goal-oriented and driven
- Feeling restless, fidgety, or moving more than usual
Energy Drink Guidelines With Bipolar
A one-off energy drink may not be healthy, but it also may not have an adverse mood-altering effect, says Naidoo. (Still, this is individual, so consult with your healthcare provider on your personal tolerance.)
Should you consume an energy drink, monitor your mood and sleep patterns closely afterward. For some individuals, combining energy drinks with other caffeine-containing beverages like coffee and cola can also precipitate a manic event, so keep tabs on your overall consumption.
As for weekly or daily use as a pick-me-up? The advice is clear: “For our patients, we do not recommend they routinely drink energy drinks,” says Harding. Another risk is that the body becomes more tolerant to caffeine, meaning it will take more caffeine to get the same stimulant effects. You may then be more vulnerable to increasing the amount you drink, from one daily to two (and so on), further increasing the risk to your stability.
If you feel as if you need an energy drink to wake up in the morning, stay awake, or give you the focus to get through the day, Harding recommends taking stock of your lifestyle habits:
- Consider sleep habits. What can you do to reset your sleep? “Sleep deprivation is very real. I think that people don’t realize that if they rested, they’d probably get the same brain efficacy as they would with an energy drink — without the side effects,” says Harding. Trying to complete tasks with a tired brain is far more difficult than with a rested brain, she says.
- Look at your diet. What you eat has a big impact on your energy levels. “We talk to patients about leveling their blood sugars by consuming slower-burning carbohydrates and avoiding highly processed foods,” Harding advises. Slower-burning carbohydrates provide longer energy and steadier blood sugars. These foods contain fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Review your schedule. Harding recommends asking yourself, “Am I actually just doing too much?” Is it possible, then, to step back and do less versus using an energy drink to complete your tasks?
- Connect with your clinician. It’s so important to have a trusted clinician that you can go to for an honest, judgment-free conversation, says Harding. For example, if you feel that you need to pull an all-nighter to study or work, your clinician might help you through by creating a realistic plan to help preserve your health while also completing your tasks.
FAQ
Can energy drinks affect bipolar?
Yes, energy drinks contain caffeine that can disrupt sleep, added sugar that can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, and additional ingredients that may compound the stimulant effects. These factors may make an individual with bipolar more vulnerable to a manic episode.
What is the most common trigger of a manic episode in bipolar disorder?
There are several possible triggers for manic events in bipolar disorder, including the use of certain medications, stimulating environments, stress, hormonal changes, sleep disturbances, and substance use, among others. Triggers are individual, and understanding what affects your symptoms is important.
Do stimulants cause mania in bipolar?
Stimulants like caffeine may trigger mania in bipolar, as people with mood disorders may be more sensitive to the nervous system effects of stimulants.
What drugs trigger bipolar mania?
Some of the drugs that can induce mania are antidepressants, antimalarials, opioids, steroids, stimulant medications, testosterone, antihistamines, and decongestants, among others. Talk to your doctor about all the medications you’re taking, including prescription and over-the-counter.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Are Energy Drinks Bad for You? Cleveland Clinic. February 19, 2024.
- Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Costantino A et al. The Dark Side of Energy Drinks: A Comprehensive Review of Their Impact on the Human Body. Nutrients. September 9, 2023.
- Düring SW et al. Psychotic Symptoms Following Consumption of Energy Drinks: A Systematic Review. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. May 14, 2025.
- Yasui-Furukori N et al. Bipolar Disorder Recurrence Prevention Using Self-Monitoring Daily Mood Charts: Case Reports From a 5 Year Period. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. March 7, 2017.
- Cordeiro CR et al. Triggers for Acute Mood Episodes in Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review. Journal of Psychiatric Research. May 2023.
- Mania. Cleveland Clinic. September 14, 2021.
- Richards G et al. A Review of Energy Drinks and Mental Health, With a Focus on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression. Journal of Caffeine Research. June 1, 2016.
- Quadri S et al. An Energy Drink-Induced Manic Episode in an Adolescent. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders. November 15, 2018.
- Frigerio S et al. The Impact of Caffeine Consumption on Clinical Symptoms in Patients With Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review. Bipolar Disorders. September 18, 2020.
- Dailey MW et al. Mania. StatPearls. July 17, 2023.
- Choosing Healthy Carbs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.