Those crystals that form at the top of the drink? That’s Caffeine Citrate (the result of Caffeine molecules and Citric Acid molecules pooling together).
It’s often used in medicine to treat conditions in premature babies. The downside is that it also results in the WORST case of acid reflux imaginable, kidney damage and heart palpitations. And it’s way worse if you’re caffeine and citrus sensitive.
In low concentrations, it’s got a pleasantly acidic and bitter flavor. But since we’re talking HIGH CAFFEINE AND HIGH CITRIC ACID combined with sugar, malic acids, and other compounds, it’s the equivalent of drinking four shots of moonshine.
The liquid itself is extensively sweet and sour from the sugar and malic acid compounds (and we know excessive sugar and malic acid can result in bad acid reflux too), but paired with the caffeine citrate and other compounds, it creates a gut buster (a cocktail of compounds that overwhelm the enzymes, alkaline and hydrochloric acid in the stomach and proves difficult to break down all at once).
This leads to the body producing more acid to compensate for the difficulty in digesting this mix of compounds on top of the caffeine citrate, which in turn results in the increase of heart palpitations, over production of compounds in the kidneys to help filter those compounds and the body getting overwhelmed to the point of rejection of these compounds (resulting in expulsion of this mixture from the body (often via vomiting, excessive urination or runny fecal matter).
But, this worsens when you use sugar free energy drinks and sour candies because the compounds in sugar free energy drinks and sour candies can have more caustic properties because of the compounds used to substitute the sugar.
Anywho, just figured I’d leave a fun scientific explanation.
