ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY

Posted on May 4, 2015 | Last updated February 13, 2025

Released in 2010. This is a review of ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY, which contains 320mg of caffeine, double the amount of regular Rockstar. (The taste is different from the original)

ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY is often highlighted for its double caffeine content, but it also includes fitness-related ingredients, making it a pioneering product in the high-caffeine energy drink category with a fitness focus.

ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY

Manufacturer	ROCKSTAR
Country of Origin	USA
Price	2 USD
Flavor	Japanese vitamin sour drink
Total rating	★☆☆☆☆

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 8,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Flavor of ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY

The aroma is quite weak, and there’s no trace of the usual Rockstar chemical scent. The sweetness typical of mainstream energy drinks isn't really detectable from the smell.

ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY
The taste is far from the original Rockstar, resembling a rather sour vitamin drink packed with artificial sweeteners. Compared to the original, the taste can be considered significantly degraded.

This is because the flavoring is designed to have almost no calories and the carbohydrate content is at a near-zero level, thanks to the artificial sweeteners. This inevitably affects the taste. Additionally, there is absolutely no trace of the distinctive chemical taste from the original Rockstar. It's not a stronger version of the original, but a completely different product, which felt a bit disappointing.

If they had kept the original Rockstar flavor and just adjusted the energy ingredients, I think it would have been quite well-received.

Energy Ingredients of ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY

ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY
With 320mg of caffeine, which is double the amount in a regular 16oz Rockstar, this is on par with energy drinks from specialized high-caffeine brands. Personally, I would not recommend this level of caffeine content. (^_^;)

It also contains 2000mg of taurine, 100mg of ginseng, 50mg of guarana, 50mg of carnitine, and 100mg of arginine. While the amount is small, I think it was rare for American energy drinks in 2010 to include arginine.

Additionally, the calorie count is only 30kcal, and as indicated on the can with the "LOW CARB" label, the carbohydrate content is 2g, making it almost a zero-carb product. The artificial sweeteners include acesulfame K and sucralose, but more notably, citric acid seems to be the cause of the distinct strong acidity in ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY.

Looking at the ingredients, it seems designed for fat-burning or explosive performance during workouts. The structure is somewhat similar to Bang energy drinks (though Bang is even more specialized in its ingredient composition).

Despite having a profile that could attract fitness enthusiasts and competitive athletes, I believe the reason for its discontinuation was likely due to the extremely high caffeine content, which might have been too intense for a brand with the third-largest global energy drink market share. Considering the potential links between caffeine and incidents of death, it was probably difficult to continue selling 2X ENERGY.

ROCKSTAR 2X ENERGY
If it were from a niche energy drink brand like Bang, Wired, or Spike, it might have been acceptable. But for a mainstream brand like Rockstar, it could have become a liability. Personally, I think if people understand what they're consuming and make an informed choice, Rockstar could continue releasing energy drinks of this level... But considering the ease with which excited kids could over-consume it and suffer from health issues, it's understandable that it was eventually discontinued.