A health professional has revealed what happened to a man who drunk 12 energy drinks in just 10 minutes.
If you've gotten through life so far without ever having to reach for an energy drink to see you through the day, I salute you. However, for most of us, multiple coffees or a quick energy drink have become a very regular occurrence. But how do you know when you need to find other means - such as a good night sleep - opposed to grabbing yet another drink to boost your energy levels?
Well, clinical pharmacist and toxicologist Dr Bernard Hsu has revealed what happened to one gamer when he chugged multiple drinks in just 10 minutes - take this extreme example as a word of warning.
Dr Hsu - who goes by the name Chubbyemu on YouTube - took to the platform to reflect on a case involving a 36-year-old patient named JS.
Advert
In a bid to make friends with his colleagues, JS - said to be an avid gamer - is reported by Dr Hsu as deciding to 'chug 12 energy drinks in 10 minutes' at work after finding a stash in the fridge.
And the effect on him was immediate.
JS' throat began to 'burn' and that sensation soon turned into 'discomfort', which 'felt like sores were growing and tearing up his mouth'.
Advert
"Immediately after chugging all 12 energy drinks, JS didn't feel well," the clinical pharmacist continues.
"He was short of breath and to take his mind off everything, he stated playing some games."
Hours later, JS' heart began 'fluttering,' but he dismissed his symptoms as he regularly had over the daily recommended amount of caffeine when partaking in gaming marathons. However, he then started vomiting. Emptying his stomach contents in the kitchen sink, feeling his 'heart beat in his eyes' and suffering from severe 'back pain,' after a few days, JS decided to call 911.
Dr Hsu saw JS come into the emergency room with 'breakthrough abdominal pain'. But what was actually wrong?
Advert
Well, doctors identified JS had hyperglycaemia. "Hyper meaning high. Glyce referring to glucose," Dr Hsu explains.
Instead of it being the caffeine, which was severely affecting JS, it was the sugar he'd consumed, which was negatively impacting his body the most.
Each can had over 50 grams, which means he chugged over 600 grams in total.
Advert
JS hadn't eaten since chugging the drinks, and despite questioning if his pancreas wasn't releasing insulin to lower his blood sugar levels, the doctor's tests showed he wasn't diabetic.
A high resolution scan revealed he had hyperlipasemia - 'high lipase presence in blood' - which meant JS' pancreas was 'starting to digest itself'.
Overall the doctors resolved JS had 'acute pancreatitis' and quickly administered him some IV fluids, medicine for the pain.
Advert
However, on the day he was set to be released, they realised he'd developed an infection and his liver and kidneys were shutting down.
Thankfully, with 'supportive care and antibiotics' JS was 'able to make a recovery'.
The doctor resolves: "Energy drinks are more than just caffeine. And we don't know exactly how much of any one of these ingredients are in a single can.
"No one intended for someone to chug five-and-a-half liters of anything in 10 minutes.
"What we do know, is there might be an association with excess energy drink consumption and pancreatitis. It's not just the caffeine and stimulants in there that'll get you in the heart. Whether it's chugging 12 cans in 10 minutes, or drinking three, four, five, six cans a day everyday, the pancreas can get injured."
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, YouTube, Social Media
Poppy Bilderbeck