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A 21-year-old man in the UK had to leave university after suffering from a mysterious illness for months.
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Doctors found he had heart and kidney failure after drinking four energy drinks for two years.
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Caffeine overdose can be life-threatening, with symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea and tremor.
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According to a case study published in BMJ Case Reports on April 15, a 21-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to heart failure and kidney failure after drinking more than half a liter of energy drink for two years.
Although he eventually recovered, the man was initially considered a candidate for organ transplants, and he spent more than a week in intensive care, and nearly two months in the hospital.
The patient drank four 500 milliliter cans of energy drink daily, write the authors of St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
According to the FDA, it is about 640 mg of caffeine per day, which is more than the recommended safe dose of 400 mg of caffeine.
“I think there needs to be more awareness of energy drink and the effect of its content. I believe it is very addictive and far too accessible for young children,” the patient said in the case study report.
Months before he was admitted to the hospital, he had symptoms such as tremor, shortness of breath and indigestion, so he left the university.
The case highlights the potentially toxic side effects of energy drinks that contain large doses of caffeine, which can lead to serious and sometimes life-threatening health issues.
Caffeine overdoses can be fatal
Caffeine, the most popular psychoactive drug in the world, is safe to use moderately, and it helps billions of people spend their day in the form of coffee and tea. It offers health benefits such as improved focus, mood and energy.
But too much caffeine is risky, with side effects such as anxiety, palpitations and low blood pressure. In severe cases, overdose of caffeine can lead to unconsciousness and even death. Caffeine overdose has also been linked to metabolic acidosis, a potentially serious buildup of acids in the body that can lead to kidney failure.
More concentrated sources of caffeine are likely to cause an overdose, meaning energy drinks are more risky than coffee and tea.
The most dangerous, according to case studies, are caffeine powder in supplements for energy, exercise and weight loss. A scoop of this highly concentrated powder may contain the caffeine equivalent of 50 cups of coffee or more.
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