In the UK, a 56-year-old man suffered a brain hemorrhage after drinking 25 cans of Red Bull and Monster. Brain damage now prevents him from speaking properly. What exactly are we risking by drinking energy drinks?
The story of this 56-year-old Briton, hospitalized for a cerebral hemorrhage after drinking 25 cans of energy drink in 6 hours, awakens consciousness. In 2010, Nick Mitchell suffered excruciating headaches in the middle of the night. He was rushed to hospital and learned that he was suffering from a severe caffeine overdose. A CT scan shows bleeding in his brain: the Briton has a cerebral hemorrhage following the increase in blood pressure inside the arteries of the brain and therefore, the rupture of a blood vessel.
With massive brain hemorrhage, the damage to the brain can be very serious and lead to a stroke. Nick Mitchell finally underwent surgery. If he did, he still has trouble expressing himself because of a lack of oxygen in the brain. Since then, he has alerted public opinion to the dangers of energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull, which he considers as dangerous as drugs.
Addicted to Red Bull, she lost her sight
In 2015, an Irish mother who had developed an addiction to Red Bull and who consumed some seven liters a day, eventually lost her eyesight. For five years, this obese young woman ignored the violent headaches associated with her consumption, refusing to consult a doctor. While taking him for tests, the doctors discovered that the blindness was due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension, caused by his obesity and related to the astronomical amount of sugar ingested daily – the equivalent of about 150 sugar cubes.
What are we risking by drinking energy drinks?
Energy drinks are strongly discouraged for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as for children and adolescents. Mainly due to the presence of taurine (sulfur amino acid found in beef bile), group B vitamins and their high level of caffeine. If some brands are rather reasonable, others peak at very large doses. This is particularly the case with Monster which, for example, accumulates the equivalent of four cups of espresso in a can. The brands marketed across the Atlantic can go up to 400 mg of caffeine per liter of drink.
A study, presented on December 2, 2013 at the Congress of Radiology of the North American Society also highlighted the deleterious effects of drinks such as Red Bull, Monster or Burn on the heart. “There are many side effects associated with high caffeine consumption, including a high heart rate, palpitations, high blood pressure and, in more severe cases, heart attacks and sudden death,” said the doctor. lead author of the study “, Dr Jonas Dörner. Energy drinks also cause trouble sleeping, insomnia, nervousness, and a high rate of stimulation, even when the situation is calm. A study was conducted on the subject in 2014 and published in the journal British Journal of Nutrition. So energy drinks yes, but in small quantities and without alcohol.
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