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Daily consumption of energy drink led to heart failure in a 21-year-old

WION Web Team
NEW DELHIUpdated: Apr 16, 2021, 09:38 AM IST
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The research, published in the journal Circulation, found that people with a congenital heart defect who contracted COVID-19 were also more likely to require treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) or need a ventilator. (Representative Image). Photograph:(ANI)

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The student developed heart failure after “excessive” consumption of energy drinks. He sought care after suffering for four months with shortness of breath and weight loss.

Excessive energy drink consumption may be linked to heart failure, doctors have warned in the journal BMJ Case Reports after treating a 21-year-old, who had regularly drunk 2 litres of it every day for around 2 years.

The student developed heart failure after “excessive” consumption of energy drinks. He sought care after suffering for four months with shortness of breath and weight loss.

Blood tests, scans, and ECG readings revealed that he had both heart and kidney failure – with the kidney failure linked to a long-standing and previously undiagnosed condition.

“We report a case of severe biventricular heart failure potentially related to excessive energy drink consumption in a 21-year-old man,” the article's authors from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London noted.

The student had no other medical history, but the cans he was drinking contained 160mg of caffeine each.

“When I was drinking up to four energy drinks per day, I suffered from tremors and heart palpitations, which interfered with my ability to concentrate on daily tasks and my studies at university,” the student said.

This is just one case report, but there have been several others as well as review articles that have highlighted mounting concerns about the potential cardiovascular system harms of energy drinks, note the authors.

Energy drinks are also known to raise blood pressure and can trigger heart rhythm abnormalities, say the authors, by way of an explanation for the published findings to date.

(With inputs from agencies)