Khaberni - Energy drinks may offer tremendous energy, unleash your power, or invigorate you, but excessive consumption can pose a serious risk of having a stroke, as doctors warn.
Each drink contains 160 mg of caffeine and the maximum daily limit is 400 mg.
In a case study of a man addicted to drinking 8 cans of energy drinks daily, he suffered a stroke due to severe high blood pressure, and once he stopped consuming energy drinks, his blood pressure returned to normal.
According to "Health Day," this man was in his fifties and physically fit.
Permanent damage
Doctors at the University of Tottenham Hospital reported that this patient suffered permanent damage from a mild stroke caused by severe high blood pressure. His blood pressure did not return to normal until after he stopped consuming energy drinks.
The patient said: "Clearly, I did not realize the risks posed by energy drinks. And I still suffer from numbness in my left hand, fingers, foot, and toes even after 8 years."
The man was admitted to the hospital after experiencing sudden weakness on the left side of his body, numbness, difficulty in balancing, walking, swallowing, and speaking, according to the case report.
Blood pressure and brain clot
His blood pressure upon hospital admission was 254/150 mmHg. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less.
Brain scans revealed that he had a stroke in the thalamus, which is responsible for sensory perception and movement, according to doctors.
The patient began taking medication to lower his blood pressure, and his systolic pressure dropped to 170 mmHg. The systolic pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading, which is the pressure inside the blood vessels during a heart beat.
After questioning, the man revealed that he had been drinking an average of 8 energy drinks daily.
Caffeine Limits
Each drink contains 160 mg of caffeine, bringing his total daily consumption to over 1200 mg, while the recommended daily maximum for caffeine is 400 mg.
Doctors insisted that the patient stop consuming energy drinks. When he did, his blood pressure returned to normal, and he was able to stop taking his prescribed medications.
The doctors wrote in their case report: "Few people realize the potential harm of energy drinks."
