"Not even alcohol"… The 'beverage' he drank every day caused a heart attack in a man in his 30s

A story was shared about an American man who experienced a heart attack due to the habit of drinking 2 to 3 cans of energy drinks a day.

According to the British media Daily Mail on the 26th (local time), Megan Shreeve, a woman from Colorado Springs, USA, said, "Last January, my 34-year-old husband (Aaron Shreeve) experienced a heart attack after drinking 2 to 3 cans of coffee and Red Bull (energy drinks) a day." Megan stated, "My husband’s heart was pounding rapidly and his hands and feet were numb in the middle of the night," and "Within a minute of discovering my husband like this, he collapsed." Aaron's heart stopped while being transported to the hospital. Fortunately, an emergency responder performed CPR, allowing Aaron's heart to start beating again. Aaron was hospitalized for six weeks. Medical staff diagnosed that the energy drinks he consumed caused the heart attack. The doctor told his wife, "Dehydration and seizures occurred due to the energy drinks," and explained, "Energy drinks are associated with irregular heartbeats, heart attacks, and other heart problems." Aaron has now been discharged and is living his daily life.

According to a study conducted at the Mayo Clinic, a comprehensive hospital in the United States, in June, it was found that 7 out of 144 heart attack patients had consumed energy drinks just before the incident. The research team stated, "While a cup of coffee contains about 100mg of caffeine, the risk is associated with the caffeine contained in energy drinks," and "Energy drinks can contain up to approximately 160mg of caffeine." In other words, a can of Red Bull that Aaron drank contains 80mg of caffeine, and since Aaron consumed 2 to 3 cans of Red Bull a day, he ingested approximately 160 to 240mg of caffeine. Dr. Michael Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, explained, "When you consume caffeine, a hormone called norepinephrine is released, which increases heart rate and blood pressure."

Excessive intake of caffeine contained in energy drinks can lead to overstimulation of the sensory center, resulting in increased heart rate, palpitations, or trembling. Additionally, caffeine's diuretic effect increases urine production, putting strain on the kidneys and potentially causing dehydration by increasing urine output. Long-term overconsumption can also lead to insomnia. Some people mix energy drinks with alcohol, which can make them feel less intoxicated despite drinking more alcohol, thereby burdening the liver responsible for alcohol metabolism. Especially for individuals with heart conditions such as arrhythmia or myocardial infarction, the sympathetic nervous system is more sensitive, and the side effects of caffeine can be more severe than in healthy individuals, so it is advisable to avoid energy drinks.

<Source: Health Chosun>