A 20-year-old fitness enthusiast who had a portion of an energy drink before her workout experienced a fatal health issue. She sustained major damage to her heart, lungs, and kidneys after collapsing unexpectedly and suffering repeated cardiac arrests while exercising with her partner in Iowa.
Before the workout, she had only had one-third of a can of the well-known energy drink Ghost, which contained 200 mg of caffeine—more than twice as much as two cups of coffee. Shortly after finishing a series of weighted deadlifts, she experienced vertigo and fainted. Her heart stopped beating four times, and one of those times her brain and organs were deprived of oxygen for up to five minutes.
Urgently, paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and utilised cutting-edge medical technology, including a ventilator, dialysis to sustain her kidneys, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to keep her alive. She had an unexpected recovery after two difficult weeks in the hospital, despite doctors warning her family that her chances of survival were minimal.
It is believed that the energy drink and an unidentified cardiac condition may have contributed to the cardiac episodes, even though the precise cause was not identified. Although caffeine, carnitine, and alpha-GPC are listed as performance enhancers in Ghost and comparable energy drinks, there are known risks connected to these ingredients. Changes in heart rhythm, anxiety, and depression are a few of these symptoms, especially in those who already have health issues.
Consumption of energy drinks is associated with negative effects on young people’s physical and mental health, according to the research. People who drink energy drinks are more likely to suffer from anxiety and sadness, according to a new study of over a million people conducted in the United Kingdom.
Because of this terrible event, the young woman now views life through a different lens. She has emphasised the importance of people being more mindful of their health and seeking medical treatment when symptoms continue. By doing so, she hopes to prevent future emergencies.
They have now resorted to crowdfunding in order to alleviate the financial burden of medical expenses and the consequences of their job losses. Her experience highlights the fact that energy drinks can have negative effects on even the healthiest of people, even those who lead busy lifestyles. There is a risk that the temporary increase in energy can be dangerous.
