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Excessive energy drinks can cause painful kidney condition, warns doctor
Energy drinks are most people’s go-to beverage to be able to function for a longer time. As refreshing as it feels at first, overindulging in it can leave you dehydrated.
The same goes for other sugary drinks, as a recent study established that just one cup of it daily contributes to a deadly disease no matter how much you exercise.
Dangers of excessive energy drinks
Let’s examine the constituents of an energy drink before learning about the negative impact it can have on health when consumed excessively.
A typical beverage is made up of caffeine, added sugar, and different legal stimulants to increase alertness, energy, and attention. Caffeine is the primary stimulant and each 8 ounces of drink has about 80-150 mg of it.
In one of his TikTok videos, ER doctor Dr. Joe Whittington Aka Dr. Joe, M.D. discusses the health consequences of excessive energy drinks which can be excruciatingly painful.
When one user posted a video of their wife in the hospital having her “kidney drained into a bag” after drinking “two energy drinks a day”, the doctor took to explain the side effects of the popular beverage.
He said consuming energy drinks excessively can cause kidney stones because of their high caffeine content which can cause dehydration.
“Dehydration is a known risk factor for kidney stones because it creates concentrated urine. This will contribute to the crystallization of minerals which form kidney stones,” the doctor explains.
How to negate the side effects
One of the ways to reduce the risk of kidney stones is by increasing your intake of water, as Dr. Joe suggests in his video.
However, you must know how much water is safe to consume in a short period, such as 60 minutes, as overdoing it can have serious consequences.
The other dangers of energy drinks according to the Centers for Disease Control include heart complications, anxiety, and insomnia. It also warns against using the same beverage to hydrate yourself.
As Dr. Joe explains, drinking a can of energy drink occasionally is unlikely to cause any health issues. However, it’s advised against including it in your daily diet.
Dr. Joe Whittington Aka Dr. Joe, M.D. is an Emergency Room Doctor popular for addressing a range of health issues by incorporating entertainment factors. He graduated from UCLA and St. Louis University School of Medicine, before completing a highly competitive residency program in emergency medicine.
