In the United States, most people work more than the not-so-standard 40-hour workweek, and energy drinks are an increasingly popular way to power through 10-hour days and reach the finish line.
But take it easy on those Red Bulls, Monsters and 5-Hour Energy bottles — your liver will thank you. Case in point: Doctors at the University of Florida report what they believe to be the second documented case of acute hepatitis brought on by chugging too many energy drinks.
The patient was a 50-year-old, otherwise healthy, man who had been nagged by abdominal pain, vomiting and drowsiness for a few weeks. He brushed it off as flu-like symptoms, but grew alarmed after he noticed darkened urine and signs of jaundice. After visiting with doctors, he was promptly diagnosed with severe acute hepatitis.
Doctors ruled out drugs, alcohol and sexual behavior as causes, and tests revealed this wasn’t a typical ...
