It is a common thing to pick up one or two cans of one's favored Energy Drink while out and about. The pick-me-up effect of these beverages is as strong or stronger than a cup of coffee, depending on the variety of said beverage. Despite the power contained in these cans of energy, getting your hands on one is as simple as opening the commercial cooler, grabbing it, and paying for it at the counter with no questions asked. However, like coffee, these sweet, carbonated energy beverages are best enjoyed in careful moderation, despite the ease of access to them.

A night of fun has unintended consequences

According to a report by Metro News, one man in West Yorkshire decided to throw caution to the wind, and in one sitting he drank a total of 25 cans of the energy drinks Monster and Red Bull. Nick Mitchell (who was 48 years of age at the time of the incident) accomplished this feat during a six-hour karaoke outing. Not long after returning home, he found himself with a severe headache and decided to seek medical treatment, which he received at Dewsbury Hospital. The headaches were just the beginning of a series of health issues to follow after his Caffeine Overdose from the energy drinks took hold. Mitchell describes his headache, saying that "It felt like someone had cracked my head open with a sledgehammer.

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears."

Beyond the limits

Business Insider has reported that one 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull has 80 milligrams of caffeine and gives the figure of 160 milligrams of caffeine for a standard 16-ounce can of Monster energy drink. The maximum recommended allowance of caffeine is 400 milligrams for an adult that is in good health.

Mayo Clinic warns that you may consume too much caffeine per day if you experience symptoms such as migraines, rapid heartbeat, or muscle tremors.

The aftermath

For Nick Mitchell, who is now 56 years old, the aftermath of his caffeine binge was much worse. Mitchell himself states: "These drinks nearly killed me. I was so close to death and thought I might not make it through surgery." In the days following his initial headache, he suffered three mini-strokes, as the result of a brain hemorrhage due to caffeine overdose.

Nearly a decade later, as a result of his strokes, Mitchell slurs his words. His opinion of energy drinks has also taken a downturn, as Metro News reports that he has said: "They should not be sold. They are as bad as drugs and should be banned." The negative experience that the father of three has had with the drinks is what spurs him to share his story. Mitchell hopes that his experience will serve as a cautionary tale for those (especially young people) who may drink these beverages without thinking of the harmful effects of the cocktail of stimulants within them.
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