BestieDean Wharmby was a professional bodybuilder that lived an unhealthy life according to many. He would need to constantly consume at least 10,000 calories per day to keep his muscle mass; this included numerous meals of fast food and energy drinks. Before he passed away, Wharmby blamed his liver cancer on this deadly combination of food and drink, according to the Daily Mail.
Energy drinks are one of the most popular beverages sold all over the world. They give us an immediate boost when we need it and can often keep us focused as well. For Dean, he would consume two energy drinks every hour while he was working out. A WHO study reported that there are a number of short and long-term side effects that come with drinking beverages with a high caffeine content. These side effects include caffeine overdose, type 2 diabetes and poor dental health, according to the National Health Service of the UK.
Unfortunately, we are not told about the hidden, unhealthy secrets that come with consuming an energy drink. The good news is that consumers are becoming savvier.
The energy drinks that Dean would consume seemed to work at the beginning, he was extremely focused and awake which was needed with the way he trained in the gym. Unfortunately, things turned out bad for Dean, he was diagnosed with cancer, but this enabled him to get rid of his bad habits.
Once the tumor began to shrink and disappear, Dean picked up his bad habits again, which included consuming many energy drinks a day. You think he would learn, but he didn’t, and because of this doctors diagnosed him with liver cancer for a second time. According to the Daily Mail, the doctors told Dean that his bad habits, including the energy drinks, are what destroyed his liver and created cancer cells.
Elisanth/shutterstock.comUnfortunately, Dean was unable to treat or beat the cancer this time and he passed away. He left behind his wife and daughter. Remember, excessive energy drink consumption paired with a poor diet might have played a part in the death of this man, and it could happen to us.
The story of Dean is a tragic one, but it does open the doors to discussion and information about energy drinks that we may not know about. Take the ingredient Niacin, for example. Many energy drinks contain it and, according to a study published by the British Journal of Medicine in 2016, it can cause severe damage to the liver. In some cases, it has even caused the liver to fail. An average energy drink could contain up to 40mg of Niacin.
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Here is another sad story that involves the consumption of energy drinks. A man believed he had the flu, but when he was hospitalized and started developing jaundice, doctors knew something wasn’t right. The man was later diagnosed with hepatitis, which is the inflammation of the liver and can later lead to liver disease and or cancer.
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Doctors asked the man if there were any traces of liver problems in his family, he told them there wasn’t. But what he did tell them that he was consuming at least two energy drinks a day. It is still unclear if the energy drink had a direct connection to the man being diagnosed with hepatitis, but it is worth noting especially since another person was also diagnosed with hepatitis. She also admitted to consuming several energy drinks a day as well.
TwinDesign/The good news is there are many healthy alternative beverages that will give you energy. Coconut water is not only refreshing, but it contains natural sugars and electrolytes that will give you a healthy boost and won’t leave you with that midday crash!
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Staying with the natural methods to feel more awake, try a banana and wheatgrass smoothie. I know it might not sound appealing at first, but bananas are rich in fiber that will give you the natural energy you need to keep going. By adding wheatgrass, you’re building more red blood cells which are responsible for transferring oxygen throughout your body. The more oxygen you’re body has, the more awake you’re going to be.
