Woman Hospitalized After ODing on 5-Hour Energy

Posted By elissa on Jul 1, 2011 | 1 comment

Honestly… what do some people use for brains?

Case in point: The 22-year-old woman who arrived at an emergency room complaining of upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and a slight fever, according to the June 22 edition of the Journal of Medical Case Reports. A scan of her midsection was normal. She was sent home. She returned, however, even sicker, and bathed in a yellowish tint — jaundice — meaning her liver was failing. Doctors diagnosed the woman with acute hepatitis.

The staff checked her for viruses, alcohol and drugs. Nothing. Then the woman revealed a key part of her diet over the previous two weeks: 10 bottles of 5-Hour Energy per day.

…Doctors believe the woman overdosed on one ingredient: niacin — also called vitamin B3 — which can damage the liver when ingested in high amounts. She was successfully treated and discharged after her symptoms vanished.

Makers of 5-Hour Energy print recommendations on their labels: “Do not exceed two bottles” per day.

Last year, I took a trip to New Jersey, and made side trips to Massachusetts and Ontario to visit friends. I drove from Secaucus to Natick, then from Natick to Brighton, and finally, from Brighton to Newark. Those were loooong drives (7 – 8 hours each), so yeah – I picked up a handful of 5-Hour Energy shots to see me through. But seriously: I didn’t need more than one per drive to stay alert and focused behind the wheel. Suffice it to say, I can’t even imagine taking 10 per day… for two straight weeks.

There are two obvious take home lessons here:

1. Just because a supplement is sold over the counter and contains “all natural” ingredients and nutrients, doesn’t mean it’s safe to consume as much as you want.

2. Always read and follow the directions.