A man in China tragically passed away after drinking a 1.5-liter bottle of Coca-Cola in only ten minutes. The man's doctors have written a report about the incident in Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology.
Man Dies After Drinking Too Much Coke
The 22-year-old did not have any underlying health conditions. After drinking the beverage, he was rushed to the emergency department at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital due to swelling and upper abdominal pains that lasted for four hours.
Upon further inspection, the man's heart rate increased, and it was recorded to have been 130 beats per minute. He also had low blood pressure, and his breathing rate was only 32 times per minute.
A CT scan done by his doctors showed that there was a buildup of gas in his portal vein, which indicates very serious gastrointestinal problems and gas cysts in the wall of his bowels, according to IFLScience.
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The CT scan also showed that his liver was not getting enough oxygen and blood because of the gas buildup in his portal vein. The portal vein carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, gallbladder, and spleen to the liver.
After more questioning, the man revealed that six hours before he felt any pain, he drank the 1.5 bottles of Coca-Cola because of how hot the weather was.
The team of doctors tried to relieve the pressure from his intestines and treat his inflammation. They also tried to give him fluids.
Unfortunately, it was not enough to save him, and the lack of oxygen to his liver caused severe liver damage.
The team wrote in the Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology that the pneumatosis of the portal vein is a very rare clinical sign. It is also known in the medical field as a death sign, and it can be seen in patients with abdominal infection and intestinal hypertension.
Dangers of Drinking Coca Cola
Drinking a massive amount of Coca-Cola in a very short period of time causes gas accumulation in the intestinal tract at first, according to Forbes.
Even a can of Coca-Cola can affect how your body works, as your metabolism shoots up after an hour of consumption.
Coca-Cola released its No Sugar edition, but it does not mean it is healthier for fast consumption.
The intestinal pressure will rise, which will result in high pressure and lead to gas accumulation in the portal vein. The man died because of it.
Though the buildup of gas in the portal vein can cause issues and even death, Professor Nathan Davies, a biochemist, believes that there may have been an underlying condition.
Davies said that the chances of drinking 1.5 liters of a regular soft drink being fatal are very unlikely. He said that this type of condition is usually caused because a bacteria has made its way from the gastrointestinal tract to another organ where it is not supposed to be.
Davies said that if the bottle of Coca-Cola were the only cause of the man's death, they would witness more deaths of this type worldwide.
Davies added that it is possible but not that likely, that drinking a large number of soft drinks could have such an effect. But with no underlying health condition, it isn't easy to see what could have happened.
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Written by Sophie Webster
