This article was about a 50 year old man that "developed a condition called acute hepatitis after consuming energy drinks regularly for three weeks." The author mentions an Acute Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can be caused by a wide range of things. It's so serious that it can lead to liver failure, which can lead to death.
The man went into the hospital in the first place because he had been feeling sick for a couple of weeks, dealing with abdominal pain, no appetite, nausea and vomiting. He also developed dark urine and yellowing of the skin. This all was because the man "had been drinking four to five energy drinks a day for the past three weeks." Along with acute hepatitis, he also had chronic Hepatitis C, which is a different type of liver infection.
The energy drinks contain an ingredient, Vitamin B3. The particular one he was drinking had 40 milligrams of Vitamin B3, which is double the amount people are recommended to get daily. So with him having this drink four to five a day, "his total daily intake of Vitamin B3 was between 160 mg and 200 mg."
After being treated, he had to stay in the hospital for six days but his symptoms went away the third day. He plans to see a liver doctor for his Hepatitis C treatment.
I found this article interesting, informing, and alarming. I drink energy drinks sometimes but not nearly as much as he did. I notice a speed in my heart rate sometimes, depending on the ones I drink, so that's one main reason why I limit myself to them. But I thought it could be helpful for others to read on and know about because as college students, I see a lot drinking things that can help keep them awake. I know someone personally that drinks an energy drink everyday. Not sure how many a day, but I just want people to be aware of the serious harmful affects energy drinks can have.
I think the author used enlightenment, education and even emotion. She used all three in one to me because she wrote this to inform people of what could happen and listed facts about what the drink contains and what it can do to your body. She used emotion, to me, through education and enlightenment. I feel that way because she evoked emotion out of me through the whole article. She didn't show any of her emotions or her intake on the topic but it made me feel aware and it was an eye opener. I couldn't see myself drinking that many a day but it definitely does make me think more than twice about how often I may drink them. Just by having one is a little too much because it can contain more of the milligrams you're supposed to receive a day.
To check this article out, go to:
http://www.livescience.com/56730-energy-drinks-hepatitis.html
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