Man, 28, suffers heart attack after drinking EIGHT ENERGY DRINKS

Martin Bowling, 28, drank excessive energy drinks which led to cardiac arrest

ADDICTION to energy drinks nearly kills insurance worker after he downed excessive amounts of the caffeinated-laced drink.

 

An insurance worker who used energy drinks to help him tackle gruelling 60-hour weeks suffered a heart attack after downing TWO LITRES of the stuff. 

Martin Bowling, 28, suffered heart problems in a Romford pub after he downed massive quantities of the caffeine-pumped energy drink.

The insurance worker from Essex was spending an incredible £75 a week on the controversial drink to keep him going whilst working gruelling long hours.

After he collapsed on to the pub floor, an ambulance was called and Mr Bowling was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered the ultra-high caffeine levels in his blood stream and told him that he’d suffered a cardiac arrest.

 





The insurance worker collapsed on the floor of a pub





Mr Bowling said: "I feel lucky and extremely thankful to be alive.

"There were no warning signs. I don't even know if it hurt. I just remember hitting the floor and waking up in hospital.

"Now I see those drinks as death in a can.

"I was later told a stranger brought me back to life and I have never had the chance to thank them."

The terrifying experience has led Mr Bowling to warn of the dangers of relatively low price of some energy drinks fuelling potential addiction.

He added: "I'd been drinking them for about seven years and it was like I'd become mentally addicted. Sometimes, I could find myself in arguments if I hadn't had one.

 



Mr Bowling spent £75 on energy drinks



"The amount I was drinking had slowly increased since started when I was 21. I would wake up and think of an energy drink then go to sleep after and energy drink - they helped me sleep."

The appeal of energy drinks was so tempting that Mr Bowling even craved a can after he’d survived.

He said: "Even when doctors told me high caffeine levels were the cause, I still wanted a can. It was ridiculous."

Victoria Taylor, the British Heart Foundation's senior dietician, said: "While drinking moderate amounts of caffeine shouldn't have an impact on your heart health, some people can be more sensitive to its effects."Children and young people are particularly vulnerable and can have an exaggerated response to caffeine, as they will be less used to it.

"Avoiding energy drinks is sensible to help to limit their consumption of caffeine."

 

It is recommended that people consume energy drinks in moderation

Gavin Partington, British Soft Drinks Association Director General, said: "A 250 ml can of energy drink typically contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.

"Energy drinks producers provide caffeine content on all labelling and recommend consumption in moderation.

"Like all food and beverages energy drinks should be consumed as part of a balanced and varied diet and healthy lifestyle."

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report issue warnings over the consumption of energy drinks, citing they can cause public health problems, particularly when mixed with alcohol.

In the EU, it is estimated that 30 per cent of adults and 68 per cent of adolescents consume energy drinks, says the NHS website.