Table 3 Summary of literature on the adverse effects of energy drink consumption

1- Schöffl et al., 2011 [4]

According to Schöffl et al., Lehtihet M et al. in 2006 reported the case of a 31-year-old football referee who consumed EDs (750 ml) and developed AKI

Acute tubular necrosis and rhabdomyolysis

2-Schöffl et al., 2011 [4]

A 17-year-old boy consumed 3 L of EDs with 1 L of vodka (4600 mg of taurine, 780 mg caffeine, and 380 g of alcohol) with AKI

Taurine accumulation. AKI resolved in 10 days but required hemodialysis

3-Greene et al., 2014 [5]

A 40-year-old man consumed 100–120 oz. of EDs daily for 2–3 weeks. Presented with hypoglycemia and AKI (creatinine 5.5 mg/dL)

Taurine accumulation, creatinine returned to normal after 2 days of ED discontinuation

4-Vivekanandarajah et al., 2011 [6]

A 22-year-old woman consumed ten cans of an energy drink daily for 2 weeks and presented with AH. On presentation, AST, ALT, and total bilirubin were 7709 U/l, 7533 U/l, 3.5 mg/dL and on discharge day 4 they were 238 U/l, 1947 U/l, and 1.7 mg/dL, respectively

Hepatotoxicity was believed related to ED consumption, which included niacin 300 mg/day

5-Huang et al., 2014 [7]

A 36-year-old man consumed three 8 oz. sugar-free EDs daily for a year with a history of many years of weekend binge drinking. He presented with AH; AST 1541 U/L, ALT 2995 U/L, and bilirubin 16.1 mg/dL with continued liver impairment eventually requiring orthotopic liver transplantation

Liver biopsy consistent with herbal/drug toxicity. Niacin dose was only 120 mg per day

6-Harb et al., 2016 [8]

A 50-year-old man consumed four to five EDs (40 mg of niacin each) per day over 3 weeks. He presented with AH; AST 4051 U/L, AST 2073 U/L, bilirubin 19.3 mg/dL. He improved after discontinuation of EDs

Liver biopsy showed severe acute hepatitis with bridging necrosis and marked cholestasis. Daily intake of niacin was approximately 160–200 mg