A remarkable case of rhabdomyolysis associated with ingestion of energy drink ‘neon volt’

Rhabdomyolysis is defined as a syndrome characterized by muscle necrosis and the release of intracellular muscle constituents into the circulation. We present a case of a 35-year-old male who exercised for 2 h after ingesting energy drink and subsequently presented with rhabdomyolysis. After excluding common and uncommon causes of rhabdomyolysis, we reached the conclusion that the likely cause was the ingestion of energy drink ‘NEON VOLT’ in a setting of mild dehydration. Increasing physical activity and intense exercise is becoming a trend in many countries, due to its many health-related benefits such as prevention of obesity. This renewed focus toward optimal fitness has spawned many supplements that aid in improvement of the performance, muscle growth, and recovery. Energy drinks predominantly contain caffeine that is often combined with other supplements to form what manufacturers have termed an ‘energy blend’. Studies have shown that excessive caffeine intake from energy drinks can cause arrhythmias, hypertension, dehydration, sleeplessness, nervousness, and in rare instances, rhabdomyolysis. As per Drug Abuse Warning Network report, there is a sharp increase in the number of emergency department visits involving energy drinks from 1,128 visits in 2005 to 16,053 and 13,114 visits in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Due to emergence of energy drink abuse as a national health problem, Food and Drug Administration has launched a dietary supplement adverse event reporting system for surveillance of any adverse events linked to these agents.