The recent diagnosis of a 50-year-old construction worker with acute hepatitis due to excessive consumption of energy drinks points to the danger of unwarranted niacin in the body.

The case of a 50-year-old man with acute hepatitis, which is characterized by liver inflammation, was published in the British Medical Journal. The man was admitted to the hospital after suffering from a range of incomprehensible symptoms including nausea and anorexia. A medical examination conducted by his doctors found evidence of jaundice, while lab tests also showed high levels of liver enzymes called transaminases which are indicative of chronic hepatitis B infection.

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Doctors point to the man's excessive energy drink consumption as the cause of his condition. His body is said to have ingested a profuse amount of niacin, or vitamin B3 which triggered his hepatitis. While niacin is proven to have many benefits such as lowering cardiovascular risk, maintain skin health, improve cholesterol, and even rally liver function, too much of it may be harmful.

While the unnamed man's intake was not high enough to reach a level that caused toxicity (around 160 to 200 milligrams daily), doctors said that the accumulated intake was what caused him to suffer hepatitis. Each bottle of the energy drink that he took daily contained about 40 mg of niacin, which was 200 percent of the recommended daily value.

The case highlights the importance of understanding the dangers of over-consumption. As the demand and popularity of energy drinks continue to increase, doctors advise people to stick with the daily recommended intake and familiarize themselves with the ingredients used to make these drinks.