6 Hour Energy Shot Drinks

[Rerun]

My neighbor was raving about these but I told her I didn't think I could have any.  But, I bought one and took it to dialysis to let someone look at it.  I haven't seen my Nephrologist in about 7 weeks so he is due in but again he didn't show up.  The head RN looked at it and it doesn't say any potassium only lots of vitamin B12 and B6. She said it should be ok to drink.  So yesterday I finally drank one.  Then on the news there was a story about how toxic they are.  They give a person 80 times the vitamin B they need.  GREAT!  I have dialysis tonight.  I guess I'll live.

So.... don't drink these.     

[kellyt]

Wow!  That's crazy.  I've always stayed away from them because I thought they would raise my BP super high.     Good information, Rerun.   

[RenalSurvivorDotCA]

My neighbor was raving about these but I told her I didn't think I could have any.  But, I bought one and took it to dialysis to let someone look at it.  I haven't seen my Nephrologist in about 7 weeks so he is due in but again he didn't show up.  The head RN looked at it and it doesn't say any potassium only lots of vitamin B12 and B6. She said it should be ok to drink.  So yesterday I finally drank one.  Then on the news there was a story about how toxic they are.  They give a person 80 times the vitamin B they need.  GREAT!  I have dialysis tonight.  I guess I'll live.

So, how did you feel after drinking it? Did it pick up your energy? Did you have trouble sleeping? I sometimes think of trying one of those when my workday goes on 12 hours.

[thegrammalady]

i don't drink them because i just don't think they're necessary for anyone. dialysis patients are deficient in b complex vitamins so i doubt that the one you drank will harm you. i think the operative word here is "drink". i want to enjoy what i drink, don't think energy drinks fall into that category.

[Jean]

That is interesting Rerun. How did it taste? I have stayed away from them because I figured they were just loaded with caffeine, which my heart is not overly fond of. But, boy, I sure could use some energy!!!

[Restorer]

I may be wrong, but I think dialysis patients are only deficient in B vitamins because dialysis strips them out, and most dialysis patients don't have a good enough diet to replace them quickly, which is why they give us renal multivitamins. If you take more than the recommended amount of B vitamins, they'll stick around until your next dialysis because you're not peeing them out.

Since the 5-hour/6-hour energy shots have such a high amount of the different B vitamins, you're pretty much overdosing. Normal people would peak at a probably-safe level, and quickly lose the excess in their neon-green pee. We dialysis patients don't excrete the B vitamins nearly as well, so they could peak at a much higher level, and stay there for a long time. Sounds dangerous to me.

Though, if you're still urinating, and it turns neon green after you take the shot, you might be safer. 

[Zach]

Excellent point, Restorer.

And don't forget many of these drinks contain Guarana, which contains about twice the caffeine found in coffee beans.  It can make your heart race and you will have to wait till dialysis to get it out of your system ...
... you hope!