Abuga Makori took four energy drinks on Sunday, August 17: One after church and three while watching the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal.
It didn’t end well, as he collapsed later that evening.
“At 9pm, while at home, I started feeling thirsty and experienced difficulties in breathing. The heart rate was intense. This was unusual. I had not experienced it before,” Mr Makori told Nation. “After 30 minutes, the pressure was intense, [plus] dehydration. I had to take a lot of water.”
When he collapsed and was rushed to St Clare’s Kaplong Mission Hospital in Bomet County, he was in bad shape.
“The pressure had shot to 170/95,” he said. “Yet I don't have any pre-existing conditions.”
The normal blood pressure is 120/80. When the top number is higher than 129, a patient is said to have stage-one hypertension. In Mr Makori’s case, medically, he was in stage-two hypertension.
Journalist Abuga Makori, who was hospitalised on August 17, 2025 after drinking four energy drinks in a day and later collapsing.
Photo credit: Pool | Nation
“The second pressure [readings] after around one hour was 129/95 before it stabilised,” said Mr Abuga.
After being himself again, Mr Abuga, a journalist, made it a point to post on his Facebook account on Monday morning.
“Do not take too many energy drinks,” he wrote. “Yesterday, I collapsed due to difficulties in breathing, increased heart rate, and thirst. I had to recover in the hospital deep in the night. I have learnt this.”
When the Nation reached out to him, he said he was okay with sharing his story to enlighten the public.
The first energy drink he had on Sunday, he said, was a popular multinational canned brand available in many shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. He took 250 millilitres of the drink.
“I actually shared it with a friend. Last week, I had taken a similar drink,” he said.
On Friday, he had taken two cans of another popular energy drink, also sold in cans.
Two brands, two days, too oblivious of the dangers.
“This is the first time I encountered this. I only started taking these drinks last week, though,” he said.
Mr Abuga noted that doctors linked his plight to the caffeine and sugar in the energy drinks he took. He has now vowed to cut down on the consumption.
“I’ll take maybe one, but not often,” said Mr Abuga. “One doctor tells me you can have a can maybe twice a month.”
Innocent as they may look, energy drinks pack a lot of punch as they rest on refrigerators and shelves awaiting buyers. A common warning emblazoned on those sold in Kenya is that they should not be consumed by children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and persons who are sensitive to caffeine.
Commonly, energy drink manufacturers also warn against taking too many in one day. The packaging also shows the number of milligrams of caffeine for every serving.
According to Dr Rosslyn Ngugi, a physician who specialises in internal medicine, energy drinks can make a consumer pass out for various reasons. She gave Nation five reasons: caffeine overload, dehydration, sugar crash, electrolyte imbalance, and the interaction with other substances in the body.
In the case of caffeine overload, Dr Ngugi said: “Too much caffeine can lead to a rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, and cardiac arrhythmias, which can cause fainting or blackouts.”
Regarding dehydration, she said energy drinks often act as diuretics, which are substances that help the body eliminate excess water.
“When the body loses too much water and electrolytes, it can cause dizziness and fainting,” she said.
Explaining the sugar crash, Dr Ngugi noted that the high sugar content in some energy drinks “can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a crash”.
“This crash can lead to feelings of dizziness, light-headedness, and even fainting,” she said.
With regard to electrolyte imbalance, the physician said, “Energy drinks can disrupt the balance of essential electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and calcium. An imbalance can affect heart function and lead to fainting.”
And in terms of the reaction of the energy drink with other substances in the body, Dr Ngugi said: “Energy drinks can interact with medications, other caffeinated beverages, or certain foods, increasing the risk of adverse effects, including fainting.”
A leading energy drinks manufacturer says on its website that one 250 ml can of its product contains 80 milligrams of caffeine, “about the same amount as in a cup of coffee”.
An article published on August 7, 2025, by the Harvard Medical School said caffeine is the bulwark of energy drinks.
“There’s no magic formula in energy drinks; it’s mostly old-fashioned caffeine that provides the jolt. Consumer Reports [an American non-governmental organisation] tested 27 energy drinks and found that the amount of caffeine ranged from 6 to 242 milligrams per serving — and there is more than one serving in some cans and bottles,” says the article.
“Some people — particularly young adults — may consume too many of these drinks. When they do, all that caffeine (a diuretic) can contribute to dehydration and other problems. The FDA [Food and Drug Administration of the US] considers up to 400 mg per day safe for most healthy adults, but teens should limit intake to 100 mg or less per day,” it adds.
As the energy drinks become more readily available for Kenyans, Mr Abuga hopes his ordeal will caution others to tread carefully.
Said Dr Ngugi: “If you experience fainting or near-fainting episodes after consuming energy drinks, it’s recommended to consult a healthcare professional for personalised advice.”
