Some stories are strange enough that they keep resurfacing online years after they first happened, and this is one of them. A 2021 case out of Beijing has been doing the rounds again on Instagram, reshared by a news repost account, about a young man who reportedly died after gulping down 1.5 litres of Coca-Cola in just 10 minutes. It sounds almost too extreme to be true, which is probably why it keeps getting picked back up years later, but according to the medical reporting from that time, the sequence of events was genuinely documented by doctors.
What actually happened, according to the reports
The man, 22 years old and unidentified in reports, reportedly drank the large bottle of Coca-Cola quickly to cool off during hot weather. About six hours later, he started experiencing severe stomach pain and visible swelling, which is what eventually sent him to Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing. Doctors who examined him found he had no underlying health conditions, but his vitals told a different story, an elevated heart rate, low blood pressure and rapid breathing, the kind of combination that immediately raises concern in an emergency room.
The gas buildup that led to liver damage
CT scans reportedly revealed something called pneumatosis, an abnormal buildup of gas, found in the wall of his intestine and in his portal vein, the vessel responsible for carrying blood to the liver. That gas buildup is believed to have triggered hepatic ischemia, sometimes called “shock liver,” a condition caused by the liver being starved of oxygen. Despite treatment efforts to release the gas and protect the liver, his condition continued to worsen, and he died roughly 18 hours after being admitted.
Here’s the post:
Netizens react to the resurfaced story:
“I used to work with some guy who literally drank only Coca Cola every shift. He would slam 12 packs of 2 liters. He was addicted to it and would share his addiction openly with everyone. It was insane to see.”“No wonder I don’t drink Coke.”
Why the story keeps resurfacing years later
Cases like this tend to circulate repeatedly online precisely because they sound so extreme, and because soft drinks are something almost everyone consumes without a second thought. It’s worth remembering, though, that this was one isolated, unusual medical case from 2021, not a broad warning about moderate soda consumption. What it does underline is something doctors generally agree on regardless of the specific cause, drinking any beverage in extreme quantity, extremely fast, isn’t something the body is built to handle comfortably.Disclaimer:This article is based on a resurfaced 2021 news report and social media repost. The exact cause of death remains debated among medical experts. This is not medical advice; consult a doctor for concerns about diet or digestive health.