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Popular gym habit could trigger deadly heart attack, pharmacist warns
The warning follows the death of a 29 year-old man who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after miscalculating the his dose of of the workout-booster.
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Pharmacist Debunks Risky Wellness Trends: From High-Caffeine Pre-Workouts to Ear Candling
Pharmacist Lauren O'Reilly, known for her health insights, has issued a stark warning against several popular wellness trends in her latest online video, titled "Wouldn't Touch It: Pharmacist Edition (Part 2)." O'Reilly, a qualified pharmacist, critically examined high-caffeine pre-workout supplements, IV vitamin drips, and ear candling, deeming them either ineffective, misleading, or potentially dangerous. Regarding high-caffeine pre-workout products, O'Reilly highlighted that many contain over 300mg of caffeine per serving, equivalent to three cups of coffee at once. "Not only would these have me feeling super anxious with jitters and heart palpitations, but those actual palpitations are showing you how much pressure all of that caffeine at once is putting on your heart, your cardiovascular system, increasing your blood pressure," she stated. She emphasized that prolonged use could lead to serious damage, citing safety warnings on product labels that advise against daily use and recommend caution for individuals with cardiovascular issues. O'Reilly also strongly cautioned against IV vitamin drips, a trend popularized by celebrities. She expressed horror at seeing individuals receiving these drips in non-clinical settings like shopping centers. "Whenever you're in hospital and they have to put you on an intravenous drip, it's because you can't take the medication or food by mouth," she explained. "There's such a high risk of sepsis." She reiterated that the body is perfectly capable of absorbing vitamins and minerals via oral routes, making expensive IV drips unnecessary for healthy individuals. Finally, O'Reilly debunked the practice of ear candling, where a lit candle is placed in the ear to supposedly draw out wax. She clarified that the brown, waxy substance often shown after candling is merely burnt candle wax, not earwax. "What this will actually do is potentially perforate your eardrums, it'll burn the skin in the inside of your ear, and it won't really help you to get rid of earwax," she warned. Instead, she recommended olive oil drops from a pharmacy or professional removal by a specialist like a GP for earwax issues. "Please don't light a flame next to your head," she concluded.
