A teen in South Carolina died recently after ingesting three caffeinated beverages in a two hour period. Caffeine is so abundant in our culture that we forget, that like with all things, too much of something can be dangerous. Even drinking too much water can kill someone; a condition called
hyponatremia. In the case of sixteen year old
Davis Allen Cripe, the caffeine in his system caused his heart to have an arrhythmia, which ultimately caused it to shut down and him to pass away. Now, this doesn't mean that you need to worry every time you have a soda that your heart is going to give out but it is important to realize the things you ingest, no matter what they are, will have an affect on your body. It is also important to understand and imagine what those effects may be. Not every bottle is going to come with a warning label from the
Food & Drug Administration, FDA; the branch of the government that regulates the items we consume. Just remember, just because something may be legal doesn't mean that it may not have some side effects.