May 23rd 2024.
In March, a senior in high school found himself in a terrifying situation when he went into cardiac arrest after drinking Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade. According to a lawsuit filed on Monday, this incident occurred in Monroeville, Pennsylvania and has caused quite a stir in the community.
The complaint states that 18-year-old Luke Adams purchased a large Charged Lemonade on March 9. Later that evening, while at a movie theater, his friends became alarmed when they heard him making unusual sounds before he suddenly became unresponsive. It was fortunate that two nurses and a cardiologist happened to be at the theater and were able to perform CPR on Adams. They also used an automated external defibrillator to shock his heart, ultimately saving his life.
Dr. Andrew Pogozelski, who treated Adams at Allegheny Health Network's Forbes Hospital, expressed his relief that medical professionals were nearby during this scary incident. He explained, "This was a stroke of bad luck for an otherwise healthy 18-year-old, but also a stroke of good luck that there were people at the movie theater who knew what to do." Pogozelski added that the medical notes from Adams' case mentioned "heavy caffeine intake" as the only potential trigger for his cardiac arrest.
The lawsuit was filed only two weeks after Panera Bread announced that they were discontinuing the Charged Lemonade. This is the fourth lawsuit to be filed against the chain, as the caffeinated drink has been linked to two deaths and permanent health problems for one woman. The Charged Lemonade contained caffeine from both coffee and guarana extract, with a large size containing up to 302 milligrams of caffeine according to Panera Bread. For reference, the Food and Drug Administration recommends that a healthy adult can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day.
Allison Childress, Ph.D., RDN, a registered clinical dietitian and associate professor of nutrition sciences at Texas Tech University, pointed out that the speed at which one consumes caffeine can greatly affect its impact on the body. She explained, "Typically, you're going to drink a cold lemonade with a meal faster than you might sip a cup of coffee, so you can consume a larger amount of caffeine in a shorter period of time." This could potentially explain why the Charged Lemonade had such severe effects on Adams and others who have reported adverse reactions.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Panera Bread has yet to issue a public response to the lawsuit. This incident serves as a reminder to always be cautious of what we consume and to be aware of the potential risks and side effects, even in something as seemingly harmless as a refreshing lemonade.
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