I drank 8 Lucozade bottles a DAY for 30 years spending hundreds a month but I’ve had to stop after a health scare
A GRANDAD who drank eight bottles of Lucozade a day for nearly 30 years is cutting down after a mini-stroke.
Garry Johnson, 65, said his sugar levels “were off the scale” thanks to his energy drink habit.
The single dad of three has managed to halve his intake but still constantly craves them.
Garry started having the sugary drinks after quitting drugs when his first son was born in the early 1990s.
The retired painter and decorator used to down eight 380ml bottles of Lucozade Original every day, spending £150 a month on his habit.
He swore he would never give it up – despite having three heart attacks.
But in August Garry temporarily lost vision in one eye with pains in his neck and chest after a mini-stroke.
Doctors told him his veins were narrowing due to his sugar consumption — and that a big stroke would follow.
Garry, from Basildon, Essex, said: “They warned me it can damage my liver and kidneys and even bring on diabetes if I don’t change. It’s been the wake-up call I needed.”
He is down to four bottles a day and putting the money saved towards treats for his grandkids.
Garry said: “I took cocaine every day but it was a piece of cake to give up.
“But I always knew I’d find it really hard to ever give up Lucozade. I still crave it.”
Lucozade: the health risks
WHEN it comes to energy drinks the old saying ‘everything in moderation’ rings particularly true.
Lucozade Energy is safe for healthy adults to drink as part of a varied and balanced diet, unless otherwise recommended by a healthcare professional, their website states.
Various scientific studies have found energy drinks can increase the risk of health conditions, including poor mental health, heart problems, dental issues and risk-seeking behaviours.
The NHS recommends you drink caffeine in moderation, highlighting some people are more sensitive than others.
Government guidelines suggest single doses of up to 200mg of caffeine and daily intakes of caffeine of up to 400mg are considered safe for healthy adults.
If you’re pregnant, the NHS recommends daily intake should be limited to 200mg.
A bottle of Lucozade Energy contains approximately 12mg of caffeine per 100ml.
For more information, please check the NHS website or speak to your doctor.