BEIJING: A rare medical case involving a 22-year-old Chinese man who reportedly developed a fatal medical emergency after rapidly drinking about 1.5 litres of Coca-Cola has resurfaced on social media, several years after the incident was originally reported.
The case dates back to 2021 and involved a young man in Beijing who reportedly consumed the soft drink in about 10 minutes during hot weather.
According to reports, the man was later taken to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital after developing severe abdominal pain and swelling about six hours after drinking the beverage.
Doctors reportedly found that his heart rate was elevated, his blood pressure was low and he was breathing rapidly.
A CT scan revealed an unusual buildup of gas in the wall of his intestines, a condition known as pneumatosis intestinalis, as well as gas in the portal vein, which carries blood from the digestive system to the liver.
Doctors reportedly believed the condition was associated with hepatic ischemia, sometimes known as “shock liver”, in which the liver does not receive enough blood and oxygen.
The medical team attempted to treat the condition, including measures aimed at removing gas and supporting the patient’s liver and circulation. However, his condition continued to worsen.
Reports said blood tests about 12 hours later showed severe liver damage, and the patient died approximately 18 hours after admission.
Was Coca-Cola responsible for the death?
The case attracted international attention because of its reported link with the rapid consumption of a large quantity of Coca-Cola. However, the medical evidence does not establish that drinking 1.5 litres of the soft drink alone caused the man’s death.
Outside experts questioned whether an ordinary carbonated beverage could by itself explain such a severe and unusual medical outcome. Other possible causes, including an underlying bacterial infection capable of producing gas, were also discussed.
This distinction is important because the case was an individual and highly unusual medical event. It should not be interpreted as evidence that drinking Coca-Cola or another carbonated beverage normally causes fatal liver injury.
Why can carbonated drinks cause discomfort?
Carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon dioxide. When consumed, some of this gas is released in the digestive system, which can cause burping, fullness and bloating.
Drinking a large quantity very quickly can make these symptoms more pronounced. However, the extreme complications reported in the Beijing case are exceptionally unusual.
The resurfacing of the story also highlights how older medical reports can become viral again when shared without their original date.
For people encountering the claim online, the key point is that the reported incident is not a new case. It dates back to 2021, and while the medical emergency was documented, the precise role of the soft drink in the patient’s death remains uncertain.
The case therefore serves more as an example of a rare and medically complex emergency than as proof that rapidly drinking a large bottle of Coca-Cola is inherently fatal.
