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What are all the possible bad side effects of drinking vast amounts of Mountain Dew?

[DWToml815]

peeing ALOT

[vanilla]

I have got to promote this!

Months ago, I took a surveyr in a mall, where they test products on you, and sometimes pay you for your opinions.

Theres this new stuff coming out in October (for Halloween I guess) called Mountain Dew Pitch Black.

They gave us some.
We love it.
We are eagerly awaiting its appearanc ein our stores.
Its Mountain Dew, but with a grape flavor.
I know it sounds weird, but it is SO good.
trust me.
They said it was promotional, but hopefully they will keep it.

[malkavia]

Weight gain, caffeine addiction, and a horrible aftertaste.

[caligynephobia]

Someone bet me $3 that I couldn't down six mountain dews in ten minutes. I got the three bucks (which reimbursed my expense on the mountain dews) but ended up shitting it straight out 45 minutes later - yellow #5 color and all. I didn't feel too good either.

[PastAllReason]

Originally Posted by malkavia

Weight gain, caffeine addiction, and a horrible aftertaste.

Or, if you're in Canada only weight gain and a horrible aftertaste, since Mountain Dew here doesn't have caffeine.

[Dancer_Flight]

and no, that's not a side effect.

Had a wonderfully referenced post about one of the evils of Mountain Dew and then the browser died...

Long story short: Mountain Dew contains Bominated Vegetable Oil which is Bad

NEJM had an article back in May, 2003 about a guy who presented with nasty symptoms after brinking several liters daily of "Ruby Red Squirt" which also contains Brominated Vegetable Oil over the course of several months. They blame the bromine levels for the symptoms:

Jih, Khanna, and Somach, "Bromoderma after Excessive Ingestion of Ruby Red Squirt", New England Journal of Medicine, 348 1932-34 (2003)

The authors report on "[a] 63-year-old man who presented with a two-week history of tender, ulcerated, erythematous nodules on his hands and fingers. ... [He] reported that he had been drinking 8 liters [] of Ruby Red Squirt daily for several months...". The picture of his hands is quite gross by the way.

They also cite another article relating to bromine related disorders triggered by BVO in Soda:

Horowitz, "Bromism from excessive cola consumption", J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol, 35, 512-320 (1997)

That being said, I occasionally Do the Dew myself (all things in moderation) and in Canada we have the benefit [?] of no caffeine.

-DF

P.S. BOV is FDA regulated by the way (15 ppm max allowable)

[Smeghead]

Well, define "vast amounts". 8 liters a day for several months of just about ANYTHING will mess you up. Except maybe water.

I remember once a while back when the local grocery store was selling 36-packs of Mt. Dew (12 oz. cans) for like $2. I bought...well, I bought a LOT. I went for about a week drinking probably at least 6 cans a day. At the end of the week, I had to quit. The caffeine made me so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open during the day, no matter how much sleep I was getting. I should probably mention when I drink caffeine, I tend to feel the downer after it wears off far far more than any "up" feeling it may give. But still. This was excessive. I would be walking down the sidewalk and drift into a near doze. It was bad.

[SamIAm336]

Too much Mountain Dew is just the same thing as taking speed. (at least that is what they told my son when he was hospitalized for depression. And destroyed his teeth.

[ivylass]

Originally Posted by Smeghead

Well, define "vast amounts". 8 liters a day for several months of just about ANYTHING will mess you up. Except maybe water.

Even too much water is bad for you.

My dad used to drink a gallon of water a day. He tried to up that to two gallons a day, but his doctor advised against it, saying he would start flushing out electrolytes.

I guess it's true. Everything in moderation. Some things just have a lower level of moderation.

[monica]

Originally Posted by PastAllReason

Or, if you're in Canada only weight gain and a horrible aftertaste, since Mountain Dew here doesn't have caffeine.

Really? Why wouldn't it?

[Dancer_Flight]

Caffeine in canada may only be added to darker coloured drinks (e.g., cola, and rootbeer). Transparent and citrus pop may not contain added caffeine. Some manufacturers get around this by using Guarana extract "as a flavouring agent" because of its high caffeine content.

-DF

[noname]

Bad, Hyper-sensitive Teeth. Worse follows

[Troy McClure SF]

Originally Posted by Dancer_Flight

Caffeine in canada may only be added to darker coloured drinks (e.g., cola, and rootbeer).

Why is that? Traditionally, lemon-lime (Sprite) and root beer are caffeine free around here.

[Hanna]

Tooth decay. It contains high amounts of sugar. You should brush your teeth after every can.

[1010011010]

Originally Posted by caligynephobia

Someone bet me $3 that I couldn't down six mountain dews in ten minutes. I got the three bucks (which reimbursed my expense on the mountain dews) but ended up shitting it straight out 45 minutes later - yellow #5 color and all. I didn't feel too good either.

I'd be more inclined to point at brominated vegetable oil or the glycerol ester of wood rosin before the colorings.

[SPOOFE]

Some manufacturers get around this by using Guarana extract "as a flavouring agent" because of its high caffeine content.

Yay, Guarana! Yay, Josta, may it rest in peace! Yay, Bawls, for taking its place!

In any case, Mountain Dew is awesome, be it the Toxic Green Death (or "Liquid Crack") that everyone knows and loves, the slightly less beloved Code Red, or the painfully and disgustingly awesome Livewire, yay for it!

Good news about this "Pitch Black" variety, too.....

[Dancer_Flight]

Originally Posted by Troy McClure SF

Why is that? Traditionally, lemon-lime (Sprite) and root beer are caffeine free around here.

1) It's the government, so who knows. the exact part of our regulations pertaining to caffeine can be found here. Canada's maximum limits for BVO are also listed. Apparently the only place caffeine can be added as caffeine (i.e. not as coffee or guarana extract) is colas.

2) Root beer is traditionally cafeine free, however Barq's has added caffeine, hence "Barq's has bite." Never underestimate reading product labels, you learn some weird things.

3) Our sprite and such is also caffeine free, the guarana is saved for "X-TREME Sport drink" type beverages for those who want a buzz but want not to drink cola.

-DF

[PastAllReason]

IANAD, but I believe the restrictions around cafffeine additives are intended to limit children's exposure to caffeine.

[PastAllReason]

And, of course, that'd be caffeine with 2 f's, not 3. (I have not limited my caffeine.)

[vertizontal]

I'm hearing lots of good responses so far.

Here's the reason why I'm asking the question:
I'm making a video of someone, which will be a parody of "VH1 Behind the Music".
Often in these shows there is a middle segment where the artist plunges into the abyss, usually into drugs or some other self-destructive behavior. The subject of my video used to drink lots of Mountain Dew, so as a parody this segment will illustrate their "addiction" to the pop. I have video of her taking about how much Dew she used to drink, and then I plan to cut to "interviews" of various experts. For example, I know a dentist, and will ask him to expain in clinical language what will happen to the teeth. I know a school psychologist who will discuss the educational problems of a student who is on speed. I know a counselor who works in a prison, and will have them discuss how addiction can lead to criminal behavior. (Really, this video will have a humorous ambience to it).

So for this project I want to hear more expert opinions on the consequences of drinking too much Dew. For example, how would drinking a lot of pop affect the kidneys? Can any chemists discuss dangers with any of the dyes? Can any oncologists discuss cancer risks with any of the ingredients? Can a police officer discuss people who have been picked up on uppers? Can a lot of pop lead to diabetes? How would it affect sleep patterns? Would it affect your performance at driving a car or flying an airplane?

Be creative, and try to include some terminology.

[chrisk]

Originally Posted by Dancer_Flight

1) It's the government, so who knows. the exact part of our regulations pertaining to caffeine can be found here. Canada's maximum limits for BVO are also listed. Apparently the only place caffeine can be added as caffeine (i.e. not as coffee or guarana extract) is colas.

2) Root beer is traditionally cafeine free, however Barq's has added caffeine, hence "Barq's has bite." Never underestimate reading product labels, you learn some weird things.

3) Our sprite and such is also caffeine free, the guarana is saved for "X-TREME Sport drink" type beverages for those who want a buzz but want not to drink cola.

-DF

One explanation that I've heard for the Canadian regs is so that moms can find caffeine-free soft drinks in the supermarket easily. If it's not brown, you know that you aren't pumping up the little tykes with that particular stimulant. Otherwise, you probably are. (I'm not sure how root beer fits into the theory. :-D )

I remember being very surprised when I first heard of the mountain dew/caffeine connection because I'd been drinking plenty of the stuff for a while and never noticed getting a buzz from it or anything. Then I heard that it wasn't so here in canada.

(Since then I've gone off carbonated drinks entirely.)

[FilmGeek]

Originally Posted by vanilla

I have got to promote this!

Months ago, I took a surveyr in a mall, where they test products on you, and sometimes pay you for your opinions.

Theres this new stuff coming out in October (for Halloween I guess) called Mountain Dew Pitch Black.

They gave us some.
We love it.
We are eagerly awaiting its appearanc ein our stores.
Its Mountain Dew, but with a grape flavor.
I know it sounds weird, but it is SO good.
trust me.
They said it was promotional, but hopefully they will keep it.

That sounds so good. Thanks for the info!

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by Dancer_Flight

Caffeine in canada may only be added to darker coloured drinks (e.g., cola, and rootbeer). Transparent and citrus pop may not contain added caffeine.

That's frickin' bizarre! My opinion of Canada has gone way down, and I've lost any desire I might have had to go there. I don't like cola or any of the other brown soft drinks, but I gots to have my caffeine.

Geez. Mountain Dew without caffeine is like... well, like coffee without caffeine. Or beer without alcohol. Or porn without sex scenes. Or Disneyland without rides. Or... okay, I'll stop.

Oh, and in answer to the OP: I'm thinking of Beavis as Cornholio...

[Eats_Crayons]

Originally Posted by Dancer_Flight

grr... bloody hamsters...

Okay, that's it. No more Mountain Dew for me. No way I'm drinking anything that would give me bloody hamsters. Can't be good for the colon.