It was supposed to be just another workout day for 20-year-old Jazmin Garza, a fitness enthusiast from the U.S. But after drinking an energy drink, she collapsed, her heart stopped, and she nearly lost her life.

This shocking case highlights the hidden dangers of high-caffeine energy drinks and why people should take even minor heart symptoms seriously.

RELATED:7 Warning Signs of Nasopharyngeal Cancer

The Day Everything Changed

On a normal afternoon, Jazmin suddenly felt dizzy while spending time with her boyfriend. Within moments, she collapsed to the ground and started convulsing.

Her boyfriend quickly realized something was terribly wrong: her heart had stopped beating, and she wasn’t breathing. Acting fast, he performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Emergency responders used a defibrillator to shock her heart back into rhythm.

However, this was just the start of a terrifying medical battle.

Multiple Cardiac Arrests on the Way to the Hospital

As paramedics rushed Jazmin to the hospital, her heart stopped beating multiple times — with one episode lasting nearly five minutes.

Every cardiac arrest deprived her brain and organs of oxygen, causing severe injuries to her lungs, kidneys, and heart.

Doctors immediately placed her on life support, warning her family:
“She needs a miracle to survive and recover into the Jazmin we know.”

The Energy Drink Connection

Later, Jazmin shared what led up to the incident:

“One day at the end of November, I was working out at the gym and felt really uncomfortable. I don’t usually drink caffeinated beverages, but that day I tried an energy drink to help me push through. Not long after, I felt dizzy, turned pale, and then passed out.”

Her boyfriend initially thought she was having a seizure, something he had never seen before. But doctors quickly discovered the situation was far more serious.

Life Support and Extreme Medical Care

At the hospital, Jazmin was put on three different life-support systems:

• ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation): To oxygenate her blood outside of her body.
• Dialysis machine: To filter waste from her failing kidneys.
• Ventilation support: To regulate her oxygen levels and keep her lungs functioning.

Doctors also implanted a defibrillator in her chest to monitor her heart rhythm and automatically deliver shocks if her heart stopped again.

Doctors Still Searching for Answers

Despite extensive tests, doctors couldn’t determine the exact cause of Jazmin’s sudden cardiac arrest.

After two weeks of fighting for her life, Jazmin slowly began to recover. She remembers how each day felt like progress:
“Every day I got stronger, and the doctors ran countless heart tests. They all came back normal. No one could explain why this happened to me.”

Jazmin suspects that the high levels of caffeine in the energy drink may have triggered an underlying heart condition she didn’t know she had.
“I never paid much attention to my heart health in the past. I thought my occasional heart palpitations were just anxiety. Now it seems like I may have had this issue all along, but I ignored it.”

The Lasting Impact on Her Life

Though Jazmin survived, the incident turned her life upside down. She and her boyfriend both lost their jobs after taking extended time off, and they now face overwhelming medical bills.

But she also feels incredibly grateful for a second chance at life.
“I feel like I was given a second life. If this had happened when I was alone, or a few years later, I might not be alive. The doctors said it was a miracle — I was literally one step from death.”

The experience changed her perspective. Today, she urges others to pay attention to their body’s signals and not ignore symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, or heart palpitations.

RELATED:6 Stroke Warning Signs While Sleeping After 40

The Hidden Danger of Energy Drinks

The energy drink Jazmin consumed contained 200mg of caffeine — roughly double the amount found in two cups of coffee.

While the drink also contained vitamins and nutrients marketed as “healthy,” the high caffeine level placed dangerous stress on her heart.

Doctors emphasize that energy drinks can pose serious risks, especially for people with:

• Undiagnosed heart conditions
• High blood pressure
• Anxiety disorders
• Sensitivity to caffeine

Even healthy individuals may experience heart palpitations, chest discomfort, or dizziness after consuming highly caffeinated drinks.

Medical experts recommend seeking immediate care if any of these symptoms appear after caffeine consumption.

A Wake-Up Call for Young People

Stories like Jazmin’s serve as a reminder that energy drinks are not harmless pick-me-ups. For young people especially, the combination of heavy workouts, dehydration, and high caffeine intake can be a dangerous mix.

Jazmin’s near-death experience is a powerful wake-up call. It shows how one seemingly harmless choice — drinking an energy drink before a workout — can spiral into a life-threatening medical emergency.