From being called an idiot to a jackass, 27-year-old Will Williams from North Wales, found himself trending on the Web with 1,043,353 views for downing an entire bottle of whiskey in 15 seconds. From doctors to health experts, everyone criticised Will as he could have died from the stunt. Also, during parties, being forced to have back-to-back shots of alcohol is not new as peer pressure to ‘go for it’ is high. And now, with this video trending, experts fear a rise in copycat stunts which could lead to a fatal mistake from impressionable youngsters who have been part of several social media challenges. Williams’ stunt has also received widespread applause.
Dr D.V.L. Narayana Rao, consultant surgical gastroenterologist, Care Hospitals, says, “When strong alcohol is consumed in large amounts, there is a high risk of acute pancreatitis. The pancreas secretes a juice that is transported to the large intestine through a duct. This secretion has enzymes that help in digesting food. In case of acute pancreatitis, the juice doesn’t reach the intestine, instead it spreads near the pancreas and the enzymes start digesting the pancreas cells, which is very, very dangerous”.
So is there a limit that one needs to stick to? Dr Hari Kishan, general physician at Apollo hospitals, says that different people react differently to alcohol and one cannot suggest a limit. “But, while consuming huge quantities of alcohol, one can develop acute alcoholic hepatitis, this doesn’t happen immediately, but the liver can get damaged over the next few days as well.” While acute alcoholic hepatitis is treatable, Dr Hari says that continuous consumption of alcohol can lead to liver cirrhosis, that is untreatable.
Dr Khushwant Singh, family physician, Eesha Hospitals, warns people. “When the concentration of alcohol is above 450 mg, the consequences can be deadly. The body can go into a condition called hypoxia where the oxygen supply to the brain is compromised and the person can go into a coma. This can also lead to death. People should treat this very seriously and shouldn’t just laugh it off as another challenge on the Web.”
