Washington man hospitalized after drinking NOS octane jerry can

A Washington state man was hospitalized and suffered at least four seizures after drinking a sports car fluid he mistook for an energy drink.

The 54-year-old, who has not been named, sniffed from a 12-fluid ounce bottle of NOS Octane Booster Racing Formula believing it was in fact NOS High Performance Energy Drink.

Two hours later, he collapsed and started having seizures, prompting his girlfriend to rush him to the emergency room.

Doctors administered sedatives, inserted tubes into his trachea and kept him in the ward for five days to wait for the effects. He recovered and suffered no long-term effects.

They warned that the case highlights that energy drinks can sometimes be packaged in a way that is “similar” to toxic household products, such as car fuel.

The 54-year-old, who has not been named, drank a bottle of NOS Octane Booster Racing Formula (left) believing it was in fact the NOS High Performance Energy Drink (right)

The unusual story was revealed in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine in 2020 and has recently come to light again on social media.

It was not clear whether the man noticed a taste change between the liquid and the energy drink while consuming it.

Urine tests revealed the presence of cannabis in his system, as well as medications typically used for anxiety or insomnia, even though the patient had no prescriptions or medical history.

Sold in a large blue bottle at auto shops, NOS Octane Booster is used by car enthusiasts to reduce ‘knock’ – or when fuel ignites too early – in sports cars.

This improves engine power and can also lead to a more refined vehicle speed sound.

Until recently, the NOS Energy drink was also sold in a tall blue bottle, with the company saying it was designed to resemble a “nitrous oxide canister” used by car enthusiasts.

However, the Monster Beverage Corporation – which is behind the drink – has now switched the packaging and is selling the NOS canned energy drinks instead.

In the case report, doctors said the man’s girlfriend took him and the empty bottle of car fluid to the hospital.

The patient had a seizure on arrival and was given seizure control medication.

But when he had a second, doctors intubated him — inserting a tube into his airway through the mouth or nose — and administered sedatives.

Two hours later, however, he had a third seizure, forcing them to administer anesthesia as well.

An attempt to lower his dose the next day led to a fourth attack, forcing them to increase the dose again.

By day four, he had recovered enough to lower the dose and remove the tubes. The patient remained confused and ataxic – lack of coordination and unsteady movements – for another day before being discharged. He had no long-term effects.

Doctors were concerned that the patient might have drunk the liquid as an act of self-harm, but the patient denied this and “confirmed that he had mistaken the octane booster for the energy drink.”

Dr. Antonia Nemanich, an emergency medicine physician, and others who spearheaded the report concluded:‘Our case emphasizes the importance of responsible labeling of consumables.

“Household products are a common source of accidental poisoning, especially in children.”

‘Our case shows that packaging similarities between toxic and non-toxic products or between food and non-food items can cause confusion.’

The automotive fluid contains a chemical called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT), which can be toxic to humans.

When inhaled or ingested, the body breaks it down into the heavy metal manganese, which can cause neurological symptoms, including seizures.

It is eventually removed from the body by the kidneys, which filter it from the blood and excrete it in the urine.

The Monster Beverage Corporation, which owns NOS, has been approached by DailyMail.com for comment. It bought the brand from Coca-Cola in 2015.