A college basketball player drank 6 Monster energy drinks while chasing 'caffeine-induced euphoria.' A dietitian explains why that's a bad idea. (2024)

"I've been sick the last few days," Mayer explained to reporters on Wednesday. "I had caffeine poisoning. I had six Monsters the day of the game — I only had one before, but I had five after — because I like a caffeine-induced euphoria to play video games. I could barely get out of bed the next day. It was basically like a caffeine hangover."

Mayer, who transferred from Baylor ahead of the season, is one of three players averaging double-digit points for the Illini this year, putting up 12.6 per game. His pre-game Monster on Sunday didn't appear to mess him up too badly, as Mayer went for 11 points, three rebounds, and an assist against the Buckeyes, but the five after the game, unsurprisingly, did him in.

—Brice Bement (@BriceBement) March 1, 2023

The Illini are currently contending to secure a spot in the coming NCAA Tournament. With a 19-10 record, Illinois currently sits at seventh in the Big Ten standings, and are projected to make the field of 68 as a 9-seed as things stand, according to ESPN.

With critical games still to play, Mayer might want to take it a bit easy on the caffeine in the coming weeks.

A 16-ounce can of Monster contains 160 mg of caffeine. That's a good amount — a similar-sized cup of coffee has about 182 mg. Taking five more on top of that in a single day is unadvised by experts.

Caffeine can give athletes an edge, but too much causes headaches and nausea

Athletes often rely on caffeine for a performance boost to increase focus, endurance, and power, but overdoing it can backfire, according to registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics Angie Asche, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition.

"Caffeine is one of the only 'pre-workout' stimulants I recommend to my athletes, but it requires education on proper dosage and timing," she told Insider."Athletes don't realize the serious consequences it can have on their performance and recovery."

Excessive caffeine consumption can cause headaches, nausea, and diarrhea, as well as anxiety and insomnia that can seriously mess up your sleep, Asche said. It's also dehydrating, and in rare cases caffeine can even be dangerous, with massive doses linked to irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, and death.

While the "right" amount varies based on the person, the recommended daily limit for caffeine is 400 mg per day, well below the whopping 960 mg Mayer said he downed.

If you've overdone it, your body can take up to 24 hours to completely clear the caffeine from your system, so side effects can linger all day, according to Asche.

"The amount and the timing of it are key," she said. "Drink plenty of water; don't overdo how much caffeine you're consuming; and be mindful of how many milligrams are actually in the drinks you're consuming."