The unnamed man was in his 50s and had over 30 years of driving experience when he crashed his car into a shop on his way to work, without even hitting the brakes on his car. First responders found him disoriented, and subsequent tests showed that he suffered from severe anemia, cerebral cortical atrophy, and abnormal kidney function. He was transferred to the nephrology department for further investigations.

Nephrologist Hung Yung-hsiang recently presented the man’s case on a television program in Taiwan as a cautionary tale, warning people to change their water bottles or thermal mugs from time to time.

While trying to learn more about the patient’s condition, Hung Yung-hsiang’s team learned that he had been experiencing fatigue recently and that his sense of taste had changed, often feeling that food was not salty enough. All these symptoms pointed to lead poisoning, a condition confirmed by his blood tests.

While trying to figure out the source of the poisoning, doctors found that the man had been using the same thermos almost every day for almost two decades. It turned out that the inner layer of the mug had rusted and was leaking lead into the acidic coffee every day.

The man subsequently developed degenerative symptoms similar to dementia, and his health continued to decline. He later developed aspiration pneumonia due to choking and died only about a year after the car accident.

Acidic or alkaline drinks such as fruit juice, coffee, tea, and traditional Chinese medicine may increase the risk of heavy metal leaching if left in old or damaged insulated cups for extended periods. Hung Yung-hsiang advised people to regularly check the condition of their thermal mugs to avoid potentially deadly health complications.