Teen Dies Due To Protein Shake, UK Officials Call For Warning Labels

A 16-year-old boy named Rohan Godhania lost his life after drinking a protein shake that is reportedly believed to have triggered a rare genetic condition. Godhania suffered "irreversible" brain damage a few days after his dad bought him the protein drink at a supermarket to help him build muscles.

The cause of his death remained unknown at that time because his organs were donated. However, an inquest has now heard that the protein shake the boy consumed triggered a rare genetic disorder called "Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, which was caused by the spike in the protein shake.

This genetic disease prevents ammonia from breaking down, causing it to build up to a lethal level in the bloodstream of an individual. The boy passed away at a hospital three days after drinking the protein shake.

Teen Dies After Drinking Protein Shake

His father, Pushpa Godhania, said that the boy was initially fine with it, but later in the afternoon, when they were having lunch, he complained of experiencing a stomach ache. His father added that the boy didn’t have anything else to eat and vomited a few times later in the evening. However, nothing seemed extremely concerning at that time.

Rohan Godhania’s family became concerned the next day when he was unable to find the table in his bedroom, and they immediately rushed him to the hospital. Thereafter, his health began deteriorating, causing him to be moved to the Intensive care unit. The CT scan revealed severe swelling in the brain.

Neurologists have said that they are unwilling to operate because it wouldn't be in his best interest. Three days later, Rohan Godhania passed away on August 18, 2020.

The postmortem couldn’t identify that OTC had caused the death because the boy’s organs were donated for transplant before his illness was treated. The person who received the teen's organs was rushed to the hospital after suffering from seizures 13 months later.

Rohan Godhania's family’s lawyer has since been questioning if the opportunity to screen him for ammonia prior to his death was missed. The inquest noted that these largely available protein drinks should have a warning label attached. This intervention was supported by a senior neurologist who noted that it would be potentially lifesaving.

In a statement submitted to the inquest on behalf of Rohan Godhania’s parents paying tribute to their son, the family called him "bright, gentle, reliable, and highly intelligent." Inquests were scheduled to continue on Wednesday but have been postponed until senior coroner Tom Osborne can review legal submissions. Osborne reassured her that he would not delay the inquest any further than necessary and would report his findings before the start of the summer school holidays.

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