A Taiwanese man in his 50s has died from lead poisoning after drinking hot coffee from the same thermal flask for nearly 20 years, even after its inner lining had become rusted and corroded.
The case was revealed by a kidney specialist on a Taiwanese television programme and later reported by local media.
The man’s health problems first came to light when he suddenly became disoriented while driving and crashed into a breakfast shop, despite having more than 30 years of driving experience.
Hospital checks found no major external injuries, but doctors discovered he had severe anaemia and abnormal kidney function. He was referred to the nephrology department, where it emerged that he had been suffering from extreme fatigue and a distorted sense of taste, often feeling his food was not salty enough.
Further tests later confirmed he was suffering from chronic lead poisoning.
Despite treatment, his condition continued to worsen. He developed dementia-like symptoms and died about one year after the accident.
Doctors believe the poison came from his damaged thermal flask, whose inner lining had deteriorated over time, allowing toxic metals to leach into hot drinks.
Medical experts warned that old or low-quality thermal flasks can release heavy metals when used to store hot beverages for long periods, potentially causing serious kidney and nervous system damage — or even death.
