M'sian man, 55, drank teh tarik every meal daily, became diabetic in his 20s, leg amputated

War on sugar.

Belmont Lay | August 24, 2023, 05:16 PM

Telegram

Whatsapp

A Malaysian man, 55, became diabetic some 30 years ago and had his right leg amputated.

The cause?

Teh tarik.

The man, known as Lan, said the culprit was milk tea, which he drank for every meal, three or more times a day, every day.

This was revealed in a TikTok on Aug. 21, where the man said he became diabetic in his 20s.

@kedidi_kakipalsu Abang Azlan share tabiat dia masa muda.Umur 45 dia kata dah start nampak kesan.Perlu kaki palsu tapi tak mampu? boleh hubungi kami.Moga bermanfaat #diabetes #kencingmanis #kedidikakipalsu #amputeeinfo ♬ original sound - kedidikakipalsu

Love for sweet drinks

Lan also said he would even have milk tea to go in his car when he drives.

He would either drink the milk tea hot or iced.

Teh tarik is made of tea with condensed milk, sometimes with additional sugar to sweeten it further.

A cup of teh tarik can contain up to five or more teaspoons of sugar.

Unhealthy lifestyle

Lan also admitted that he would consume late-night suppers, sometimes at 3am, as he had his meals at irregular timings.

Not only was his love for sweet drinks strong, he abstained from drinking plain water.

Lan said: "Sometimes, after a glass of teh tarik, I would get myself a can of Coca-cola. I rarely drank plain water."

Health deteriorated

By the time he was in his 40s, his health had taken a turn for the worse.

In type 2 diabetes, cells in the body do not respond to the insulin produced, leading to insulin resistance.

When glucose cannot enter cells, blood sugar level rises.

High blood glucose levels can damage the body's organs, which can lead to heart attack, stroke, and problems with the kidneys, eyes, gums, feet and nerves.

And that was what happened to Lan.

He sustained a minor injury caused by a nail, but the wound festered and became gangrenous.

He underwent surgery, but the doctor opted to amputate his leg as they were unable to save it.

Lan's story resonated with many viewers.

His video has been watched close to 2 million times.

Top photo via @kedidi_kakipalsu TikTok