"I'll Make Human Kopi Luwak Coffee"... The Fate of an Australian Man Who Swallowed Raw Coffee Beans

Underwent Emergency Surgery for Intestinal Obstruction
"Reckless Prank" Draws Ongoing Criticism from Netizens

A story has emerged about an Australian comedian who underwent surgery for intestinal obstruction after attempting a "human kopi luwak coffee" experiment. On May 14 (local time), the UK’s Daily Mail reported that Michael Brookhouse, a member of the Australian comedy duo "Marty and Michael," nearly died after attempting a dangerous stunt involving raw coffee beans, which ultimately required surgery.

Eckle was taken to the hospital after swallowing whole coffee beans, and X-ray results showed a massive amount of coffee beans remaining in his intestines. This caused an intestinal obstruction, making natural expulsion impossible. Daily Mail

Previously, on May 13, the social media account of Marty and Michael, who have about 2 million followers, posted a video showing Michael planning to swallow whole coffee beans, pass them through his digestive system, retrieve them after excretion, wash the beans, and secretly brew coffee for his friends. This idea was inspired by Indonesia’s famous "luwak (civet) coffee," which is made by feeding coffee cherries to civet cats, collecting the beans from their excrement, and then brewing coffee from them. It is also commonly referred to as "cat poop coffee." In the video, Michael can be seen grabbing a handful of raw coffee beans and swallowing them whole without chewing, washing them down with water. He repeated this several times, ingesting a large quantity of beans, and said, "Now let’s digest them."

However, the next day, Marty Atte, Michael’s comedy partner, appeared on social media to announce that "Michael’s anus is blocked." He then showed Michael recuperating in a hospital bed, curled up and in visible agony. After swallowing whole coffee beans, Michael was rushed to the hospital, where X-ray results revealed a massive amount of coffee beans remaining in his intestines. This caused an intestinal obstruction, making natural expulsion impossible.

The doctor warned that Michael’s reckless act of swallowing a large quantity of raw coffee beans could lead to several serious complications, including bladder and kidney infections. The doctor also pointed out that he could develop sepsis, a life-threatening blood infection. Michael ultimately had to undergo surgery to remove the raw coffee beans and was discharged after a week-long hospital stay. After recovering, Michael said, "It was the worst week of my life. Never eat raw coffee beans." A warning was also posted on their social media account, stating, "A prank that almost killed Michael. Never try this yourself."

Green coffee beans are generally not consumed in their raw form, and ingestion can have serious effects on the stomach. Green coffee beans consist of a hard outer shell and high-fiber plant material, which are not easily broken down by the human digestive system. If swallowed whole without chewing, they can physically fail to pass through the intestines, potentially causing severe complications such as intestinal obstruction, acute constipation, or in extreme cases, intestinal perforation. Pixabay

Green coffee beans are generally not consumed in their raw form, and ingestion can have serious effects on the stomach. Green coffee beans consist of a hard outer shell and high-fiber plant material, which are not easily broken down by the human digestive system. If swallowed whole without chewing, they can physically fail to pass through the intestines, potentially causing severe complications such as intestinal obstruction, acute constipation, or in extreme cases, intestinal perforation.

A medical professional also warned, "Even if it is for simple internet content, if it harms the body, its impact is dangerous," adding, "Especially, excessive caffeine intake can cause increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and even cardiac arrest, so caution is necessary." Many viewers who watched the video left comments wishing for Michael’s recovery, but also posted warnings about the dangerous prank. Comments included, "You wasted the time of doctors and nurses for a simple prank," and "It’s a relief you didn’t die from caffeine overdose."