Caffeine powder is one of the supplements that are known to enhance mental alertness. It is also a substance that is added to energy drinks. Caffeine is used in many ways from treating migraine, used as painkillers to being a stimulant for athletes.
However, caffeine powder was seen in a different way after the sudden death of an 18-year-old outstanding student, wrestler, and a senior in Ohio on May 27, 2014. His death easily becomes national headline upon discovering that the cause of his death is caffeine powder overdose.
One teaspoon of Caffeine powder equivalents yield of 25 cups of coffee, according to Food and Drugs Administration. And since the death of the Ohio student, Logan Stiner, the Food and Drugs Administration strictly warn the use of caffeine in its concentrated form.
A small amount of caffeine concentrate can cause caffeine overdose. Apparently, upon investigation, Stiner had caffeine blood level more than 20 times that is found on a regular coffee drinker. A cup of coffee contains roughly 100 milligrams of caffeine.
In the U.S., you can easily order 100 gram bag of pure caffeine powder for just $10 online. As there are no known dosages to predict caffeine powder overdose, parents are advised to monitor their children who may indulge on using the substance without their knowledge.
Caffeine powder overdose happens many times. It can lead to treacherously erratic heartbeat, seizures and death.
"The cardiovascular effects are much more pronounced at those concentrations of a smaller weight," said Dr. David Rossi, Medical Director of Borgess Emergency and Trauma Center. "We really start looking at cardiac dysthymia, seizures and potentially death."
Food and Drugs Administration issued warnings and not regulatory measure that could strictly ban caffeine powder. 1/16th of a teaspoon of caffeine powder is like drinking two cups of coffee. How much more caffeine content there is when it is taken without limit?
Experts say that caffeine limit must be at least 600 milligrams a day. When this exceeds, your health will be at risk and you will start experiencing symptoms of faster heartbeat, disorientation, vomiting and diarrhea. However, symptoms vary from person to person depending on weight, health status and medications.
How much is considered lethal? Caffeine overdose do occur when a person takes 5,000 to 10, 000 milligrams of caffeine powder. As it is present in every coffee, tea, cola, mate, guarana, and other products one must be aware of the caffeine content they are taking.
Manufacturers of caffeine powder must properly indicate it in labeling so that people will become aware of a probable caffeine powder overdose. Children must be strictly monitored and must not be exposed to caffeine powder.
