Is it possible to die from coffee: how many cups of coffee do you need to drink?

True coffee lovers are convinced that coffee drinks do not pose a threat to human life and health. Those who do not have a fiery love for espresso and Americano say the opposite. You should not rely on subjective opinion. Scientists have determined the lethal dose of coffee, but the exact amount depends on many factors.

The effect of coffee on the human body

Coffee as a drink in itself is harmless. Consumed in moderate doses, it improves brain function and mood, gives a feeling of vigor, and fills the body with positive energy. Caffeine, which is contained in coffee fruits, poses a danger to humans. A high dose of the substance is toxic. Entering the body in large quantities, it causes deterioration in health, dizziness, tachycardia and arrhythmia, and leads to hypertension. A person may experience headaches and stomach pain. All of these symptoms are especially for people suffering from any chronic diseases. It may be enough for them to drink 1-2 cups of drink to feel tired and sleepy.

Lethal dose of coffee for a teenager

During adolescence, drinking coffee drinks should be treated with particular caution. In 2011, there was a case where a girl died after drinking a couple of cans of coffee energy drink. A single dose of caffeine was only 480 mg. This amount of natural stimulant is considered safe for an adult.

Combining coffee drinks with energy drinks, or drinking espresso after a party where alcohol was consumed, often leads to teenagers instantly receiving a lethal dose. Young people should drink no more than two cups of coffee per day . And not in a row, but at intervals of at least 3-4 hours. In addition, it is unacceptable to drink caffeinated drinks after alcohol, cigarettes and energy drinks.

Americano and espresso can have a positive effect on the body, but only if they are drunk in moderation. Exceeding the permissible dosage leads to a deterioration of the condition and the manifestation of symptoms of intoxication. In rare cases, due to excessive concentration of a natural stimulant in the body, there is a risk of death.

How much coffee do you need to drink to die?

The lethal dose of coffee is determined by the amount of caffeine entering the body. It is the amount of caffeine taken per 1 kg of body weight. Nobody knows exactly how much alkaloid you need to consume to die; no special studies have been conducted. In laboratory conditions, scientists calculated only the theoretical lethal dosage of the substance (LD50). So, according to theoretical calculations, a dangerous dose of coffee for a person at one time is 192 mg/kg of body weight. That is, in order to die, a person weighing 70 kg must immediately consume more than 13.44 g of the specified substance in its pure form. This is a lot, it is impossible to get so much by drinking 1-3 cups of drink.

Lethal dose of caffeine in cups

To understand what dose will be detrimental to a person, it is worth indicating how much caffeine is contained in a certain type of drink. So, 1 glass of brewed coffee contains 80 mg of an alkaloid, soluble product - 70 mg, espresso (30 ml) - 60 mg. The decaffeinated drink contains 3.0 mg of the substance. In total, in order to die, the same person weighing 70 kg would have to drink more than 100 cups of coffee at one time. It is unlikely that anyone is capable of this feat. Especially when you consider that many people begin to show signs of overdose after 3-7 glasses of alcohol.

Is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy?

Daily dose dangerous for humans

But what if you drink 100 cups of coffee in 24 hours, will such a dose of caffeine be fatal to a person? Actually no, and here's why. According to scientists, caffeine is eliminated from the body within 4 hours. You need to drink 100 glasses of the drink every 4 minutes in order to finish it in 24 hours. In 24 hours, the concentration of caffeine in your body will reach the following level:

6 grams if you drink espresso;
7 grams if consumed instant;
8 gr. – when consuming cooked food.

If we remember that the lethal dose of the alkaloid is 192 mg per 1 kg of body weight, it becomes clear: even round-the-clock consumption of coffee is not as dangerous as one might think. The average weight of an adult is 62 kg. So, in terms of food poisoning, he needs to consume 11.52 grams of caffeine. This means that you would have to drink almost twice as much of the same “espresso”. 200 glasses in 1 day - no one can handle them. And even if you try to do this, the maximum that can be achieved is to end up in the hospital. There doctors will be able to pump it out, there will be no death.

Lethal dose of coffee for a teenager

To avoid poisoning, young children are strictly prohibited from drinking coffee, even with milk. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also refrain from drinking the drink so as not to harm their baby. According to many pediatricians, you can start drinking the drink at the age of 14-16 years. A teenager is allowed to drink coffee in an amount of no more than 2-3 cups per day. Parents are advised to ensure that they do not combine it with alcohol and energy drinks, which already contain caffeine. If a teenager’s condition sharply worsens, it is necessary to call an ambulance.

Let's sum it up

To die with coffee, you need to drink 1.5 kilograms of ground coffee per day.
If a teenager does not have kidney problems or heart disease, in order to reach a lethal dose, you need to drink about 50-60 cups of good coffee at once.
People do not die from coffee itself; the cause of death is caffeine intake, in any form (tablets, powders, solution).
For children, two cups per day is considered a safe dose. Adults can afford four cups.
Even severe poisoning from this drink cannot lead to death. After medical procedures, relief quickly occurs and all characteristic symptoms disappear.

Symptoms of coffee poisoning

Now that you know what dose of coffee in cups is fatal for a person, try to monitor your health more closely. Do not drink the drink in large doses! Call an ambulance immediately if the following signs of poisoning appear:

the face turned red, a feverish gleam appeared in the eyes;
breathing became erratic, the temperature rose;
trembling appeared throughout the body, heartbeat increased;
my head started to feel dizzy.

If these signs of overdose are not removed in time, new ones may be added to them:

nausea occurs and, a little later, vomiting;
the digestive organs suddenly begin to ache;
sweat flows in streams, you constantly want to go to the toilet;
colic and spasms appear in the gastrointestinal tract.

If you don’t want to find out for yourself whether you can die from coffee, visit a doctor. Remember that in the last stages the following symptoms will also be added: blue skin, hallucinations, insomnia, and a constant feeling of anxiety. All of these signs of poisoning indicate an increased level of caffeine in the blood.

Caffeine sensitivity

The biggest danger of this black drink is the presence of a powerful alkaloid in its composition - caffeine. Along with it, grains contain resins, essential oils, tannins, vitamin components and antioxidants. Only the first element in coffee is toxic. It is he who has a lethal dose per 1 kg of human body weight.

Of course, our body is sensitive to caffeine. This is especially true for people with weak immune systems. Changes for the worse begin after three or four cups of the “drink of the gods.” But someone may need a larger or smaller volume of coffee for poisoning (depending on the individual characteristics of the body).

Scientists believe that in the process of determining a dangerous dosage of caffeine, it is worth paying attention to the individual sensitivity of the body to this substance.

Doctors have identified several patterns:

the lethal dose of caffeine for a teenager is much less than for an adult;
women are much more susceptible to the negative effects of the substance in question than representatives of the stronger sex;
The genetic factor also plays a role: intolerance in a number of situations is inherited;
The lower your body weight, the less resistant your body is to caffeine.

Therefore, having decided to skip a mug or two, you must first calculate your own strengths and avoid abuse. This approach will allow you to preserve beauty, health, youth and good spirits for many years.

Increased sensitivity to caffeine can develop in certain pathological processes

First aid for coffee overdose

In case of coffee poisoning, even before the doctor arrives, you must try to bring the victim to his senses. To remove caffeine from the blood, you should first drink it with clean still water with salt added to it (at the rate of 1 teaspoon per liter). The amount of liquid – the more, the better. Water is needed so that a person does not become dehydrated. After placing the person horizontally, open the window. To reduce the heart rate, you should give a little valerian. The medicine can be replaced with a banana; this fruit has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart. Further treatment must be carried out by a doctor to avoid death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yGVeamMW_8

Caffeine overdose

Caffeine overdose is a condition in which a person has consumed an excessive amount of caffeine. For a teenager, this volume is from 400 mg, and for an adult – from 600 mg. In practice, cases of abuse of this drink are not uncommon. The fact that the condition is critical and requires emergency medical attention can be determined by the main symptoms of poisoning, which occur in 80% of patients.

Symptoms of intoxication

We studied what is the lethal dose of coffee per day. Poisoning with this toxic substance is accompanied by the occurrence of certain symptoms:

pain in the head;
dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea, constipation, pain, flatulence, gag reflex and feeling of nausea, heartburn);
increased heart rate;
increased blood pressure and the occurrence of arrhythmia;
problems with coordination of movements;
excessive overstimulation;
the occurrence of hallucinations, the manifestation of confused consciousness;
change in skin color;
uneven breathing, increased likelihood of asthma attacks;
increased body temperature, heat and fever.

With the progression of chronic pathologies, symptoms become more pronounced. Therefore, signs of intoxication may appear after just a couple of glasses of drink.

In case of caffeine overdose, symptoms of intoxication appear

What to do in case of poisoning

First aid must be provided before the medical team arrives. In this case, it is necessary to carry out a set of measures:

a person who has been poisoned should be in the fresh air;
squeezing movements of clothing are unbuttoned, belt and tie are loosened;
it is necessary to rinse the gastrointestinal tract;
it is strictly forbidden to restrain the gag reflex (the fact is that through vomit the smart body gets rid of toxins);
the victim must be at rest.

Further therapy is carried out in a hospital bed. To ensure this, doctors use a huge number of techniques:

Administration of magnesium sulfate into the stomach.
Use of morphine hydrochloride intramuscularly.
Prescription of specialized medications to help relieve agitation.
If necessary, the use of plasma substitutes is required.
Treatment with vitamin substances is often practiced. This allows you to restore and rehabilitate the functioning of all organs.

The treatment process lasts until the patient is completely recovered. Only after being convinced that there is no threat to health does the doctor prescribe his “ward”.

Caffeine may affect teenage boys and girls differently

Researchers have found that caffeine affects boys and girls similarly before puberty. However, after puberty, there are some gender differences in how caffeine affects the body.

In general, teenage boys show a greater response to caffeine than teenage girls. Heart rate in men decreases more in response to caffeine compared to girls.

Girls experience a greater increase in diastolic blood pressure than boys after caffeine intake.

Researchers continue to evaluate psychological factors, hormonal differences, and psychosocial factors that may account for gender differences.

Regular alcohol abuse

If you systematically drink coffee, pouring a new portion almost immediately after drinking the previous one, there is an excessive load on the central nervous system. An overdose of caffeine causes the body to work in a state of stress. The synthesis of adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine is constantly stimulated. Due to this, the nervous system is depleted.

In addition, if you regularly abuse the invigorating liquid, a coffee addiction develops. A cup of espresso is no longer used to get a boost of energy - it is drunk to normalize well-being.

Tips for drinking coffee safely

Choose natural

“It is believed that a drink made from natural grains is healthier,” explains Olga Arisheva. “And the degree of roasting only affects the taste.”

Don't overload with sugar

The calorie content of a “pure” drink is minimal, but if you add milk, sugar, syrup to it, it increases rapidly. So, a composition with milk and sweet syrup can be equal in calorie content to a full breakfast.

Drink water

“Caffeine causes a diuretic effect,” comments Elena Hardina. “It speeds up the formation of urine and increases its volume, and also blocks the feeling of thirst.”

For this reason, frequent consumption of the drink may result in dehydration. To prevent this, after each “coffee break” you need to drink a glass of clean drinking water.

Do not use if you are hungover or in the heat

In these situations, the body already loses a lot of fluid, and caffeine will only worsen this effect. After last night's party or in hot weather, it is better to replace it with herbal tea or regular drinking water.

Be careful when taking medications

The substance is known to affect the metabolism of more than 80 drugs. Therefore, when taking any medications, it is better to ask your doctor how many cups of coffee you can drink per day, or at least carefully study the instructions for the drug. You should definitely not take the tablets with a coffee drink, and after taking them you should wait at least an hour before drinking the next cup.

Let us remind you that the Public News Service previously told how to take vitamins correctly in order to benefit from them.

Treatment of high blood pressure

Treatment of arterial hypertension is based on lifestyle modification, constant monitoring of blood pressure, and the use of antihypertensive drugs (medicines that lower blood pressure) - one or more, based on the patient's individual situation.

Medicines prescribed for high blood pressure include: ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, beta blockers, alpha blockers, alpha beta blockers. In most cases, these medications do not cause side effects. However, you should not self-medicate; you should consult a doctor who will select an effective drug and prescribe a regimen for its administration. It is important to follow all recommendations, observe the dosage and not skip taking the drug(s).

When diagnosing arterial hypertension, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) provides an accurate idea of the patient’s blood pressure levels. ABPM also excludes the factor of chance, distortion of real blood pressure readings (the so-called “white coat” syndrome or “white coat” hypertension), and registers imperceptible changes in blood pressure (for example, during sleep). This test is recommended by the American Heart Association to confirm the diagnosis of hypertension.

Can cherries kill? Maybe!

Did you know that cherries can also deprive a person of oxygen? Cherry pits contain poison - cyanide. If you accidentally swallow a bone, it will not cause any harm. The danger comes from the seeds that are in the seeds. That’s why it’s so dangerous to crack the bones and eat what’s inside. Just one or two grams of cherry seeds are enough to kill a person.

Clinical manifestations of poisoning

An overdose of coffee in adults can begin even after drinking 4-6 mugs of the aromatic drink. Symptoms develop almost unnoticeably. Their intensity increases with further consumption of coffee. At first, a person may not even notice them, attributing poor health to emotional overstrain and severe fatigue. Symptoms characteristic of caffeine poisoning:

headaches, dizziness, feeling of squeezing of the temples;
lethargy and drowsiness;
hypertension;
polyuria - increased volume of urination;
increased heart rate;
increased body temperature due to caffeine intoxication;
shallow and rapid breathing;
spontaneous panic;
redness of the skin on the cheeks;
heartburn, vomiting, pain in the stomach;
with significant intoxication, a person can even fall into a coma;
with intense respiratory and cardiovascular failure, death occurs.

At what volume can a person's heart stop?

Do you like to listen to music loudly? Great. Just don’t make the sound louder than 185 decibels, this is considered a lethal volume threshold for humans.

Too loud a sound leads to an air embolism - the penetration of bubbles into the artery and its blockage. As a result, blood stops flowing to the heart and brain.

So that you understand how much this is, 185 decibels, I will give some numbers. A jackhammer gives about 100 dB (if you stand close), a chainsaw - about 120 dB, and the sound of 150 dB can be felt when standing next to the turbine of an airplane taking off.