Espresso Coffee Overdose
Holy, coffee overdose? That’s the first time I heard of this. I guess I’d better restrict my coffee intake, too. I drink quite a bit coffee lately…..
Girl overdoses on espresso coffee
A teenager was taken to hospital after overdosing on espresso coffee.
Jasmine Willis, 17, developed a fever and began hyperventilating after drinking seven double espressos while working at her family’s sandwich shop.
The student, of Stanley, County Durham, was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, where doctors confirmed she had overdosed on caffeine.
She has since made a full recovery and is now warning others about the dangers of excessive coffee drinking.
Ms Willis, who had thought the coffees were single measures, said the effects were so severe that she began laughing and crying for no reason while serving customers at the shop.
She developed a fever and began struggling to breathe after being sent home by her father.
“My nerves were all over the place.
“I was drenched. I was burning up and hyperventilating.
“I was having palpitations, my heart was beating so fast and I thought I was going into shock.
“I did not realise this could happen to you and I only hope other people learn from my mistake.”
The teenager, who was allowed home after a few hours of observation, suffered side effects for days afterwards and now says she cannot stand the sight of coffee.
Her father Gary, who runs The Sandwich Bar in Stanley, said: “She did not realise she was drinking double measures.
“I have always stressed to my children the importance of moderation but Jasmine got caught out on this occasion.”
Read more: bbc.co.uk
So, how much is too much coffee? What are the medical risks and health benefits of drinking coffee? Here is another article from BBC, that explains all these.
Indulging in a few mugs too many could result in symptoms such as restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, nausea, vomiting and a flushed face. The symptoms of a serious overdose include delirium and seizures.
Among its effects on the human body, caffeine is commonly thought to increase alertness, attention and mental ability by stimulating the central nervous system.
But too much could be lethal. Such a dose is dependent on an individual’s weight and sensitivity, but for the average person is about 90 milligrams per two pints of blood, according to coffee website Cofcaf.co.uk. This is about 200 cups of instant coffee in a day for an average sized person, it says.
Death from an extreme overdose would tend to be due to ventricular fibrillation - an uncoordinated contraction of heart muscles, which could stop blood pumping.
People can also become addicted to coffee. Caffeinism is thought to occur if you have an intake of above 600mg to 750mg of caffeine per day, says the DoH. That’s roughly five to six cups of ground coffee or eight to 10 cups of instant.
But coffee has also been found to have health benefits. Drinking a daily cup or three may reduce the risk of liver diseases in heavy drinkers and one study has shown it could protect against the onset of Alzheimer’s. Last month a study suggested it could help protect skin from the sun.
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