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Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Anne Marie's Chemistry Blog

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com Guide to Chemistry

Caffeine Can Kill You

Sunday December 18, 2005
...but you would have to drink a lot of coffee for that to happen. How much? If you weigh 150 lbs and you're trying to kill yourself with a Starbucks tall latte, it would take about 293 cups in order to die from the caffeine overdose. Even if you could afford the hefty pricetag, there's a really good chance water intoxication would kill you first. How did I arrive at a specific number of servings? There is a caffeine calculator at Energy Fiend, where you input your weight and choose your beverage, and it will tell you the amount required to kill yourself. The comments that accompany the calculator are amusing too.

Learn more about caffeine...

Comments

December 23, 2008 at 10:55 am
(1) Eli says:

i almost died from a caffeine overdose on friday december 19th 2008.

i couldnt breathe, i was all shaky, my chest was tight, i just didnt feel the way i felt before. i drank my energy drink WAY TOO fast.. but part of me didnt want 2 give it 2 my friend.. i wanted 2 drink it… but yea.

May 28, 2009 at 7:16 pm
(2) christina says:

i used to drink 5 cups of coffe a day and i felt so horrible.

September 28, 2009 at 11:53 am
(3) courtney says:

I have diabeties and i can’t have caffeine or it will kill me…..but i drink coffee so hahahahaha! teehee! ^3^

October 5, 2009 at 8:23 am
(4) John says:

I almost collapse yesterday after i pour the whole thing from the coffee sachet…. Right after i drank my coffee, i start to sweat, and started to feel very very dizzy that i also could not breath properly… Im only 19 and it so early for me to die from caffeine overdose….luckily i used the electric fan as a tool of getting more oxygen ^_^

November 9, 2009 at 7:47 pm
(5) james says:

i drink a pot a day.. black… and full of sugar… and cream…
MMMMMM

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