An 18-year-old high school senior died just before his graduation in May, stunning the community.
What killed him, however, was a new form of substance abuse that has been growing among teenagers — pure caffeine powder consumption. And the FDA is warning families about the lethal implications of abusing it.
“We feel sad for this young man and his family,” said Dorene Thomas, local chair of the LiveFree Coalition, in a release. “Even though caffeine is not an illegal drug, it can lead to serious health issues, even death.”
Caffeine powder produces are essentially 100 percent caffeine, according to a release. Approximately 3 grams, or a single teaspoon, is roughly equivalent to the caffeine found in 25 cups of coffee.
On average, there are more than 3,000 milligrams in one teaspoon of pure caffeine powder, comparing to only 74 milligrams of caffeine in one teaspoon of instant coffee.
Teenagers and young adults are exposed and even attracted to this substance, FDA spokeswoman Jennifer Dooren said, in a release. In order to achieve an extra boost, the pure caffeine powder is often taken before practices and workouts.
Partygoers take it to combat the depressant effects of alcohol or marijuana. And it’s also popular among college students as a way to help stay alert during late-night study sessions.
“These produces are not regulated yet,” Thomas said. “Teens can easily get these products online, and they’re very cheap. If parents don’t pay attention to what their children are consuming, tragedies may happen again.”
For healthy adults, the FDA recommends a caffeine limit of 400 milligrams, or about 20 to 28 ounces of coffee per day. Over-consumption of caffeinated beverages such as energy drinks also can lead to caffeine overdose.
Officials say it’s hard to measure if the consumption of caffeine is reaching lethal levels. Symptoms like rapid or dangerously erratic heartbeat, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, stupor and disorientation may indicate an overdose is occurring.
“We definitely suggest our parents warn their children on caffeine overdose,” Thomas said.
