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Berlin. BfR warns of health damage when taking dietary supplements. Athletes in particular can be at risk.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) warns highly concentrated caffeine powder. Over-the-counter nutritional supplements are often consumed by athletes to improve performance. In some online stores, pure or concentrated caffeine powder is sold. According to BfR estimates, the risk of significant overdose is very high with this product. Even very small amounts can cause significant health problems.
Caffeine in small doses can have positive effects and increase alertness and performance. However, excessive amounts can cause severe anxiety. Again Side effects is:
- nauseous
- increased blood pressure
- heart beating fast
- Cardiac arrhythmia
Ingesting about five to ten grams of pure caffeine, which is roughly equivalent to one to two teaspoons, is sufficient life threatening.
Also interesting
According to BfR, serious or even fatal poisoning with concentrated caffeine powder is rare, but still occurs. In Germany, for example, a young woman died after accidentally swallowing two teaspoons of concentrated caffeine powder. Similar cases have occurred in other countries.
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For healthy adults, the European Food Safety Authority recommends no more than that 0.2 grams of caffeine as a single dose. 0.4 grams throughout the day is considered harmless to health. For pure caffeine powder, this equates to a limit of 0.2 grams of powder, which is approximately one Knife tip in accordance.
The problem is like that small amount According to the Federal Institute, this cannot be measured precisely with conventional kitchen scales or measuring spoons. In addition, the effects of high concentrations of caffeine powder are easily underestimated because they are not comparable to the effects of coffee. These factors make it difficult for consumers to use them safely.
Also interesting
Five to ten grams of caffeine is considered a potentially fatal dose in a healthy adult. A standard 200 milliliter cup of coffee contains about 0.09 grams of caffeine. Therefore, someone had to do it Drink about ten liters of coffeeto be able to absorb five grams of caffeine in one drink. With highly concentrated caffeine powder, just one to two teaspoons contains a potentially fatal dose.
afp/dk
