Teen dies from too much caffeine

[The Solution]

Teen dies from too much caffeine, coroner says

Caffeine excess leads to teen death, coroner says - CNN.com

The teen consumed three caffeine-laced drinks -- a cafe latte, large Diet Mountain Dew and an energy drink -- in a two-hour period before collapsing in his classroom at Spring Hill High School on April 26, Watts said.

Watts said Davis had purchased the latte at McDonald's around 12:30 p.m. After that he consumed the Diet Mountain Dew and the energy drink.
Davis collapsed at the school in Chapin, near Columbia, just before 2:30 p.m. and according to Watts, was pronounced dead at 3:40 p.m.

 

[hambone2493]

Great because we live in such a black and white kindergarten country there will be a flood of people calling for regulation instead of basic education.

 

[runtyemonster]

That's ****en stupid. I take a 200mg caffeine pill pwo and drink a rockstar during. I usually have at least one energy drink while at work, I'm not dead yet, lol. This is sad and all, but in all that's really not that much caffeine. This kid must have been hypersensitive or had heart issues.

 

[Fireitupx]

Has to be something underlying. In my teens I decided to take in my infinite wisdom 8 no doze tablets and I didn't die, I was tripping balls, but alas I'm still alive...

 

[rascal14]

I feel like that isn't enough caffeine to cause death in someone without a pre existing heart condition or some other factor? Surely it wasn't over 600mg and I am also assuming it wasn't his first time consuming caffeine considering his drink choices.

 

[hambone2493]

And the half life of caffeine is aprx 6 hours

 

[runtyemonster]

I feel like that isn't enough caffeine to cause death in someone without a pre existing heart condition or some other factor? Surely it wasn't over 600mg and I am also assuming it wasn't his first time consuming caffeine considering his drink choices.

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[yotreeman]

Damn, that's like the amount of caffeine I consume on an average hourly basis.

This kid obviously had underlying, undiagnosed heart issues. I'm sure there's going to be some sort out outcry, but we've had documented deaths from caffeine before. Everyone knows the "dangers." Doubt the FDA's actually going to clamp down on coffee.

 

[runtyemonster]

Damn, that's like the amount of caffeine I consume on an average hourly basis.

This kid obviously had underlying, undiagnosed heart issues. I'm sure there's going to be some sort out outcry, but we've had documented deaths from caffeine before. Everyone knows the "dangers." Doubt the FDA's actually going to clamp down on coffee.

They'll make it out to big a big deal to detract from the political ****show going on, lol. Threatening people's coffee is like threatening cigarettes, people will get up in arms about any issue that directly affects them.

 

[hambone2493]

Why the hell does it say "laced"? Besides trying to make it seem more scary

 

[HIT4ME]

Great example of the current state of "journalism". There are obviously missing pieces of evidence here - otherwise no one would even read this crappy article. As others have mentioned above, that's not even that much caffeine. I've taken a gram dose at a time and not had ANY issues. There are people on here taking as much caffeine as those 3 drinks have in a pre-workout with higenamine, DMAA, and whatever other stims are popular.

I know someone who SWEARS they have a friend who "used to drink red bull like water" and it caused them to actually go temporarily insane and have heart issues. It would be funny if people saw the humor and didn't believe it.

 

[HIT4ME]

Why the hell does it say "laced"? Besides trying to make it seem more scary

Nice catch - actually, you MAY have found the missing piece of evidence. He may have ADDED caffeine to the 3 drinks. i.e. - you read the article and it isn't "lying" - but it's written in a way to make you think something is one way when it is another. I've added caffeine to drinks - but I weigh it out. If the kid was just using a scoop or spoon and dumping it into his drinks that already contained caffeine, I could see that killing someone.

 

[runtyemonster]

Nice catch - actually, you MAY have found the missing piece of evidence. He may have ADDED caffeine to the 3 drinks. i.e. - you read the article and it isn't "lying" - but it's written in a way to make you think something is one way when it is another. I've added caffeine to drinks - but I weigh it out. If the kid was just using a scoop or spoon and dumping it into his drinks that already contained caffeine, I could see that killing someone.

That's a good point. I take a caffeine pill with an energy drink pwo, so he might have added caffeine.

 

[yotreeman]

Great example of the current state of "journalism". There are obviously missing pieces of evidence here - otherwise no one would even read this crappy article. As others have mentioned above, that's not even that much caffeine. I've taken a gram dose at a time and not had ANY issues. There are people on here taking as much caffeine as those 3 drinks have in a pre-workout with higenamine, DMAA, and whatever other stims are popular.

Yeah, I mean, I've done scary amounts of addie, speed, DMAA, you name it, with no problems whatsoever. Every day, plenty of people do large amounts of stimulants much stronger than caffeine, without even a palpitation. Average American's caffeine consumption is 300 mgs daily, but the upper range factored into that average is plenty of people who consume more like 600-1000.

Kid definitely had some undiagnosed heart issues. Sucks, but isn't a reason to take away everybody else's caffeine. (Not that I think they will. Increasing regulation/banning caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol is something that would actually have a very large portion of Americans up in arms.)

 

[HIT4ME]

Yeah, I mean, I've done scary amounts of addie, speed, DMAA, you name it, with no problems whatsoever. Every day, plenty of people do large amounts of stimulants much stronger than caffeine, without even a palpitation. Average American's caffeine consumption is 300 mgs daily, but the upper range factored into that average is plenty of people who consume more like 600-1000.

Kid definitely had some undiagnosed heart issues. Sucks, but isn't a reason to take away everybody else's caffeine. (Not that I think they will. Increasing regulation/banning caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol is something that would actually have a very large portion of Americans up in arms.)

Yeah, well, the thing is the article specifically states the coroner ruled out any undiagnosed issues, such as heart disease, that could have been a factor. It is designed to scare people - just 3 caffeinated drinks (a coffee, a mountain dew and an energy drink) and a young man dies. Oh, we know, you think he had a heart issue - but he didn't so you should be scared too. YOU could die just like him.

 

[BRUstrong]

A "caffeine-laced" drink is a drink with caffeine in it. It's semantics. Also, the coroner report showed no signs of an underlying heart condition that could have been triggered the caffeine intake. Many factors can contribute to how an individual's body reacts to/metabolizes caffeine. It doesn't matter that YOU can ingest tons of caffeine and be fine. I regularly ingest around 1000 mg of caffeine per day with no problem. But I'm not that kid. It's like alcohol - some people can slam a fifth of liquor within minutes and not die.

So it doesn't make sense to bash the article or try to rationalize it by using yourselves as an example. It is probably best characterized as a freak, yet tragic, accident.

 

[yotreeman]

Yeah, well, the thing is the article specifically states the coroner ruled out any undiagnosed issues, such as heart disease, that could have been a factor. It is designed to scare people - just 3 caffeinated drinks (a coffee, a mountain dew and an energy drink) and a young man dies. Oh, we know, you think he had a heart issue - but he didn't so you should be scared too. YOU could die just like him.

I don't see how that's even possible. Most people in America drink that much caffeine daily. We all would've dropped dead by now if there wasn't something else at play beyond a Mountain Dew and a cup of coffee.

 

[Brandinooooo]

Definitely something underlying with his heart or nervous system. I consume around 500mg+ caffeine over the course of 2 hours before the gym. Not to mention the ~1200mg throughout the day with other stims.

 

[paul56778]

Great example of the current state of "journalism". There are obviously missing pieces of evidence here - otherwise no one would even read this crappy article. As others have mentioned above, that's not even that much caffeine. I've taken a gram dose at a time and not had ANY issues. There are people on here taking as much caffeine as those 3 drinks have in a pre-workout with higenamine, DMAA, and whatever other stims are popular.

I know someone who SWEARS they have a friend who "used to drink red bull like water" and it caused them to actually go temporarily insane and have heart issues. It would be funny if people saw the humor and didn't believe it.

I have also had 1.6 grams from 20+ grams of DY Black Bombs and just had tingling in my hands and a numb sensation all over my body with slight nausea.

 

[jameschoi]

I read on ergo log that caffeine and taurine in heavy doses clogs the arteries. Most energy drinks are heavily laced with caffeine and taurine. I always drink coffee and take a little taurine prior to a workout. No more caffeine pills for me.

 

[Nac]

I read on ergo log that caffeine and taurine in heavy doses clogs the arteries.

Post the article or bullsh1t. Everything Ive read on taurine, and even in conjunction with caff, suggests the exact opposite (non/anti artherosclerosis). Only variable I can possibly see here is what youre referring to as "heavy doses", however the fuk that is quantified.

 

[Mowglisml]

I came in here to see how much caffeine I take compared to you guys. I knew I was going to be put to shame hahaha. I'm averaging ~400 mg.

Freak accident like someone posted above?

 

[jameschoi]

Post the article or bullsh1t. Everything Ive read on taurine, and even in conjunction with caff, suggests the exact opposite (non/anti artherosclerosis). Only variable I can possibly see here is what youre referring to as "heavy doses", however the fuk that is quantified.

Let me find it. Read it like last week.

 

[carguy123]

At work so have not had a chance to listen to the clip but did they mention much else aout the death other than no preexisting conditions? Dehydration a factor or orther things influnce it? Sadly knowing this is main stream media I assume the whole story may not be told

 

[ECWHY]

I take around 700 a day but really not concerned with that article. Probably a pre-existing condition, and he seemed to consume it all at once instead of waiting between doses.

 

[rugger48]

how it effects a 16 y/o and an adult could be 2 different things. I heard of a friend sleep walking off of 1 ambien and other needing 2 just to get to sleep. some people zonk rigt out on a single dose of cough syrup and some can take half a bottle. This could have been anything, some of the energy drinks on the market are loaded with lots of junk.

 

[hambone2493]

how it effects a 16 y/o and an adult could be 2 different things. I heard of a friend sleep walking off of 1 ambien and other needing 2 just to get to sleep. some people zonk rigt out on a single dose of cough syrup and some can take half a bottle. This could have been anything, some of the energy drinks on the market are loaded with lots of junk.

That being said this is not even close to a typical reaction. It really doesn't matter from medical stand point seeing that he is one out of at least a million.

 

[HIT4ME]

Sorry for getting too much of a kick out of this article. If there are no underlying issues, and the drinks were NOT spiked with some heavy doses of caffeine, this is a teachable moment for us, as we now have to update our toxicology data on caffeine. As it stands it looks like the TDLo of 13 mg/kg (or around 1,400 mg for a 110 pound woman) is the lowest dose that has been recorded to show signs of toxicology.

The LDLo (lowest recorded dose that kills someone) is around 193 mg/kg. My math may be off, but that 110 pound woman is gonna have to work pretty hard to get 10 g of caffeine inadvertently.

Maybe the bit of information they left out of the article is that the kid only weighed 25 pounds?

To be clear, I feel bad this person is gone and died tragically, none of this is directed at him or his family. Just the scary, unfounded journalism.

 

[rugger48]

How much caffeine did he take?

 

[HIT4ME]

That being said this is not even close to a typical reaction. It really doesn't matter from medical stand point seeing that he is one out of at least a million.

Actually, apparently he's such an anomaly it is safe to say he is 1 out of 6 Billion as there has NEVER been a recorded death at a dose anywhere near that low. There haven't even been recorded symptoms from a dose that low.

 

[HIT4ME]

How much caffeine did he take?

They conveniently don't quantify it beyond saying 3 caffeine laced drinks - a mountain dew, a McD's Cafe Late and an energy drink. I'd say it would be pretty amazing if that all totals up to more than 400 mg of caffeine (unless more was added to the beverages).

 

[rugger48]

They conveniently don't quantify it beyond saying 3 caffeine laced drinks - a mountain dew, a McD's Cafe Late and an energy drink. I'd say it would be pretty amazing if that all totals up to more than 400 mg of caffeine (unless more was added to the beverages).

400 mgs? I think your underestimating how much he really had.

 

[hambone2493]

A large McDonald's iced latte has: 178mgs
20 oz mnt dew: 90 mgs
Original 16 oz rockstar: 160 mgs
Total: 428mgs aprx

 

[HIT4ME]

400 mgs? I think your underestimating how much he really had.

Maybe. The Dew has 4.5 mg per ounce, so let's say he had 32 oz. = 144 mg

A large McD's Cafe Latte, according to the caffeine informer, has 178 mg...let's say 200 mg.

A Redline energy drink has 316 mg per 8 oz. and seems to be the highest caffeine content of all energy drinks/fl oz.

So, given those numbers, you are right, we'd be around 660 mg. That IS a good dose. But still shouldn't even show signs of toxicity unless he weighed around 110 pounds....never mind killing him. We are still a far cry from the 10 g LDLo for that 110 person.

 

[HIT4ME]

A large McDonald's iced latte has: 178mgs
20 oz mnt dew: 90 mgs
Original 16 oz rockstar: 160 mgs
Total: 428mgs aprx

I bet your math is better....I like it...it supports my original guess haha. Either way, 400-700 mg. Seems like a good dose before a nap.

 

[rugger48]

well thats amazing, both of you 16?

 

[rascal14]

well thats amazing, both of you 16?

Being a 16 year old is hardly the issue here. It is pretty safe to assume these drinks are not out of the ordinary for him. Who just randomly one day drinks a Latte, a Mountain Dew, and an energy drink within two hours and it be there first time consuming caffeine? I would bet my left nut that he drank at least one of these items regularly, just like most typical teenagers.

 

[Wimsicle]

I once drank 9 Rip it's as a 16 year old I'm a 10 hr span. Thankfully nothing bad happened but I did feel absolutely crazy at the time lol..

I used to be able to drink a monster and then go to bed... Ahh

 

[Jiigzz]

"Even though Davis didn’t consume a lethal amount of caffeine, something with the combination of what he consumed caused him to have a severe arrhythmia, which led to his death.

The FDA is investigating 13 deaths that have been attributed to 5 Hour Energy Shot over the last four years"

And then check out this study:

Randomized Controlled Trial of High

A quote from the abstract: While both the energy drink and caffeine arms raised systolic BP in a similar fashion initially, the systolic BP was significantly higher at 6 hours when compared with the caffeine arm (4.72±4.67 mm Hg versus 0.83±6.09 mm Hg, respectively; .

Regardless of what any one says, those increases are problematic.

 

[HIT4ME]

"Even though Davis didn’t consume a lethal amount of caffeine, something with the combination of what he consumed caused him to have a severe arrhythmia, which led to his death.

The FDA is investigating 13 deaths that have been attributed to 5 Hour Energy Shot over the last four years"

And then check out this study:

Randomized Controlled Trial of High

A quote from the abstract: While both the energy drink and caffeine arms raised systolic BP in a similar fashion initially, the systolic BP was significantly higher at 6 hours when compared with the caffeine arm (4.72±4.67 mm Hg versus 0.83±6.09 mm Hg, respectively; .

Regardless of what any one says, those increases are problematic.

Good find and I agree - but isn't that sort of the point? The news article you quoted is much different than the articles I've seen.

The articles I've read have the coroner (without a direct quote) stating caffeine killed him. Not a combination of substances. I am mostly attacking the complete lack of research and logic in the journalism here. That simple line you posted is completely different than the opening line on the OP article link, which is about the same as every other article I've seen:

"Too much caffeine caused the death of a 16-year-old high school student from South Carolina who collapsed during class last month, according to the county coroner."

First line of the article.

 

[Jiigzz]

Good find and I agree - but isn't that sort of the point? The news article you quoted is much different than the articles I've seen.

The articles I've read have the coroner (without a direct quote) stating caffeine killed him. Not a combination of substances. I am mostly attacking the complete lack of research and logic in the journalism here. That simple line you posted is completely different than the opening line on the OP article link, which is about the same as every other article I've seen:

"Too much caffeine caused the death of a 16-year-old high school student from South Carolina who collapsed during class last month, according to the county coroner."

First line of the article.

Good ol' caffeine informer, haha. Absolutely - poor reporting IMO. The way something is written completely alters the impact, but knowing that Energy Drinks actually spike BP higher than caffeine alone is cause for concern (at least to those susceptible)

 

[thebigt]

so...if it had been chugging a quart of jack that killed him would the conversation be different?

 

[rascal14]

so...if it had been chugging a quart of jack that killed him would the conversation be different?

I would definitely say the person in that situation was more of an idiot. Lol

 

[thebigt]

I would definitely say the person in that situation was more of an idiot. Lol

n
who isn't an idiot when they are a teenager?

lots of stuff I did as a teen I would not even consider today!!!

it is not the governments job to regulate things because a teenager might abuse them, imo. if so they should start with drivers license's.

 

[rascal14]

n
who isn't an idiot when they are a teenager?

lots of stuff I did as a teen I would not even consider today!!!

it is not the governments job to regulate things because a teenager might abuse them, imo. if so they should start with drivers license's.

I agree.

 

[Johnold]

So what now? Another DMAA situation ban with caffeine?

 

[runtyemonster]

So what now? Another DMAA situation ban with caffeine?

They can try but people will have a **** fit

 

[Johnold]

Never stopped them before.

 

[yotreeman]

Never stopped them before.

Alcohol and tobacco kill thousands a year. Seriously doubt the feds are going to come after caffeine.

 

[rugger48]

Nobody is asking the government to regulate caffeine, Is that what the article says?


The father is just asking that parents start paying better attention to what their children are ingesting, yes the victim is 16, but still a kid and made some bad decisions. I'm not assuming he just ingesting tooo much, but this kids could have ingested this stuff on an empty stomach and everything combine just tooks its tolls. Could be a lot of things that happened here.