Scots issued caffeine warning after man dies of overdose

A woman pouring herself hot filter coffee.
-Credit: (Image: Getty.)


The authorities have issued a warning following the death of a young dad who passed away after consuming the same amount of caffeine as 200 cups of coffee.

Tom Mansfield died after misjudging how much caffeine powder to use, and Food Standards Scotland has now given guidance over food supplements in the wake of his death.

The government body, which is responsible for food safety, food standards, nutrition, food labelling and meat inspection in Scotland, issued guidance along with the Food Standards Agency.

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They have urged consumers to be wary of supplements which contain caffeine and for users to calculate their intake alongside other sources such as energy drinks, coffee and tea.

STV News reports father-of-two Tom, who worked as a person trainer, passed away in January 2021 after taking powdered caffeine which was the equivalent of up to 200 cups of coffee.

A cup of cappuccino with coffee beans.
A cup of cappuccino with coffee beans. -Credit:yktr

Tom, from Colwyn Bay, Wales, had tried to weigh a dose of the powder within a range of 60 milligrams to 300 milligrams using a scale that had a weighing range of 2 grams to 5,000 grams, meaning he ended up consuming several grams.

Consuming up to 400mg of caffeine per day – equivalent to around four cups of coffee – is unlikely to have an adverse effect on adults, while pregnant women are advised to keep to a limit of 200mg of caffeine per day.

However guidance has been issued over food supplements containing caffeine, sometimes from multiple ingredients such as kola nuts, guarana and certain tea leaves such as black tea.

Caffeine is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, with effects starting to take hold 15 to 30 mins after ingestion and can last for a number of hours afterwards.

High levels of caffeine can cause anxiety, sleeplessness, agitation, palpitations, diarrhoea and restlessness, and individuals with a mental health condition can experience worsened psychosis.

These effects may be more severe in individuals who are caffeine sensitive and/or have underlying health issues such as heart disease or high blood pressure, and effects may occur at lower doses.

The warning comes after a man in the UK died after miscalculating the amount of caffeine powder he was meant to use, with the dose taken the equivalent of up to 200 cups of coffee.

A survey conducted by the FSA also found less than half of people surveyed look for dosage instructions on supplements, with 20% saying they don’t read the label.

Research has also indicated that many consumers have limited or no knowledge of caffeine in food supplements. The FSA said the type of food supplements to be aware of include 100% caffeine powder, and caffeine supplements sold in dose form.

Consumers should also be wary of some pre-workout supplements where caffeine is not specified in the name but listed in the ingredients and supplements that do not have caffeine listed on the product but contains a high-caffeine ingredient such as guarana.

A coffee machine.
A coffee machine.

Consumers of these types of products have been urged to avoid ‘dry scooping’, whereby food supplement powders are consumed without diluting them with water, which can lead to exceeding the recommended daily dose.

Food supplement users are also urged to follow dosage instructions, use the provided measuring device and to be wary of counterfeit products sold online.

Healthcare providers can also offer advice so consumers can avoid making existing conditions worse or interfering with medication someone is taking.

Professor Robin May, chief scientific advisor at the FSA said: "While caffeine is found naturally in many food products, we have evidence that people are unaware of the higher levels of caffeine in some supplements and the risk this can pose.

"Pure and highly concentrated caffeine supplements such as caffeine powder can be extremely potent, so you should always follow the dose instructions on the label and use appropriate measuring equipment to make sure it’s accurate.

“If people are experiencing caffeine side effects, such as sleeplessness and agitation, they should consider the amount of caffeine they are getting from supplements in addition to other components of their diet.

"We are also recommending that pregnant women limit their daily caffeine consumption to 200mg (the equivalent of roughly two mugs of instant coffee or one mug of filter coffee) and check the label for a warning that the product may be unsuitable.

"We are also reminding businesses of their responsibility to supply safe food and comply with food labelling and compositional requirements, so that consumers will have information to help them make informed choices about what they’re eating."

If you believe a food supplement containing caffeine which has been supplied is either harmful to health, unfit for people to eat if it exceeds suggested safe levels or does not meet legal requirements, you should report the issue to your local authority.

Once a report has been received by your local council, they will compile a food safety incident report and alert Food Standards Scotland of it.

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