BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuCaffeine overdoseCaffeine is a substance that exists naturally in certain plants. It can also be man-made and added to food products. It stimulates the central nervous system and is a diuretic, which means it increases urination.Caffeine overdose occurs when someone takes in more than a normal or recommended amount. This can be by accident or on purpose.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with overdoses, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Caffeine can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Caffeine is an ingredient in these products:Certain soft drinks (such as Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew) Certain teas Chocolate, including hot chocolate drinks Coffee Energy drinks Over-the-counter stimulants that help you stay awake such as NoDoz, Vivarin, Caffedrine, and others Workout supplements, such as Force Factor Fuego, Red Bull and 5-hour Energy drinks, and many moreOther products may also contain caffeine. Symptoms Symptoms of caffeine overdose in adults may include:Breathing trouble Breathing troubleBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Changes in alertness Agitation, confusion, hallucinations ConfusionConfusion is the inability to think as clearly or quickly as you normally do. You may feel disoriented and have difficulty paying attention, remembe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Convulsions (seizures) ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea Dizziness Fever Increased thirst Increased thirstExcessive thirst is an abnormal feeling of always needing to drink fluids.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Increased urination Increased urinationExcessive amount of urination means that your body makes larger than normal amounts of urine each day.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Irregular heartbeat Irregular heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscle twitching Muscle twitchingMuscle twitches are fine movements of a small area of muscle.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea, vomiting Rapid heartbeat Sleeping troubleSymptoms in babies may include: Muscles that are very tense, then very relaxed Nausea, vomiting Rapid, deep breathing Rapid heartbeat Rapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Shock ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...Read Article Now Book Mark Article TremorsThe acute symptoms of caffeine intoxication (overdose, poisoning) and generalized anxiety disorder are almost identical. Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to do so. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison control. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)Treatment may include:Activated charcoal Breathing support, which may include oxygen or a ventilator (tube through the mouth into the lungs and breathing machine Intravenous fluids (IV, given through a vein) Laxative Medicine to treat symptoms Shock to the heart for serious heart rhythm disturbances Outlook (Prognosis) A brief hospital stay may be necessary to complete treatment. In severe cases, death may result from convulsions or an irregular heartbeat.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Caffeine. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:7-15.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.Zun LS, Nathan JB. Anxiety disorders. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 98.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Caffeine in the diet(Nutrition) Review Date: 7/1/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Caffeine overdoseCaffeine is a substance that exists naturally in certain plants. It can also be man-made and added to food products. It stimulates the central nervous system and is a diuretic, which means it increases urination.Caffeine overdose occurs when someone takes in more than a normal or recommended amount. This can be by accident or on purpose.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with overdoses, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Caffeine can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Caffeine is an ingredient in these products:Certain soft drinks (such as Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew) Certain teas Chocolate, including hot chocolate drinks Coffee Energy drinks Over-the-counter stimulants that help you stay awake such as NoDoz, Vivarin, Caffedrine, and others Workout supplements, such as Force Factor Fuego, Red Bull and 5-hour Energy drinks, and many moreOther products may also contain caffeine. Symptoms Symptoms of caffeine overdose in adults may include:Breathing trouble Breathing troubleBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Changes in alertness Agitation, confusion, hallucinations ConfusionConfusion is the inability to think as clearly or quickly as you normally do. You may feel disoriented and have difficulty paying attention, remembe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Convulsions (seizures) ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea Dizziness Fever Increased thirst Increased thirstExcessive thirst is an abnormal feeling of always needing to drink fluids.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Increased urination Increased urinationExcessive amount of urination means that your body makes larger than normal amounts of urine each day.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Irregular heartbeat Irregular heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscle twitching Muscle twitchingMuscle twitches are fine movements of a small area of muscle.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea, vomiting Rapid heartbeat Sleeping troubleSymptoms in babies may include: Muscles that are very tense, then very relaxed Nausea, vomiting Rapid, deep breathing Rapid heartbeat Rapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Shock ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...Read Article Now Book Mark Article TremorsThe acute symptoms of caffeine intoxication (overdose, poisoning) and generalized anxiety disorder are almost identical. Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to do so. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison control. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)Treatment may include:Activated charcoal Breathing support, which may include oxygen or a ventilator (tube through the mouth into the lungs and breathing machine Intravenous fluids (IV, given through a vein) Laxative Medicine to treat symptoms Shock to the heart for serious heart rhythm disturbances Outlook (Prognosis) A brief hospital stay may be necessary to complete treatment. In severe cases, death may result from convulsions or an irregular heartbeat.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Caffeine. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:7-15.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.Zun LS, Nathan JB. Anxiety disorders. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 98.