Food and Drug Administration issued warning letter to five major distributor of psychoactive drug, product that may cause death.
Five major distributors of powdered caffeine received warning letter from FDA, August 27, as to products putting consumers at risk and sometimes leads to death. Agency only allows containing less than 0.02% caffeine, however strictly prohibits caffeine powder sold as a dietary supplement. The warning letter sent to Bridge City Bulk, Hard Eight Nutrition LLC, PureBulk Inc., SPN LLC, and Kreativ Health Inc., to further inform dangerous effect of said drugs.
Caffeine is world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug which can have both positive and negative health effects. It is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant, but massive overdose can result in death. Last year, deadly overdoses of two young men reported, showing danger brought by powdered caffeine. The Ohio teen suffered cardiac arrhythmia and seizure after taking the energy booster drug, revealed in the autopsy conducted.
In statement of the FDA, “The difference between a safe amount and a toxic dose of caffeine in these pure powdered products is very small” . “Furthermore, safe quantities of these products can be nearly impossible to measure accurately with common kitchen measuring tools.” The five distributors issued warning letters were marketing pure powdered caffeine as a dietary supplement which already killed two teenagers.
Powder caffeine been used by some teenagers and young adults for an energy boost. FDA claimed single teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine is equal to the amount in 28 cups of coffee and noted that consuming as little as a teaspoon, associated with nausea, vomiting, anxiety and heart palpitations. Serious problems may encounter for consuming a tablespoon including chest pains, irregular heartbeat, seizures and even death.
Michael M. Landa, director of the FDA’s center for food safety and applied nutrition wrote, “I cannot say strongly enough how important it is to avoid using powdered pure caffeine”. “The people most drawn to it are our children, teenagers and young adults, especially students who want to work longer to study, athletes who want to improve their performance, and others who want to lose weight. … As regulators and parents ourselves, we take this threat to public health very seriously,” in an online posting last December.
Center’s regulatory affairs director, Laura MacCleery stated, “People assume something this dangerous would not be sold to consumers in this form. They are used to seeing warning labels and childproof caps on aspirin. And this is just a zip-lock bag.” First in coffee and later in some beverages, combine alcohol with caffeine to create a caffeinated alcoholic drink. Without noticing stimulant effects of caffeine, mask the depressant effects of alcohol which reducing user’s awareness of their level of intoxication. IMAGE/REUTERS