Jul 19, 2008 2:07 pm US/Eastern
Caffeine Overdoses Cause Rise In Emergency Calls
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Whatever caffeinated drink is your favorite, beware! There's a new warning that they could do far more harm than you may think.
CBS
Lattes, sodas or Red Bull? Whatever caffeinated drink is your favorite, beware!
Mike Hellgren reports there's a new warning that they could do far more harm than you may think.
So how much is too much?
Whether you prefer energy drinks or espresso, the answer is that the effects vary person to person.
Some new research reveals there's no easy way to tell how your body deals with caffeine. One thing that is obvious to tally is the number of calls to Poison Control centers for caffeine intoxication which have skyrocketed as the popularity of such beverages grows.
From the first morning sip of coffee to the late night run for Red Bull, caffeine can be addictive, and for some, dangerous.
New numbers show an alarming number of caffeine-related emergency calls, 4,600 of them, to Poison Control centers nationwide.
"Our most recent cases have involved people in their late teens and early 20s who have really overdone it with the energy drinks," said Rose Ann Aoloway, National Capital Poison Control.
University of Maryland swimmer Haywood Miller admits he loads up on them.
"I'm staying up tonight, and I've got to go to practice tomorrow morning," said Miller.
"Definitely, it can magnify symptoms, especially if you're taking medications, if you're dehydrated, out on a very hot day like today," said Dr. Ann Czarnik, Union Memorial Hospital.
Jezo knows her caffeine. She's a barista serving coffee to customers in downtown Baltimore by day and a rock star singing her music at night.
"Stay up all day drinking espresso all day, guess I can rock out all night," said Jezo. "I have a double shot in the morning over ice with some half and half, and it definitely makes a difference. Wakes me up, but when I don't have it, I get bad headaches. I have one guy who drinks four shots of espresso. He comes in at once and he downs it."
Some people can take it, but others can't. Symptoms of caffeine intoxication include nausea, vomiting and rapid heartbeat.
"If someone is having palpitations and feeling like their heart is beating abnormally, I'll always ask about caffeine ingestion," said Czarnik.
Doctors urge you to be aware of what your body is telling you.
"Most of the time, we think it's a harmless substance," said Czarnik.
"It definitely has an effect on people, whether they know it or not, are not tapping into it, or don't want to," said Jezo.
Look at the labels of what you're drinking. Beverages with 220 milligrams of caffeine are equal to five cups of coffee.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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