drinking coffee, what would kill you first?

andyandy · 8th December 2007, 02:04 PM

ok, this is a somewhat silly question, but i was wondering if it would be possible to die from drinking too much coffee....and what would kill you first....

the cafeine itself in your system
the fact that cafeine is a diuretic
the amount of liquid you would consume

how much would you need to drink - and what would you die of?

andyandy · 8th December 2007, 02:07 PM

....there's a cheery website "death by caffeine" which can calculate how many cups (850), though i'm not sure how scientific it is

Boo · 8th December 2007, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by andyandy

ok, this is a somewhat silly question, but i was wondering if it would be possible to die from drinking too much coffee....and what would kill you first....

the cafeine itself in your system
the fact that cafeine is a diuretic
the amount of liquid you would consume

how much would you need to drink - and what would you die of?

A lot unless you are sensitive to caffeine. Probably from complications due to rapid heart rate.

Boo

casebro · 8th December 2007, 02:19 PM

Suicide. Caused by the wild thoughts you would have going through your mind after being sleepless for the several days that it would take to drink 850 cups. of anything.

calebprime · 8th December 2007, 02:19 PM

103.55 cups of Drip Coffee + You = Death.

Actually, the coffee I drink is stronger than this, so let's play it safe and say 50 cups. OMG, I've had 2 today! What if I absent-mindedly imbibe 48 more?

Dr. Imago · 8th December 2007, 03:46 PM

Pure caffeine, available through pharmaceutical preparations, is clearly dangerous at very high doses. We routinely use 250mg/mL concentration to "enhance" the seizures induced by ECT in the treatment of refractory depression. I would imagine a toxic dose would cause profound cardiac instability and, in a patient predisposed to arrythmias, may result in cardiac arrest.

-Dr. Imago

danielk · 8th December 2007, 03:56 PM

Urgh, only 224.1 cups of iced tea? Oh ****...

brainlesssteel · 8th December 2007, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by andyandy

ok, this is a somewhat silly question, but i was wondering if it would be possible to die from drinking too much coffee....and what would kill you first....

the cafeine itself in your system
the fact that cafeine is a diuretic
the amount of liquid you would consume

how much would you need to drink - and what would you die of?

I don't know for sure, but I do recall one late night at IHOP when my friend decided he was going to try to drink 100 cups of coffee. he got to around 25-30 before it made him sick and he eventually threw up. I suppose it would have been easier if he had drank it black, but he could only stand to drink coffee with a lot of sugar and cream in it.

That experiment alone makes me doubt that one could commit coffee suicide.

On the other hand one could always swallow a couple of bottles of Nodoz.

8th December 2007, 02:04 PM	#1
andyandy anthropomorphic ape Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: up a tree Posts: 8,192	drinking coffee, what would kill you first? ok, this is a somewhat silly question, but i was wondering if it would be possible to die from drinking too much coffee....and what would kill you first.... the cafeine itself in your system the fact that cafeine is a diuretic the amount of liquid you would consume how much would you need to drink - and what would you die of?

8th December 2007, 02:09 PM	#3
Boo ts Join Date: May 2003 Location: state of chaos Posts: 3,743	Originally Posted by andyandy ok, this is a somewhat silly question, but i was wondering if it would be possible to die from drinking too much coffee....and what would kill you first.... the cafeine itself in your system the fact that cafeine is a diuretic the amount of liquid you would consume how much would you need to drink - and what would you die of? A lot unless you are sensitive to caffeine. Probably from complications due to rapid heart rate. Boo
	__________________ Wounds heal. Morally Obtuse. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

8th December 2007, 02:19 PM	#4
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,795	Suicide. Caused by the wild thoughts you would have going through your mind after being sleepless for the several days that it would take to drink 850 cups. of anything.
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,795	__________________ Please pardon me for having ideas, not facts. Some have called me cynical, but I don't believe them. It's not how many breaths you take. It's how many times you have been breathless that counts.

8th December 2007, 02:19 PM	#5
calebprime Somewhat Elitist Parasite Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,756	103.55 cups of Drip Coffee + You = Death. Actually, the coffee I drink is stronger than this, so let's play it safe and say 50 cups. OMG, I've had 2 today! What if I absent-mindedly imbibe 48 more?
	__________________ Mr. DeBakey's free, but he's a little bit conciliatory.

8th December 2007, 03:46 PM	#6
Dr. Imago Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,051	Pure caffeine, available through pharmaceutical preparations, is clearly dangerous at very high doses. We routinely use 250mg/mL concentration to "enhance" the seizures induced by ECT in the treatment of refractory depression. I would imagine a toxic dose would cause profound cardiac instability and, in a patient predisposed to arrythmias, may result in cardiac arrest. -Dr. Imago
Dr. Imago Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,051	__________________ DISCLAIMER: The above post is for informational and/or educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the professional judgment of, in direct consultation with, a health care professional in diagnosing, treating, and/or preventing any disease or disorder. It is not to be construed as individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation. Your reliance upon the information obtained or used by you at, through, or as a result of this post is solely at your own risk.

8th December 2007, 02:07 PM	#2
andyandy anthropomorphic ape Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: up a tree Posts: 8,192	....there's a cheery website "death by caffeine" which can calculate how many cups (850), though i'm not sure how scientific it is

8th December 2007, 03:56 PM	#7
danielk Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Berlin Posts: 1,077	Urgh, only 224.1 cups of iced tea? Oh ****...
	__________________ "Our brains are capable of much more than we realize." - mayday

8th December 2007, 04:04 PM	#8
brainlesssteel Scholar Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dover, New Hampshire, USA Posts: 57	Originally Posted by andyandy ok, this is a somewhat silly question, but i was wondering if it would be possible to die from drinking too much coffee....and what would kill you first.... the cafeine itself in your system the fact that cafeine is a diuretic the amount of liquid you would consume how much would you need to drink - and what would you die of? I don't know for sure, but I do recall one late night at IHOP when my friend decided he was going to try to drink 100 cups of coffee. he got to around 25-30 before it made him sick and he eventually threw up. I suppose it would have been easier if he had drank it black, but he could only stand to drink coffee with a lot of sugar and cream in it. That experiment alone makes me doubt that one could commit coffee suicide. On the other hand one could always swallow a couple of bottles of Nodoz.