New guidance for consumers on caffeine supplements following overdose death

The food safety watchdog has issued new guidance to consumers over caffeine in food supplements following a UK case where a man died after miscalculating the amount he was meant to use.

Highly-concentrated caffeine supplements such as caffeine powder can be “extremely potent”, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) warned, advising users to always follow the dose instructions on the label and use accurate measuring equipment.

The guidance follows father-of-two personal trainer Tom Mansfield, from Colwyn Bay in Wales, dying in January 2021 after taking caffeine powder the equivalent of up to 200 cups of coffee.

Mr Mansfield 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.

Research

Since then, a cross-government working group has considered broader issues surrounding the sale and consumption of caffeine supplements, including commissioning additional research.

A survey for the watchdogs suggested that less than half of people look for dosage instructions on supplements, with 20% saying they do not read the label, while research found that many consumers have limited or no knowledge of caffeine in food supplements.

Caffeine is used by some gym-goers, with some fitness websites recommending it for improving sports performance in certain doses.

The FSA and FSS guidance says supplements with caffeine should be calculated alongside other sources of caffeine, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks.

Caffeine intakes of up to 400mg per day are unlikely to cause adverse effects in adults, but pregnant women are advised to limit their consumption to 200mg per day.

Anxiety

At very high levels, caffeine can cause anxiety, sleeplessness, agitation, palpitations, diarrhoea and restlessness, while individuals with a mental health condition can experience worsened psychosis.

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

The FSA’s chief scientific adviser Professor Robin May 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.”