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The 29-year-old personal trainer died of a caffeine overdose in 2021, according to investigators.
According to the coroner, Tom Mansfield “got the math wrong” when measuring the dose of caffeine powder.
He ingested up to 5 g (0.2 oz) of caffeine powder, equivalent to 200 cups of coffee.
A personal trainer died of an overdose after accidentally ingesting a caffeine powder equivalent to 200 cups of coffee.
According to BBC News, Tom Mansfield, 29, bought a 100g (3.5oz) sachet of caffeine powder from Blackburn Distributions, a British sports supplement company.
Commonly used by gym goers to boost performance, the recommended dosage for caffeine powder is 60 to 300 mg (0.002 to 0.01 oz).
But Mansfield’s digital scale had a starting weight of 2g (0.07oz) and the product did not come with a scoop, Yahoo! News reported.
A father of two in Colwyn Bay, Wales miscalculated his measurements and scooped up to 5g (0.2oz) of the powder, investigators have learned, according to Yahoo! News.
Coroner John Gittins said Manfield was aiming for “the average recommended dose range” but “he miscalculated,” according to the BBC.
According to media reports, Mansfield took a sip of the mixture before finishing the rest of the drink on January 5, 2021.
The investigation learned that he began to grab his chest and complain of a rapid heartbeat, according to BBC News. A few minutes later, according to media reports, foam came out of his mouth.
Paramedics arrived at his home and tried to resuscitate him for 45 minutes before declaring him dead in the hospital.
An autopsy revealed that Mansfield had 392 mg of caffeine per liter of blood, BBC News reports. A typical coffee produces 2 to 4 mg per litre, meaning it consumes the equivalent of up to 200 cups.
The cause of death was noted as caffeine poisoning.
According to North Wales Live, the coroner said that if Mansfield had been provided with a scoop, he would probably be alive today. Gittins said he was “totally confident” that Blackburn Distributions now offers a serving of the brand’s caffeine powder, according to the publication.
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