
Thousands overdosing on caffeine as coffee crisis sparks call for urgent action - spking
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/thousands-overdosing-on-caffeine-as-coffee-crisis-sparks-call-for-urgent-action-10491259.html
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mindcrime
Related: [http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20020801/is-
caffeine...](http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20020801/is-caffeine-bad-
for-your-heart)

I'll probably never know for sure, but I can't help but wonder if overdoing
the caffeine contributed to the heart attack I had last year. For quite some
time I'd been stressing myself _really_ hard, working way, way too much, and
ingesting ridiculous amounts of caffeine to help prop myself up.

For example: I'd work all day at my regular job, during which time I'd drink
maybe 2-4 cups of coffee. OK, nothing crazy there. But... then I'd leave work,
go to Barnes & Noble or Starbucks, and sit there and work on the startup for
3-5 hours, during which time I'd routinely drink a 2 or 3 shot latte, drink a
can of Red Bull, and eat a pack of two of chocolate covered espresso beans.
And that was my routine 4 out of 5 nights during the week. Weekends were more
of the same... go sit at a coffee shop and work 3 or 4 hours, maybe leave and
go eat some real food, and then come back and work a few more hours, and,
again, chugging down lattes, Red Bull and espresso beans.

In hindsight it was absolutely crazy, and I should have known better. But we
all think we're immortal right up until we find ourselves on a gurney being
wheeled into the ER.

To be fair, there are lots of things that contribute to heart issues, and I
can't say for _sure_ that caffeine was a factor. I was overweight and hadn't
been very active the past year or so, and my diet wasn't the best in general.
But still, I'd encourage anyone who's hitting the caffeine as hard as I was,
to consider backing off. It might not kill you, but it almost certainly isn't
particularly healthy either.

~~~
spking
Your comment motivated me to wean off the caffeine and re-prioritize fitness
in my morning routine. Thank you.

