A personal trainer from Colwyn Bay died after consuming caffeine powder equivalent to up to 200 cups of coffee, an inquest has heard. Tom Mansfield, 29, miscalculated the amount of powder he was meant to use on kitchen scales, leading to fatal caffeine toxicity.
The inquest in Ruthin heard that Mr Mansfield fell ill immediately after drinking the mixture on 5 January 2021. He began clutching his chest and complaining of a rapid heartbeat before foaming at the mouth. Despite efforts from paramedics, he was pronounced dead at Glan Clwyd Hospital.
Coroner John Gittins recorded a conclusion of misadventure, stating that Mr Mansfield had aimed for the mid-range of the recommended dose but miscalculated. The scales used had a range of 2 to 5,000 grams, while the recommended dose was 60-300mg. A post-mortem revealed caffeine levels of 392mg per litre of blood, compared to the typical 2-4mg per litre after a cup of filter coffee.
The supplier, Blackburn Distributions, stated that the powder should be weighed to two decimal places in milligrams. Since the incident, the company has added scoops to packaging and improved usage instructions and side effect warnings.
