Health

How the New Strongest Coffee in the World Compares to Other Caffeine Drinks

April 16th 2017

Need something drastic to get you through the afternoon slump?

There is coffee so strong, that allegedly one 12 once cup — the same size of a Starbucks tall — has almost more than twice the recommended daily caffeine intake, CNN reports

It's called Black Insomnia, and it claims to be the "world's strongest coffee," according to its official website

Ted Kallmyer, editor of Caffeine Informer (a caffeine-product focused website) cautioned CNN that something like Black Insomnia, which Caffeine Informer ranks as having a "dangerous caffeine level" could come with adverse effects for newbies. "[T]he problem with these products is that they can inadvertently be consumed by people who are not in the targeted category," he said.

But wait! There's another coffee brand who now claims to have produce an even stronger cup. Since CNN's report was published, the ominously named Death Wish coffee lobbied to have their brew moved to the top of the list. 

As a result of Death Wish's complaints, Caffeine Informer updated their website to indicate that one 12 ounce cup of Death Wish contains 728mg of caffeine. They show one 12 ounce cup of Black Insomnia contains 702mg of caffeine

Regardless of which brand is technically stronger, "the FDA’s official stance is that caffeine is safe for consumers up to 400mg/daily," according to Caffeine Informer. So either cup of these brewed beans are intense. And we can show you just how intense.

Here's how many other popular caffeinated beverages it would take to equal one cup of Death Wish:

Coffee InfographicATTN.com

If you're a seasoned (read:addicted) coffee drinker, you likely won't be affected by the strong coffee. But coffee that strong isn't for just anyone.

These effects can, according to Mary Sweeney at Johns Hopkins, "range from mild to severe, for example, jitteriness, nervousness, restlessness and trouble sleeping. The most serious effect would be cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)," she told CNN.

Heart arrhythmias, which are sometimes confused for a les serious condition known as heart palpitations, "are caused by problems with your heart’s electrical system," according to Medicomp, a producer of cardiac monitors. Medicomp continues, "the electrical signals may be firing too fast or too slow, causing the arrhythmia. Like palpitations, your heart seems to skip a beat or flutter. However, unlike palpitations, arrhythmias can be due to some serious health problems."

There's actually such a thing as a caffeine overdose, which Healthline says "can be life-threatening in the most severe cases" if you're not being cautious. Two university students at Northumbria University in England almost died of a caffeine overdose earlier this year.

But as long as you're aware of how much caffeine you're consuming and don't chug it like it's your job, coffee isn't a likely threat — and if you're going to grab a cup of something like Black Insomnia, then now you know, to quote the coffee's website, "This isn’t everyone’s cup of Joe. Be warned."

[H/T CNN]

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