--- title: Powdered Caffeine Is Dangerous, FDA Warns description: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to five pure powdered caffeine distributors arguing the products are dangerous. The agency said it did so to prevent further deaths from powdered caffeine. canonical: https://time.com/4020362/fda-powdered-caffeine-warning/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-09-02T18:23:37.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:57:57.091Z article:section: Health og:title: FDA Warns Powdered Caffeine Is Dangerous og:description: One teaspoon of the powder has around the same caffeine content as 28 cups of coffee og:url: https://time.com/4020362/fda-powdered-caffeine-warning/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11102ac8dea97dc9/6988620e2dce0110819e559d/caffeine-powder.jpg?branch=production&width=500&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 500 og:image:height: 281 og:image:alt: caffeine-powder og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: FDA Warns Powdered Caffeine Is Dangerous twitter:description: One teaspoon of the powder has around the same caffeine content as 28 cups of coffee twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11102ac8dea97dc9/6988620e2dce0110819e559d/caffeine-powder.jpg?branch=production&width=500&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # FDA Warns Powdered Caffeine Is Dangerous > Sponsored content. 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Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Is Too Much Coffee Unhealthy? [Watch (HLS stream): Is Too Much Coffee Unhealthy?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9wKhafLS.m3u8) (2:10)  _Published 2015-06-01. Is Too Much Coffee Unhealthy?_ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Sep 2, 2015 6:23 PM UTC  Center for Science in the Public Interest by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Sep 2, 2015 6:23 PM UTC The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to five pure powdered caffeine distributors arguing the products are dangerous. The agency said it did so to prevent further deaths from powdered caffeine. In 2014, two young men who were otherwise healthy died after consuming powdered caffeine. The FDA says it sent the companies the warning letters because “these products are dangerous and present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury to consumers,” the agency [wrote in a statement](http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/UCM460097). According to the FDA, there’s a very small difference between a safe amount of pure powdered caffeine and a toxic amount, and it’s “nearly impossible” to measure safe amounts accurately using normal measuring tools. One teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine equals the same amount of caffeine in 28 cups of coffee, so it’s not possible to use a teaspoon to measure out a standard caffeine serving, the FDA says. The five companies the FDA warned are SPN, LLC (Smartpowders), Purebulk, Inc., Kreativ Health Inc. (Natural Food Supplements), Hard Eight Nutrition, LLC and Bridge City Bulk. Bridge City Bulk founder Jeffrey Stratton [told the New York _Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/health/fda-warns-5-producers-of-powdered-caffeine.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&%5Fr=0) that the company “immediately stopped selling the material” and had not had any complaints. The federal agency says it is continuing to monitor the powdered caffeine product market and if it finds violations, it will take action, including seizing the product or preventing producers from manufacturing it. _Read next:_ [_10 Foods That May Trigger a Migraine_](http://time.com/4016097/migraine-headache-foods/) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day_](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] You're watching Everwell. Know more. Live better. [ MUSIC ] Yeah, I really enjoy Coffee and it's kind of, I kind of crave it every day. But I'm just a little bit concerned about those health risks that come along with it. Well I heard on the news that too much coffee is unhealthy. But then another news report said that it might actually have health benefits so I don't really know what to think. There's certainly lots of confusion over coffee. For years there have been warnings that it may lead to a host of health problems ranging from dehydration to cancer. But it turns out those fears, by and large, are groundless. It's true that caffeine in coffee can raise your heart rate and increase blood pressure temporarily. But studies show coffee doesn not increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. In fact, it's been associated with a slightly lower risk. Ditto for type two diabetes and Parkinson's disease. According to studies, coffee drinkers are less likely to develop both compared to non drinkers. The research on cancer is reassuring as well. Coffee does not increase the risk. And is actually linked to lower odds of liver cancer. Overall, research shows java drinkers live just as long as those who have abstained and maybe even longer. One possible reason for coffees apparent benefit, is that it's rich in anti oxidizes. But that does not make it a health drink. Higher amounts of coffee can cause jitters and stomach upset. And more than a cup or two a day has been linked to miscarriages in some research. Bottom line, coffee in moderation, up to a few cups a day, is likely fine for most people. But be careful about those fancy coffees with all the extra ingredients, which can add lots of extra calories. After all, you want that cup of Joe to perk you up. And I weigh you down. 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