Death by Caffeine ☕
For curiosity only. Please don't test the upper bound.
This calculator is for curiosity and education only — not a health guide. Caffeine sensitivity varies widely. If you're concerned about your caffeine intake, talk to a doctor.
About This Calculator
How It Works
This calculator uses the LD50 concept from toxicology — the dose at which a substance is lethal to 50% of a test population — applied to caffeine and your body weight. It takes your weight and chosen drink type, calculates the theoretical lethal caffeine dose, then divides by the caffeine content of your drink to produce a cup count. The number is almost always comfortingly large. This is for curiosity and perspective, not guidance.
The Formula
Lethal dose approx. 150-200 mg/kg body weight. Cups to lethal dose = (weight_kg × 150) / caffeine_per_cup. Theoretical and for curiosity only.
When to Use This
This is pure curiosity fuel — use it when you're on your fourth coffee wondering if you've crossed a line (you haven't), or when you want to put caffeine dosing in perspective relative to your body size. It's also a surprisingly good illustration of why caffeine is generally considered safe at normal consumption levels. The gap between 'a lot of coffee' and 'actually dangerous amounts' is enormous for most people.
Example
A 70kg person would need roughly 700+ cups of standard coffee to approach a theoretical LD50. You'd run out of days before cups. Probably fine.
Did You Know?
Caffeine has a half-life of about 5-6 hours in most adults. That 3pm espresso? Half of it is still in your bloodstream at 9pm. Sleep tight.