R 022134Z FEB 15
MARADMIN 047/15
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTION DC MRA MF//
SUBJ/THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMNISTRATION (FDA) CONSUMER ADVISORY WARNING ON POWDERED PURE CAFFEINE PRODUCTS//
POC/M.BROWN/CIV/MFS/-/Tel: 703-432-0732/TEL: FAX 703-784-4125/EMAIL: BROWNMI(AT)USMC-MCCS.ORG//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) HAS RELEASED A CONSUMER ADVISORY WARNING ON POWDERED PURE CAFFEINE PRODUCTS SOLD IN BULK OVER THE INTERNET AND WAS AFFIRMED IN AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY THE FDA’S DIRECTOR OF FOOD SAFETY AND APPLIED NUTRITION.
2.  LABELING ON THESE PRODUCTS IDENTIFIES THEM AS AN ENERGY SOURCE RATHER THAN A STIMULANT WITH PACKAGING SIMILAR TO PROTEIN POWDER PRODUCTS.
3.  THESE PRODUCTS ARE ESSENTIALLY 100 PERCENT CAFFEINE. ONE TEASPOON OF POWERED PURE CAFFEINE MAY CONTAIN THE APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF CAFFEINE IN 25 CUPS OF COFFEE.
4.  THE FDA CONSUMER ALERT ALSO WARNS THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY MEASURE POWDERED PURE CAFFEINE WITH COMMON KITCHEN MEASURING TOOLS.
5.  PURE CAFFEINE IS A POTENT STIMULANT AND VERY SMALL AMOUNTS COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE AND TOXICITY. SYMPTOMS OF CAFFEINE OVERDOSE MAY INCLUDE RAPID OR DANGEROUSLY ERRATIC HEARTBEAT, SEIZURES, AND DEATH. SYMPTOMS OF CAFFEINE TOXICITY INCLUDE VOMITING, DIARRHEA, STUPOR (IMPAIRED CONSCIOUSNESS), AND DISORIENTATION.
6.  THE FDA REPORTS AT LEAST TWO DEATHS DUE TO THE USE OF POWDERED PURE CAFFEINE.
7.  THESE PRODUCTS APPEAL TO CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, AND YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE DRAWN TO THE PERCEIVED BENEFITS SUCH AS THE ABILITY TO STUDY LONGER, IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, AND WEIGHT LOSS.
8.  THE FDA GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF POWDERED PURE CAFFEINE IS TO AVOID THEIR USE; TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IF EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF CAFFEINE OVERDOSE OR TOXICITY AND REPORT THESE EFFECTS TO THE FDA BY PHONE: 240-402-2405 OR BY EMAIL: CAERS(AT)CFSAN.FDA.GOV. THE LINK TO THE CONSUMER ADVISORY IS: HTTP(SLASH)(SLASH)WWW.FDA.GOV(SLASH)FOOD(SLASH)RECALLSOUTBREAKSEMERGENCIES(SLASH)SAFETYALERTSADVISORIES(SLASH)UCM405787.HTM
9.  RELEASE APPROVED BY BGEN R. A. C. SANBORN, DIRECTOR, MARINE AND  FAMILY PROGRAMS DIVISION.//