Caffeine overdose ruled cause of prom king's death

A caffeine overdose has been ruled the cause of an Ohio prom king’s sudden death before graduation in May.

The Lorain County Coroner reports Logan Stiner of LaGrange, Ohio, had toxic levels of caffeine in his body, and died from an irregular heartbeat and seizures after ingesting caffeine powder.

Stiner was found by his brother near the white powder on May 27, having taken enough to cause the overdose while at home from school for lunch.

“I never thought it would hurt an 18-year-old child,” resident Lora Balka told WKYC. She says she hopes his death will encourage other youths to consume caffeine in a mindful manner.

While it’s not sold in stores, caffeine powder is available on the Internet and is stronger than traditional forms of the supplement. One teaspoon of the powder contains up to 1,600 milligrams of caffeine — about 70 cans of Red Bull. Comparably, energy drinks contain about 280 milligrams, and a 12-ounce Starbucks coffee contains 260 milligrams.

A warning label on the caffeine powder suggests using a micro-scale to measure a safe amount, and companies claim that it improves focus, increases endurance and elevates mood.

Caffeine overdose ruled cause of prom king's death