Is it possible to die if you eat too much chocolate
Health / / December 19, 2019
"The toxic dose of chocolate there and can even lead to death," - I told Reed Caldwell (Reed Caldwell), doctor-resuscitator from New York University. However, you soon will be taken to the hospital with stomach flu than from an overdose of sweetness.
The danger lies in the substance theobromine contained in the cocoa bean. Is an alkaloid of vegetable origin with a bitter taste. In the human body, it acts as a mild stimulant, in effect, similar to caffeine. Furthermore, theobromine dilates blood vessels, from which the pressure is reduced, and has a diuretic effect.
According to the US National Institutes of Health, theobromine also crosses the blood-brain barrier. This layer of capillaries, which passes into the brain nutrients, but filter out harmful microorganisms and toxins. Because of this ability to penetrate through the barrier Theobromine affects the mood, as well as caffeine.
In large quantities, theobromine can be toxic to humans. The combination of a vasodilator and diuretic effect, as well as disorders of the gastrointestinal tract leads to increased heart rate, loss of appetite, sweating, trembling and strong headaches. And because of the effect on the cardiovascular system of a large dose of theobromine can be deadly.
However, according to Caldwell, this is extremely unlikely. To do this, you need to eat lots of chocolate.
Upset stomach and vomiting, which you earn in the process, just do not let you eat a lethal dose.
In various different types of chocolate theobromine content. In dairy about 2.4 mg per 1 g of chocolate, and bitter - 5.5 mg. The toxic dose for man theobromine - 1000 mg per 1 kg weight. That is, a person weighing 75 kg needs to eat 75 grams of theobromine to be poisoned to death. It is about 711 bars of milk chocolate weighing '43
But for dogs toxic dose is much lowerChocolate poisoning - 100-500 mg per 1 kg weight. So make sure that the pet does not get to your sweet reserves.
Although death from an overdose of chocolate - not the strangest thing, what a man, Caldwell never faced with such a case and did not hear about it from colleagues. Unless you are trying to get poisoned deliberately, you will not die, no matter how much chocolate or eaten.
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