Coffee-induced Hypokalaemia
Open accessAbstract
Taking an excess amount of caffeine (e.g. overdrinking caffeinated beverages) sometimes causes hypokalaemia. Although the detailed mechanism has not been clarified yet, an increased loss of potassium via the urine stream caused by the diuretic action of caffeine is proposed as one of the possibilities. We report the case of a 50-year-old female outpatient who rapidly developed severe generalized muscle weakness and fatigue. Her symptoms were considered to be principally due to hypokalaemia. Since her blood urea nitrogen concentration decreased greatly, it was suggested that she had massive polyuria due to overhydration (i.e. dilution of her body fluids). Initially, we considered that a urinary tract infection might have caused her illness. However, we found that she was a heavy coffee drinker and had constantly experienced massive diuresis. After a course of oral antibiotics, potassium replacement and stopping coffee (caffeine) ingestion, her symptoms resolved quickly. In conclusion, it was considered that overdrinking coffee (caffeine) induced her hypokalaemia. Probably, loss of potassium via the urine stream with secondary aldosteronism was the main cause of the hypokalaemia.
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Acute caffeine poisoning causes hypokalemia.
“Acute caffeine poisoning causes hypokalemia”
From Serum potassium level as a biomarker for acute caffeine poisoning (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
The Introduction and Conclusion state that excess caffeine can sometimes induce hypokalaemia. However, the Case Presentation describes habitual heavy coffee drinking with rapidly developing symptoms, not a documented episode of acute caffeine poisoning; the Discussion also says the measured caffeine level had not reached a toxic level. The source supports the caffeine–hypokalaemia link, but not the claim’s specific acute-poisoning condition. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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Serum potassium level as a biomarker for acute caffeine poisoning
Tsuji, T., Morita, S., Saito, T., Nakagawa, Y., & Inokuchi, S. (2020) · Acute Medicine & Surgery · doi:10.1002/ams2.568 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Tajima, Y.
- Affiliations
- Shinohara Hospital, Aioi 3-174-22, Kiryu 376-0011, Japan.
- Corresponding author
- Tajima, Yutaka
- Venue
- Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-01
- Volume
- 3
- Pages
- 9-13
- ISSN
- 1179-5476 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3046007
- OpenAlex
- W2095149502
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Clinical Medicine Insights Case Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Potassium and Related Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Electrolyte and hormonal disorders
- Keywords
- hypokalemia, caffeine, polyuria, fluid overload, fatigue, secondary hyperaldosteronism, potassium supplementation
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