Made in Boston England since 1907, Jakemans Throat & Chest Lozenges have been helping throats feel better naturally for more than a century. Long known for their unusually delicious flavors and unique Liquid-Drop shape, our lozenges provide you with comfortable, soothing relief from coughs or sore throats due to colds or flu.

Can You Overdose on Cough Drops? - Healthline Can You Overdose on Cough Drops? - Healthline

Keep in mind that cough drops also contain a fair amount of sugar. Eating an excessive amount of cough drops on a regular basis may also lead to weight gain over time. The most common medication in a cough drop is menthol. This is an organic compound made from peppermint, eucalyptus, and other mint oils. Sugar-free varieties of cough drops are available, but eating too many of them can have a laxative effect. This is especially true for cough drops that contain a sugar substitute known as sorbitol. There has been one report of an 86-year-old man who experienced serious symptoms after eating two entire bags of menthol cough drops every day for 20 years. He experienced: But it would take rapid ingestion, which would likely first cause other health risks, such as choking and nausea.

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If you’re worried about overdosing, follow the dosage on the label or avoid menthol lozenges completely. You’ll probably experience some indigestion or a stomach ache before more serious symptoms of overdosing on cough drops occur. Kanezaki M, et al. (2017). Effect of the cooling sensation induced by olfactory stimulation by L-menthol on dyspnoea: A pilot study. There’s no standard limit to how many cough lozenges can be consumed. This is largely due to the amount of active ingredient variation between brands.

Jakemans Cough Sweets | Throat Sweets Jar 2.7kg | Hancocks

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Other cough drop brands don’t contain any medication. They use pectin and honey to coat and calm your throat.

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To put it in perspective, a typical cough drop contains between 5 and 10 mg of menthol. There’s no accepted standard for a menthol overdose, but research suggests anywhere between 50 mg/kg and 1,000 mg/kg could cause a lethal overdose. This suggested range is based on the weight of the individual, so the amount of menthol it takes to cause an overdose in one person is different from what it would take in another. For example, if an individual weighed 175 pounds (79.5 kg), anywhere from 3,975mg to 79,500mg could cause a menthol overdose. This would mean ingesting 397 to 7,950 drops containing 10 mg of menthol each. Some people love the sweet taste and calming effects of cough drops and may want to take them even when they don’t have a cough. But eating more than the recommended amount of cough drops — or anything for that matter — can result in a few unwanted symptoms. How many cough drops is too many? While it’s possible to develop negative symptoms from consuming too many cough drops, you aren’t likely to ingest enough to cause any serious harm. Still, you should always read the label and try not to exceed the recommended dose. Menthol helps cool your airway passages and soothe your throat. It may be paired with benzocaine, a local anesthetic.