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: Menthol helps cool your airway passages and soothe your throat. It may be paired with benzocaine, a local anesthetic. If you manage to eat a very large amount of cough drops, you might experience the following symptoms: But it would take rapid ingestion, which would likely first cause other health risks, such as choking and nausea.

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. If you’re taking cough drops for a sore throat or cough and your symptoms don’t improve within 7 days or get worse, see a healthcare professional. If you’re worried about overdosing, follow the dosage on the label or avoid menthol lozenges completely. If you’re worried about overdosing, look for cough drops that don’t contain menthol. Talk with a pharmacist or healthcare professional about what cough drops are best for you. You should keep cough drops out of the reach of children, as children may think they’re candy. Cough drops also present a choking hazard to young children.

Disclaimer

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? https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/labelrss.cfm?setid=6d5eba0a-88a5-72e0-e053-2991aa0aee15 To receive all DailyMed Updates for the last seven days Our effective lozenges are delightfully tasty and provide soothing relief when you’re suffering from a cough, sore throat and the effects of seasonal distress, or you need a boost to your body’s wellness. 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. 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.

The safety of menthol cough drops during pregnancy isn’t known. You should talk with a healthcare professional before taking menthol cough drops while you’re pregnant. Sugar-related symptoms 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. Kanezaki M, et al. (2017). Effect of the cooling sensation induced by olfactory stimulation by L-menthol on dyspnoea: A pilot study. 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. People with diabetes should use extra caution when eating cough drops, as they can cause your blood sugar to rise.Other cough drop brands don’t contain any medication. They use pectin and honey to coat and calm your throat. 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. The most common medication in a cough drop is menthol. This is an organic compound made from peppermint, eucalyptus, and other mint oils. It’s possible to overdose on cough drops containing menthol, but it’s incredibly difficult. Most people with menthol poisoning get it from ingesting pure menthol. Over-the-counter cough drops don’t contain pure menthol. The menthol is usually diluted.