The Health Canada Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD)'s Caffeine monograph, published in 2008, sets 200 mg as the maximum single dose, and 800 or 1000 mg as the maximum daily dose for products recommended as mild diuretics or for products recommended to temporarily help promote alertness and wakefulness, enhance cognitive performance, relieve fatigue, promote endurance, and enhance motor performance, respectively. These products (tablets, capsules, and strips only) are for occasional use only.
The NNHPD's Cognitive Function Products monograph, published in 2014, sets 200 mg as the maximum single dose, and 400 mg as the maximum daily dose for products recommended to temporarily help promote alertness and wakefulness, and enhance cognitive performance. The maximum daily dose of 1000 mg from the NNHPD Caffeine monograph does not apply to this category of products, as the maximum daily dose of 1000 mg is for products intended for occasional use only.
The NNHPD's Workout Supplements monograph, published in 2015, sets 200 mg as the maximum single dose, and 400 mg as the maximum daily dose for products recommended to temporarily help relieve fatigue, promote endurance, and enhance motor performance. The maximum daily dose of 1000 mg from the NNHPD Caffeine monograph does not apply to this category of products, as the maximum daily dose of 1000 mg is for products intended for occasional use only.
The NNHPD's also applies limits to caffeinated energy shots (e.g. 60-90 mL/dosage unit): 200 mg as the maximum single dose, 400 mg as the maximum daily dose. Claims associated with these products, which are for occasional use only, are, e.g., for periods of increased mental and physical exertion, to temporarily help restore mental alertness or wakefulness when experiencing fatigue or drowsiness, for periods of increased mental and physical exertion, to help enhance cognitive performance, for periods of increased physical exertion, to help temporarily relieve fatigue, promote endurance, and enhance motor performance.
There were also discussions at Health Canada in 2013, between the NNHPD and the Food Directorate, with regards to single doses of Caffeine higher than 200 mg. One of the propositions was to allow more flexibility for single doses of Caffeine by being expressed on body weight, e.g. 3-4 mg/Kg b.w., up to a maximum of 400 mg per single dose, with 400 mg as the maximum daily dose for products intended for continuous use and 1000 mg as the maximum daily dose for products intended for occasional use only. Discussions on the allowable limits for natural health products and foods are still ongoing at Health Canada. Different directions of use and risk statements also applies to different types of products, different doses.
Information of caffeinated energy drinks, classified as foods in Canada, is available at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/prodnatur/caf-drink-boissons-eng.php.
