What's good in small concentrations, but lethal in higher? What's a glaring red flag you're encroaching on a lethal concentration?

ilex@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 102 points –

Like Fluoride or Oxygen.

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Nicotine, small doses can be okay, but large doses and it's really lethal

Many plant-based drugs, including nicotine, originated as natural insecticides: the plant uses them to make itself poisonous to insects that would eat it.

But impossible to overdose by voluntary inhalation. Just don't eat, drink or inject lethal doses and you'll be fine.

I'm not sure bout that. I know they say it, but on many occasions I've taken 80+mg orally in a day. Lethal dose is supposed to be 60.

Ld50 is usually in units per kg, so unless you are a pixie, 90 is well under that number.

Remember that the ld50 is lethal for 50% of people (healthy adults? Something like that.)

Ld50 is not something I knew about when I asked. I'll pay more attention next time I see some info on it. I'm not abusing nicotine cessation products as much so my interest in researching it has waned.

I'm learning more than I thought I would from this question.