Doctors issue warning to people taking pre-workout supplements

From daily creatine to post-gym protein shakes, many gym rats have pretty intense routines when it comes to their workouts.

And that’s just for supplements, not to mention your actual gym routine.

For many people, the session doesn’t start until they’ve had a pre-workout (usually some kind of concoction with lots of caffeine).

Similar to creatine, the popularity of pre-workouts has skyrocketed from elite sports to the mainstream in recent years. However, like most things, there can be many side effects to using these supplements.

And recently, a doctor issued a YouTube short with a bit of a warning about the use of caffeine, especially in “powdered” form.

Although his videos are not a substitute for professional medical advice, Dr. Selmed Meser is a published academic author who shares “high-quality scientific content.”

doctor’s warning

“It’s very difficult to get too much caffeine from coffee, but the powdered version is a whole different animal,” he said in one video.

Dr Mether argued that there was a misconception that “the more caffeine you have, the better your performance”, as many pre-workouts now “contain caffeine in powdered form”.

However, he says this is “not always the case.”

Rather, he claims it “may” cause “increased heart rate, tremors, hallucinations, and even seizures.”

Metzer continued, “To get this much caffeine from coffee, even a double espresso would take about eight cups to reach more than 1 gram.

“But if it’s in powder form, you only need a few scoops.”

So while he says “do a pre-workout,” it’s important to “do it responsibly.”

It takes a lot of coffee to get the same effect. (Getty Images)

Benefits of pre-workout

There’s no denying that pre-workouts can help you get through a particularly intense session at the gym. This is especially true for people who exercise first thing in the morning or after a long and tiring day.

Registered sports nutritionist Rob Hobson also told Men’s Health: “For me, the main performance benefits come from ingredients like caffeine, which is well-studied to improve alertness and endurance, and carbohydrates, which actually provide the fuel your muscles need.”

In general, pre-workout helps optimize muscle strength, improve endurance and concentration, and store more energy during training.

Financial Services Agency warning

In 2024, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) published guidance on food supplements containing caffeine.

“Because caffeine is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, its stimulant effects can begin 15 to 30 minutes after ingestion and last for several hours, causing physiological effects and side effects (such as headaches and nausea).”

The agency said consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is unlikely to cause any adverse effects for most people.

“High levels of caffeine can cause anxiety, insomnia, agitation, heart palpitations, diarrhea, and restlessness, and people with mental health conditions can experience worsening of psychosis. These effects can be more severe in people who are sensitive to caffeine or have underlying health problems such as heart disease or high blood pressure, and they can occur even at lower doses.”

The FSA added that overconsumption is associated with a range of serious adverse effects: “Such rapid heart rates, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures have been observed with caffeine intakes of around 1.2g (1,200mg); 10-14g (10,000mg) Caffeine ingestion above 10,400mg has been reported to be fatal, but even lower doses can be life-threatening for sensitive people.These cases occur where the caffeine measurement was incorrect. ”

So be sure to read labels correctly and account for other sources of caffeine such as tea, coffee, and energy drinks in your calculations.