CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 28Coffee research and impactsDoping in SportsAnalytical Methods in Pharmaceuticals

Caffeine content of pre-workout supplements commonly used by Australian consumers

Desbrow, Ben, Hall, Susan, O'Connor, Helen, Slater, Gary, Barnes, Katelyn, Grant, Gary·2019·Drug Testing and Analysis
DOI 10.1002/dta.2501
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Abstract The stimulant properties of caffeine are often promoted in pre‐workout supplements (PWS) to assist with training, reduce the perception of fatigue, and for some brands, assist body fat loss. While manufacturers of PWS often indicate the inclusion of significant amounts of caffeine, no independent verification of the caffeine content of these products exists. The aim of this investigation was to independently assess the caffeine content of popular PWS in Australia and compare these values to nutrition information panel data. Fifteen PWS were tested for their caffeine content (both within and between batches of the same product). The caffeine content of selected PWS ranged from 91 to 387 mg·serve−1. Only 6 of the 15 PWS nutrition information panels included details on caffeine content. The percent of caffeine present ranged from 59% to 176% of packaging claims. All but one PWS contained a variation of caffeine within and between batches that was considered “practically” significant (ie, ≥40 mg·serve−1 variation). Consumers are likely to be exposed to large and variable caffeine doses if ingesting PWS. Product information panels do little to improve consumer awareness of likely caffeine intakes.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/dta.2501

Cites

22 of 22 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • To avoid reductions in total sleep time, a standard serve of pre-workout supplement (217.5 mg) should be consumed at least 13.2 h prior to bedtime.

    “a standard serve of pre-workout supplement (217.5 mg) should be consumed at least 13.2 h prior to bedtime.”

    From The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as [57]

  • To avoid reductions in total sleep time, a standard serve of pre-workout supplement (typical caffeine content: 217.5 mg) must be consumed at least 13.2 h prior to bedtime.

    “a standard serve of pre-workout supplement (typical caffeine content: 217.5 mg [57]) must be consumed at least 13.2 h prior to bedtime.”

    From The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as [57]

  • The consumption of a standard serve of a pre-workout supplement (typical caffeine content: 217.5 mg) is predicted to reduce total sleep time if consumed at any point after 8:50 a.m.

    “Similarly, the consumption of a standard serve of a pre-workout supplement (typical caffeine content: 217.5 mg [57]) is predicted to reduce total sleep time if consumed at any point after 8:50 a.m.”

    From The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as [57]

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Desbrow, B., Hall, S., O'Connor, H., Slater, G., Barnes, K., & Grant, G.
Affiliations
  • Griffith University (AU)
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • University of the Sunshine Coast (AU)
Corresponding author
Desbrow, Ben
ORCID
Venue
Drug Testing and Analysis
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-10-03
Volume
11
Issue
3
Pages
523-529
ISSN
  • 1942-7603 (ISSN-L)
  • 1942-7611
DOI
10.1002/dta.2501
OpenAlex
W2889771378
Cited by
28
References
22
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6
FWCI
2.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Drug Testing and Analysis (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
Funders
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (2188190)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Doping in Sports
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Analytical Chemistry › Analytical Methods in Pharmaceuticals
Keywords
pre-workout supplements, caffeine content, nutrition information panels, product labeling accuracy, Australian consumers
MeSH terms
Australia, Caffeine, Food Labeling, Humans, Dietary Supplements

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review