Pre-Workout Caffeine: How Much Is Safe and the Australian Rules in 2026
The caffeine in a pre-workout varies a lot from product to product, so the label is the only reliable guide. For healthy adults, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) advises no more than 400 mg of caffeine a day from all sources, and no more than 200 mg in a single serving. Under food rules gazetted in June 2026, caffeinated sports foods will be capped at 200 mg of caffeine in the amount the label tells you to have in a day, with a transition period running until June 2028.
How much caffeine is safe for adults?
FSANZ guidance on caffeine intake:
- Healthy adults (18 and over): no more than 400 mg a day from all sources, with a maximum of 200 mg in a single serving.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women: no more than 200 mg a day from all sources.
- Under 18: no more than 3 mg per kilo of body weight in a single serving. For a 40 kg teenager, that is 120 mg.
The key phrase is "all sources". Coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, chocolate and your pre-workout all count towards the same daily total. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take regular medication, check with your doctor before using a caffeinated pre-workout.
What the AIS says about caffeine and performance
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) places caffeine in Group A of its Sports Supplement Framework, meaning strong scientific evidence for use in specific situations in sport. The useful dose is smaller than many people expect. The AIS caffeine fact sheet says small doses of about 2 to 3 mg per kilo of body weight (around 200 mg) can improve performance, and the benefit appears to plateau at about 3 mg per kilo. The AIS suggests starting around 1.5 mg per kilo (about 100 mg) and using the lowest dose that works.
| Body weight | 1.5 mg per kg (starting point) | 3 mg per kg (AIS plateau) |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 90 mg | 180 mg |
| 70 kg | 105 mg | 210 mg |
| 80 kg | 120 mg | 240 mg |
| 90 kg | 135 mg | 270 mg |
For heavier people, 3 mg per kilo is above the 200 mg single-serve figure in the FSANZ guidance, so starting low is the cautious path. The AIS lists side effects of higher doses, including a faster heart rate, anxiety, poorer fine motor control, gut upset and disturbed sleep.
The 2026 FSANZ changes to caffeine in sports foods
FSANZ ran a review called Proposal P1056 (Caffeine Review). The FSANZ Board approved the changes on 10 March 2026, and they were gazetted as Amendment No. 250 to the Food Standards Code on 9 June 2026. Many pre-workout powders are sold as "formulated supplementary sports foods", the category these rules cover. The main points:
- Caffeine cap: no more than 200 mg of caffeine, from any source, in the amount the label directs you to consume in one day.
- Concentration limit: powders must not contain 5% or more caffeine, and liquids must not contain 1% or more.
- Labelling: a statement that the product contains caffeine, the average caffeine per serving and per unit quantity in the nutrition panel, and a warning that it is not suitable for children under 15 or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Bars, chews and strips: if a multi-pack contains more than 200 mg of caffeine in total, each portion must be wrapped separately and contain no more than 200 mg.
Caffeine itself, and high-caffeine guarana extract, also cannot be sold at retail as a food unless the Code permits it. Permissions for energy drinks and cola did not change. The rules started on gazettal with a 24-month transition, so until June 2028 a product can meet either the old or the new rules, and you may see both styles of label on shelves.
What about pure caffeine powder?
Pure and highly concentrated caffeine food products have been banned from retail sale in Australia and New Zealand since 12 December 2019. The ban covers foods with 5% or more caffeine in solid or semi-solid form, or 1% or more in liquid form. FSANZ warns that one teaspoon of pure caffeine powder can hold as much caffeine as 25 to 50 cups of coffee. On the medicines side, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) added caffeine to Schedules 4 and 6 of the Poisons Standard from 1 June 2020, with exemptions for lower-strength products.
How to read a pre-workout label for caffeine
- Find the number. Look for caffeine in milligrams per serve in the nutrition or supplement panel.
- Check the serve size. If one serve is two scoops, the caffeine figure is for two scoops.
- Scan the ingredients for other caffeine sources. The TGA lists these plant ingredients as caffeine sources: guarana (Paullinia cupana), green or black tea (Camellia sinensis), coffee and green coffee (Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora), yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), kola nut (Cola acuminata, Cola nitida) and cocoa (Theobroma cacao).
- Be wary of blends. If a "proprietary blend" hides the total caffeine, you cannot work out your dose.
Not sure what you are looking at? Our guide on which pre-workout is best walks through common ingredients.
Hidden caffeine: stacking with coffee and energy drinks
Typical Australian amounts, from the AIS caffeine fact sheet:
| Source | Serve | Caffeine (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Brewed coffee | 250 ml cup | 80 mg (range 40 to 110) |
| Espresso or short black | 1 standard serve | 107 mg (range 25 to 214) |
| Black tea | 250 ml cup | 25 to 110 mg |
| Red Bull | 250 ml can | 80 mg |
| Monster | 500 ml can | 160 mg |
| Coca-Cola | 375 ml can | 36 mg |
| Dark chocolate | 60 g | 10 to 50 mg |
Here is how fast it adds up: a 200 mg pre-workout, a morning espresso (about 107 mg) and a 500 ml energy drink after work (160 mg) comes to about 467 mg. That is over the 400 mg daily guidance, and the AIS notes coffee strength varies widely between cafes.
Timing and sleep
According to the AIS, about half the caffeine you take is still in your blood around 5 hours later. Caffeine can affect how quickly you fall asleep and how well you sleep, even at low intakes. If you have a 200 mg pre-workout at 7 pm, roughly 100 mg could still be circulating around midnight. If you train in the evening, options include a smaller serve, an earlier session or a stim-free formula.
Stim-free options
Stim-free pre-workouts contain no added caffeine, which suits evening trainers and people sensitive to caffeine. Browse our stim-free pre-workout range, and still check the ingredient list for tea or guarana extracts.
Some people also pair a stim-free product with creatine, which has no caffeine. Our how to take creatine guide covers the basics.
How Supps247 can help
Supps247 has 18 stores across Victoria and in Brisbane, and our staff can help you compare caffeine and serve sizes across labels. Find your nearest store on our store locator, order online with Australia-wide delivery, or use click and collect. Browse the full pre-workout collection or see our best pre-workout Australia page to compare options.
FAQs
How much caffeine is in a typical pre-workout?
It varies a lot between products, so check the milligrams of caffeine per serve on the label and how many scoops make up one serve. Under the 2026 FSANZ changes, formulated supplementary sports foods are limited to 200 mg of caffeine in the amount the label directs you to have in one day, once the transition period ends in June 2028.
Is 300 mg of caffeine in a pre-workout too much?
For healthy adults, FSANZ guidance is no more than 200 mg of caffeine in a single serving and 400 mg a day from all sources, so 300 mg in one hit is above the single-serve figure. The AIS also notes that performance benefits appear to plateau at about 3 mg per kilo of body weight.
How long before training should I take a caffeinated pre-workout?
The AIS says caffeine's benefits start soon after you have it, and blood levels usually peak around 60 minutes later. Follow your product's label directions, and remember about half the caffeine is still in your blood around 5 hours later.
Can I take pre-workout while pregnant or breastfeeding?
FSANZ advises pregnant and breastfeeding women to have no more than 200 mg of caffeine a day from all sources. Under the updated rules, caffeinated sports foods must carry a warning that they are not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Talk to your doctor or midwife before using any supplement during this time.
Sources: FSANZ, Caffeine powders and high caffeine content foods; FSANZ, P1056 Caffeine Review; FSANZ, P1056 Approval Report (March 2026); FSANZ, Food Standards Code Amendment No. 250 (9 June 2026); AIS Sports Supplement Framework, Group A; AIS, Caffeine fact sheet; AIS, Caffeine infographic; TGA, Final decision on caffeine in the Poisons Standard; TGA, Changes to permissible ingredients: caffeine.
