Pre-workout powder recalled over illegal stimulant linked to heart attacks

A Texas company selling pre-workout products has recalled a powder found to contain an illegal and dangerous stimulant, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last week.

A batch of “Leader Formulas, LLC RAPTURE Preworkout” sold online and in stores between January 2025 and May 2026 was made with “1,3-Dimethylamylamine,” also known as “DMAA.”

DMAA is a synthetic chemical developed from amphetamine sometimes used in dietary supplements that can spike blood pressure and lead to heart attacks, shortness of breath and tightening of the chest.

Using products with DMAA can be fatal. There have not been reports of any negative health impacts related to the recall, the FDA noted.

The deaths of several Texas service members were linked to DMAA in 2012-2013. So was the death of 30-year-old London marathon runner Claire Squires in 2013.

“DMAA is not a dietary ingredient, and DMAA-containing products marketed as dietary supplements are illegal and their marketing violates the law,” the FDA says.

A request for comment from the company was not immediately returned to The Independent.

Which products are affected?

Several flavors of RAPTURE Preworkout have been listed in the recall, including Rainbow Twist, Electric Lemonade and Berry Mojito.

Each flavor is packaged in 450g plastic containers, includes the lot number 260327-4 and was sold from January 29, 2025, through May 25, 2026.

Because pre-workout products are considered supplements, the FDA does not approve or test their safety or accuracy of labeling before they are sold to consumers.

What should consumers do?

Leader Formulas, LLC is notifying its distributors and customers of the recall by mail and is arranging for return of all recalled products.

“Consumers who have purchased the RAPTURE Preworkout products which are being recalled should stop using the products and return to the place of purchase for a full refund,” the FDA said.

Anyone who experiences any problems taking the product should immediately contact their doctor or healthcare provider, the FDA says.

People can also report problems with the product to the administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by mail or by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

What else is there to know about DMAA?

Once sold as a medicine for nasal decongestion, DMAA was taken off the market in the 1980s due to side effects such as headache, tremors and nervousness.

But DMAA saw a resurgence in 2006, marketed for weight loss and fitness, Texas researchers say.

Some have claimed DMAA is natural and derived from plants. The FDA says there isn’t “any reliable science indicating that DMAA exists naturally in plants.”

DMAA was declared illegal in the U.S. in April 2013. It was banned in 2012 in the U.K., Canada and Australia.

Since 2012, the FDA has issued warning letters to companies notifying them that marketing DMAA-containing products violates the law.

Companies with products found to contain DMAA are given an opportunity for a voluntary recall and to destroy the products. Refusing to comply has led to seizures by the FDA.