Pre-workout powder recalled for a banned stimulant linked to heart attacks

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The product spent more than a year on store shelves and in gym bags before FDA testing turned up what was really inside.

You have probably scooped a pre-workout powder into a shaker at some point before a tough session.

The promise is simple. More energy, sharper focus, a harder workout.

That premise took a hit this week. On October 7, 2026, Leader Formulas recalled one lot of RAPTURE Preworkout nationwide after FDA testing found it contained a banned stimulant called 1,3-dimethylamylamine, or DMAA.

According to the FDA, the recalled lot number 260327-4 covers three flavors. Those are Rainbow Twist, Electric Lemonade, and Berry Mojito, sold nationwide through retail stores and the company website between January 29, 2025 and May 25, 2026.

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Consumers should stop using the product and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. The company says it has not received any reports of adverse events tied to the recalled lot.

What DMAA does inside the body

DMAA is a stimulant and a vasoconstrictor, meaning it narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure. The FDA warns that using DMAA can lead to heart attack, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest.

The military has made the same call. DMAA sits on the Department of Defense's prohibited supplement list.

According to the DoD-funded Operation Supplement Safety program, products containing DMAA have been tied to liver injury, cardiac arrest, stroke, and bleeding in the brain. Deaths have also been reported after heavy exertion.

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The ingredient has been off-limits in supplements for more than a decade. The FDA declared DMAA illegal as a dietary supplement ingredient in April 2013, after a wave of adverse-event reports in people who had taken it.

Why a banned ingredient still ends up in a shaker cup

RAPTURE's label did not list DMAA at all. A separate FDA health fraud notification from May 5, 2026 flagged the product because the stimulant was hidden.

It was present even though consumers had no way to see it on the ingredient panel.

The agency itself notes the limits of what it can catch. The FDA says it cannot test every product sold as a dietary supplement for hidden ingredients.

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That is one reason banned compounds keep turning up in pre-workout and bodybuilding products.

DMAA can also appear under other names, including dimethylamylamine, methylhexanamine, or extracts labeled as Pelargonium graveolens or geranium.

A product that avoids the DMAA abbreviation on the label is not necessarily DMAA-free.

If you have the recalled RAPTURE Preworkout at home, the FDA's instruction is simple. Stop using it and return it to the retailer for a refund.

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Anyone who feels chest tightness, breathing trouble, or other symptoms after taking a pre-workout should contact a healthcare professional.

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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.

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