You’re on the treadmill, pushing yourself, feeling that familiar surge of energy. But what if that ‘buzz’ is doing more harm than good? At Rushcutters Health Gym, your well-being is our priority, and we’re seeing a concerning trend regarding caffeine consumption and its impact on your fitness journey.
Take Vin Carley’s story in the USA, for instance. A seasoned gym-goer, 42 and seemingly fit, he was ramping up his pace on the treadmill when something felt terribly wrong. His heart pounded, his breath grew ragged. He’d had his usual coffee and a pre-workout supplement he’d been using for ages. In his younger days in the Marine Corps, he’d tried all the heavy hitters. Now, with an IT job, he was downing four coffees a day, sometimes a 5-Hour Energy, and his pre-workout before a run or lift – he loved that “fired up, powerful, fast” feeling.
Then, it happened. From feeling “off” on the treadmill, he collapsed on the YMCA floor, turning blue, then grey. A quick-thinking doctor, also working out, sprinted over and, finding no pulse, used a defibrillator. Carley had inadvertently consumed at least 500 milligrams of caffeine in his pre-workout, on top of his coffee, potentially reaching 600 milligrams in an hour. While the FDA estimates toxic effects around 1,200 milligrams, Carley was exercising, which significantly heightened his risk of pushing his heart too far.
The Rise of Caffeine-Related Incidents
Carley’s frightening experience isn’t an isolated incident. Doctors and researchers are seeing a rise in caffeine-related health events, and it’s not just about one source. Remember Panera Bread stopping sales of its “Charged Lemonade” after links to two deaths? Or 18-year-old fighter Zach Doran collapsing and dying after an energy drink before an MMA fight? Whether you’ve noticed it or not, we’re all consuming more caffeine. A 2022 survey by Kantar revealed people are downing 27 per cent more caffeine than in 2010, and Australian daily coffee consumption is also on the rise.
It’s not necessarily coffee or tea that are the problem – both have known health benefits. But when caffeine is isolated and shoveled into energy drinks, sugar-loaded lemonades, and pre-workout supplements, that changes everything. It’s not just how much caffeine, but how we’re taking it.
Brands like Celsius are everywhere, claiming to accelerate metabolism and burn body fat. They’ve become the third-most-popular energy drink in America, behind Red Bull and Monster. While they market themselves as the “new workout fuel,” with endorsements from athletes like Travis Hunter and Jake Paul, experts have concerns.
Understanding Caffeine’s Impact on Your Body
To truly understand the risks, we need to look at how caffeine affects your body. It’s a powerful stimulant, blocking adenosine receptors in your brain, which normally make you feel sleepy. This promotes wakefulness and can make you feel ready to go. Research indicates that caffeine reliably improves physical performance across almost every domain studied, offering a 3 to 5 per cent boost in strength, aerobic exercise, and more.
Energy drink and pre-workout companies understandably leverage this performance-enhancing aspect in their marketing. However, there’s another, far more dangerous side. While 10 grams of caffeine (around 100 cups of coffee) can be lethal, the average Aussie consumes considerably less than the FDA’s recommended 400 milligrams a day (about four cups of coffee, or two Monsters). Most of us learn to self-regulate, finding our “sweet spot.” But the danger often lies in how caffeine is delivered. Coffee and tea are typically sipped slowly. But sugary, fountain-dispensed drinks or concentrated pre-workout powders can lead to rapid overconsumption. Panera’s Charged Lemonade, for example, contained 390 milligrams in one large cup – almost the daily safe limit – and customers likely didn’t realise a lemonade could be so potent.
Pre-workout supplements, often with catchy names, can contain 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine per scoop. And because they’re not regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia in the same way as medicines, we don’t always know what’s truly in them, or how the various ingredients interact. This brings us back to Vin Carley.
The Expert View: A Word of Caution
Cardiologists have observed patients arriving in emergency rooms with palpitations and chest pain, symptoms they suspected were related to energy drinks. Studies have shown reduced blood flow and arterial constriction in individuals after consuming an energy drink – precisely what you don’t want before intense exercise. The scientific consensus, backed by the American College of Sports Medicine, is clear: energy drinks are not recommended before, during, or immediately after exercise, especially when your heart rate is already elevated. Research suggests that energy drinks can lead to issues ranging from increased blood pressure and irregular heartbeats to blood clotting problems and even heart attacks. And for the new “wellness-centric” energy drinks like Celsius? The general medical view is that they are still problematic.
Some researchers find the evidence Celsius cites for its health claims to be weak, suggesting that the company may be making misleading claims about burning body fat and accelerating metabolism. The primary effect, it is believed, comes simply from the caffeine content.
In contrast, studies on coffee or tea before exercise show significant positive effects on muscular endurance, reaction time, strength, power, and even muscle soreness – without the disastrous side effects Carley experienced. Coffee and tea also contain beneficial compounds and are linked to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and longer life expectancy. These benefits are absent in energy drinks, where the high caffeine levels combined with other ingredients are a major concern. The ever-changing formulas of energy drinks also make them difficult to study, and the interactions between common ingredients like ginseng and guarana are not well understood.
When doctors intubated Vin Carley, bright green slime – residue from his pre-workout – shot out of his mouth. He was told he was minutes from brain death. Despite his healthy lifestyle, tests found no underlying cardiac issues. His discharge instructions were simple: no energy drinks or pre-workouts, ever. Now, Carley is an anti-energy-drink evangelist, sharing his story with friends and others who’ve faced similar heart issues.
At Rushcutters Health, whether you’re looking for personal training Sydney, a fitness trainer Sydney, or exploring our offerings for personal trainer Potts Point clients, we want you to train smart and safely. Instead of reaching for those high-octane, unproven energy drinks, consider a simple coffee before your workout if you need a boost. And if you’re experiencing jitters or any discomfort, listen to your body and pull back. Carley now sticks to coffee and is back to running an eight-minute-mile pace. Your body is a finely tuned machine; fuel it wisely. We’re here to help you achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively.
