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Kyle T. Ganson, PhD<\/p>\nCanadian teenagers and young adults who use pre-workout dietary supplements are likely to get too little sleep, potentially jeopardizing their health, researchers say.<\/p>\n
Kyle T. Ganson, PhD<\/p>\n
Sleep is particularly important for young people, \u201cwho are going through significant physiological, psychological, and cognitive development,\u201d Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto in Toronto, told Medscape News Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cIronically,\u201d he noted, \u201cadolescents and young adults may turn to pre-workout supplements to support and catalyze their workout, but that may come at the risk of losing critical hours of sleep, which is necessary for rejuvenating energy levels, overall recovery, and muscle repair.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the key findings of the study is that adolescents and young adults require between 7 and 10 hours of sleep per night, and we found that those who used [pre-workout supplements] have 5 or fewer hours,\u201d Ganson said.<\/p>\n
The study was published<\/a> on December 3 in Sleep Epidemiology.<\/p>\n Demographically Diverse Sample<\/p>\n The researchers analyzed data from 912 participants in Wave 2 of the Canadian Study of Adolescent Behaviors. They used multinomial logistic regression analyses to investigate the cross-sectional association between the use of pre-workout dietary supplements in the past 12 months and average sleep duration in the past 2 weeks.<\/p>\n Pre-workout use (any\/none) was assessed with the question, \u201cOver the past 12 months, have you used any of the following appearance- and performance-enhancing dietary supplements and substances?\u201d with \u201cpre-workout drinks or powders\u201d listed as a response option.<\/p>\n Average sleep duration was self-reported based on the question, \u201cIn the past 2 weeks, how many hours per night did you sleep on average?\u201d<\/p>\n The sample was demographically diverse. The mean age was 23.4 years. More than half of participants (57.4%) identified as girls or young women. Nearly two thirds (62.2%) identified as White, and 55.1% identified as heterosexual.<\/p>\n About one third of participants (34.9%) reported averaging 7 hours of sleep per night over the past 2 weeks. More than one fifth (22.2%) reported using pre-workout supplements in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n The data were adjusted for age, gender, race\/ethnicity, sexual orientation<\/a>, highest completed education, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score, General Anxiety Disorder<\/a>-7 score, and any weight training in the past 30 days.<\/p>\n Developmental Implications<\/p>\n Adolescents and young adults who reported using pre-workout dietary supplements were more than twice as likely to report 5 hours or less of average sleep per night as those who did not, relative to 8 hours of sleep. The relative risk ratio was 2.53.<\/p>\n \u201cFindings underscore that the high caffeine<\/a> content of pre-workout dietary supplements is associated with shorter sleep durations that are well below the recommended guidelines for adolescents and young adults,\u201d the authors wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cThese products commonly contain large doses of caffeine \u2014 anywhere between 90 and over 350 mg of caffeine \u2014 more than a can of Coke (which has roughly 35 mg) and a cup of coffee (with about 100 mg),\u201d said Ganson. \u201cOur results suggest that pre-workout use may contribute to inadequate sleep, which is critical for healthy development, mental well-being, and academic functioning.\u201d<\/p>\n The authors noted several limitations of the study. The sample was collected via social media, and participants self-selected their involvement in the data collection, which limited the generalizability of the findings.<\/p>\n The study also had relatively high attrition. No details were provided on the dose, frequency, and timing of pre-workout supplement use, or the various formulations \u2014 all of which might affect sleep duration.<\/p>\n Despite these limitations, the authors concluded that \u201chealth and mental health care professionals should provide education and guidance on the potential adverse effects that pre-workout use can have on sleep duration if consumed too close to bedtime.\u201d They also recommended providing sleep hygiene information, particularly given the importance of sleep for athletic performance and muscle building.<\/p>\n Young people should be informed about the safety and efficacy of these dietary supplements, Ganson said. \u201cJust because they are easy to purchase and readily available doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they are effective and safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Fatigue and Stimulants \u201cWe are sleeping less and stimulating or caffeinating ourselves more, and this study shows the massive impact of stimulant<\/a> use on sleep,\u201d Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California, told Medscape News Canada.<\/p>\n While his younger clientele doesn\u2019t often report use of pre-workout supplements, many are using caffeine and other stimulants, including prescription methylphenidate<\/a>, he said. These patients \u201cget into loops of fatigue requiring stimulants, then that impairs sleep. They get insufficient sleep and then need more stimulants \u2014 most often, coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n Dimitriu said more research is needed to assess specific products, caffeine doses, and timing of use. \u201cHowever, even globally, the association of decreased sleep with workout enhancers appears strong.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"photo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ht-251216-alex-dimitriu-120x156.jpg\")
Alex Dimitriu, MD<\/p>\n