Guidance on caffeine in supplements issued amid safety concerns
The agency, alongside Food Standards Scotland (FSS), is advising consumers to be cautious of their total caffeine consumption, advising that caffeine levels in supplements should be carefully calculated alongside other sources, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks.
A tragic incident in the UK prompted the guidance, where a professional trainer died after mistakenly ingesting a lethal dose of caffeine powder. His miscalculation led him to consume an amount equivalent to up to 200 cups of coffee.
In light of this, the FSA conducted a survey that showed that fewer than half of respondents said they check dosage instructions on supplements, and 20% admitted they do not read supplement labels at all. Research reveals many consumers lack knowledge of caffeine levels in food supplements.
To address these issues, the FSA and FSS consolidated essential information for consumers and businesses to facilitate access to clear, actionable advice on safe caffeine consumption from supplements.
Commenting on the guidance, Professor Robin May, chief scientific advisor at FSA said: “We are reminding businesses of their responsibility to supply safe food and comply with food labeling and compositional requirements so that consumers will have information to help them make informed choices about what they’re eating,”
Advice for businesses
Food supplements in the UK must comply with food law, and domestic laws apply to businesses in Northern Ireland and the EU. Food Business Operators (FBOs) must register with local authorities, but there is no specific maximum caffeine limit in supplements.
There are, however, regulations on caffeine as a food flavoring and specific labeling requirements for products containing caffeine.
While food supplements do not require a license or government approval for sale, businesses involved in their production, import or sale must register with their local authority and follow food safety laws, which are checked during inspections.
Labelling guidance
The UK government advises that drinks with over 150 mg/liter of caffeine to be labeled with a warning: "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women.”
This also applies to concentrated or dried drinks that will exceed this caffeine level when prepared. However, it does not apply to tea or coffee drinks if ‘tea’ or ‘coffee’ is in their name.
For food products where caffeine is added for a physiological purpose, the label should state: "Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant women." The warning must be placed near the food name, along with the caffeine content in milligrams per 100 grams or milliliters.
Advice for consumers
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends a daily caffeine intake of up to 400 mg for healthy adults, and 200 mg for pregnant women. For children, 3 mg/kg of body weight is considered safe.
The FSA warns that while 400 mg per day is generally safe for most people, higher intake can cause issues like anxiety, sleep disruption, cardiovascular problems and, in extreme cases, seizures or death.
High caffeine intake can cause side effects like headaches, anxiety, or even serious health issues such as abnormal heart rhythms or seizures.Sensitive individuals or those with underlying conditions may experience side effects at lower doses.
To avoid excessive caffeine intake, consumers should monitor all caffeine sources (coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, supplements) and follow the dosage instructions on product labels.
“Pure and highly concentrated caffeine supplements such as caffeine powder can be extremely potent, so you should always follow the dose instructions on the label and use appropriate measuring equipment to make sure it’s accurate,” May said.
Insubstantial guidelines
Caffeine gained popularity among athletes after its removal from the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited substances list in 2004 and is now recognized as one of the most common ergogenic aids in sports—approximately 73.8% elite athletes use it before or during competition.
The psychoactive substance enhances performance through various potential mechanisms, which include preserving muscle glycogen by inhibiting phosphodiesterase, promoting calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and counteracting the effects of adenosine A1 and A2 receptors in the central nervous system.
However, the effectiveness of caffeine depends on factors like dosage, form, training status, the timing of consumption, habitual intake, sex and exercise type.
Some studies have sought to fill gaps in existing data, as current caffeine supplementation guidelines are primarily basedon studies involving male athletes.
Researchers recently found that a moderate caffeine dosage of 6 mg/kg (rather than 3 or 9 mg/kg) improved short-term maximal performance and minimized adverse side effects in female team sport athletes.
