Fact-check
Is pre-workout banned in India?
Last checked 10 October 2026
Pre-workout is not banned in India as of 10 Oct 2026, but FSSAI's schedules cap caffeine at 3 mg per kg of body weight a day, and a pre-workout containing DMAA, DMHA or yohimbine is not a lawful supplement, because none is in the permitted schedules.
- Classification
- No ban or recall found in official records
- Decided by
- FSSAI
- Reference
- FSSAI direction of 30 Mar 2022 (schedules of permitted ingredients); re-operationalised from 1 Apr 2023
- Latest action
- 1 April 2023
- Last checked
- 10 October 2026
Photo: Whey Protein Scoop (49935767168).jpg by unknown (CC BY 2.0). All photo credits.
FSSAI direction operationalising the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations 2022
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe organise and explain what the document says. The document above is the authority.
Key facts
- Category
- Not banned. Pre-workout is a type of product, not an ingredient with a ruling of its own
- Caffeine
- 3 mg per kg of body weight per day, per FSSAI's schedules
- DMAA, DMHA, yohimbine
- Not in the permitted schedules, so a pre-workout containing them is not a lawful supplement in India
- Creatine
- Permitted at 3 g per day for adults
- Individual brands
- Not assessed on this page; the test is the ingredient list
Where the claim comes from
Searches name individual products ('blood lock pre workout banned in india', 'is c4 pre workout banned in india'). This page does not assess any individual brand.
Pre-workout supplements are not banned in India. FSSAI has not banned the category. What exists is a set of ingredient rules in the schedules of its 2022 health supplement and nutraceutical regulations, put into operation by an FSSAI direction of 30 Mar 2022. Caffeine is permitted up to 3 mg per kg of body weight per day, and creatine up to 3 g per day for adults.
The problem ingredients are the ones that are not in the schedules. DMAA, DMHA and yohimbine are not listed, so a pre-workout that contains any of them is not a lawful supplement in India. The wording matters: this is not a published ban on each of these, but the absence of any permission. Our pages on DMAA and yohimbine set out what we found for each.
Searches that name a product, such as Blood Lock or C4, ask about one brand's formula. This page does not assess any brand. A buyer can apply the same test to any label: look for caffeine above the cap, and for DMAA, DMHA or yohimbine. As of 10 Oct 2026 the 2022 regulations still work through FSSAI directions; no final gazette notification was found in 2025 or 2026.
What this means for you
Read the ingredient list, not the brand
A pre-workout is lawful or not according to what is in it. Caffeine within the cap and creatine within its limit are permitted. DMAA, DMHA and yohimbine are not in the schedules.
Count caffeine from every source
The cap is 3 mg per kg of body weight per day. Energy drinks, tea and coffee add to what a pre-workout supplies.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Common questions
Is C4 pre-workout banned in India?
This page does not assess individual brands. The test is the ingredient list: caffeine within 3 mg per kg a day is permitted, while DMAA, DMHA and yohimbine are not in the permitted schedules.
Is Blood Lock pre-workout banned in India?
This page does not assess individual brands. Check its label against FSSAI's schedules: caffeine is capped at 3 mg per kg a day, and DMAA, DMHA and yohimbine are not permitted.
Official sources and primary records
- FSSAI direction operationalising the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations 2022RegulatorFSSAI · 30 March 2022
- FSSAI direction: re-operationalisation of the FSS (Nutraceutical) Regulations 2022 from 1 Apr 2023RegulatorFSSAI · 1 April 2023
- Food Safety Bulletin, Issue 1, 2026SourceKhaitan & Co