Why Was Jack3d Pre-Workout Banned?

This page covers the original DMAA version of Jack3d. Later products using the Jack3d name are reformulations. This is a historical and safety explainer, not dosing or buying guidance.

Original Jack3d became famous for its hard-hitting stimulant feel. The ingredient behind most of that reputation was DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine)—and that is also why the original U.S. formula disappeared.

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Quick Take

Why removed Original Jack3d contained DMAA. FDA detained it in 2013; USPlabs later destroyed the detained product and stopped manufacturing with DMAA.

U.S. status FDA says DMAA is not a dietary ingredient and DMAA-containing dietary supplements are illegal.

Safe dose No safe dietary-supplement dose has been established.

Jack3d today Later products are reformulations. Judge any current version by its current official label.

What Was in the Original Jack3d?

USPlabs · Original Jack3d

Historical U.S. DMAA formula

Defining stimulantDMAA / 1,3-dimethylamylamine

Also calledMethylhexanamine · geranamine

Old marketingSometimes framed as “geranium extract”

FDA positionNot a dietary ingredient

Formula outcomeOriginal DMAA version removed / reformulated

The “geranium extract” framing is not a safety reassurance. FDA says it is not aware of reliable science showing DMAA occurs naturally in plants; authenticated geranium material also failed to show DMAA in a 2015 analysis.

Why the Original Formula Disappeared

2012

FDA warning letters

FDA began warning companies that DMAA-containing supplements were being marketed unlawfully.

2013

Jack3d detained

FDA detained Jack3d and OxyElite Pro. USPlabs later destroyed the detained products and agreed to stop manufacturing with DMAA.

2019–20

FDA position upheld

The Eleventh Circuit upheld the conclusion that DMAA is not a dietary ingredient; the Supreme Court declined review in 2020.

2026

Hidden DMAA still detected

FDA found undeclared 1,3-DMAA in RAPTURE Preworkout and undeclared 1,4-DMAA in PRE-FORMANCE BLACK.

Original Jack3d vs Later Formulas

Original Jack3d

Later official formulas

DMAA

Contained DMAA

Not the original U.S. DMAA formula

U.S. market history

Removed after FDA enforcement

Reformulated products

How to assess it

Historical formula

Check the current official label

Why DMAA Raised Concern

Blood vesselsFDA warns DMAA can narrow vessels and arteries

Blood pressureCan increase

Serious risksCardiovascular problems, heart attack, seizures and neurologic symptoms

Other stimulantsEspecially concerning with caffeine or other stimulants

FDA says it has no information demonstrating that DMAA is safe to consume and advises consumers not to buy or use products containing it.

What the Human Research Shows

10 weeks 25 healthy men

Small trial ▼

Resting blood pressure No significant between-group change

Systolic pressure ~6 mmHg increase in supplement group

Funding USPlabs

The authors called for larger and longer studies. Funding was provided by USPlabs.

Single dose 8 men enrolled

7 analyzed ▼

Dose 25 mg DMAA

Resting measures Largely unchanged

Funding / design USPlabs-funded; company consulted

One participant was excluded because of abnormal DMAA levels.

Acute 10 healthy adults

BP ↑ ▼

Finding Systolic and diastolic pressure increased

Largest response 75 mg DMAA + 250 mg caffeine

Measure Rate-pressure product also increased

The largest response occurred after 75 mg DMAA plus 250 mg caffeine.

Case report Cardiac arrest in a 21-year-old

Reported ▼

Exposure DMAA-containing workout supplement

Interpretation Signals possible harm; does not prove DMAA alone caused it

A case report can flag possible harm but cannot prove that DMAA alone caused the event.

Short-term studies do not establish a generally safe consumer dose.

Did the Defense Department Clear DMAA?

Four deaths reviewedNo significant causal role assigned to DMAA

Case-control analysisNo overall association across assessed adverse events

Case-only subgroupHigher-frequency use tracked with multiple outcomes in a small, unadjusted analysis

Panel recommendationContinue military-exchange sales prohibition

This was not a general safety clearance. The panel characterized DMAA-associated risk as low-to-moderate. Misuse can raise risk, but ordinary label-directed use has not been established as generally safe.

FAQ

Why was the original Jack3d removed? ▼

Because it contained DMAA. FDA detained Jack3d in 2013; USPlabs later destroyed the detained products and agreed to stop manufacturing with DMAA.

Was Jack3d banned everywhere? ▼

This article covers the United States. The original DMAA formula was removed after FDA enforcement; regulations and availability differed elsewhere.

Is DMAA legal in U.S. dietary supplements? ▼

FDA says DMAA is not a dietary ingredient and DMAA-containing products marketed as dietary supplements are illegal.

Has a safe consumer dose of DMAA been established? ▼

No. Small, short-term studies do not establish broad safety, and FDA advises consumers not to buy or use DMAA products.

What about drug-tested athletes? ▼

DMAA, dimethylamylamine and geranamine are prohibited in competition. Supplement labels can omit prohibited stimulants, so label absence alone does not eliminate testing risk.

Bottom Line

Original Jack3d left the U.S. supplement market because its DMAA formula ran into FDA enforcement. Human studies are too limited to establish a safe consumer dose, and acute blood-pressure effects have been documented.

The original DMAA formula was removed from the U.S. market. No safe dietary-supplement dose has been established.

Sources

10 references

FDA

DMAA in Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements

U.S. FDA · legal status, safety warning, Jack3d enforcement history

Open source →

Verified

FDA

RAPTURE Preworkout hidden-ingredient notice

U.S. FDA · May 5, 2026 · undeclared 1,3-DMAA

Open source →

Verified

FDA

PRE-FORMANCE BLACK hidden-ingredient notice

U.S. FDA · June 24, 2026 · undeclared 1,4-DMAA

Open source →

Verified

DMAA + caffeine acute blood-pressure study

Bloomer et al. · 10 healthy adults · randomized crossover

Open source →

Verified

10-week DMAA-containing supplement study

Whitehead et al. · 25 healthy men · USPlabs-funded

Open source →

Verified

DMAA pharmacokinetic study

Schilling et al. · single 25 mg dose · USPlabs-funded

Open source →

Verified

Cardiac-arrest case report

Karnatovskaia et al. · DMAA-containing workout supplement

Open source →

Verified

DMAA analysis in authentic geranium material

Avula et al. · DMAA not detected in authenticated P. graveolens samples

Open source →

Verified

DoD

DoD DMAA Safety Review Panel

Department of Defense · June 3, 2013 · risk review and sales recommendation

Open source →

Verified

USADA

Screen Your Dietary Supplements

USADA · DMAA / dimethylamylamine / geranamine prohibited in-competition

Open source →

Verified

Nader

20+ years lifting · 200+ products tested · Fact-checked Sep 19, 2026

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