{"id":556486099017,"title":"Best Pre-Workout: The Healthiest and Most Effective Brands","created_at":"2022-05-18T20:40:27-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Best Pre-Workout: The Healthiest and Most Effective Brands\",\n \"keywords\": \"best pre workout\",\n \"description\": \"Our MD and research team recommend the best pre-workout products based on their formulation across various categories, including best overall pre-workout, best organic pre-workout and best caffeine-free pre-workout. We review medical research to make our top picks.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/best-pre-workout\",\n\"author\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n }\n],\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Best_Pre_Workout_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1652930713\",\n\"width\": \"2840\",\n\"height\": \"2840\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30089501\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4947244\/\",\n\"https:\/\/nakednutrition.com\/products\/pre-workout-powder\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34291426\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24389513\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32833890\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Legion-Caffeine-Natural-Workout-Supplement\/dp\/B07PWP94H9\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20386132\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2915951\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6276611\/\",\n\"https:\/\/legionathletics.com\/products\/supplements\/pulse-pre-workout\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.organicmuscle.com\/products\/organic-pre-workout-passionfruit-guava\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19781622\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gutconnect-365-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35203046\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6073798\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"athletic performance\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"ergogenic\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n},\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"l-citrulline\"\n},\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"NSF Certified for Sport\"\n}\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-05-18\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Best_Pre_Workout_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1652920991\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDisclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s) and published for informational purposes only. We recommend that patients get pre-workout use cleared by a doctor, because there may be medical conditions which preclude use of this type of supplement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eP\u003c\/span\u003ere-workout is becoming one of the most popular supplement categories, because it can provide the motivation to exercise at maximum capacity in the gym. Sometimes it can be a challenge to motivate yourself to work out after a long day, and pre-workout can provide the stimulation that gets you through that slump.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll review some medical research on pre-workouts generally, explain how we qualify the healthiest and most effective pre-workout products, and then provide recommendations for pre-workout products across a wide variety of categories.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDoes Pre-Workout Work?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBefore purchasing any product and potentially wasting money, it’s useful to look at medical research to determine if a supplement or supplement category is likely to be effective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30089501\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined the performance outcomes of multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (which most popular products are). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe researchers concluded that pre-workouts “may positively influence muscular endurance and subjective mood,” and that taking pre-workout regularly before lifting weights may “augment beneficial changes in body composition through increased lean mass accretion.” Put simply, this means that pre-workouts may cause favorable changes in body composition when combined with a hard workout regiment. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA separate \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4947244\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e analyzed whether acute (one-time) pre-workout supplementation could increase power and strength performance. The study authors found that pre-workout intake caused “significant improvements” in power values. The study participants taking pre-workout were able to lift more weight on average than those taking a placebo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe can conclude that pre-workout is effective for improving athletic performance on average. This is likely due to one of the main active ingredients being caffeine, which has been proven for decades to enhance sports performance at both a physical and mental level.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat Makes a Good Pre-Workout Brand?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe most important factor when evaluating a pre-workout brand is a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eclean\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eproduct formulation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. We’re looking for products with effective doses of active ingredients like caffeine, and a relative lack of questionable filler ingredients like added sugars and flavoring agents.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUnfortunately many pre-workout products are laden with questionable additive ingredients because so many consumers care more about taste than health, so this makes qualifying products from this category even more important if you’re a health-conscious consumer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’re of course going to examine the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eprice\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e as a criteria, and will recommend lower-priced products if other criteria are equal. Some consumers may be unable to afford top-line products, so recommending the cheapest product which meets our quality standards provides value to those consumers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe compare the price in price-per-serving to standardize differences in product size (e.g. some products may contain 90 servings vs. others containing 30, so comparing on price alone wouldn’t provide value).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProduct test results\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e or \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecertifications\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are the third criteria. Ideally brands would publish independent data proving that the ingredients they list on their website actually exist in their products, and that their products have low or no contamination from sources like heavy metals and pesticides.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn the absence of test results, we can look to third-party certifications like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eNSF Certified for Sport\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. This certification program ensures that workout supplements are free of harmful contaminants and are accurately labeled.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBest Overall Pre-Workout – Naked Energy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Naked_Energy_Optimized_480x480.webp?v=1652921086\" alt=\"Naked Energy pre-workout\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Nutrition is the manufacturer of a pre-workout supplement called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nakednutrition.com\/products\/pre-workout-powder\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Energy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which is our top overall pick. This brand is known for its clean and effective formulations and we’ve recommended them before.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Energy passes the clean formulation test because it’s the only pre-workout supplement we reviewed which contains zero questionable additive ingredients like sweeteners or other flavoring agents. The product is sold with flavored options, so be sure to choose the unflavored version, titled “Pre Workout Supplement” on their site.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis pre-workout contains 200 milligrams (mg) of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is an effective dose for resistance training based on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34291426\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003epublished medical research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. It’s also a relatively moderate dose, which makes it less likely to cause anxiety than higher doses. This dose is equivalent to the caffeine content in around two cups of coffee.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Energy also contains an amino acid called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebeta-alanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which is a proven ergogenic compound. This is a medical term meaning it improves physical performance during exercise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe recommended daily dose of beta-alanine used to be higher, but recent studies have suggested an effective dose of barely over 1 gram (g) per day. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24389513\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on the dose necessary to maintain elevated muscle carnosine levels (which is what gives beta-alanine its ergogenic properties) concluded that a maintenance dose of 1.2 g beta-alanine kept muscle carnosine at 30-50% above baseline.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA separate \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32833890\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on beta-alanine for sprinters found that a daily 1.2 g dose prevented fatigue, loss of power, and optimized performance compared to baseline.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Energy contains 2 g beta-alanine, which we will conclude is an effective dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe remaining ingredients we don’t find likely to provide any athletic benefit, as we believe the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecreatine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003el-arginine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e doses are too low to provide any substantial benefit. Same goes for the seemingly random blend of vitamins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe generally don’t recommend taking products with random blends of vitamins. In this case, we believe it’s better than the alternative of taking a product with artificial sweeteners and\/or added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe price of Naked Energy is $44.99, and the supplement contains 50 servings, which equates to a per-serving price of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$0.90\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Nutrition does not publish any testing data for this product, and this product has no relevant certifications. Unfortunately this is the norm for the performance supplement industry.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBest Caffeine-Free Pre-Workout - Legion Pulse\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Legion_Pulse_Optimized.png?v=1652921255\" alt=\"Legion Pulse pre-workout\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Legion-Caffeine-Natural-Workout-Supplement\/dp\/B07PWP94H9\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLegion’s Pulse pre-workout powder\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the best caffeine-free product we could find, though we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it due to the inclusion of some filler ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis product is well-formulated for efficacy. It contains 8 g of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003el-citrulline dl-malate 2:1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which equates to 5.33 g l-citrulline. This is an amino acid which is a precursor to nitric oxide; a compound produced by the body which widens blood vessels and improves athletic endurance. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20386132\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e from The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published in 2010 was titled “Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness.” In it, the researchers found that study participants taking citrulline malate were able to perform over 50% more repetitions of flat barbell bench press than those taking a placebo. This is an unbelievable result for such a simple and safe compound.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement also contains beta-alanine at nearly double the dose of Naked Energy. We’ve already established this to be an effective ingredient and dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBetaine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another effective ingredient in this formulation. Its dose of 2.5 g is the exact same dose used in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2915951\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on betaine supplementation and strength and power performance. Those taking betaine had higher bench throw power, isometric bench press force, vertical jump power and isometric squat force than those taking a placebo. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLegion Pulse contains mostly harmless sweeteners like erythritol, but it also contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003enatural flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which is a broad term for flavoring agent compounds which are undisclosed. We recommend avoiding this ingredient for the most part.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe price of Legion Pulse is $39.37 for 21 servings, which equates to a per-serving cost of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$1.88\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs far as product testing, Legion’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/legionathletics.com\/products\/supplements\/pulse-pre-workout\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eproduct page\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e claims this product is lab tested, and they do publish a test result proving the product contains low levels of microbial contaminants, however it’s quite a strange document as it indicates the manufacture date and expiration date are only days apart. Some data is better than no data, but this isn’t a high standard of product test results.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we think this product is the best-formulated of the caffeine-free pre-workouts we analyzed, and it definitely has some effective ingredients for improving athletic performance. However we wouldn’t recommend it overall due to the inclusion of natural flavors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest Organic Pre-Workout - Organic Muscle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Organic_Muscle_Optimized_480x480.webp?v=1652921343\" alt=\"Organic Muscle pre-workout\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are surprisingly few organic pre-workout supplements. Since some consumers prefer organic products exclusively, we wanted to provide thoughts on the best product in this category. Organic Muscle sells an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.organicmuscle.com\/products\/organic-pre-workout-passionfruit-guava\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eorganic pre-workout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which is USDA organic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOrganic Muscle’s Superfood Pre-Workout contains 150 mg of caffeine, which we already established previously is an effective dose. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis product also contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emaca\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e as the first ingredient in a proprietary Energy, Focus and Stamina blend. This botanical compound \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19781622\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas proven\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e in a medical trial to significantly improve cycling time performance. Maca extract was used in the trial, which is more concentrated than raw maca, so it’s not certain that raw maca would confer the same effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeet root\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is included in the Circulation and Pump blend, and this plant is one of the richest in dietary nitrates, which is a nitric oxide precursor just like l-citrulline. Theoretically this should improve exercise endurance, but there isn’t as much research backing for beet root as there is for l-citrulline.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost of the ingredients in this formulation are safe botanical compounds, although it does contain 3 g added sugar (from organic rice syrup primarily – which we believe is a healthier alternative to processed white sugar). It also contains flavoring agents, but the flavors in this product are organic, which means they conform to much stricter quality requirements. Natural flavors can contain industrial solvents and preservatives while organic flavors can’t, as we outlined in our review of flavored supplement \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gutconnect-365-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGutConnect365\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (which we didn’t recommend for this reason).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe price of Organic Muscle Pre-Workout is $40 for 20 servings, or \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$2\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e per serving, making it the most expensive pre-workout we reviewed. Organic products tend to be more expensive because the certification process is expensive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis brand does not appear to publish any third-party testing results. It would be incredibly expensive for them to publish label accuracy tests due to the incredible number of ingredients in this product, but we believe they should publish purity tests.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHealthier Pre-Workout Alternative\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSince we’ve established in this article that two of the most well-studied, safe and effective ergogenic compounds are caffeine and l-citrulline, we believe it’s a much cheaper and healthier pre-workout option to combine these two products rather than take an expensive flavored pre-workout powder with added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMedical research \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35203046\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eshows\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e that 1 to 2 cups of coffee can significantly improve exercise performance. The linked review, published in the well-respected Nutrition journal, examined results from 12 individual trials and concluded that the amount of caffeine in 1 to 2 cups of coffee improved both muscular strength and muscular endurance during workouts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCaffeine is also a proven nootropic compound, so it increases mental focus which can further improve workout results. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBuying coffee grounds is much more cost-effective than purchasing single-use coffee at coffee shops. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/kjvV7V\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBulletproof coffee\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is high-quality coffee that costs $15.99 for 12 ounces, or around \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$0.50 per cup\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eL-citrulline is cheapest when purchased in bulk. We recommend a dosage of 10 g daily which is described as the maximally effective dose \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6073798\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein medical research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3LpU0v1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNutricost l-citrulline\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the brand we recommend for citrulline because it’s incredibly cheap and contains zero questionable additive ingredients like flavoring or sugar. The only ingredient is l-citrulline. The product costs $27.95 and contains 600 g, which equates to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$0.47\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e per 10 g serving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eYou can mix the l-citrulline into coffee, it has essentially no flavor. The drink should be consumed with a straw because both l-citrulline and coffee are acidic and can damage tooth enamel over time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePre-workout products can enhance workout performance and improve desire and motivation to work out, but nearly every product in this supplement category contains questionable additive ingredients which we would recommend avoiding for health reasons.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe hope that this review helped consumers find the best available choice for each popular pre-workout category. Naked Energy is effectively formulated and contains no questionable filler ingredients, but it does contain some vitamins we deem unnecessary. We find this to be the best overall pre-workout formulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLegion Pulse makes the best caffeine-free pre-workout, which is an important category for consumers who are sensitive to caffeine. Their product contains effective ingredients like citrulline malate and betaine which are proven to increase power and endurance, but it’s also expensive per serving and contains additive flavoring agents and sweeteners that we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOrganic Muscle makes an organic pre-workout formulation which has some potentially effective botanical compounds, but it also has added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t necessarily recommend any of these products; we just believe they’re the healthiest and most effective options for their respective categories.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe would recommend black coffee and l-citrulline as a cheaper, healthier and potentially more effective combination for enhancing workout performance than any of the popular pre-workout products on the market today.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-05-18T23:31:16-04:00","updated_at":"2023-03-10T14:58:50-05:00","summary_html":"We recommend the best pre-workout products based on their formulation across various categories, including best overall pre-workout, best organic pre-workout and best caffeine-free pre-workout.","template_suffix":"","handle":"best-pre-workout","tags":"_related:best-of, _related:pre-workout"}

Best Pre-Workout: The Healthiest and Most Effective Brands

Best Pre-Workout: The Healthiest and Most Effective Brands


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Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s) and published for informational purposes only. We recommend that patients get pre-workout use cleared by a doctor, because there may be medical conditions which preclude use of this type of supplement.

Pre-workout is becoming one of the most popular supplement categories, because it can provide the motivation to exercise at maximum capacity in the gym. Sometimes it can be a challenge to motivate yourself to work out after a long day, and pre-workout can provide the stimulation that gets you through that slump.

In this article we’ll review some medical research on pre-workouts generally, explain how we qualify the healthiest and most effective pre-workout products, and then provide recommendations for pre-workout products across a wide variety of categories.

Does Pre-Workout Work?

Before purchasing any product and potentially wasting money, it’s useful to look at medical research to determine if a supplement or supplement category is likely to be effective.

A medical review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined the performance outcomes of multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (which most popular products are). 

The researchers concluded that pre-workouts “may positively influence muscular endurance and subjective mood,” and that taking pre-workout regularly before lifting weights may “augment beneficial changes in body composition through increased lean mass accretion.” Put simply, this means that pre-workouts may cause favorable changes in body composition when combined with a hard workout regiment. 

A separate medical trial analyzed whether acute (one-time) pre-workout supplementation could increase power and strength performance. The study authors found that pre-workout intake caused “significant improvements” in power values. The study participants taking pre-workout were able to lift more weight on average than those taking a placebo.

We can conclude that pre-workout is effective for improving athletic performance on average. This is likely due to one of the main active ingredients being caffeine, which has been proven for decades to enhance sports performance at both a physical and mental level.

What Makes a Good Pre-Workout Brand?

The most important factor when evaluating a pre-workout brand is a clean product formulation. We’re looking for products with effective doses of active ingredients like caffeine, and a relative lack of questionable filler ingredients like added sugars and flavoring agents.

Unfortunately many pre-workout products are laden with questionable additive ingredients because so many consumers care more about taste than health, so this makes qualifying products from this category even more important if you’re a health-conscious consumer.

We’re of course going to examine the price as a criteria, and will recommend lower-priced products if other criteria are equal. Some consumers may be unable to afford top-line products, so recommending the cheapest product which meets our quality standards provides value to those consumers.

We compare the price in price-per-serving to standardize differences in product size (e.g. some products may contain 90 servings vs. others containing 30, so comparing on price alone wouldn’t provide value).

Product test results or certifications are the third criteria. Ideally brands would publish independent data proving that the ingredients they list on their website actually exist in their products, and that their products have low or no contamination from sources like heavy metals and pesticides.

In the absence of test results, we can look to third-party certifications like NSF Certified for Sport. This certification program ensures that workout supplements are free of harmful contaminants and are accurately labeled.

Best Overall Pre-Workout – Naked Energy

Naked Energy pre-workout

Naked Nutrition is the manufacturer of a pre-workout supplement called Naked Energy which is our top overall pick. This brand is known for its clean and effective formulations and we’ve recommended them before.

Naked Energy passes the clean formulation test because it’s the only pre-workout supplement we reviewed which contains zero questionable additive ingredients like sweeteners or other flavoring agents. The product is sold with flavored options, so be sure to choose the unflavored version, titled “Pre Workout Supplement” on their site.

This pre-workout contains 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, which is an effective dose for resistance training based on published medical research. It’s also a relatively moderate dose, which makes it less likely to cause anxiety than higher doses. This dose is equivalent to the caffeine content in around two cups of coffee.

Naked Energy also contains an amino acid called beta-alanine which is a proven ergogenic compound. This is a medical term meaning it improves physical performance during exercise.

The recommended daily dose of beta-alanine used to be higher, but recent studies have suggested an effective dose of barely over 1 gram (g) per day. A clinical trial on the dose necessary to maintain elevated muscle carnosine levels (which is what gives beta-alanine its ergogenic properties) concluded that a maintenance dose of 1.2 g beta-alanine kept muscle carnosine at 30-50% above baseline.

A separate medical trial on beta-alanine for sprinters found that a daily 1.2 g dose prevented fatigue, loss of power, and optimized performance compared to baseline.

Naked Energy contains 2 g beta-alanine, which we will conclude is an effective dose.

The remaining ingredients we don’t find likely to provide any athletic benefit, as we believe the creatine and l-arginine doses are too low to provide any substantial benefit. Same goes for the seemingly random blend of vitamins.

We generally don’t recommend taking products with random blends of vitamins. In this case, we believe it’s better than the alternative of taking a product with artificial sweeteners and/or added sugar.

The price of Naked Energy is $44.99, and the supplement contains 50 servings, which equates to a per-serving price of $0.90.

Naked Nutrition does not publish any testing data for this product, and this product has no relevant certifications. Unfortunately this is the norm for the performance supplement industry.

Best Caffeine-Free Pre-Workout - Legion Pulse

Legion Pulse pre-workout

Legion’s Pulse pre-workout powder is the best caffeine-free product we could find, though we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it due to the inclusion of some filler ingredients.

This product is well-formulated for efficacy. It contains 8 g of l-citrulline dl-malate 2:1, which equates to 5.33 g l-citrulline. This is an amino acid which is a precursor to nitric oxide; a compound produced by the body which widens blood vessels and improves athletic endurance. 

A medical study from The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published in 2010 was titled “Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness.” In it, the researchers found that study participants taking citrulline malate were able to perform over 50% more repetitions of flat barbell bench press than those taking a placebo. This is an unbelievable result for such a simple and safe compound.

This supplement also contains beta-alanine at nearly double the dose of Naked Energy. We’ve already established this to be an effective ingredient and dose.

Betaine is another effective ingredient in this formulation. Its dose of 2.5 g is the exact same dose used in a clinical trial on betaine supplementation and strength and power performance. Those taking betaine had higher bench throw power, isometric bench press force, vertical jump power and isometric squat force than those taking a placebo. 

Legion Pulse contains mostly harmless sweeteners like erythritol, but it also contains natural flavors which is a broad term for flavoring agent compounds which are undisclosed. We recommend avoiding this ingredient for the most part.

The price of Legion Pulse is $39.37 for 21 servings, which equates to a per-serving cost of $1.88.

As far as product testing, Legion’s product page claims this product is lab tested, and they do publish a test result proving the product contains low levels of microbial contaminants, however it’s quite a strange document as it indicates the manufacture date and expiration date are only days apart. Some data is better than no data, but this isn’t a high standard of product test results.

Overall we think this product is the best-formulated of the caffeine-free pre-workouts we analyzed, and it definitely has some effective ingredients for improving athletic performance. However we wouldn’t recommend it overall due to the inclusion of natural flavors.

Best Organic Pre-Workout - Organic Muscle

Organic Muscle pre-workout

There are surprisingly few organic pre-workout supplements. Since some consumers prefer organic products exclusively, we wanted to provide thoughts on the best product in this category. Organic Muscle sells an organic pre-workout which is USDA organic.

Organic Muscle’s Superfood Pre-Workout contains 150 mg of caffeine, which we already established previously is an effective dose. 

This product also contains maca as the first ingredient in a proprietary Energy, Focus and Stamina blend. This botanical compound was proven in a medical trial to significantly improve cycling time performance. Maca extract was used in the trial, which is more concentrated than raw maca, so it’s not certain that raw maca would confer the same effects.

Beet root is included in the Circulation and Pump blend, and this plant is one of the richest in dietary nitrates, which is a nitric oxide precursor just like l-citrulline. Theoretically this should improve exercise endurance, but there isn’t as much research backing for beet root as there is for l-citrulline.

Most of the ingredients in this formulation are safe botanical compounds, although it does contain 3 g added sugar (from organic rice syrup primarily – which we believe is a healthier alternative to processed white sugar). It also contains flavoring agents, but the flavors in this product are organic, which means they conform to much stricter quality requirements. Natural flavors can contain industrial solvents and preservatives while organic flavors can’t, as we outlined in our review of flavored supplement GutConnect365 (which we didn’t recommend for this reason).

The price of Organic Muscle Pre-Workout is $40 for 20 servings, or $2 per serving, making it the most expensive pre-workout we reviewed. Organic products tend to be more expensive because the certification process is expensive.

This brand does not appear to publish any third-party testing results. It would be incredibly expensive for them to publish label accuracy tests due to the incredible number of ingredients in this product, but we believe they should publish purity tests.

Healthier Pre-Workout Alternative

Since we’ve established in this article that two of the most well-studied, safe and effective ergogenic compounds are caffeine and l-citrulline, we believe it’s a much cheaper and healthier pre-workout option to combine these two products rather than take an expensive flavored pre-workout powder with added sugar.

Medical research shows that 1 to 2 cups of coffee can significantly improve exercise performance. The linked review, published in the well-respected Nutrition journal, examined results from 12 individual trials and concluded that the amount of caffeine in 1 to 2 cups of coffee improved both muscular strength and muscular endurance during workouts.

Caffeine is also a proven nootropic compound, so it increases mental focus which can further improve workout results. 
Buying coffee grounds is much more cost-effective than purchasing single-use coffee at coffee shops. Bulletproof coffee is high-quality coffee that costs $15.99 for 12 ounces, or around $0.50 per cup.

L-citrulline is cheapest when purchased in bulk. We recommend a dosage of 10 g daily which is described as the maximally effective dose in medical research.

Nutricost l-citrulline is the brand we recommend for citrulline because it’s incredibly cheap and contains zero questionable additive ingredients like flavoring or sugar. The only ingredient is l-citrulline. The product costs $27.95 and contains 600 g, which equates to $0.47 per 10 g serving.

You can mix the l-citrulline into coffee, it has essentially no flavor. The drink should be consumed with a straw because both l-citrulline and coffee are acidic and can damage tooth enamel over time.

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Conclusion

Pre-workout products can enhance workout performance and improve desire and motivation to work out, but nearly every product in this supplement category contains questionable additive ingredients which we would recommend avoiding for health reasons.

We hope that this review helped consumers find the best available choice for each popular pre-workout category. Naked Energy is effectively formulated and contains no questionable filler ingredients, but it does contain some vitamins we deem unnecessary. We find this to be the best overall pre-workout formulation.

Legion Pulse makes the best caffeine-free pre-workout, which is an important category for consumers who are sensitive to caffeine. Their product contains effective ingredients like citrulline malate and betaine which are proven to increase power and endurance, but it’s also expensive per serving and contains additive flavoring agents and sweeteners that we recommend avoiding.

Organic Muscle makes an organic pre-workout formulation which has some potentially effective botanical compounds, but it also has added sugar.

We don’t necessarily recommend any of these products; we just believe they’re the healthiest and most effective options for their respective categories.

We would recommend black coffee and l-citrulline as a cheaper, healthier and potentially more effective combination for enhancing workout performance than any of the popular pre-workout products on the market today.




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