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If you’re training intensely and could do with a little extra energy at the gym, then a pre-workout could be for you. Consider it a bookend to a post-workout protein shake — it’s a supplement that boosts your energy, allows you to focus better, and provides some additional endurance for your muscles. “For most, taking pre-workout gives you the energy boost you sometimes feel you need before getting in motion. Oftentimes, we find ourselves training early morning before work or early evening after work and might need a bit of pep in our step,” says Sam Tooley, lead trainer at Gainful.
It’s important to note that pre-workout isn’t suitable for everyone — the people who’ll benefit most from a pre-workout are those who are “bodybuilding or training for a big marathon,” says personal trainer Eva Peña. As Tooley told me, “everyone is different, and you should be selective in which pre-workout you take, why you’re taking it, and, of course, how it makes you feel. Rather than becoming reliant on it, I save it for special occasions or harder training sessions where I know I truly need it. Less is more, in my opinion.” Additionally, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, chief medical adviser for Garage Gym Reviews, also advises that the use of pre-workouts risks side effects such as “anxiety and jitters, headaches, stomach upset and nausea, insomnia, dizziness, a tingling sensation in the skin, muscle cramps, dehydration, and water retention.” But don’t be alarmed: As with any new addition to your diet, listen to your body and figure out what works for you. For example, I am sensitive to caffeine (I can do only one cup a day), so pre-workouts have always made me feel uncomfortably jittery. However, fellow Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa finds the slight “tingle” he gets from his favorites to be conducive to a great workout. With that in mind, if you want to incorporate a pre-workout into your routine, I chatted with nutrition and fitness experts about what to look for in an ingredient list, how to incorporate it into your diet, and the ingredients to avoid.
What we’re looking for
Energy source
Pre-workouts use ingredients such as caffeine, beta-alanine, and L-citrulline to provide energy. Beta-alanine and L-citrulline are both natural amino acids that stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the muscles, enhancing your performance when exercising. Dr. Adam Gonzalez, an exercise-physiology professor at Hofstra University, also recommends caffeine because of its “well documented” performance-enhancing effects.
Other ingredients
All of the experts I spoke to stressed the importance of avoiding pre-workouts that are pumped full of too many artificial ingredients. Some of those include sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin. “While these sweeteners may improve the taste of the product and be low in calories, there are plenty of negative side effects that come along with them — like inflammation in the body and a lower amount of good bacteria in your gut,” says Megan Darlington, a registered dietitian at Test Prep Insight. Instead, ingredients to look for include fruit and vegetable extracts, which will help to improve exercise performance and provide some flavor. It’s worth noting, though, that two of the trainers I spoke with said that encountering sweetener is unavoidable in pre-workout blends but that, in moderation, they shouldn’t cause side effects.
Price per serving
I’ve also calculated the price per serving of each pre-workout.
Best pre-workout overall
Energy source: Caffeine, creatine monohydrate, and beta-alanine | Other ingredients: Citric acid, sucralose | Price per serving: $1.09
This pre-workout includes caffeine, creatine, and beta-alanine, meaning it’s designed to boost energy, increase endurance, and improve focus. That makes it a great pick for a variety of goals at the gym, and Manuel Simons, certified nutritionist, coach, and co-owner of Stress Reliever’s Club, tells me he recommends it to clients who are training for a marathon or gearing up to lift a personal best. This is the same trio of ingredients that all our experts explicitly recommended for a pre-workout. While this blend does contain an artificial sweetener (sucralose), I’m still selecting it as our best overall pre-workout choice thanks to its other high-quality ingredients, its range of flavors, and its affordability at little over one dollar per serving. (We also like Optimum Nutrition’s protein powder and included it in our story on the best options for those.)
Best less expensive pre-workout
Ingredients: Beta-alanine, caffeine | Other ingredients: Vitamin C | Price per serving: $0.70
Simons tells me he also recommends this cheaper option to his clients “because of the price point. Cellucor always provides good value for the quality of ingredients — and the brand’s reputation.” Simons also finds that Cellucor’s flavors (fruity blends like cherry limeade and fruit punch) “encourage consistent use” among his athletes as it makes the drink less of a chore to down before a workout.
Best sweetener-free pre-workout
Ingredients: Citrulline, beta-alanine | Other ingredients: Stevia and erythritol (non-artificial sweeteners) | Price per serving: $1.69
All my experts warn against proprietary blends. “Proprietary blends hide the specific dosages of individual ingredients, making it challenging for consumers to know how much of each ingredient they are getting,” says Simons. This pre-workout by Legion athletics is one of his recommendations as all ingredient information and amounts are available online. Legion’s blends contain no artificial flavorings but still have a range of 20 flavors from mojito to apple cider. This one contains citrulline and beta-alanine to provide energy to the muscles, alpha-GPC for endurance, and caffeine for energy and mental stimulation. But caffeine avoiders need not be deterred: You can remove it as an ingredient when you order.
Best less expensive sweetener-free pre-workout
Energy source: L-citrulline | Other ingredients: None | Price per serving: $0.15
All the experts I spoke to gave L-citrulline the green light as an energy source. “Watermelon is the most naturally rich dietary source of citrulline; however, you would need to eat several pounds of fresh watermelon per day to provide a three-gram dose of citrulline. Therefore, it is more sensible to supplement with citrulline,” says Gonzalez. When it comes to choosing a blend of L-citrulline, Darlington recommends Transparent Labs. Its pre-workout doesn’t contain any “artificial sweeteners, coloring, and preservatives” and there are “no filler ingredients.” Quite simply, it’s pure L-citrulline. For those wanting to avoid sweeteners and caffeine in their diet, and the potential side effects that can arise from those ingredients, this blend is a safe option.
Best-tasting pre-workout
Energy source: Beta-alanine | Other ingredients: Green coffee, orange, lemon, turmeric | Price per serving: $0.96
Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa — our authority on protein powders — has been loyal to this pre-workout for three years. “After about 20 minutes from the first sip, I get a tingly feeling on my skin (I think the brand also mentions it, which I found funny) — which weirdly helps when I’m doing a hard workout. I feel like I’m buzzing and ready to lift or climb hard whenever I have it.” The blend’s beta-alanine helps improve muscle endurance, while green coffee provides an energy boost. It tastes pretty familiar, too, says Rellosa: “One scoop mixed into my water bottle is enough, and the lemon flavor tastes like a less-sweet Gatorade mix.”
Some other gym supplements we’ve written about:
Our experts:
• Megan Darlington, registered dietitian at Test Prep Insight
• Dr. Raj Dasgupta, chief medical adviser for Garage Gym Reviews
• Dr. Adam Gonzalez, professor of exercise physiology at Hofstra University
• Eva Peña, personal trainer and founder of Wellness+ Studio
• Jeremy Rellosa, Strategist writer
• Manuel Simons, certified nutritionist coach and co-owner of Stress Relievers’ Club
• Sam Tooley, lead trainer at Gainful
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