5 Best Pre-Workout For Beginners: Top Brand Reviews In 2023
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- Written by Blanca Garcia, RDN
Medically reviewed by
Melissa Mitri, MS, RD
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Pre Lab Pro
- Suitable for vegans
- No soy or common allergens, gluten-free
- Non-Genetically Modified Organism, non-irradiated
Transparent Labs Bulk
- Vegan-friendly
- No artificial sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives
- Muscle gains
Powher Pre-Workout
- Low caffeine amount
- Formulated for women
- Branded ingredients for enhanced ingredients
Getting to the best point in your workout routine may require some pre-workout help. Effective pre-workout supplements can get the extra energy you need to have the best possible workout.
Fitness enthusiasts are commonly pre-workout users looking to have top-notch athletic performance. These pre-workouts are also used in sports nutrition when attempting to optimize performance. But if you are a beginner, you may have many questions.
For example, how do you know which is the best pre-workout for beginners?
Pre-workouts don’t just help give you energy. A good quality pre-workout will provide nutrients like essential amino acids (protein-building blocks), vitamins, and minerals that taste good.
These ingredients can help improve exercise performance, lessen muscle fatigue, increase blood flow and mental focus, help with muscle repair, and promote muscle growth.
There are many choices – you can get a pre-workout supplement with quality pre-workout ingredients that fit your needs with caffeine or is stimulant-free, for example.
Best Pre-Workouts For Beginners On The Market In (June. 2023)
- Pre Lab Pro – Editor’s Choice
- Transparent Labs Bulk – Best For Muscle Gain
- Powher Pre-Workout – Best For Women
- Transparent Labs LEAN – Best For Weight Loss
- Jacked Factory Nitrosurge Pre-Workout – Best In Value
Should Beginners Take Pre-Workouts?
Propelling yourself into a good exercise routine can take time. Keeping your energy levels up is often the most difficult part of sustaining and improving your workout routine.
Understanding what pre-workouts can provide can help you stay in that forward motion of being consistent with your routine.
Benefits Of Pre-Workouts For Beginners
A pre-workout supplement is a supplement intended to increase energy levels and improve workout performance. But if you can also get these results of increased energy with energy drinks, what sets them apart?
Pre-workout supplements often contain additional ingredients not found in energy drinks that can support optimal performance.
Some of these popular ingredients include caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
A pre-workout’s primary benefit is boosting energy through the added stimulants. The vitamins can help with energy metabolism; creatine can increase performance in a short period; the amino acids are the building blocks of tissue repair.
Some may even have ingredients that claim to help you lose body fat.
Pre-workouts may have carbohydrates as an energy source, but you can also find calorie-free or sugar-free pre-workouts.
Some also contain ingredients called vasodilators which help widen blood vessels, improving blood flow to the muscles and providing them with the needed nutrients.
5 Best Pre-Workouts For Beginners In 2023
Pre Lab Pro
Pre Lab Pro contains natural caffeine, is suitable for vegans, and contains natural flavors from monk fruit, the stevia plant, and Erythritol Swerve®, a sugar alcohol that is calorie-free.
- Suitable for vegans
- No soy or common allergens, gluten-free
- Non-GMO, non-irradiated
- May cause an upset stomach
Pre Lab Pro has two times the nitric oxide to support healthy blood flow and improve the delivery of nutrients to your muscles. It also promotes post-workout recovery for muscle gains and repair.
This is the best pre-workout for focus as well, mainly due to the presence of the amino acid L-Theanine.
L-Theanine is also known as a nootropic or cognitive enhancer. It is generally recognized as safe and is known to promote focus and energy.
It also includes beetroot powder, L-Tyrosine, vitamin D, B2, B6, B9, B12, potassium, iron, and pink salt.
Although it has natural flavors from monk fruit and the stevia plant, the sweetener Swerve® has a sugar alcohol that may cause an upset stomach[1] if overconsumed.
The recommended dosage is one scoop 30 minutes before exercise. Y may use two scoops for increased potency, but this is the maximum recommended.
There are three options for packages. The best offer is to buy a three-month supply for a free fourth bottle. You can get a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy; just send any used or unused product after using it for 30 days to receive your money.
Transparent Labs Bulk
This is a great pre-workout supplement as it’s formulated to provide strength, muscle pumps, stamina, and focus, but most importantly helps promote muscle gain.
- Vegan-friendly
- No artificial sweeteners, colorings, or preservatives
- Muscle gains
- Processed in allergen-containing facilities
- Tingling sensation can occur from beta-alanine
- Return policy is strict to unopened product
Transparent Labs Bulk is the best pre-workout for bodybuilding and the best pre-workout for the pump of muscles. Its formula has no artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, or preservatives.
If you are vegan, this is a vegan-friendly pre-workout supplement. It is also nut-free but is manufactured in a machine where nuts are processed. There is an allergen control program that sanitizes and cleans out the equipment between uses; however, there is still a risk if you are highly allergic.
Ingredients essential to the body and included in this pre-workout include vitamin D, B6, B12, zinc, sodium, and potassium. These vitamins and minerals boost the natural production[2] of testosterone and promote healthy nutrient intake for muscle performance.
Other ingredients include boron, citrulline malate, beta-alanine, branched-chain amino acids, BetaPure Betaine Anhydrous, Taurine, L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, caffeine, and the proprietary blend Infinergy™.
The recommended dosage is ½ scoop with 8-10 ounces of water 20-30 minutes before working out to determine your tolerance level. You can consume one scoop for 10-12 ounces of water if you can tolerate it. Limit to no more than two scoops per consumption.
You can purchase one tub or subscribe and save; you can cancel or pause at any time, get exclusive promotions, and choose your shipping frequency. You get a 30-day money-back guarantee if the product is returned within 30 days unopened for full refund.
Powher Pre Workout
A great beginner pre-workout weight loss female-oriented supplement, it’s low in stimulants and with ingredients that help you be energized and focused.
- Low caffeine amount
- Formulated for women
- Branded ingredients for enhanced ingredients
- Tingling sensation from beta-alanine
- Produced in a facility that handles milk, soy, egg, gluten
Powher is a pre-workout specifically designed for women. It’s the best pre-workout for cardio, and it’s designed to help support more intense workouts. It may enhance focus, support weight loss, and it has a low dose of natural caffeine.
It contains natural and artificial flavors, and sweeteners are added. With these flavors and sweeteners, you get a pink lemonade flavor which can be refreshing.
Of all the pre-workout supplements, Powher is unique and an excellent pre-workout in that it includes a low dose of caffeine[3] and an amplifier extract made from a plant in the ginger family. As a caffeine enhancer, this extract can extend the effects of caffeine up to five hours.
Other ingredients are caffeine from green coffee beans, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, coconut water powder, oxyjun, rednite, L-tyrosine, beta-alanine, leucine, and folic acid.
The recommended dosage is one scoop with eight ounces of water. If you are sensitive to supplements or caffeine, you may want to start with ½ scoop. You get a 90-day money-back guarantee with the purchase of the “Ultimate” pack.
The return policy can be complicated, they require you to submit proof of a meal plan and exercise routine. You may just want to purchase a small quantity to try it out.
Transparent Labs LEAN
Transparent Labs LEAN is the best pre-workout for weight loss that is available for men and women. This supplement is for fat burning and includes a thyroid support complex.
- No dyes, fillers, or harmful additives
- Thyroid support complex, vegan-friendly
- Sustained-release of caffeine
- Processed in facilities allergens are present
- May cause tingling from beta-alanine
- Return policy is strict to unopened product
Transparent Labs LEAN Pre-workout is a physical performance enhancer and fat loss formula. This pre-workout was designed as a ‘cutting’ pre-workout formula that men and women can easily use.
Its focus is to help with cutting fat without losing lean muscle mass. It’s also the best pre-workout for running.
Its ingredients are iodine, zinc, selenium, copper, chromium, citrulline malate,[4] branched-chain amino acids, beta-alanine, BetaPure Betain Anhydrous, Acetyl-L Carnitine, choline bitartrate, L-Theanine, caffeine anhydrous, theobromine, caffeine malate, and BioPerine.
The recommended dosage is ½ scoop with 8-10 ounces of water to try for tolerance, then can increase to one scoop with 10-12 ounces. For increased intensity, you may take up to two scoops.
You can make a one-time purchase or subscribe and save with the flexibility to cancel or pause, receive exclusive promotions and choose your shipping frequency. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee if you return the product unopened.
Jacked Factory Nitrosurge Pre-Workout
Nitrosurge pre-workout comes with 12 flavors to help you have explosive energy and focus. It’s the best pre-workout for CrossFit and for explosive exercise moves.
- Manufactured in cGMP certified facility
- Creatine-free
- Vegan-friendly
- Tingling sensation due to beta-alanine
- Artificial sweetener
Jacked Factory Nitrosurge Pre-workout is intended for men and women to provide explosive energy,[5] focus, and boost nitric oxide production. It also helps increase strength, power, and endurance.
It is manufactured in the US in cGMP-certified facilities and is the best pre-workout supplement for cross-fit. It’s also the best pre-workout for energy.
It comes in 12 different flavors; this supplement’s key ingredients are L-theanine, L-citrulline, betaine anhydrous, beta-alanine, and caffeine.
The recommended dosage is to assess your tolerance with one scoop and 8-10 ounces of water about 25-35 minutes before a workout. A regular dose is two scoops with 12-20 ounces of water 25-35 minutes before a workout.
You are eligible to receive a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not happy with your purchase. First, you must contact customer service to inform them of your intent to return the product. The product must be unopened for a full refund.
Main Ingredients In Pre-Workout Supplements
Amino Acids
You will often see a variety of amino acids[6] added to pre-workouts; the most common is beta-alanine, L-theanine, L-citrulline, Tyrosine, and Taurine. Each of these is added for different functions.
Caffeine
The most common ingredient in pre-workouts is caffeine. It has been studied for its use in muscular endurance training and its role in supporting high-intensity and strength activities.[7]
But if you are a beginner and sensitive to caffeine, plenty of pre-workouts have small amounts of caffeine or are entirely stimulant-free. These contain other natural ingredients for energy.
Creatine
Creatine monohydrate is often added as an ingredient to promote and improve physical performance.[8] It’s not always found in all pre-workouts, but it can be purchased on its own.
How To Choose The Best Pre-Workouts For Beginners?
Safety
A manufacturer will produce a good pre-workout supplement with safety in mind. Look for pre-workouts made in cGMP-certified facilities, have a good return policy of at least 30 days, and are third-party tested.
Ingredients
Knowing what you want in a pre-workout drink is important, and caffeine is the most common ingredient to consider. Tolerance for caffeine levels can vary widely. Luckily, you don’t need much caffeine, if at all, to get that energy boost.
And if even a small amount of caffeine in your day is not tolerable, you can now find caffeine-free options.
The best pre-workout powder will often be the one that gives you the least amount of side effects.
Cost
Different pre-workouts will have a range of pricing, between $30-$50 per bottle. The cost may depend on the quality of ingredients added or the number of ingredients.
Most manufacturers will offer discounts for subscribing, bulk buying, or exclusive discounts. The best way to choose is based on your budget and individual goals.
How To Take Pre-Workouts As Beginners?
The best way to take any supplement is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation. But for a beginner, it’s most important to use the lower dosage recommendation. This will help you figure out if you can tolerate the supplement.
But before you try one, make sure to speak to your doctor first. This is especially true with a pre-workout containing caffeine,[9] and you are unsure how you will respond to it.
Final Thought
When looking for a boost before exercising, a pre-workout supplement can be an excellent solution, especially if you are a beginner and still building up your stamina.
It is important to note that the Food and Drug Administration[10] regulates supplements by requiring them not to be adulterated or misbranded. But it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to evaluate the safety and correct labeling before marketing and distributing the supplements.
However, the FDA can take action against any dietary supplement that is misbranded or mislabeled, but only after it reaches the market.
If you have medical conditions like high blood pressure or any other conditions, consult with your doctor about taking a pre-workout. Even if you don’t have any existing conditions, always consult your physician to weigh the pros and cons when taking a new dietary supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no problem taking a pre-workout as a beginner as long as you consult with your doctor.
To start, a pre-workout that is low in stimulants.
It will depend on your health goals, sensitivity to caffeine as a stimulant, and if you want to build muscle or use the pre-workout for extra energy.
If you are feeling low in energy, the caffeine in the pre-workout can make a difference.
There shouldn’t be a problem with using it every day if you don’t have any side effects.
Anyone that is 18 years and older. It is not for children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women.
Yes, the ingredients are natural ingredients found in foods, like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Some pre-workouts may have a high caffeine content and contribute to jitteriness if too much caffeine is consumed. This may depend on your tolerance to caffeine, and thus why it’s important to assess your own tolerance when choosing a pre-workout product.
+ 10 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Awuchi, Chinaza, G., Echeta, Chinelo, K. (2019). CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SUGAR ALCOHOLS: CHEMISTRY, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH CONCERNS OF SORBITOL, XYLITOL, GLYCEROL, ARABITOL, INOSITOL, MALTITOL, AND LACTITOL, [online]
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- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. (2022). The influence of caffeinated and non-caffeinated multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements on resistance exercise performance and subjective outcomes. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2022.2060048
- Gough, L.A., Sparks, S.A., McNaughton, L.R., Higgins, M.F., Newbury, J.W., Trexler, E., Faghy, M.A. and Bridge, C.A. (2021). A critical review of citrulline malate supplementation and exercise performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology, [online] 121(12), pp.3283–3295. doi:10.1007/s00421-021-04774-6.
- Stein, J.A., Ramirez, M. and Heinrich, K.M. (2019). The Effects of Acute Caffeine Supplementation on Performance in Trained CrossFit Athletes. Sports, [online] 7(4), p.95. doi:10.3390/sports7040095.
- Jagim, A., Harty, P. and Camic, C. (2019). Common Ingredient Profiles of Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplements. Nutrients, [online] 11(2), p.254. doi:10.3390/nu11020254.
- Martins, G.L., Guilherme, J.P.L.F., Ferreira, L.H.B., de Souza-Junior, T.P. and Lancha, A.H. (2020). Caffeine and Exercise Performance: Possible Directions for Definitive Findings. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, [online] 2. doi:10.3389/fspor.2020.574854.
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Written by:
Blanca Garcia, RDN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
