5 Best Pre-Workout Supplements for Better Performance in 2022
* If you’re unsure if pre-workout supplements are right for you, please contact your primary care provider.
(Ad) Do you ever experience fatigue, muscle cramps, or a lack of focus during a workout? If so, you may benefit from taking a pre-workout supplement.
Pre-workout supplements are all-natural pills or powders containing a blend of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals to enhance your workout. The best pre-workout supplements can improve your endurance, decrease muscle fatigue, and increase blood flow throughout your body, giving you the strength you need to achieve your fitness goals.
You can find dozens of pre-workout supplements in the sports nutrition market, each boasting its own benefits and claiming unique results. However, distinguishing the high-quality options from the low-quality ones and choosing the right supplement for your needs may feel a bit overwhelming.
To help you narrow your search and find the right option for you, we’ve created a list of the top five best pre-workout supplements of 2022. Read on to learn about our top picks and what you need to know about pre-workout supplements before buying one.
Top 5 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2022
- CrazyBulk Intensive Pre-Train: Best pre-workout powder overall
- Powher: Best pre-workout for women
- Testodren: Best for men over 40
- Pre Lab Pro: Cleanest pre-workout drink
- BlackWolf: Best pre-workout with creatine
#1 CrazyBulk Intensive Pre-Train: Best Overall
If you're looking for a supplement that has been effective and reliable for thousands of customers, you can't go wrong choosing one from CrazyBulk. The CrazyBulk Intensive Pre-Train supplement is our favorite pre-workout supplement overall.
CrazyBulk is a popular workout supplement company offering a wide range of product types to suit various customers. The brand's Intensive Pre-Train supplement may provide benefits for your workout such as:
- Increased energy levels
- Improved focus and mental clarity
- Reduced fatigue
- Stronger motivation
This pre-workout powder contains several potent ingredients to help you hit your workouts harder and meet your exercise goals faster. One of the supplement’s most essential ingredients is EnXtra, which extends the energy that caffeine produces. EnXtra can help you feel energized and alert, improve mental acuity, and reduce caffeine crashes.
Additionally, Pre-Train includes thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, which can help your body create energy from the other nutrients in the supplement. Thiamine also promotes cell growth and development and keeps your nervous system healthy.
Intensive Pre-Train also contains KSM-66, which is a full-spectrum ashwagandha extract. This ingredient is taken to exercise endurance and accelerates muscle recovery. Ashwagandha extract may also improve testosterone levels in men, giving them more power and strength in the gym.
To see the best results, add one scoop of the powder to 450 to 500 ml of water in a shaker bottle. Shake the bottle well to mix and then drink the supplement about thirty minutes before a workout. Do not take more than one scoop of Pre-Train each day.
Intensive Pre-Train has a delicious blue raspberry flavor and mixes well with water. This supplement is also fast-acting, delivering noticeable results within 30 minutes.
We recommend Intensive Pre-Train for anyone looking for a tried-and-true pre-workout supplement. If you’d rather not do any more research, you can feel confident choosing this pre-workout supplement to amp up your workouts.
Click Here for the Lowest Price on CrazyBulk Intensive Pre-Train
#2. Powher: Best Pre-Workout for Women
Many women are looking for a pre-workout supplement that can help them to stay energized in the gym but without an “aggressive” image. If you’re looking for a pre-workout supplement designed specifically for women, we recommend Powher.
Powher is a pre-workout formula that can give you the extra push you need in your workouts. Taking this supplement mayprovide benefits such as:
- Better support for intense workouts
- Improved focus
- Higher motivation
- No caffeine crashes
Powher has a unique formula of pre-workout ingredients. First, this pre-workout formula contains EnXtra, a caffeine amplifier from the plant Alpinia galanga. This amplifier can help extend caffeine’s effects by up to five hours, reducing the crashes that often come with caffeine intake. EnXtra can also improve mental acuity and focus throughout the day.
Powher also includes a small amount of caffeine from green coffee beans, which are coffee beans that have not gone through the traditional roasting process. Consuming a small amount of caffeine before a workout can boost your metabolism, help you burn more calories, activate the nervous system, and energize you.
Next, Powher’s formula incorporates pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5. This vitamin is essential in helping your body use energy from macronutrients. Specifically, pantothenic acid helps convert the carbs you eat into glucose, which your body uses as fuel during strenuous workouts.
Powher also contains another B vitamin, vitamin B6, which lets you use more energy from the carbs, proteins, and fats in your diet. When you exercise frequently or participate in intense workouts, your body may need more vitamin B6 to stay energized.
Finally, the formula includes a small amount of coconut water powder, promoting hydration and muscle performance.
The Powher creators recommend mixing one scoop, around 10 g, of the powder with water and drinking the supplement before a workout. Powher has a fruity pink lemonade flavor that many customers enjoy.
We recommend this supplement for women looking for a female-specific pre-workout supplement. Powher contains an impressive blend of high-quality ingredients that do not promote the aggressive image that men typically look for in their supplements.
Click Here for the Lowest Price on Powher Pre-Workout
#3. Testodren: Best Pre-Workout For Men Over 40
Men often experience decreased testosterone levels as they age. As you may know, testosterone plays a significant role in workout performance, energy, stamina, and several other processes. Many men over 40 face unique challenges when exercising because of their lower testosterone levels.
Testodren is a stimulant-free pre-workout supplement that may increase a man’s free testosterone levels to produce benefits such as:
- Higher energy levels
- Enhanced focus and concentration
- Faster muscle-building processes
- Increased strength
- Enhanced stamina
Testodren contains one powerful, natural ingredient that may increase your testosterone levels and improve your workout efforts in other ways. The supplement’s singular ingredient is a patented compound that comes from fenugreek.
Fenugreek is an annual plant that many cooks include in Indian dishes. This natural ingredient contains a unique compound known as protodioscin, which can increase your testosterone levels.
A team of scientists created a specialized process to enhance protodioscin’s effects on your testosterone levels, then produced a compound utilizing this process. Testodren contains a hefty dose of 500 mg of this patent-protected compound.
The Testodren creators found that this dosage increased free testosterone in 72.87% of men within twelve weeks of usage. The compound also produces benefits such as increased muscle growth and enhanced sex drive, and it boosted overall workout performance.
Testodren’s compound is gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-free, and preservative-free. This formula is also non-GMO and does not produce any known adverse side effects.
Unlike most of the other supplements on our list, Testodren comes in a capsule rather than as a powder. To see the best results, take one pill each morning with breakfast.
The Testodren creators are so confident that you will like their caffeine free pre-workout formula that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee for all customers. This guarantee allows you to try Testodren risk-free for 67 days. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you can receive a full refund.
Testodren is the best pre-workout supplement for men over 40 who are struggling in their workouts due to lowered testosterone levels. This stim-free pre-workout supplement can boost performance by providing you with the testosterone boost you need to perform at your best.
Click Here for the Lowest Price on Testodren
#4. Pre Lab Pro: Best Pre-Workout for Energy and Endurance
One of the most challenging aspects of exercising is staying energized throughout your workout. While you may be motivated to keep going, your body may force you to stop early if your energy levels are too low.
If you’re looking for a supplement that can improve your energy and endurance, we recommend Pre Lab Pro. This next-gen pre-workout formula may provide benefits such as:
- Enhanced speed, strength, and stamina
- Increased exercise capacity
- Improved endurance
- Faster muscle recovery
- Higher energy levels
Pre Lab Pro contains several advanced pre-workout ingredients. First, the formula contains RedNite red beetroot powder. This powder has been clinically proven to improve exercise performance and enhance endurance through its high nitrate concentration. RedNite includes 25 times as much nitrate as other beetroot powders, which can help boost your nitric oxide levels.
Pre Lab Pro also contains the Setria performance blend. This ingredient includes a particular combination of glutathione and L-citrulline. Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps your body combat free radicals and can even suppress the muscle fatigue resulting from intense workouts.
Further, L-citrulline is an amino acid that boosts nitric oxide production, which increases blood flow throughout the body. This component may reduce fatigue and muscle weakness, making it easier for you to complete a strenuous workout.
Natural caffeine is another significant ingredient in the Pre Lab Pro formula, as it can enhance energy and endurance before and during your workouts. The natural caffeine is from robusta coffee seeds. In addition, it has Suntheanine (L-theanine), which can boost caffeine’s effects and minimize harsh side effects, promoting clean energy and stimulation.
You will also find a small amount of Himalayan pink salt in Pre Lab Pro. This salt contains minerals and electrolytes that will help you stay hydrated.
Finally, this formula also contains the NutriGenesis blend of vitamins and minerals, which includes vitamins D, B2, B9, B6, and B12 as well as potassium, and iron. This blend can help to stabilize your nutrient levels before you work out.
Pre Lab Pro is berry flavored and mixes easily with water. Simply mix one scoop of this powder with 12 oz of water and drink it thirty minutes before your workout. You can double the dose if desired to increase its potency. However, do not take more than two scoops per day.
We recommend Pre Lab Pro for anyone looking to enhance their endurance and energy so that they can lift heavier weights or meet more challenging workout goals. This supplement is the strongest pre-workout formula we have found for boosting energy and endurance.
Click Here for the Lowest Price on Pre Lab Pro
#5 BlackWolf: Best Pre-Workout With Creatine
Many people dislike the taste of traditional pre-workout supplements. Even if a supplement produces incredible benefits for your workouts, you may never actually use it if it does not taste good.
BlackWolf is our top pre-workout supplement that comes in several delicious flavor options. Taking this supplement before a workout may provide benefits such as:
- Improved energy
- Heightened focus
- Enhanced muscular endurance
- Increased blood flow
BlackWolf supplement powder comes in three unique flavors: green apple, fruit punch, and blue raspberry. These sweet and sour flavors create a delicious fruity taste that is comparable to your favorite energy drinks.
Each of these three options produces the same benefits for your workout. However, BlackWolf's fruit punch flavor uses a caffeine-free formula. If you are trying to avoid caffeine or do not want to risk the jitters and crashes that sometimes come with the drug caffeine, you can feel confident taking this stim-free pre-workout supplement.
The BlackWolf formula contains several powerful ingredients that contribute to your exercise performance and energy in different ways. First, the formula includes L-citrulline malate, a substance that may enhance vascular function and improve blood flow.
BlackWolf also contains beta-alanine, a naturally occurring beta-amino acid. Beta-alanine mayimprove exercise performance by enhancing muscle endurance in HIIT workouts and other forms of intense exercise.
Next, the BlackWolf formula includes betaine anhydrous, a compound that breaks down harmful substances in your body. This compound may increase endurance and resistance training performance by hydrating your cells.
If you choose to take one of the caffeinated flavors of BlackWolf, your supplement will contain caffeine anhydrous. However, if you opt for the fruit punch flavor, your supplement will have DMAE instead, which may improve your focus and concentration.
To see the best results, take one scoop of BlackWolf powder each day. Mix the powder with as much water as you like, then drink the supplement at least fifteen minutes before a workout.
If you’re looking for a pre-workout supplement that comes in delicious flavors and produces impressive results, we recommend BlackWolf.
Click Here for the Lowest Price on BlackWolf
How We Ranked the Best Pre-Workouts
The best pre-workout supplements can be challenging to find amidst the hundreds of products on the market. As we searched for the top pre-workout supplements to add to our list, we reviewed each product against several parameters for safety and efficiency. Specifically, we examined the following factors in the pre-workout products.
Customer Ratings and Reviews
When you purchase a pre-workout supplement, you want to feel confident that it produces the stated benefits for actual customers. Reading customer ratings and reviews can provide you with first-hand information about the product and allow you to predict your own experience with it. We chose only those pre-workouts that have more positive reviews than negative ones.
Formula
A supplement’s formula is one of the most important factors to consider when evaluating its quality and effectiveness. Pre-workout supplements should contain the right blend of nutrients and extracts to provide noticeable benefits in your workouts. Also, they should not contain too many artificial sweeteners or fillers that would offset their effects.
When we created our list of the best pre-workout supplements, we ranked only supplements containing only natural ingredients. We also reviewed the proprietary blends in each formula for safety and efficacy to ensure that they do not contain any banned substances.
Flavor
A supplement’s flavor plays a vital role in its overall quality. If a great workout supplement has a poor taste, customers may be tempted to use an alternative.
However, all the pre-workout powders on our list have natural flavors that are enjoyable to drink. These fruity flavors make it easy to consume the suggested dose of each powder and can motivate you to take your supplement before every workout.
Price and Guarantee
When you order a pre-workout supplement, you want to feel confident that you are getting your money’s worth out of the formula. You can find pre-workout products in several price ranges, but not all of these formulas contain high-quality ingredients that match their price.
When we were examining pre-workouts to add to our list, we compared each formula to its price. As a result, we included only those products that are worth their price tags. We also opted for supplements that provide a money-back guarantee for customers.
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Common Ingredients in Pre-Workout Drinks
Most popular pre-workout supplements contain a wide range of ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, extracts, amino acids, compounds, and other nutrients. Here are a few common ingredients you may see in the best pre-workout supplements.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is one of the non-essential amino acids. It works with the histidine in your body to create carnosine, which decreases lactic acid build-up in your muscles. Increasing your carnosine levels with beta-alanine can improve your muscular endurance and overall athletic performance.
Beta-alanine can also reduce fatigue and boost training volume during resistance training. Some athletes also use beta-alanine to improve body composition, although a few studies did not find any significant differences after taking beta-alanine.
Caffeine
Most of the pre-workouts on our list contain caffeine, which provides several benefits for exercise. It boosts energy, improves mental clarity and focus, and enhances endurance during high-intensity workouts.
Some of the powders on our list get their caffeine from green coffee beans or green tea extract, while others include pure caffeine anhydrous. In general, pre-workouts should contain the right amount of caffeine to provide maximum energy benefits while not having so much caffeine that you experience jitters and crashes.
Creatine
Creatine, also known as creatine monohydrate, is an organic compound that can increase muscle mass, boost strength, and improve exercise performance. Creatine is one of the most tested supplements in the world and has an impressive safety profile, so many supplement companies include it in their formulas.
Creatine produces its health benefits by increasing phosphocreatine stores within your muscles, allowing your body to create more ATP as an energy source for strength training and other fitness efforts. Creatine can also increase cell hydration and reduce protein breakdown, helping you to gain muscle during workouts.
Betaine Anhydrous
Betaine anhydrous is a chemical found in foods such as spinach, seafood, and wine. Your body also produces small amounts of it naturally.
Betaine anhydrous has several benefits for workouts. First, it helps you to metabolize homocysteine, a chemical with various functions throughout the body—including the muscles. Betaine anhydrous helps balance the homocysteine levels in your blood, enhancing muscular function.
This chemical can also attract water to your muscle cells, which improves cellular hydration. Hydrating your muscle cells can create muscle pumps while you exercise.
L-Citrulline Malate
L-citrulline malate is the most researched form of citrulline. Taking this substance can reduce high blood pressure and improve blood flow throughout the cardiovascular system. L-citrulline malate may also reduce fatigue and improve endurance during exercise, giving you the strength you need to continue through challenging workouts.
Additionally, citrulline may improve nitric oxide metabolism, thus boosting workout performance and enhancing muscle function.
L-Tyrosine
L-tyrosine is a chemical that your body produces naturally. It plays an essential role in epinephrine, dopamine, and norepinephrine production, which all contribute to lifting your mood and increasing mental alertness.
Taking a good pre-workout supplement with L-tyrosine can help your body conserve energy during workouts, making it easier for you to complete tiring exercises. This substance may also help you to burn fat, so it promotes weight loss in conjunction with fat-burning activities.
What Are Pre-Workout Supplements Used For?
Many people take pre-workout supplements to provide an overall boost to their workout efforts. However, some users take these supplements for specific benefits. A few primary reasons users take pre-workout supplements and testosterone boosters include the following.
Pump
Have you ever wondered why your muscles look bigger during a workout? This phenomenon, which is also known as a muscle "pump," occurs when fluid accumulates in your muscle cells during exercise.
Some users take pre-workout products to initiate muscle pumps while they work out. The best pre-workout formulas contain ingredients such as betaine anhydrous and creatine, which contribute to cellular hydration. Hydrating your cells can create this muscle pump effect.
While achieving a temporary muscle "pump" does not always signify that your muscles are growing permanently, it is a goal for many bodybuilders and athletes. If you are "chasing the pump," taking one of the best pre-workout supplements on our list can help you get there.
Focus
Staying focused is an essential aspect of completing a good workout. Working out produces endorphins, which are the hormones your body creates to relieve pain and stress. Endorphins can help you feel happy and content during a workout, but if your mind is not focused, you may not experience their benefits.
Focus is also important for maintaining the correct form and posture during exercise. If your mind drifts too far away from what you are supposed to be doing, you risk messing up your form, which could lead to an injury.
Additionally, focusing allows you to harness all of your mental and physical energy into your workout. Improving your focus can enhance your athletic performance, helping you to achieve your fitness or weight-loss goals faster.
The best pre-workout powders boost focus and mental acuity, allowing you to maintain a healthy mind–muscle connection and gain the maximum benefit from each workout.
Energy
It takes a lot of energy to complete an intense exercise session. Not only do you need enough energy to get started, but you also need to maintain your energy throughout the workout, even once your energy stores begin to deplete. As a result, many people take pre-workout products to provide an energy boost for their workouts.
Pre-workouts can give an extra boost of energy in several ways. Some of these products contain caffeine from coffee or green tea. Others include ingredients that boost caffeine’s effects. In addition, some include ingredients like creatine that boost ATP production.
If you lack adequate energy during your workouts, you may benefit from taking one of the best pre-workout products on our list.
Safety Tips When Taking Pre-Workout Supplements
Most pre-workout supplements are safe for most people. However, if you have any pre-existing conditions, you may want to check with your physician before adding a pre-workout to your routine.
While pre-workouts typically do not cause any harmful side effects, some users have reported effects such as:
- Insomnia
- Abdominal discomfort
- Headaches
- Water retention
If you notice any of these effects, stop taking your pre-workout formula immediately and consult your doctor.
When starting a routine with a strong pre-workout supplement, it’s always a good idea to begin with a smaller dosage and increase as needed. We recommend starting with half a serving of any of the strongest pre-workout powders on our list and drinking plenty of water with them.
It’s also vital not to exceed the recommended dosage of a pre-workout formula. Read the label and follow any instructions for a supplement.
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*This article is provided by an advertiser. Statements made are not meant to offer medical advice nor to diagnose any condition. Any studies cited here may be preliminary, and may or may not be peer reviewed, and may or may not have sufficient participants to be statistically relevant. Anecdotal accounts should not be taken as scientific results. Products discussed in this article are not designed to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. The FDA does not evaluate dietary supplements. Consult your doctor about possible interactions, allergies, and if you are considering using a natural and/or dietary supplements for any condition. Individual results will vary.