
Pre Phase KO has been discontinued as of summer 2021. In it’s place, Phase 1 Nutrition is releasing two different pre workouts: Stimmed Up and Pre Phase.
Stimmed Up is Phase 1 Nutrition’s new high-stim pre workout. You can read our Stimmed Up Pre-Workout review now.
Pre Phase will be Phase 1 Nutrition’s “daily driver” pre workout. It has not been released as of November 2021.
Below you’ll find the original Pre Phase KO review.
Pre Phase KO pre workout by Phase One Nutrition (P1N) is a pre workout supplement known for delivering effects of euphoria and focus. It contains 350 mg of caffeine, 300 mg of eria jarensis, and 150 mg of DMHA in addition to other ingredients. It is also known as PrePhase KO pre workout.
Phase One Nutrition seems to have three “flagship” products at the moment: Pre Phase pre workout, Brain Blitz pre workout, and Pump Phase, a stimulant-free blood flow enhancer.
Pre Phase KO pre workout definitely leans heavily toward the stimulant-heavy end of the pre workout spectrum, notably including DMHA, Eria Jarensis, and Alpha Yohimbine on its ingredient label. These combine to deliver a seriously big wave of energy, focus, and mood enhancement.
In fact, Pre Phase is recommended as one of my favorite DMHA pre workouts.
Read on for additional details of my experience, the best prices for Pre Phase pre workout, and a breakdown of its ingredient label.
Sold out, but check out Phase 1's new offering, Stimmed Up.
150 mg of DMHA per serving - super strong effects with excellent focus + euphoria. Not for beginners.
Table of Contents
Pre Phase KO vs. Pre Phase
Pre Phase KO was discontinued around September 2021, but is still available at a few retailers.
In its place, Phase 1 introduced two new pre workouts: Pre Phase (no KO) and Stimmed Up.
Stimmed Up is a hard-hitting pre workout with up front energy and is their new high-stim offering. It’s a bit less euphoric and “buzzy” than Pre-Phase KO, but still has very nice energy.
Pre Phase will be their daily driver pre workout for regular use. The exact ingredient list for this has not yet been revealed as of October 17, 2021.
Review Summary
Overall, Pre Phase KO pre workout is an excellent choice for those seeking a stimulant-heavy pre workout. This is definitely not a beginner pre workout.
Energy, focus, and mood elevation are all on point. It definitely is a happier pre workout than other strong pre workouts like Assassin. I’d say it feels similar to Dark Energy in terms of mood elevation but with a much stronger focus element.
I also might recommend starting with 3/4 a scoop and eating some food immediately after working out to help reduce negative side effects. I had a small decline in mood after taking a 13 grams (heaping scoop) dose, so I will be experimenting with lower doses.
Update: I took 1 level scoop with some food and felt better. I think I’ll be sticking with one level scoop for future workouts.
At a price around $45, I’d say this is a “buy” for stimulant fans.
Experience
I tried the “Blue Magic” flavor of Pre Phase pre workout, which tastes like blueberry lemonade. Pretty good, 7/10 taste. Nothing much to report here.
I took a full serving, which is a heaping scoop. I measured a level scoop of Pre Phase and it was about 9 grams, while a full serving is 13 grams. This is a pretty big difference, so definitely keep that in mind if a level scoop doesn’t get you where you want to be. I would recommend starting with a level scoop though, as maybe that’s all you need and you’ll be able to get more servings out of a single tub!
Within 15 minutes or so I could feel the start of the caffeine and stimulants taking effect. This kept building up to the 45 minute mark or so, at which point things peaked and stayed there for about 3 hours or so.
The peak of Pre Phase is a mix of great energy, super focus, and euphoria. You can definitely feel the difference made by the DMHA here. You get a bit of the “tunnel vision” focus here, just a strong fixation toward whatever task is at hand. There is definitely a strong desire to get work done. Really, really nice.
Like I said earlier, this pre workout was going strong for 3+ hours. It is definitely a good candidate for long, intense training sessions. Pre Phase has great longevity.
At around the 3.5 hour mark, there was a little bit of a mood drop off, but nowhere near as bad as what I experienced with Excelsior pre workout. I definitely recommend making sure you eat when taking this, as I took it on an empty stomach and didn’t eat, which I think contributed to some of the mood drop off. I
f you’re sensitive to stimulants with respect to your mood, I’d recommend starting with a 3/4 scoop or possibly trying something with fewer stimulants like Hooligan, which still is a very strong pre workout.
I definitely plan to Pre Phase again, but will probably try taking a level scoop (around 9 grams) instead of the 13 gram serving indicated on the ingredients label.
Value + Where to Buy Pre Phase Pre Workout
As a top-tier, high-stimulant pre workout, Pre Phase can command a high price. I tend to see it priced between $45 and $50, which I think is pretty standard pricing. I think it is worth $45 to $50, especially if you only take a level scoop instead of a rounded one, which could create 40+ servings in a single tub.
Phase 1 Nutrition
You can pick up Pre Phase directly from Phase 1 Nutrition. Use code LIFTVAULT to save 10% on your order.
Ingredients Label

Citrulline Malate (6 g)
Citrulline malate is a pump and blood flow ingredient, one of the best researched pre workout ingredients out there. 6 grams is a clinical dose.
Beta Alanine (3 g)
Regular consumption of beta alanine increases muscular endurance, anaerobic running capacity, and helps reduce fatigue. It also creates a “tingling” sensation on the skin, which is harmless.
3 grams is a clinical dosage, though regular usage of beta alanine is needed to reap the benefits of this ingredient.
Choline Bitartrate (1 g)
Choline is often included in doses ranging from 1 to 2 grams to help boost mental focus as a nootropic. However, it is often included in Alpha GPC form for this purpose and Choline bitartrate may not be as effective for nootropic purposes (source).
While 1 gram is an okay dosage, there really is not enough research around Choline to reliably predict effects.
Caffeine Anhydrous (350 mg)
350 mg is a strong dosage of caffeine, but not crazy. I’m very happy with the 350 mg dosage.
Glucuronolactone (300 mg)
Glucuronolactone is often included for detoxification and energizing purposes, though there frankly is not much research available on this ingredient.
Eria Jarensis (200 mg)
Eria Jarensis is a stimulant that is often seen in high-stimulant pre workouts. 200 mg is a very solid dose of this ingredient.
L-Tyrosine (200 mg)
L-Tyrosine helps “smooth out” some of the harsher effects of stimulants, which is definitely not a bad idea for Pre Phase. Some limited research also shows it can act as a cognitive booster in stressful environments.
Unfortunately, 200 mg falls a bit short of what many anecdotal reports recommend for use in an exercise setting (source). Assassin pre workout, has 1.5 grams of L-Tyrosine, for example. Even Brain Blitz, the nootropic made by Phase One, has 500 mg of L-Tyrosine.
I’d definitely like to see this dosage increased, especially considering I experienced some mood drop and slight chills after taking this pre workout.
English Walnut Extract / DMHA (200 mg)
DMHA, a somewhat controversial ingredient, is included at 200 mg. This is a solid dose, as DMHA usually appears in doses between 150 mg and 250 mg.
This is an increase from the prior version of Pre Phase, which included 150 mg of DMHA in the form of 2-amino-6.
Related: See a list of the best DMHA pre workout.
Theobromine (100 mg)
Theobromine is a compound, structurally similar to caffeine, naturally found in dark chocolate, coffee beans, and guarana berries. It lowers blood pressure, acts as a milder, longer lasting stimulant than caffeine, and may positive impact mood (source, source).
100 mg is likely a little low for a theobromine dosage, but may still have some stimulation effects. Researched doses usually range between 200 and 400 mg (source).
Bitter Orange Extract (40 mg)
Bitter Orange Extract, also known as synephrine, is a stimulant and mild fat burner.
40 mg is a good dosage of this ingredient.
This ingredient replaces Alpha Yohimbine, which was included at 1.5 mg in the previous version of Pre Phase. Synephrine is easier to tolerate than Alpha Yohimbine while also presenting fat burning properties, making this a sensible ingredient swap in my opinion.
Phase One Nutrition - Pre Phase Pre Workout Review
Summary
Overall, Pre Phase is an excellent choice for those seeking a stimulant-heavy pre workout. Energy, focus, and mood elevation are all on point. It definitely is a happier pre workout than other strong pre workouts like Assassin. I’d say it feels similar to Dark Energy in terms of mood elevation but with a much stronger focus element. I also might recommend starting with 3/4 a scoop and eating some food immediately after working out to help reduce negative side effects. I had a small decline in mood after taking a 13 grams (heaping scoop) dose, so I will be experimenting with lower doses. At a price around $45, I’d say this is a “buy” for stimulant fans.
Pros
- Great energy
- Excellent focus
- Strong mood elevation, slight euphoria
- 40+ servings if a level scoop is used
Cons
- Some under dosed ingredients
- Some mood decline was observed about 3.5 hours after taking – start with a 3/4 scoop!