Are you an athlete looking to step up your training game BIG time?
The right pre-workout supplement will have you running faster, lifting heavier, pushing further, feeling less fatigued, and absolutely smashing your goals.
But not all pre-workouts are created equal, and there’s a very fine line between good pre-workouts and great pre-workouts.
Besides the host of benefits you can reap from taking pre-workout, it is possible to find an awesome pre-workout supplement that’s 100% compliant with tested sports federations, like WADA and NCAA (no positive drug test!).
Below you’ll find the very best pre-workout supplements (tried and tested) on the market, pointers for what to look for in a quality supplement, the benefits of taking pre-workout supplements for athletes, and more!
Our top pick is Lean Pre-Workout by Transparent Labs. Transparent Labs’ commitment to clean ingredients, clinical dosages, and 3rd party testing make it a no-brainer for athletes.
Lean Pre-Workout is a great choice for those seeking all-around nutrition support and a little extra fat-burning help. It's a well-rounded pre-workout that can be good choice for lots of different use cases.
Discount Codes:
LV10 = 10% off your entire order
Related:
Table of Contents
- 1 The Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Athletes
- 2 What To Look For When Buying A Pre-Workout Supplement For Athletes
- 2.1 Fully disclosed ingredient label
- 2.2 Decide how much caffeine you want, being mindful of the NCAA limit on caffeine consumption in competition
- 2.3 Look for ingredients that can improve athletic performance
- 2.4 Go with a reliable brand with a reputation for quality and transparency
- 2.5 Make sure they do not contain any ingredients banned by your relevant sports federation
- 3 Pre-Workout Benefits For Athletes
- 4 Conclusion
The Best Pre-Workout Supplements For Athletes
- Pre-Kaged – Kaged
- Bulk Pre-Workout – Transparent Labs
- Stim-Free – Transparent Labs
- Pre-Kaged Sport – Kaged
- Superhuman Sport – Alpha Lion
1. Pre-Kaged – Kaged
Pre-Kaged is one of the best "all-around" pre-workouts on the market today. When it comes to delivering proven ingredients at effective dosages, Kaged is a brand that delivers time and time again.
Pre-Kaged supplies pump, energy, and focus without any banned or shady ingredients, making it a great choice for tested athletes or anyone that cares what they put into their body.
Pre-Kaged is the best pre-workout for athletes, without a doubt!
Their award-winning formula perfectly combines premium ingredients, like L-Citrulline, BCAAs, Beta-Alanine, Creatine HCL, Taurine, and more, in highly-effective doses (yes, it really does contain 6,500 mg of branched-chain amino acids!).
In fact, it’s featured on our list of the best pre-workout supplements with creatine.
If you’re looking for a supplement to improve your endurance, improve your mental focus, build lean muscle, promote weight loss, accelerate muscle recovery, and boost energy levels – look no further!
Kaged is so trustworthy that we also featured them on our list of the best creatine supplements for athletes. If you’re drug-tested, Kaged is the way to go!
Key Ingredients:
- L-Citrulline – 6,500 mg
- Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) (6,500 mg)
- L-Leucine – 4,750 mg
- L-Isoleucine – 875 mg
- L-Valine – 875 mg
- BetaPower (Betaine Anhydrous) – 2,500 mg
- CarnoSyn (Beta-Alanine) – 1,600 mg
- Patented Creatine HCl – 1,500 mg
- Coconut Water Powder – 500 mg
- SPECTRA Total ORAC Blend – 100 mg
- Taurine – 2,000 mg
- N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine – 1,000 mg
- PurCaf Organic Caffeine – 274 mg
- Sodium – 50 mg
- Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg
- Vitamin B6 – 25 mg
- Niacin – 30 mg
2. Bulk Pre-Workout – Transparent Labs
With just over 200 mg of caffeine, BCAAs, Vitamin D3, and Zinc, BULK is a great choice if you're looking for a normal amount of caffeine + extra nutritional support.
Discount codes:
LV10 = 10% off Transparent Labs
If you’re looking for a superb pre-workout supplement without too much caffeine, Bulk Pre-Workout is top of the list (right up there with Pre-Kaged!).
This pre-workout is perfect for athletes looking to enhance performance, boost muscular endurance, increase blood flow (muscle pumps for the win!), reduce muscle soreness, burn fat, and enhance muscle growth – to name just a few benefits.
The stacks of amino acids in this pre-workout, like BCAAs, Beta-Alanine (to help buffer lactic acid), Citrulline Malate, Taurine, Betaine, and L-Tyrosine all work together to support muscle building and prevent muscle loss.
Bulk is proudly featured on our list of the best pre-workouts.
Key Ingredients:
- Citrulline Malate 2:1 – 6,000 mg
- Beta-Alanine – 4,000 mg
- Branched Chain Amino Acid (BCAAs) 2:1:1 – 4,000 mg
- Betaine Anhydrous – 2,500 mg
- Taurine – 1,300 mg
- L-Tyrosine – 1,000 mg
- L-Theanine – 360 mg
- AlphaSize Alpha GPC – 300 mg
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 180 mg
- Theobromine – 50 mg
- Infinergy – 30 mg
- AstraGin – 25 mg
- Vitamin D3 – 75 mcg
- Vitamin B6 – 5 mg
- Vitamin B12 – 100 mcg
- Zinc – 30 mg
- Sodium – 150 mg
- Potassium – 100 mg
- Boron – 3 mg
3. Stim-Free – Transparent Labs
Transparent Labs Stim Free pre workout is the best all-in-one caffeine free pre workout.
All the bases are covered here, including pump ingredients, BCAAs, and elevATP to replenish your muscles' energy stores.
If you want a solid pre workout, but without any caffeine, this is a good pick.
Discount codes:
LV10 = 10% off Transparent Labs
Stim-Free by Transparent Labs is a phenomenal non-caffeinated pre-workout designed especially for athletes who take part in late-night training or those who prefer not to take any stimulants.
With notable ingredients such as Citrulline Malate, Beta-Alanine, Betaine, and Taurine at clinically effective dosages, you can be sure to power through your workouts easily!
Plus, this formula contains only natural ingredients (no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives) in super delicious variations, like Fruit Punch, Green Apple, and Strawberry Lemonade, among others.
Key Ingredients:
- Citrulline Malate 2:1 – 6,000 mg
- Beta-Alanine – 4,000 mg
- BCAA 2:1:1 – (Instantized) (Fermented) 4,000 mg
- BetaPure Betaine Anhydrous – 2,500 mg
- Taurine – 1,300 mg
- L-Tyrosine – 1,000 mg
- Choline Bitartrate – 500 mg
- elevATP Ancient Peat and Apple Fruit Extract – 150 mg
- BioPerine – 5 mg
- Huperzine A – 50 mcg
- Sodium – 150 mg
- Potassium – 100 mg
4. Pre-Kaged Sport – Kaged
Pre-Kaged Sport is Kaged's lower-priced, athlete-focused pre-workout supplement. It's perfect for anyone looking for an energy boost that wants to avoid any banned or illegal substances.
This is safe for tested athletes to take in competition.
Pre-Kaged Sport certainly deserved an honorable mention for providing athletes with a top-notch pre-workout containing less caffeine. As a bonus, it comes in several fun flavors!
This product provides clean energy and mental clarity, improves athletic performance and endurance, and supports fluid balance and hydration – which is all you could want in a pre-workout supplement!
Kaged hits the nail on the head when it comes to sports nutrition by creating a fantastic pre-workout that’s vegan and free from artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
Key Ingredients:
- L-Citrulline – 3.5 g
- Beta-Alanine – 1.6 g
- Betaine Anhydrous – 1.25 g
- Taurine – 2 g
- Coconut Water Powder – 500 mg
- L-Tyrosine – 500 mg
- Caffeine – 188 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 50 mcg
- Vitamin B12 – 42 mcg
- Magnesium – 20 mg
- Sodium – 50 mg
5. Superhuman Sport – Alpha Lion
Superhuman Sport is Alpha Lion's pre-workout supplement designed for athletes. It has a fully disclosed ingredient label without any banned or illegal substances.
At 100 mg of caffeine, it's great for those who want an effective pre-workout supplement without excessive caffeine.
Superhuman Sport truly lives up to its name! And it’s an excellent option for a pre-workout with a lower caffeine content. But don’t let that fool you, it still packs a punch. In fact, it’s one of our top recommended pre-workouts for teen athletes.
This product is a beast if you’re looking to improve exercise performance through a blend of premium, research-backed ingredients.
Besides boosted energy levels, you can also expect increased power output, enhanced endurance, better focus, and faster post-workout recovery!
Key Ingredients:
- Betaine Anhydrous – 2,500 mg
- BioEnergy D-Ribose – 2,500 mg
- L-Ornithine – 2000 mg
- elevATP Ancient Peat and Apple Fruit Extract – 150 mg
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 75 mg
- CaffXTend Natural Time Release Caffeine – 25 mg
- Peak O2 – 1,000 mg
- Aquamin Sea Minerals – 500 mg
- RhodioPrime – 300 mg
- VitaCherry Sport – 400 mg
- AstraGin – 50 mg
What To Look For When Buying A Pre-Workout Supplement For Athletes
Fully disclosed ingredient label
Ever seen supplements promoting something about an “exclusive proprietary blend”?
While it may sound like a good thing, you definitely want to steer clear.
Why? Many brands use vague proprietary blends to hide or underdose the ingredients in their products.
Always opt for a pre-workout supplement with a fully disclosed ingredient label (like all of the recommendations on this list), so you’ll know exactly what you’re consuming and the exact doses of each ingredient.
Transparency is king in the supplement world!
Decide how much caffeine you want, being mindful of the NCAA limit on caffeine consumption in competition
According to the NCAA’s Drug Testing Regulations, an athlete would need to drink between 6 and 8 caffeinated beverages (about 500 mg of caffeine) 2 to 3 hours before a competition to fail a drug test.
Technically speaking, the limit for urinary caffeine concentration is 15 ug/mL.
Okay, so what about pre-workout supplements?
Most pre-workout products contain TONS of caffeine (and even banned ingredients), so it’s essential that you pick one with a lower dose of caffeine, or you could just opt for a totally caffeine-free pre-workout supplement.
To spare you the research, we’ve checked (and checked again) to confirm that all the supplements on this list contain a safe amount of caffeine.
Look for ingredients that can improve athletic performance
As a strength or endurance athlete, here are the most beneficial pre-workout ingredients to look out for:
- Caffeine: Even in lower doses, caffeine is science-backed and insanely effective at improving endurance, power output, mental clarity, strength, and perceived exertion when it comes to athletic performance.Basically, it gives you the boost to train harder, faster, and longer!
- Taurine: Taurine is excellent for drawing water into the body cells, which is great for reducing muscle cramps and staying hydrated. It’s also effective at improving focus, decreasing muscle fatigue, and accelerating recovery.
- Beta-Alanine: Countless studies back this amino acid’s ability to drastically improve physical performance by reducing blood lactate accumulation (why your muscles get sore), therefore lessening muscle fatigue, which is especially helpful for endurance athletes.
- L-Citrulline: L-Citrulline is a good pre-workout ingredient for increasing blood flow (and oxygen) in the muscles, boosting endurance, and enhancing lean muscle mass and brain function. In addition, it aids in the conversion of glucose into much-needed energy.
- Simple Carbohydrates (like dextrose or D-ribose): Simple carbs are an excellent source of fast-acting energy, which can be insanely beneficial for fueling your workout.Carbohydrates give your muscles instant useable energy, plus they work to slow down the absorption of other ingredients in pre-workout formulas for long-lasting effectiveness.
- Electrolytes: Magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium are examples of essential minerals which are crucial for maintaining adequate hydration, especially when it comes to athletics. Compared to water alone, electrolytes have shown to be even more beneficial during intense exercise.
Go with a reliable brand with a reputation for quality and transparency
As mentioned before, full transparency is super important when it comes to picking the best pre-workout supplement for you.
Tips for choosing a reputable brand:
- Third-party testing and clinical research
- For instance, Transparent Labs posts their certificates of composition and certificates of analysis and Kaged is part of the Informed-Sport certification program, a 3rd-party testing program that ensures products are free of banned ingredients.
- Numerous product reviews
- Recommendations from professionals and experts in the industry
- A website with ways to get in touch
Make sure they do not contain any ingredients banned by your relevant sports federation
Firstly, all the pre-workout supplements listed here do not contain any ingredients banned by the NCAA or WADA.
If you’re a competitive athlete, it’s vital to make sure that the performance-enhancing supplements you consume before an event are completely safe.
You can verify a brand’s claims by checking for a third-party tested certificate’ on the bottle, like Informed Choice, Informed-Sport, GMP, or NSF.
And if you want to be triple-sure (and for peace of mind), you could always show the ingredient list to your coach or athletic director.
Pre-Workout Benefits For Athletes
Energy
The main reason why athletes love taking a pre-workout supplement is simply to boost their energy levels.
A solid pre-workout formula containing caffeine, of course, and a decent combination of beneficial pre-workout ingredients, will give you more than enough fuel and motivation to take your training to the next level!
Plenty of research shows that pre-workouts improve athletes’ energy levels and therefore boost exercise performance.
According to a study, athletes taking a pre-workout supplement containing caffeine, creatine, B-vitamins, and other beneficial nutrients had less fatigue overall as well as improved time-to-fatigue while taking part in endurance exercise.
Another 3-week study had 24 pro athletes supplement with pre-workout (containing caffeine, citrulline malate, and creatine). It found that they had increased maximum oxygen uptake, enhanced muscle protein synthesis (for building lean muscle mass), and improved running speeds at high intensities, all when combined with high-intensity interval training and cardio.
To note: Caffeine isn’t an essential ingredient in pre-workout powders – as there are many amazing stimulant-free pre-workout options available these days. They contain natural ingredients like L-Tyrosine and Beta-Alanine, which can be just as effective at improving your athletic performance!
Endurance/Stamina
Endurance plays a massive role in reaching your goals, whether you’re training for a big event, wanting to improve your physique, or trying to build and strengthen your muscles.
A large study involving athletes participating in aerobic exercise found that the ingredients usually found in a pre-workout formula (or other sports supplements) significantly improved athletic performance and endurance.
It also resulted in the athletes being more capable of sparing muscle glycogen and seeing weight loss (because of boosted metabolism).
Another study reported that supplementing with pre-workouts reduced athlete’s race times by 3%, or 2 minutes per hour, on average (a few seconds or minutes could be the difference between you coming first or last in a competition). The study also found that some participants were actually able to improve their times by a huge 17%!
Conclusion
So, what is the best pre-workout powder for athletes?
If we had to pick only one product on this list, Pre-Kaged by Kaged takes the trophy!
And if you prefer less caffeine, Bulk Pre-Workout by Transparent Labs is just as awesome.
Besides providing top-class pre-workout supplements, both Transparent Labs and Kaged go above and beyond to maintain trust with their customers, and athletes can rest assured with these brand’s certificates of composition and analysis and Informed-Sport third-party tested certificates, respectively.
The bottom line is this: The best pre-workout supplements have research-backed ingredients in sufficient doses and have been shown to be effective in improving strength and endurance performance.
If you’re a competitive athlete, you can rest easy knowing that all of the pre-workouts listed in this guide are compliant with the major sports testing federations like WADA and the NCAA.
In addition, and unlike most otherpre-workout supplements, the ones on this list don’t contain any undesirable qualities, such as:
- Propriety blends
- Undisclosed ingredients
- Underdosed ingredients
- Banned substances
