While pre-workouts with beta-alanine are somewhat of a staple for many gym-goers and athletes, providing a multitude of benefits, they also come with some problems. One of these is the uncomfortable itching and tingling sensation.
If you’re on the hunt for a beta-alanine-free pre-workout that doesn’t make you itch, you’ve probably experienced these symptoms and have decided it’s not for you.
The good news? There are plenty of beta-alanine-free pre-workouts that can get you pumped for the gym without the unpleasant “pins and needles” symptoms.
Our top pick for the overall pre-workout without beta-alanine is Loco Pre-Workout from Myoblox, but that’s not all.
Keep reading to learn more about our 8 picks for the best pre-workout supplements without beta-alanine.
Table of Contents
The Best Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine (No Itch)
- Loco Pre-Workout – Myoblox
- Pump Pre-Workout – Transparent Labs
- Flame Pre-Workout – Dark Labs
- Skywalk – Myoblox
- 4 Gauge Pre-Workout
- Pre-Lab Pro Pre-Workout
- Darkside Onslaught – Alpha Neon
- Herolean – Dark Labs
1. Loco Pre-Workout – MyoBlox
Best Overall Pre-Workout without Beta-Alanine
With no beta-alanine, Loco feels more like an excellent energy drink than a pre-workout supplement.
Clean energy + nice mood lift for those who like high doses of caffeine!
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutrition Cartel
LIFTVAULT15 = 15% off at Supp Kingz
As an extremely potent and strong pre-workout, MyBlox Loco takes the top spot as the best overall pre-workout without beta-alanine.
Explosive strength and energy? Check. Laser focus? Check. Mind-blowing pumps? CHECK!
Loco utilizes the finest sources of ingredients at the right doses, including 6,000 mg of citrulline malate, 2,000 mg of taurine and 1,000 mg of tyrosine. This pre-workout also packs a powerful punch with a whopping 400 mg of natural caffeine per scoop. So you’ll be fully energized for those long, intense workouts!
It’s pre-workout formulated to take your workout performance to the next level – boosting your energy and enhancing focus and drive. If that sounds like what you’ve been looking for, then grab Loco now!
Key Ingredients
- Citrulline Malate – 6,000 mg
- L-Taurine – 2,000 mg
- L-Tyrosine – 1,000 mg
- Loco Energy Matrix – 1,425 mg
2. Pump Pre-Workout – Transparent Labs
Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout without Beta-Alanine
New for 2022
Pump is another winner from Transparent Labs.
It delivers three effective pump ingredients (L-Citrulline, Arginine Nitrate, and Betaine Anhydrous) at clinical doses to help improve blood flow and increase nitric oxide production.
Great for stacking with a stim pre-workout or taking alone for a stim-free experience.
Discount codes:
LV10 = 10% off Transparent Labs
With proven ergogenic ingredients that boost nitric oxide production and hydrate muscle cells for hours, Pump by Transparent Labs is the best non-stim pre-workout without beta-alanine.
Transparent Labs has put out a near masterpiece of a nitric oxide supplement with Pump pre-workout. With a great mix of citrulline (8,000 mg), nitrates (2,500 mg), betaine anhydrous (2,500 mg) and much more, it’s designed to create the best experience for pumps.
With Pump, you get all the benefits of a traditional pre-workout with no caffeine jitters! And thanks to being stim-free, it can be stacked with your favorite pre-workout.
Looking for a great stim-free pump pre-workout? This is it!
Key Ingredients
- L-Citrulline – 8,000 mg
- Arginine Nitrate – 2,500 mg
- Betaine Anhydrous – 2,500 mg
- L-Tyrosine – 500 mg
- L-Glutathione – 250 mg
3. Flame Pre-Workout – Dark Labs
Best High Stim Pre-Workout without Beta-Alanine
Restocked in August 2022!
Hard-hitting, "happy" DMHA experience. This one will make the stim junkies soar.
All stims, no pumps, but if you want energy, focus, and euphoria then Flame is the answer.
One of my personal favorites.
Dark Labs’ Flame pre-workout is a stim junkie’s dream pre-workout! That’s why it’s our best high-stim pre-workout without beta-alanine.
Dark Labs is known for putting out intense pre-workouts that arguably hit harder and keep you flying, and Flame pre-workout is no different. Armed with hard-hitting stimulants like Beta PEA, Alpha Yohimbine and Eria Jarensis, Flame pulls out all stops for a high-stim pre-workout.
If you want a fast-acting beta-alanine-free pre-workout that provides extreme euphoria, long-lasting energy and razor-sharp focus without making you itch, you’ve got it with Dark Labs Flame.
Key Ingredients
- Agmatine Sulfate – 1,500 mg
- Beta Phenylethylamine HCL (PEA) – 500 mg
- Eria Jarensis Extract – 500 mg
- Theobromine – 300 mg
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 300 mg
- 2-Amino-5-Methylhexane (Juglans Regia) – 300 mg
- Caffeine Citrate – 100 mg
- Alpha Yohimbine – 1.5 mg
4. Skywalk – MyoBlox
Best Nootropic without Beta-Alanine
With a lighter 200 mg dosage of RealCaf caffeine, clinical dosages of Alpha GPC and L-Tyrosine, and a blend of other stimulants at just the right dosage, Skywalk provides a smooth, long-lasting focus.
Great for working at home or the office!
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutrition Cartel
Packed with ingredients designed to enhance your focus, mood and concentration, MyoBlox Skywalk is the best nootropic without beta-alanine.
Skywalk leverages an ultra-premium ingredient matrix, including a whopping 3,000 mg of tyrosine – the essential component for the production of several important brain chemicals.
Additionally, it offers the patented blend, NooLVL – a non-stimulant ingredient that boosts cognitive performance. And this stuff works FAST (in just 15 minutes!) and delivers increased energy without the uncomfortable jitters.
Whether you’re a professional athlete, office worker or student looking to improve your focus, MyoBlox Skywalk is the ideal choice!
Key Ingredients
- L-Tyrosine – 3,000 mg
- NooLVL – 1,600 mg
- Alpha-GPC – 800 mg
- L-Theanine – 230 mg
- RealCaf – 400 mg
5. 4 Gauge Pre-Workout
Best Beginner Pre-Workout without Beta-Alanine
With a full clinical dosage of L-Citrulline Di-Malate, plus caffeine, creatine, coconut water powder, and rhodiola rosea, 4 Gauge is an excellent pick for beginners.
No beta alanine = no tingling!
As the best beginner pre-workout without beta-alanine, the 4 Gauge pre-workout supplement is a great place to start if you’re new to pre-workout supplements.
4 Gauge is a game-changing 4-in-1 pre-workout formula that enhances every aspect of what makes a workout performance great. It increases muscle pumps for more effective workouts and improves blood flow to deliver more oxygen, energy and focus. What more could you want in a pre-workout supplement?
This pre-workout is sure to provide you with the firepower you need to blast through a workout session thanks to its 50 mg of caffeine, 200 mg of theanine and 1,000 mg of creatine monohydrate.
Key Ingredients
- Citrulline Dl-Malate – 6,000 mg
- Creatine Monohydrate – 1,000 mg
- Acetyl L-Carnitine – 500 mg
- L-Theanine – 200 mg
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 150 mg
6. Pre Lab Pro Pre-Workout
Best Vegan Pre-Workout without Beta-Alanine
Pre Lab Pro is a solid pick for those seeking a pre-workout with a low amount of caffeine to get them going, but nothing crazy that'll make them jittery or keep them up all night.
It also has no beta-alanine, so won't cause any tingling or itchiness.
Last, it has no sketchy stimulants or artificial sweeteners, making it super clean and transparent.
Pre Lab Pro is a pre-workout formula made up of natural extracts from various plants and herbs, making it our best vegan pre-workout without beta-alanine.
Manufactured by Opti-Nutra, Pre Lab Pro has been praised across the pre-workout market as a natural powerhouse for those looking to enhance performance.
The formula doesn’t rely on mega doses of sugar and caffeine that can leave you feeling jittery and anxious. Rather, it uses research-backed natural ingredients like Setria Performance blend (Glutathione + L-Citrulline), Red Beetroot Powder and their famous Nutrigenesis vitamins and minerals.
For more natural pre-workout ingredients, check out our round up of the most effective natural pre-workout supplements.
The result is an impressive, blood-pumping pre-workout supplement that supercharges you in every aspect of your workout.
Key Ingredients
- SETRIA Performance Blend (Glutathione + L-Citrulline) – 2,200 mg
- Red Beetroot Powder – 1,500 mg
- L-Tyrosine – 400 mg
- L-Theanine – 160 mg
- Caffeine – 80 mg
7. Darkside Onslaught – Alpha Neon
Best Thermogenic Pre-workout without Beta-Alanine
Darkside Onslaught is an incredibly unique pre-workout.
First, it combines ingredients for fat-burning, focus, energy, and pumps.
Second, it doesn't contain beta-alanine, a traditionally popular but occasionally polarizing ingredient.
Third, it doesn't contain any illicit stimulants or other banned ingredients.
Last, it actually delivers 30 full servings at a time where you're lucky to get 25 servings from most quality pre-workouts.
Discount code:
LIFTVAULT15 = 15% off at Supp Kingz
As the best thermogenic pre-workout without beta-alanine, Alpha Neon’s Darkside Onslaught is packed full of ingredients for all of the core benefits, including extreme energy, razor-sharp focus and insane pumps.
Darkside Onslaught is no standard pre-workout that contains basic pre-workout ingredients in standard amounts. With fully loaded doses of L-citrulline, glycerol and alpha-GPC, Alpha Neon has crafted an insanely consistent stimulant experience with this pre-workout.
If you’re looking for a great pre-workout that gives you unmatched synergy in the gym, then Darkside Onslaught may be your next best friend!
Key Ingredients
- L-Citrulline – 7,000 mg
- Glycerol – 2,500 mg
- Alpha-GPC – 500 mg
- Bacopa Monieri – 300 mg
- Lion’s Mane – 300 mg
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 300 mg
8. Herolean – Dark Labs
Best Pre-Workout for Weight Loss without Beta-Alanine
A rare combination of DMAA and DMHA makes Herolean one of the most powerful fat burner thermogenic pre-workouts available on the market.
Warning: Strong alpha yohimbine effects.
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT15 = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
LIFTVAULT10 = 10% off at Supps Central
Finishing off our list is another product by Dark Labs. A hardcore pre-workout booster and fat burner in one, Herolean is the best pre-workout for weight loss without beta-alanine.
On one hand, Dark Labs’ Herolean pushes your athletic performance to the max, and on the other hand, it also enhances muscle building and weight loss.
What makes this pre-workout so powerful is its combination of DMAA and DMHA – two extremely potent stimulants. These have also been supplemented with other hardcore pre-workout ingredients and herbal substances for unbreakable focus and brutal endurance and pump.
If you’re looking for an insanely powerful pre-workout supplement to can help you improve your performance and lose weight, then go with Dark Labs’ Herolean. Just remember, with such potent ingredients, this pre-workout is not for the faint-hearted!
Key Ingredients
- L-carnitine L-tartrate – 2,000 mg
- Olive leaf extract (std. 40% oleuropein) – 300 mg
- Aqueous caffeine – 300 mg
- Green Coffee Bean Extract (Standard 50% Chlorogenic Acids) – 150 mg
- Eria Jarensis extract – 250 mg
- 2-Aminoisoheptane – 150 mg
- 1,3 Dimethylamylamine – 100 mg
- Synephrine HCL – 50 mg
- Hordenine – 50 mg
What to Look for When Buying a Pre-Workout without Beta Alanine
To ensure you’re choosing the best pre-workout for you, you need to consider several factors, from the obvious list of ingredients to the ultimate goal of your workout.
Here are three key factors you should look for to make an informed decision on a pre-workout that has no beta-alanine:
Fully disclosed ingredient label
It’s essential that good pre-workout supplements are transparent about ingredients, and you’re able to trace the benefits of each component.
There are many supplement manufacturers out there that use fillers or refer to “proprietary blends” without mentioning what these mysterious blends are made of on their ingredient labels. This poses the risk of using banned substances that could be dangerous for your health.
Moreover, if you’re looking for a beta-alanine-free pre-workout, it’s essential that the ingredient label of your chosen pre-workout discloses that there is zero beta-alanine in the product.
Clinical doses of key ingredients
You should look for a pre-workout that is made with only clinically proven ingredients and have accurate doses – especially if you’re looking for a beta-alanine-free pre-workout.
A high-quality, transparent pre-workout supplement that has no beta-alanine should have the following clinical doses of key ingredients:
- At least 4 grams of L-Citrulline or 6 grams of Citrulline Malate
- At least 2.5 grams of betaine anhydrous
- At least 750 mg of creatine HCL
- At least 3 g of creatine monohydrate
- At least 1 g of agmatine sulfate
Go with a brand that has a reputation for quality and transparency
It’s not just about finding a pre-workout that ticks all the right boxes; it’s also about going with a reputable brand that’s known for quality and transparency.
With so many brands in the pre-workout supplements market, it can be hard to find one that’s right for you.
To ensure you’re putting your best foot forward into the world of pre-workout supplements, we advise you to focus on brands that have a strong reputation, have been around for a while, and offer full transparency with their products.
A quality supplement company will always be willing to show their certifications and testing of their products. You can typically find these on their websites. This will offer you more peace of mind when buying a product, especially a pre-workout.
If you are looking for transparency, Transparent Laps post the Certificates of Analysis and Certificates of Composition for various products.
Reasons to Not Ingest Beta-Alanine
To better understand the reasons for not ingesting beta-alanine, you first need to understand what it is.
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid often used as a staple ingredient in pre-workout formulas. This is because it’s been shown to improve physical and athletic performance, such as enhancing endurance, reducing muscle soreness and reducing fatigue.
The aim of beta-alanine is to produce carnosine, a substance that acts as a buffer against lactic acid buildup in the muscles.
By reducing the acidity in the muscle cells, beta-alanine helps prevent fatigue and pushes you to continue your workouts for longer. It can buffer H+ ions in muscle cells, which helps remove lactic acid and increase ATP stores.
That said, beta-alanine is not for everyone. Along with all its benefits, it also has downsides that can be a major dealbreaker for some.
Uncomfortable itching and tingling sensations
One of the most obvious reasons not to ingest beta-alanine is that it causes the infamous “pins and needles” feelings you get when you take it in a pre-workout. This is known as paresthesia.
While paraesthesia is by no means dangerous, it can be incredibly uncomfortable. It’s important to keep in mind that the level of tingling or itching will vary from person to person. For some, it could be unbearable, while for others, it could be nothing more than an afterthought.
No matter, taking a pre-workout supplement that’s free of beta-alanine can still provide you with a great boost for your workout.
It requires daily use to be effective
For beta-alanine to be effective in your exercise performance, it needs to be supplemented daily on both training and non-training days.
If you’re only taking a pre-workout a few times a week, you won’t see the full benefits of beta-alanine. For gym-goers who aren’t necessarily in the gym 5+ days a week, this would mean loading it every day. Given this ingredient’s paresthesia effect, it can become frustrating and irritable for many.
You can improve your exercise capacity and focus more without it
Another great reason for taking a pre-workout that has zero beta-alanine is you’ll be able to focus more.
The paresthesia effect that beta-alanine produces can often lead to a lack of motivation and focus while training. If you’re constantly distracted, your exercise capacity and performance diminish significantly.
With no itching and tingling sensation, you’re able to push through your workout sessions without any distractions or discomfort.
FAQs
Ingredients like creatine, caffeine, betaine, theobromine, taurine and branched-chain amino acids (to name a few) all have a similar effect to beta-alanine on your exercise performance.
While beta-alanine has some great benefits, a pre-workout does not need this ingredient to be effective. There are other proven ingredients, such as caffeine, that can make up for its absence.
You can check the supplement facts on the product’s packaging.
The primary benefits of beta alanine include minor improvements in muscular endurance, minor improvements in anaerobic running capacity, minor reductions in fatigue, and minor increases in lean mass (i.e. building muscle).
No, you can still achieve your health & fitness goals without beta alanine. It is not nearly as important as macro nutrient intake (protein, fats, and carbs), training, and recovery (sleep and rest days).
Like most sports supplements, beta alanine is an option that can provide a slight advantage on your path to achieving your goals.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to improve your exercise performance, pack on more muscle mass or get insane pumps, you can reap these benefits and more from any one of the 8 pre-workout supplements without beta-alanine listed above.
But if there’s one we could recommend above all else as the overall best pre-workout without beta-alanine, it’s MyBlox’s Loco. It’s a pre-workout formula packed with all the right ingredients to give you explosive energy, laser focus, and of course, mind-blowing pumps!
Another solid pre-workout that ticks all the right boxes is Pre-Lab Pro Pre-Workout. It utilizes research-backed natural ingredients that give you everything you need to crush an insane workout.
