If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the Best Stimulant-Free Pre Workout For Muscle Gains, then we recommend Pre Lab Pro® as the best one.
There are a lot of great pre workout supplements out there, but the jitters from all the stimulants can be enough to turn you away from them.
Don’t let jitters get in the way of your muscle gains.
In this article, I’ll tell you the most important things you need to know about choosing a great supplement as well as my top five picks on the best stimulant-free pre workout supplements on the market.
Here are the top stimulant-free pre workouts we’ll be reviewing:
- Genius Pre Workout Powder
- PUMPSURGE Caffeine-Free Pre Workout Supplement
- ProSupps® Dr. Jekyll® Signature Pre-Workout Powder
- Legion Pulse Caffeine-Free Pre Workout Supplement
- Pre Lab Pro®
What You Need to Know About Pre Workout Supplements
A lot of pre workout supplement manufacturers try to “trick” you into thinking they’re working hard by packing them full of stimulants.
The main stimulant is caffeine.
While caffeine is good for the occasional energy boost, too much of it can be bad for your health.
On top of that, it does nothing to progress muscle gains. Here are the features you should be looking for in a good stimulant-free pre workout supplement.
Amino Acids and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins in your body.
They give your body the boost that it needs to work harder longer.
Amino acids should make up the bulk of the ingredients in the supplement. There are 21 amino acids, but you’ll usually only see about half of them in supplements.
Out of these, there are three that’s called Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs).
They are named so because they have an aliphatic side-chain with a branch. This isn’t a scientific article, so I won’t dive into what that means.
The takeaway from this is that these amino acids are the three most important when it comes to muscle building.
Does this mean that all great supplements have BCAAs?
The answer to that is not necessarily.
It depends on the purpose of the supplement.
For pre workout supplements, BCAAs aren’t necessary because you can get what you need from the other amino acids as well.
However, it doesn’t hurt for the formula to have BCAAs.
Supplement Form
Supplements can come in either powder form or capsule form.
One doesn’t necessarily work better than the other, but there are some considerations about each form that could sway you in a certain direction.
Powder supplements are great because they can come in different flavors that may mask the bad taste of the amino acids.
Some supplements may only offer one or two flavors, but you may come across a brand that has 20+ flavors. You can make the powder with water or some other tasty drink.
You could even theoretically add it to food.
Capsules are convenient because you can take them quickly and be done with it.
They’re a great choice for people who don’t have time to mix up powders.
They are also flavorless, so you don’t have to worry about choking down some terrible tasting substance.
Serving Sizes
Every jar/container has the serving sizes written on the back but determining the amount of important ingredients you’re getting takes a little more work than reading the number on the back of the container.
The supplement may have more than the active ingredients. It may have added nutrients (the cheap ones may have a lot of fillers).
You’ll have to pay attention to the number of powder/capsules per serving and determine how much of the serving is active ingredients.
Perhaps only half of the serving is the active ingredient. Maybe it’s 80 percent. Reading the serving this way helps you to see which one is worth the money.
Flavors
Powder supplements can come unflavored (sometimes written as naturally flavored) or they may have added flavors.
There is an upside and a downside to this.
Flavors help the powder to taste a little better (pre workout powders usually taste bad no matter which brand you get).
Don’t expect the flavors to make it taste like a treat – they only help a little.
The downside is that if the powder is flavored, that means artificial flavors are added to the mix.
You must decide if you’re okay with having artificial additives in your pre workout supplement.
Sometimes they may use fruit or fruit extract to flavor the powder. In this case, you don’t have to compromise the all-natural standard.
Capsules aren’t flavored so this section doesn’t apply to them.
The Five Best Stimulant-Free Pre Workout
Finding the best stimulant-free pre-workout can be a challenge, we get it.
To save you some time, we’ve compiled a short list of some high quality ones for you to dig deeper into, as well as a recommendation of our favorite one.
Genius Pre Workout Powder
The Genius Pre Workout supplement is a powder that has 20 servings per container.
One serving is a 15.7 gram scoop.
Out of that scoop, over 14 grams of it are active ingredients.
It’s almost a pure supplement with the exception of a little added stevia and an anti-clumping agent. It comes in two flavors: grape limeade and sour apple.
The main ingredient is L-citrulline malate. This is an amino acid that is commonly found in watermelon.
The body changes this amino acid into another amino acid called L-arginine as well as nitric acid.
This combination helps to widen your arteries, leading to increased blood and oxygen flow to your muscles.
The supplement is all-natural and is suitable for all kinds of diets or lifestyles.
It’s vegan, vegetarian, sugar-free, and made in a GMP-certified facility in the United States.
Most importantly, it’s caffeine-free. It’s a great, high-quality supplement that will get you amped before your workout.
Pros
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Almost 100% pure active ingredients.
- Naturally sweetened making it suitable for diabetics.
Cons
- The number of grams per serving is large – you’ll have to drink a large cup.
- Some people reported an itching sensation from drinking the supplement.
PUMPSURGE Caffeine-Free Pre Workout Supplement
PUMPSURGE is a powder supplement that has a small number of artificial flavors, but not enough to be a deal breaker.
It comes in four flavors: strawberry lemonade, cherry limeade, blue raspberry, and watermelon.
It comes with 20 servings per jar. The servings are 13 gram scoops and each serving has a little over 9 grams of active ingredients.
Like the last supplement, the main ingredient in this one is L-citrulline. It also has betaine anhydrous.
This substance prevents the buildup of a chemical called homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine can cause a slowed metabolism.
While this supplement does have a little more additives than the last, it’s mostly for flavor. It has pineapple fruit powder, other fruit juices and fruit extracts, and an anti-clumping agent.
The good news is that all of this gives the powder a pleasant, manageable taste. It’s suitable for all diet types and lifestyles, and it’s manufactured in a GMP-certified facility in the United States.
Pros
- Flavors are a decent for a pre workout powder.
- Provides a metabolic boost.
- Made in the U.S.A.
Cons
- Quite a bit of additives.
ProSupps® Dr. Jekyll® Signature Pre-Workout Powder
The ProSupps® Dr. Jekyll® Signature Pre-Workout is a powder supplement that has 30 servings per container.
However, unlike the last two supplements, the serving sizes are smaller – only 7.5 grams.
When you break it down, you’re really only getting about 75 percent of the servings that the first two supplements offer.
However, this one is usually priced a little lower than the other two, so you won’t feel cheated. It comes in two flavors: What-o-Melon, and blueberry lemonade.
The great news is that almost all the serving is active ingredients, so you’re getting a pure shot of boosting benefits.
The main ingredient is beta alanine.
Beta alanine boosts the production of carnosine in the muscles. Carnosine discourages the buildup of lactic acid.
Lactic acid is what cause your muscles to get fatigued while you work out. Therefore, beta alanine allows you to workout longer before getting fatigued.
While this supplement doesn’t have a lot of each active ingredient (1.6 grams of beta alanine, for example), the blends that it uses works well.
You’ll get a great cognitive boost as well as stimulant-free energy to help you power through your workouts. It’s suitable for all lifestyles and diets.
Pros
- Almost pure active ingredients.
- Helps you work out longer without getting fatigued.
- Provides a cognitive boost.
Cons
- Doesn’t have a lot of active ingredients per serving.
- Some users say the flavors aren’t that great.
Legion Pulse Caffeine-Free Pre Workout Supplement
Legion Pulse is a powder supplement that has 21 servings per jar. Each serving is two 11.27 gram scoops.
There are 13 flavors, but only three of them are stimulant-free so you must make sure you read the label carefully.
The three stimulant-free flavors are blueberry, fruit punch, and green apple.
Unlike the other supplements, Legion Pulse doesn’t have an extensive list of ingredients which means it has more of what you need the most.
It has 8 grams of the main ingredient, L-citrulline. As described before, this will increase blood flow and oxygen.
The second ingredient is CarnoSyn® beta-alanine. CarnoSyn® is a leading amino acid producer whose products are found in many of the best supplements.
Their beta-alanine is extensively researched and the only patented one on the market.
Besides a few nutrients, most of the supplement is highly effective active ingredients. It’s suitable for all diets and lifestyles and provides a great pre workout boost.
Pros
- Made in the U.S.A.
- High dosage of L-citrulline.
- Several flavors to choose from.
Cons
- Can clump easily if it isn’t stored at a regulated temperature.
- Some users reported a strong tingling sensation on their face and arms.
Pre Lab Pro®
There is no doubt that Pre Lab Pro® is the best stimulant-free pre workout supplement out there.
The supplement is in capsule form and you get 20 servings per bottle. One serving equals six capsules.
Like CarnoSyn®, it’s a highly respected company and you can rest assured that their amino acids are top-notch.
Setria’s performance blend includes L-citrulline and glutathione. This blend reduces muscle fatigue allowing you to exercise longer.
The Pre Lab Pro® supplement also contains creatine and CarnoSyn® beta-alanine. It has limited ingredients, so you get a big dose of the important stuff.
Pre Lab Pro® contains an ingredient not found in the other supplements: Himalayan pink salt.
This salt contains trace elements that are helpful – mainly calcium, potassium, and magnesium (small amounts). It also aids in hydration.
Even the capsule is beneficial. The capsule is made from fermented tapioca. This gives you a dose of prebiotics that aid in keeping your gut health balanced.
Pre Lab Pro® is a great supplement that has it all.
Pros
- One of the most researched supplements around.
- Pre Lab Pro® has a great reputation.
- Sport works exceptionally well and doesn’t cause itchy or burning reactions.
- No bad tastes to worry about.
Cons
- You have to swallow a lot of capsules to get a complete serving.
- Salt content isn’t good for people with high blood pressure.
Final Thoughts on the Best Stimulant-Free Pre Workout Supplement
You don’t have to subject yourself to the jittery effects of supplements that are full of stimulants.
Supplements can provide you with a boost of energy and power without the effects of a ton of caffeine. You just need to get the best stimulant-free pre workout supplement you can find.
The supplements on this list are all amazing products. However, the Pre Lab Pro® is the best out of all of them.
This is due to the fact that every ingredient they use is from a top manufacturer, not just one ingredient like other supplements.
It’s also a company with a superior reputation and, more importantly, the overwhelming majority of their customers have nothing but great things to say about the product.
Even if you choose to go with one of the other supplements, if you choose one from this list you can rest assured that you’re getting a top-quality pre workout product.
