I remember the first time I heard about pre-workout. I'd just started my career as a fitness trainer and was catching up with an old high school friend. When I mentioned I worked in fitness, he launched into his morning routine and raved about his pre-workout shake. Curious, and eager to flex my newly earned nutrition knowledge, I asked what was in it. His answer: "Oh, I don't know, a bunch of stuff I've never heard of and can't pronounce. But it makes me feel like an animal!"
That conversation sums up the problem. Here's how to look past the marketing and choose a pre-workout you actually understand.
Why should you read the ingredient label first?
I asked my friend to send me a photo of the label. It listed, among other things: citrulline malate, caffeine anhydrous, beta-alanine, creatine nitrate, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, malic acid, "natural flavors," silicon dioxide, sucralose and added vitamin C.
None of those is a red flag on its own. Several, such as caffeine and beta-alanine, are well studied, and silicon dioxide is a common anti-caking agent that stops powders from clumping. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener. Some people are happy with that list; I'd rather drink something made from recognizable foods and plants. (If you've ever wondered what "natural flavors" actually means, we've explained it here in full.)
The bigger issue is how much of each ingredient you're getting. When researchers analyzed the 100 top-selling pre-workouts, nearly half of all ingredients sat inside proprietary blends with undisclosed amounts, and the average dose of some key ingredients fell below the amounts shown to work. A label that hides the numbers makes it impossible to judge.
What should be in a healthy pre-workout?
The simplest way to narrow your options is to look for a pre-workout made with organic, real-food ingredients and herbs, and a fully disclosed label. If you see an ingredient you don't recognize, look it up; one herb can go by several names.
Once you're happy with the ingredient list, look for three things: support for stress and focus, energy and electrolytes, and nitric oxide.
Which ingredients support stress adaptation and focus?
Some natural pre-workouts lean on antioxidant-rich ingredients, such as berries, on the theory that antioxidants lighten the load of exercise stress. Others use adaptogens, herbs traditionally used to help the body adapt to physical and mental stress. I like a formula that has both.
Ashwagandha is the adaptogen with the most research behind it. A meta-analysis of 12 trials found it reduced self-reported stress and anxiety compared with placebo, and another review of 13 studies found it improved measures of strength, endurance and recovery in healthy adults. Rhodiola, eleuthero, maca and ginseng are also traditional adaptogens, though the evidence for them in exercise is thinner.
For focus, tea has a trick that coffee doesn't. It contains L-theanine, and in a placebo-controlled study, L-theanine combined with caffeine improved speed and accuracy on a demanding attention task more than caffeine alone. Our guide to what adaptogens are and what they do covers the herbs in more detail.
What should you look for in energy and electrolytes?
For energy, the caffeine dose matters more than the source. Whether it comes from green coffee beans, green tea, matcha, yerba mate or guayusa, it's the same molecule. The International Society of Sports Nutrition finds caffeine improves performance at 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight, and very high doses mainly add side effects. Choose a dose that suits your body weight and how much coffee you already drink.
Next, look for a source of electrolytes. Coconut water powder is a common natural option. A small amount of carbohydrate can help in longer sessions, but you don't need a sugary drink for a typical hour in the gym.
How do nitric oxide ingredients help?
Nitric oxide is a gas your blood vessels use to relax and widen, which helps blood flow to working muscles. Your body can make it from the nitrates naturally found in vegetables, especially leafy greens and beetroot. In a meta-analysis of 80 studies, nitrate supplements gave a small performance benefit in recreationally active men, with less clear effects in women and well-trained endurance athletes. Our article on the importance of nitric oxide goes deeper.
What sets a natural pre-workout apart?
In my opinion, adaptogens are the secret weapon in a natural, organic pre-workout, because they address the stress side of training rather than just adding more stimulant.
That's the thinking behind our pre-workouts. Renewable Energy has a moderate 90mg of caffeine from organic green coffee bean, matcha and yerba mate, with ashwagandha, rhodiola, panax ginseng and maca, beetroot and pomegranate juice powders, and coconut water for electrolytes. If you want a stronger dose, Renewable Energy Plus has 180mg of caffeine from organic green coffee beans with ashwagandha, ginseng and maca, beetroot and pomegranate.
A word of caution: herbs are not automatically harmless. The NIH notes that ashwagandha should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding and has rarely been linked to liver injury. If you're pregnant, take medication or have a health condition, check with your doctor before starting any pre-workout.
Curious about timing, or why you might choose a pre-workout over coffee? Read what a pre-workout supplement is and when to take it.
