In Summary

• Most supplements marketed as pre-workouts have caffeine or another kind of stimulant; however, they do contain ingredients that support performance in exercise with no stimulant effect.
• Huperzia serrata, arginine and citrulline,rhodiola rosea, cordyceps, sodium bicarbonate, essential amino acids, and even chocolate milk can help with performance when taken before physical activity.
• Ingredients may have to be consumed at different times to max the effects.
• Pre-workouts are safe, but there is not a lot of research on long-term effects.

Do Caffeine-Free, Non-Stimulant Pre-workouts Work?

Caffeine is the one common denominator with most nutrition products marketed as the best pre workout supplement. Most pre-workout formulas shown to be effective have at least some amount of caffeine to help people feel more energized at the gym. Not all supplements have a stimulant effect.

If you usually avoid caffeine, or you’re looking to go beyond alertness and focus — like a better pump, or more endurance and strength gains—there are other options out there. Here are some of the best caffeine-free, non-stimulant pre-workout supplements that help you workout better but don’t give you that jittery feeling.

But Do They Actually Work?

There is evidence out there that shows pre-workout supplements can help people achieve fitness goals. One 2018 review appearing in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition considered 80 studies performed on pre-workout formulas. It was concluded that the supps could benefit muscular endurance as well as mood during a workout. When combined with resistance training, such supplements may support long-term positive changes in body composition with lean muscle gains.

However, most pre-workout formulas have many ingredients, so it’s hard to decide what’s good and what’s just a filler. And most pre-workouts have lots of caffeine (sometimes more than300 milligrams in one dose—or three cups of coffee). Caffeine promotes power output, alertness and endurance, plus it helps the body manage stress in many ways. That’s why it’s hard to tell what really works in any given supplement: is it the caffeine or the “proprietary blend”?

There are many other ingredients common in pre-workouts found to have benefits, which we will discuss later.

Which Pre-workout Supplements Have Stimulants?

Caffeine is not the only stimulant that may be contained in a supplement. Many supplements say they are caffeine- or stimulant-free yet they still have a stimulant effect, especially when someone is sensitive to one of the ingredients. The body’s reaction to supplements is individual.

Most people believe stimulants are chemicals that increase the heart rate and elevate the central nervous system. However, this category is much broader than all that. The FDA says a stimulant is a drug or substance that restores mental alertness or wakefulness when fatigued.So basically any product that makes you feel more mentally energized can be said to have a stimulant effect.

Don’t think “caffeine-free” on a label necessarily means stimulant-free. If you are looking for something that’s completely stimulant-free, you have to look for that specific wording on the bottle. The product should be researched and tested by a third party like Informed-Sport, which is a company that tests batches of supplements to see if they are safe and pure.

However, if you want stimulant-free pre-workouts only because you don’t want to ingest caffeine, you may not mind taking another supplement containing other compounds that could act like stimulants, yet with a less-potent effect.

These ingredients are included under the stimulant banner, so if you don’t want to consume stimulants, be on the alert for products that advertise them.

• Caffeine/caffeine anhydrous
• B-complex vitamins
• Carnitine
• Green coffee bean
• Cocoa
• Ginseng
• Yerba maté
• Guarana
• Taurine
• Ma huang
• Yohimbe/yohimbine

This is a more inclusive list found on the Operation Supplement Safety website (this is a division of the United States Department of Defense.

All these compounds, however, are considered safe by the FDA if used by adults in moderation. They are not controlled substances that would pose serious health risks, if you’re a generally healthy adult. If you regularly drink energy drinks, teas or sodas, or eat chocolate, you have had these ingredients before.

How Do Pre-workouts Work?

Supplements prepare you for a more effective workout throughout many different means. Here are some of the ingredients that promote higher performance.

Huperzia Serrata ( AKA Club Moss)

If you want a pre-workout just for mental energy, focus or alertness, but don’t want caffeine and other stimulants, try club moss. It will be less stimulating than having a lot of caffeine, with effects that support clear thinking—with no ramp-up of the central nervous system.

Huperzia serrata has neuro-protective properties, which supports cognitive function. It may also promote acetylcholine concentrations, which is the neurotransmitter that helps with muscle functions.

Arginine/Citrulline

Nitric oxide (NO) supplements are popular in the stimulant-free pre-workout category. While they do not act directly on the central nervous system or brain, they affect the vascular system. Basically, they dilate the blood vessels to encourage better blood flow to the muscles. Getting more blood into and out of your muscles when working out means you get more nutrition while promoting better performance and faster recovery.

Nitric oxide is found naturally in the body, but one cannot supplement it in that particular form. To raise zero levels, you would have to take the amino acids known as L-arginine and L-citrulline.

A study appearing in the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed that joggers who took arginine could extend their runs by over n two minutes. Another trial appearing in the European Journal of Nutrition showed that citrulline malate helped females perform better on leg press exercises, translating to a boost of 12 reps in one workout.

Vasodilation (dilated blood vessels) helps your blood channel metabolic byproducts faster out of the muscles. These byproducts can make your muscles sore. One study appearing in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research said that lifters who consumed citrulline malate prior to training were 40 percent less sore one day later.

Arginine and citrulline can help produce less grueling workouts. One 2019 study said that a combination of both aminos helped with power performance in soccer players who trained on a cycle ergometer. Subjects said their workouts felt easier than others in the past. A 2016 study found similar conclusions, and involved cyclists with fatigue after their workouts.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps sinensis is a kind of fungus growing in the Himalayan mountains. Its less costly, lab-grown alternative is known as cordyceps militaris. They are both high in adenosine triphosphate (also known as ATP). This is the energy source responsible for muscle contractions. Cordyceps can help you make more ATP so you can train more intensely.

One Chinese study found that cordyceps supported aerobic fitness gains. Subjects cycled on stationary bikes and experienced a seven-percent increase in VO2 max in only six weeks.Another study in Japan revealed that cordyceps helped people train more efficiently when engaging in a running test.

In 2017, cyclists were given a mushroom blend containing cordyceps. It was found that the subjects experienced longer time to exhaustion (28 seconds) after just one week of supplements. Also, their VO2 maxes increased by 11 percent after three weeks.

Find out more on cordyceps in this cordyceps sinensis report.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola, an herb with adaptogenic properties, supports stress management. Scientists say it could help performance by aiding the heart in keeping up with demand. Also, rhodiola helps with exertion levels. A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine revealed that rhodiola supplementation prior to cycling helped people train harder (70 percent of VO2 max) without feeling such a high intensity.

One other trial said that rhodiola, when consumed an hour prior to activity, promoted work capacity. Users were able to extend their time to exhaustion in regards to endurance exercises by a total of 24 seconds.

Here’s more in this rhodiola rosea guide.

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

EAAs, amino acids your body cannot synthesize, must be received from food or supplements. There are nine in total: histidine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, methionine, threonine, valine and tryptophan. Three of them—isoleucine, valine and leucine—are considered branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, which are most important for performance and strength.

Research appearing in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism says that BCAAs taken an hour prior before a running test could support better reaction times for soccer players. A study in Nutrition showed that females who consumed EAAs before and after they trained, as well as off days, witnessed aerobic endurance gains. Furthermore, the subjects are about 400 fewer calories a day than those in the placebo group, suggesting that EAAs help with performance when dieting.

Sodium Bicarbonate

This is just baking soda. While you may use it primarily to keep your fridge smelling fresh, baking soda also helps elevate intensity on cardio workouts. Sodium bicarbonate is known for its acid-buffering effect. It promotes faster finishes in middle-distance and sprint cycling as well as running tests. This is when athletes usually slow down or get distracted by the lactic acid buildup that results in a searing feeling.

However, sodium bicarbonate can upset the stomach. Avoid it if watching salt intake.

BONUS #1: Beta-alanine and Creatine

Many other safe, legal performance aids are also caffeine-free, and the timing of ingestion does not matter. Beta-alanine and creatine can ensure you perform more reps during strength workouts. You can consume them before or after you train, as well as on off days, as they need time to build up to sufficient levels in your system.

Check out these creatine and beta-alanine articles.

BONUS #2: Chocolate Milk

If you don’t want to ingest stimulants and you don’t want to swallow powders or pills, have some chocolate milk. A glass has some good protein and carbs, and you should drink it 30 to 60 minutes prior to training for more energy. The protein in the chocolate milk prevents excessive muscle breakdown during the workout, while the sugar gives you quick energy.

Try a low-sugar chocolate milk such as Fairlife’s Chocolate 2% Ultra-Filtered, with a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs.

The Best Time to Take a Pre-workout

Always follow the label directions on your pre-workout product. Optimal timing will depend on how quickly the ingredients are absorbed and ready, which will vary with different ingredients. Arginine reaches peak concentrations one hour after it is ingested, but the active ingredients in rhodiola rosea don’t peak for two hours.

One recent study said optimal muscular performance with caffeine use happens when it’s taken one hour before performance. Caffeine is known to be 99 percent absorbed within 45 minutes.

So, you will have to plan things out a bit. For example, you’ll have to take rhodiola one to two hours prior to a workout, and arginine and caffeine later. Just remember that ingredients can remain in your system for quite a while once absorbed. Caffeine, for instance, has a half-life of six hours, which means it takes that much time for the caffeine concentration to decrease to 50 percent of the initial dose. If you take pre-workouts with a lot of caffeine, those levels can stay quite high in your body for a while. This is why you shouldn’t take them at night so they don’t interfere with sleep.

Are Pre-workouts Good For You?

Overall, research says pre-workouts are safe, and that any negative effects are mild. Stomach upset and trouble sleeping have been reported. Also reported in a decrease in calmness, which can be attributed to the caffeine content.

More research on pre-workouts has to be done. Most studies don’t consider long-term use effects, as most trials only run for eight weeks at most). For safety reasons, always research any supplement before taking. Because there is very little enforcement by FDA regulations, supplements may contain ingredients they shouldn’t, such as heavy metals, prohormones, and hormones, along with banned substances, stimulants and harmful chemicals.

One article appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine says hidden stimulants are the most common problem, with dosages getting into toxic levels.

This is why you should only consider products that have been third-party verified and who have been honest about ingredients. Be on the lookout for a seal revealing the product is certified for sport by groups such as Informed Sport or NSF.

Pre-workouts That Are Banned By The NCAA

Are you a student athlete? It’s important to know that the NCAA bans all stimulant use, including caffeine in very large quantities. But don’t worry if you like to have a cup of coffee in the morning, as urine concentrations would have to be higher than 15 micrograms/ml to get you in trouble. This means you would have to consume 500 milligrams of caffeine (six to eight cups of coffee) within two or three hours of being tested.

If you drink coffee as well as a pre-workout with caffeine, keep in mind you may get more than 300 or more milligrams of caffeine in that product – not to mention any other potential stimulants. Athletes: always read labels and be cautious.

If you do experiment with supplements, do it on practice days and not performance days.