7 Best Low Caffeine Pre-Workouts in 2024

Looking for a pre workout that won’t give you jitters or keep you up at night? These are the best low caffeine pre workouts available today.

While pre workout is one of the most popular supplements for strength athletes, one of the most common complaints is the high dose of caffeine in each serving.

Luckily, there are plenty of high quality pre workouts that have either low doses of caffeine, or none at all. If you’re looking for such a pre workout, then keep reading to check out your best options.

Top 7 Best Low Caffeine Pre-Workouts Reviewed

1. Stim-Free Non Caffeinated Performance Formula – Top Pick
2. C4® Sport Pre-Workout Powder – Runner-Up
3. AminoLean Pre-Workout Powder
4. Vega Sport Sugar Free Energizer
5. Red Leaf Pre-Workout Energizer Powder
6. Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Energy
7. Genius Pre-Workout Powder

Product	Total	Stimulation	Taste	Nutrition Label Transparency	Price/ Quality
Stim-Free	38	8	10	10	10
C4® Sport	37.5	10	9.5	8	10
AminoLean	37	10	9	8	10
Vega Sport	36.5	9.5	9	9	9
Red Leaf	35.5	8.5	10	9	8
Garden of Life	35	9	8	9	9
Genius	33	8	8	9	8

Our top pick for a low-caffeine pre workout is Transparent Labs’ Stim-Free Performance Formula.

Founded in 2015, Transparent Labs has quickly become one of the most well trusted and highly regarded supplement companies on the market. This is because of their commitment to creating products of the highest quality, and being 100% clear with their customers about what their products contain.

Overall, this is the most complete stimulant free pre workout available on the market. Combining BCAA, Beta-Alanine, Citrulline Malate and numerous other ingredients at effective doses, Transparent Labs’ product proves you don’t need caffeine to have a great pre workout.

On top of this, the supplement features a wide range of flavors, all formulated with no artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives.

If you are looking for a pre workout with caffeine, Transparent Labs Bulk and Cut formulas are both great choices. Both of these supplements feature a very similar formula to the Stim-Free option with 200mg of caffeine per serving.

Although these couldn’t be called “low caffeine pre workouts”, they still have a more reasonable dose then some other supplements on the market.

Our runner up for the best pre workout with low caffeine is C4’s sport pre workout.

Founded in 2011 by Cellucor, C4 quickly became one of the most recognizable and iconic brands of pre workout on the market. Their current formula for C4 Sport is easily one of the most complete and effective supplements in the pre workout space.

This comes mainly from a combination of the C4 Sport Performance Blend, and the C4 Sport Energy Blend. The Performance Blend contains a solid mixture of ingredients including Beta-Alanine, Creatine, and various electrolytes to help with hydration.

The Energy Blend contains things like taurine and 135 mg of caffeine. While this certainly isn’t a stimulant free pre workout, the serving size of caffeine is reasonable, and won’t likely lead to many adverse side effects.

The one downside of C4’s ingredients being listed in these 2 blends is that it’s not clear how much of each individual ingredient you’re getting.

With things like creatine specifically, it’s helpful to know how much you are consuming, especially if you’re already supplementing with creatine. Because of this, it’s hard to say if C4’s doses are as optimal as possible.

Another great choice for the best low stim pre workout is AminoLean’s Pre Workout Powder.

Founded in 2009, AminoLean has been around for a while and has built up a solid reputation in the pre workout space. Ultimately, AminoLean is a very similar product to C4 Sport for several reasons.

Like C4, it contains a very similar level of caffeine, and its ingredients are listed in a set of blends – the Amino Acid Blend, the Weight Management Blend, and the Energy and Focus Blend. Again, this makes it difficult to determine exactly how much of each ingredient is in each serving of the pre workout.

What mainly separates AminoLean from other pre workouts is that it is branded more as a diet/weight loss supplement.

This comes primarily from their Weight Management Blend, featuring ingredients like L-Carnitine and Green Tea Extract. Ultimately, mileage will vary from person to person on the effectiveness of this supplement specifically for weight loss.

Another great low stimulant pre workout is Vega Sport’s Sugar Free Pre Workout Energizer.

One of the most recognizable brands in the vegan supplement world, Vega has been a pioneer in the space making vegan specific products since 2001. This will be a great choice for vegans and vegetarians looking to support companies in line with their values.

As a pre workout, Vega’s product unfortunately does not contain many of the ingredients you would expect such as Beta-Alanine, creatine, L-Tyrosine, etc.

Instead, the drink's ingredients are largely focused on the caffeine – derived from Coffee Berry and Green Tea Leaf extract – and electrolytes – coming from Magnesium, Sodium, and Potassium.

This makes the product more akin to an energy drink than a pre workout. However, if you’re looking for a simple drink to get a reasonable hit of caffeine and some electrolytes before your workout, this is still a great option.

Up next for another excellent lower caffeine pre workout, we have Red Leaf’s Pre Workout Energizer Powder.

Founded just 5 years ago in 2018, Red Leaf is one of the newest brands featured on our list. This pre workout is their main product, showing that they believe in its effectiveness. Some of the other products they offer are collagen peptides, recovery balm, and an immunity support supplement.

As a pre workout, Red Leaf’s product is simple yet effective. At only 40mg of caffeine per serving, this is a pre workout with less caffeine than any other option on our list, while still having some stimulation.

It is right in the sweet spot of having enough caffeine to give a mild boost without going overboard. Featuring a similar amount of caffeine to a cup of coffee, it is promoted as an effective substitute for the drink.

The supplement features most of the ingredients you would expect in a pre workout, focussing on Beta-Alanine, and BCAAS. With 1g of Beta-Alanine per serving, you can get an effective dose without the intensity of some other pre workouts featuring 4 times as much.

Another excellent choice for a pre workout with little caffeine is Garden of Life’s Sport Organic Plant Based Energy supplement.

Similar to Vega, Garden of Life is a completely vegan company targeted towards people on a plant based diet. Like the other company, they have been around for a while, being founded in 2000.

At 85 mg of caffeine per serving, Garden Of Life’s product will provide a solid level of stimulation without being too high. Its formula focuses on providing energy through not only caffeine but a combination of antioxidant and nitric oxide rich ingredients.

This means the product will not contain many of the ingredients you may expect in a pre workout, instead providing a unique profile of vegetable ingredients to create a stimulating effect.

Because of this, however, the distinct effects of the pre workout may be more difficult to notice. Ultimately, this supplement appears to be designed to promote overall health more than helping you get a better workout.

Containing many of the ingredients you would expect from a pre workout – Beta-Alanine, L-Tyrosine, ElevATP, etc. – it also contains some nootropic ingredients designed to help with focus – Rhodiola Rosea, Huperzia Serrate, Astragin, etc.

This will give the supplement an effective balance between energy and mental clarity in the gym.

Of course, with no caffeine it won’t provide as much pure stimulation as some of the other options on our list, but it is still a great choice for an all around pre workout.

Why Do You Need Pre-Workout With Low Caffeine?

1. You Have a Caffeine Sensitivity

Many people inherently have troubles with large doses of caffeine Given that caffeine is found in many beverages like tea, coffee, cocoa, cola, and others, as well as in foods like chocolate, with an already high intake, the extra servings from the pre-workout may be excessive. Some even exhibit symptoms of caffeine intolerance.

Caffeine intolerance is a condition in which a person experiences negative side effects after consuming even small amounts of caffeine.

These side effects can range from mild to severe and may include symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, heart palpitations, gastrointestinal discomfort, and irritability.

Many pre workout supplements have about 200 mg of caffeine per serving. This dose is well tolerated by most adults, but if you are caffeine-sensitive, then you’ll definitely want to avoid this kind of supplement.

Choosing an option that has no caffeine or around 100 mg of caffeine or less, you’ll have a significantly lower chance of the negative side effects associated with high doses of caffeine. This way you can still enjoy the benefits of pre workout supplements without all the associated negatives.

2. You’re Having Sleep Troubles

One of the most common complaints with caffeine is that it affects people’s sleep schedules. Especially if you’re someone that works out in the evening, this can be a real concern.

This is where choosing a stimulant free option will be your best option, as caffeine can seriously affect your sleep if you’re consuming it within 6 hours of going to bed.

Even if you choose a low caffeine pre workout, it’s still best practice to not consume it in the evening. It’s common advice to avoid caffeine past 2 p.m. if you’re looking to establish better sleep habits.

3. You’re Still a Young Teenager

While most adults can choose how much caffeine they want to consume, teenagers are different. It’s common medical advice for people between the ages of 12 and 17 to have less than 100mg of caffeine per day.

This means choosing either a stimulant free option, or a low caffeine option will be a good decision for teens in this age range.

How to Find the Best Low Caffeine Pre-Workouts?

1. Stimulation

This ultimately comes down to a matter of personal preference. When looking for a pre workout with lower stimulation, there is still a wide range of caffeine levels to choose from.

The options on our list span from 0 mg to 135 mg per serving. For example, an 100mg caffeine pre workout will have very different effects than a 40mg or 0mg option. It’s up to you to decide what level of stimulation you’re looking for and what’s right for you.

2. Taste/Flavor

With many of the pre workouts on our list featuring a wide range of flavors, this is also a matter of personal preference. Some pre workouts will mix better than others and have an overall better taste than others. This is an area where trying several different options may be necessary to determine which one is your favorite.

3. Nutrition Label Transparency

Arguably the most important aspect of choosing a pre workout is understanding the composition of ingredients in each supplement you’re looking at. Nutrition label transparency involves not only knowing the doses of each ingredient found in the supplement, but whether or not there are any unnecessary filler ingredients as well.

4. Value for Money

Finally, as with any supplement, you should ensure you’re getting your money’s worth in each serving.

You can calculate how much each serving costs by dividing the price of the container by how many servings it contains. Keep in mind that the dose of ingredients per serving also plays a part in how much value you’re getting for your money as well.

Pre-Workout With Low Caffeine Tips

1. When to Take Pre-Workout

Pre workout should ideally be taken anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes before a workout to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Some people prefer to drink their pre workouts throughout their workout, although this is only recommended for especially long workouts. Remember that if you’re taking a caffeinated pre workout consider the time of day as well to ensure you’re not disrupting your sleep schedule.

2. What to Mix Pre-Workout With

Most pre workouts are taken simply mixed with water as they already come with strong flavors. However, you can absolutely mix pre workouts with juice, or blend them into a smoothie as well. We only recommend this if you have a mild or unflavored pre workout, as the taste will likely be very unpleasant otherwise.

FAQ

What Is The Lowest Caffeine In Pre-Workout?

The lowest caffeine available in pre workouts is 0mg. While most people associate pre workouts with incredibly high doses of caffeine, there are still many benefits to taking a pre workout with no stimulants, with ingredients like beta-alanine and creatine still providing serious benefits to strength athletes.

Is Non Caffeine Pre-Workout Better?

It depends on the athlete taking the pre workout. If someone is especially young or caffeine sensitive, then yes, non caffeinated pre workout will be better. However, if someone is looking for high amounts of stimulation in their pre workout, then they may want to look for a different option.

Conclusion

You can still get an absolutely fantastic pre workout supplement with little to no caffeine in it. Our top pick for a low caffeine pre workout is Transparent Labs Stim-Free Non Caffeinated Performance Formula. With no caffeine and high, efficacious doses of its other ingredients, this is a great pick for anybody looking for a stimulant free choice.

Do you have a favorite low caffeine pre workout? Have you tried any of the products on our list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• Does Pre Workout Make You Gain Weight
• Best Pre Workout on Keto
• Pre Workout vs Coffee
• Bcaa vs Pre Workout
• Does Pre Workout Break a Fast
• Creatine vs Pre Workout
• Should You Take Pre Workout Before Running
• Pre Workout vs Energy Drink
• Healthiest Pre Workout

References:

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