8 Best Pre Workouts for Teens in 2024

If you’re a young athlete, you may be wondering, what’s the best pre workout for teens? There are plenty of factors you should be considering when looking for a pre workout, especially if you’re still a teenager. From caffeine content to the ingredients the supplement contains, several factors go into what makes a good pre workout for teens. In this article, we’ll be going over the best pre workout for teenagers, as well as 7 other great options.

Our team of professional athletes (including certified nutritionists, Olympic weightlifters, PhDs in Sports Science, conditioners, and more) have tried and tested 17 different brands of pre-workouts for teens and ranked each based on stimulation, taste, label transparency, and value for money. After more than 180 hours invested, the results came in, enabling our experts to create this list of the 8 best pre workouts for teens currently available. As the market expands, our team will ensure that this list remains updated regularly.

Top 8 Best Pre Workouts for Teens Reviewed

1. C4 Sport Pre Workout Powder — Top Pick
2. AminoLean Pre Workout Powder — Runner Up
3. Vega Sport Sugar Free Energizer
4. Genius Pre Workout Powder
5. Legion Pulse, Caffeine Free Natural Pre Workout
6. Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Energy
7. Red Leaf Pre Workout Energizer Powder
8. Cutler Nutrition Amplify 2.0 Caffeine Free Pre Workout

Product	Total	Stimulation	Taste	Label Transparency	Value for Money
C4	38	10	10	9	10
AminoLean	38.5	10	10	9	9.5
Vega	36.5	9.5	9	10	8
Genius	36	8	10	10	8
Legion Pulse	36	8	10	9.5	8.5
Garden of Life	36	9	8.5	10	8.5
Red Leaf	35	8	10	9	8
Cutler Amplify	34	7.5	10	9.5	7

1. C4 Sport Pre Workout Powder — Top Pick

• Best For: Muscular Endurance, Increasing Training Volume
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, and Watermelon
• Caffeine: 135 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Creatine Monohydrate, Beta-Alanine, Taurine
• Serving: 9 g
• Price Per Serving: ~$0.75
• Company Founded: 2011
• Recommended by Athletes: Brittany Ann, Scott Mathison, Demi Bagby

Our choice for the best pre workout for teenage athletes is one of the best-selling in the world, C4. For well over a decade, C4 has been providing the world with its trusted and tested pre-workout formula. It’s recommended that you take C4 Sport mixed with around a cup of water and drink it 20-30 minutes before your workout for optimal results.

It has the highest caffeine content of any pre workout on this list, so if you’re looking for strong stimulation then this would be a great option. Of course, if you have poor caffeine metabolism, this may not be the best choice for you, especially in the context that we are considering this supplement for teenagers.

This is the only pre workout on our list that contains creatine, which aids specifically in short-term bursts of energy, so it’s perfect for weightlifting and other high-intensity sports. If you were already considering using creatine to help increase your performance in the gym, then C4 may be a good choice for you.

*A safe amount of caffeine for teenagers up to 17-18 years old is a maximum of 100 mg (or less). Until the age of 11-12, it is advised not to consume caffeine at all, because the safe dose of caffeine before this age has not been established.

2. AminoLean Pre Workout Powder — Runner Up

• Best For: Muscular Endurance, Increasing Training Volume
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Blackberry Pomegranate, Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Pink Lemonade, Watermelon, Grape
• Caffeine: 125 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Beta-Alanine, Citrulline, Taurine, Tyrosine
• Serving: 9 g
• Price Per Serving: ~$0.85
• Company Founded: 2009
• Recommended by Athletes: Lewis Echavarria, Nebby Fusco, Idris Doosi

The runner-up for the best pre workout supplement for teenagers is AminoLean. This one very nearly has as much caffeine as C4, only containing 10 fewer milligrams per serving at 125mg in each scoop (read about safe amounts at the notes to TOP product on the list).

AminoLean has ranked highly on our list for its high caffeine content, multiple flavors, and value for the price. At 125mg of caffeine per serving, AminoLean offers some of the highest stimulation. Also, with 6 flavors to choose from, there’s plenty of variety on offer from AminoLean. Finally, at only $0.85 per serving, it’s quite affordable as well. All these factors combine to make AminoLean one of the best all around pre workouts on the market.

As with most effective pre workouts, AminoLean contains a mixture of beta-alanine, citrulline, and essential amino acids. The major downside here is the overall lack of transparency on the label. The specific dosages of each ingredient are not listed, making it difficult to say exactly how much of each ingredient you’ll be getting in each serving. With that being said, despite the lack of transparency, AminoLean is still a great choice for those looking for a caffeinated pre workout.

3. Vega Sport Sugar Free Energizer

• Best For: Muscular Endurance
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Berry, Strawberry Lemonade
• Caffeine: 100 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Does not contain key ingredients, specific to pre-workouts, like beta-alanine
• Serving: 3.2 g
• Price Per Serving: ~$1
• Company Founded: 2001
• Recommended by Athletes: Javale Mcgee, Rachel McBride, Joe Gambles

This pre workout from Vega is a great alternative option that has slightly less caffeine than those we’ve covered so far. At 100mg per serving, it’s still very caffeinated but is slightly milder than C4 and AminoLean’s products. However, it is an even better choice for teenagers, because 100 mg is the upper allowed limit of caffeine for teenagers under 18. This will ensure you’re getting the most stimulation possible without going over the recommended daily limit.

It also comes from a vegan brand, Vega. Vega is a leader in the vegan supplement world, producing a wide range of pre-workouts, protein powders, and other supplements specifically made for vegans. While all the other products on our list are also vegan, If you want to support companies that produce exclusively vegan products, then this pre-workout may be a great choice for you.

4. Genius Pre Workout Powder

• Best For: Overall Athletic Performance, Increasing Training Volume, Muscular Endurance
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Blue Raspberry, Grape Limeade, Sour Apple
• Caffeine: 0 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Citrulline Malate, Beta-Alanine, Betaine, Tyrosine, Taurine
• Serving: 17 g
• Price Per Serving: ~$1.9
• Company Founded: 2018
• Recommended by Athletes: Nate Robinson, Chris Hyppa, Aaron Lee

This is the first pre-workout on our list that is completely caffeine free. Now, you may be wondering, what’s the point of a pre workout without any caffeine? Genius’ product seeks to get better results through an approach that doesn’t rely on caffeine, which may have plenty of side effects including nervousness and disrupted sleep, especially for people with poor caffeine metabolism.

Instead, this product includes other ingredients in needed dosage, with scientifically proven effects (or potential effectiveness): beta-alanine, citrulline, betaine, taurine, and tyrosine. These ingredients are usually found in any good pre-workout. By the way, lack of caffeine makes Genius a good choice for those looking to work out in the evening or those who live a caffeine-free lifestyle.

Genius’ brand philosophy is that modern supplement companies have products that may harm their customers. They seek to use more natural ingredients to achieve the goal of pre-workout. While it’s up to you to decide what you believe, Genius PRE may be a good option for those looking for a caffeine-free pre-workout.

5. Legion Pulse, Caffeine Free Natural Pre Workout

• Best For: Increasing Training Volume, Muscular Strength and Endurance
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Blue Raspberry, Grape, Sour Candy, Green Apple, Fruit Punch, Tropical Punch
• Caffeine: 0 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Citrulline Malate, Beta-Alanine, Betaine
• Serving: 21-22.5 g
• Price Per Serving: ~$2-2.25
• Company Founded: 2014
• Recommended by Athletes: Gage Clark, Grant Tinsley, Machaela Brabham

Another Caffeine free option, Legion Pulse seeks to achieve the desired effects through high doses of ingredients such as Citrulline Malate and Beta-Alanine, with help of Betaine. As with any stimulant free pre-workout, the mileage may vary depending on the person but should be a good option for anybody looking to avoid caffeine.

One of the downsides of this product is the high price and that the serving size is significantly larger than many other options on our list. While Genius had a serving size of around 17 grams, Legion Pulse is 21-22.5 grams. With most other serving sizes being around 6 grams.

On the other hand, from this product you get the key ingredients (citrulline, beta-alanine and betaine) in the doses that are needed to ensure the desired effects. Another benefit is that the brand was founded by reputable expert Mike Mathews, who has used evidence-based information from the very beginning of his fitness career. Legion Athletics was founded to create a more honest and healthy supplement company. Overall, you can likely trust that Legion Athletics is looking to make the best supplements possible.

6. Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Energy

• Best for: Muscular Endurance
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Blackberry, Blackberry-Cherry
• Caffeine: 85 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Nitric Oxide Blend
• Serving: 6 g or 14 g (depends on flavor)
• Price Per Serving: ~$1
• Company Founded: 2000
• Recommended by Athletes: Nate Diaz, Santia Deck, Lauren Reid & Kelly Collins

This next option from Garden of Life brand, has a caffeine content at 85 mg per serving. This could make it an excellent choice for those still looking for a decent hit of caffeine while not being too over the top. Aside from caffeine, another bonus is that it contains a nitric oxide blend of organic spinach, beets, and kale.

This product is only sold in two flavor options, one of which contains 10 g of added sugar (Blackberry flavor). This is worth considering. On the other hand, Blackberry-Cherry flavor contains 0 grams of added sugar, so you may prefer it most of the time.

The big benefits to Garden of Life is that they hold the claim to being the first supplement company that’s certified Carbon-free. This makes it a great choice if you’re looking to make an environmentally conscious purchase. This product is also certified by third parties such as NSF and Informed Choice.

7. Red Leaf Pre Workout Energizer Powder

• Best For: Increasing Training Volume, Muscular Endurance
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Cranberry Lime, Blueberry Acai
• Caffeine: 40 mg
• Additional Ingredients: Beta-alanine
• Serving: 5.4 g
• Price Per Serving: ~$1.1
• Company Founded: 2018
• Recommended by Athletes: John Loeffel, Wellness by Sav 

Red Leaf Pre Workout features easily the lowest caffeine of any supplement we’ve covered yet with only 40 mg per serving. This is roughly the same as a cup of green tea, so it’s a much milder option than the previous products with caffeine. This could be great for someone with a high caffeine responsiveness, who still doesn’t want a fully caffeine-free option. Especially for teenagers not looking to go over the daily recommended limit of 100mg, this could be a great choice. Just note that if you’re looking for stronger stimulation, this probably isn’t the choice for you.

Generally Red Leaf seeks to offer a milder alternative to some of the more intense pre-workouts we’ve covered so far. What Red Leaf does have is a formula designed to provide better performance in other ways. In addition to a small dose of caffeine it contains 1 gram of beta-alanine per serving, which aims to increase fatigue resistance and training capacity. This supplement also contains 1 gram of BCAAs per serving, which may slightly help reduce muscle soreness after a hard workout.

8. Cutler Nutrition Amplify 2.0 Caffeine Free Pre Workout

• Best For: Overall Athletic Performance
• Item Form: Powder
• Flavor: Peach Mango, Sour Lemonade, Strawberry Freeze
• Caffeine: 0 mg
• Additional Ingredients: L-Citrulline
• Serving: 5 or 10 g
• Price Per Serving: $1-2 (depend on dosing)
• Company Founded: 2013
• Recommended by Athletes: Jay Cutler, Wioletta Pawluk, Brandon Henry

The final pre-workout on our list is coming from Cutler Nutrition, founded by former Mr. Olympia bodybuilder Jay Cutler. It is another caffeine-free option.

Cutler Nutrition promises both full disclosure about the ingredients it contains, as well as having one of the best tastes on the market. However, of the ingredients that are usually included in the composition of pre-workouts, there is only Citrulline in a relatively small dosage per serving. Therefore, compared to other products from this rating, Amplify 2.0 has one of the smallest potential in the context of increasing athletic performance. Despite this, many consumers note a good pumping effect.

Along with Vega and Garden of Life, this is one of the caffeine-free options on our list that also doesn’t contain any beta-alanine, so if you’re worried about being irritated by that ingredient, this may be an option.

Why Do Teens Need Pre Workout?

• Increased Performance

The main reason most teens want to use pre workout is the added performance benefits in a gym. As we’ve already gone over, most pre workout supplements contain high amounts of caffeine which will give you a solid athletic performance boost. With this being said, there are plenty of stimulant-free options which provide this performance boost through a strategic combination of other ingredients, such as Beta-Alanine, Creatine, Betaine, Citrulline and Taurine.

Regardless of how the effect is achieved, pre workouts are designed to help you get into the right mindset to have a great workout. Whether that’s through providing you with raw energy through caffeine, or through providing users with a good balance of other performance enhancing ingredients to help with muscular endurance, training capacity and fatigue resistance.

Why Pre Workout isn’t Necessary for Overall Performance?

While pre-workouts can be beneficial to your performance at the gym, keep in mind that it is certainly not necessary to have a great workout. Especially with many pre-workouts containing very high caffeine content, they may not be the healthiest choice for teenagers. Also, you shouldn’t be relying on any supplement to have good performance in the gym. Instead, view pre-workouts as a helpful tool to get through tough workouts, and not something you should need to have a good workout.

It is especially important for teenagers to focus on a balanced and varied diet, with adequate amounts of all nutrients, including sufficient protein. During the period of accelerated development and growth, the key components of success are nutrition, sleep and a well-planned training program. Do not rely on supplements as something absolutely necessary. Especially before the age of 18.

How to Find the Best Pre Workout for Teens?

1. Caffeine Content

The amount of caffeine in pre-workout is likely the most important thing teens should consider when making a purchase. There are many caffeine-free supplements out there, so be sure to do plenty of research before making a decision.

2. Other Ingredients

Aside from caffeine content, you should do some research on what the other ingredients in pre-workout are doing. Having a deep knowledge of these individual ingredients will help you make an informed choice on which pre-workout is right for you. For example, being aware of beta-alanine causing tingling sensation will help you decide if that’s something you’re willing to tolerate for its exercise performance benefits. Overall, understanding the purposes of each ingredient and their dosage in a pre-workout will help you know what the exact purpose of the product is. This will help you choose a pre-workout that most effectively serves its claimed purpose.

3. Label Transparency

Although there is no evidence that pre-workouts cause harm, specifically this type of supplement more commonly contains banned stimulants and steroid analogues (which are not listed in the ingredients list). Keep that in mind, especially as a teeneger!

Pre Workout Tips for Teens

1. When to Take Pre Workout?

Recommendations for when to take this supplement are usually indicated on the product packaging, and most commonly they can be taken anywhere from 15-30 minutes before a workout.

2. How to Take Pre Workout?

Ideally, you should stick to mixing with just water as most pre-workouts have strong flavors. Usually it is advised that you mix with approximately 1 cup of water per serving.

So called “dry scooping”, when dry powder is put into the mouth followed by sips of liquid, must be avoided. This is a very dangerous and potentially fatal method of taking this supplement.

FAQ

Is Pre-Workout Safe for Teens?

In general, any supplements are not recommended for young people under the age of 18. Consider this information before buying any supplement and especially multicomponent pre-workout. Please note that manufacturers always indicate that pre-workouts are not intended for persons under the age 18.

However, we all know that if a young person wants something, it is very difficult to stop them. So if you are under 18 and still decide to use pre-workouts, never exceed the dose of caffeine of maximum 100 mg or <2.5 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day.

If you drink coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks or other caffeinated drinks every day, then with high probability you may already exceed the maximum safe dose of caffeine for young people under the age of 18. In this case, it is necessary to refrain from taking pre-workouts with caffeine, because this will significantly increase the risk of dangerous side effects. You cannot drink both caffeinated beverages and pre-workout with caffeine on the same day. Be careful, be smart!

Should You Take Pre-Workouts Under 18?

While “mild” pre-workouts can be safe for teenagers, it is necessary to talk to your doctor before using them. Keep in mind that many pre-workouts have high levels of caffeine, and this may cause adverse effects. If you’re under 18, it may be a good idea to stick to pre workouts with lowest levels of caffeine, or none at all.

Conclusion

In summary, if you’re a teenager looking for pre-workout and have a great caffeine metabolism, we recommend C4 Sport Pre Workout Powder as our number one choice. However, before buying it, get a doctor's advice and make sure that the total dose of caffeine per serving is no more than 2.4 grams per 1 kg of your body weight.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, the other milder options on our list may suit you better. Keep in mind that, while beneficial, pre-workout is not necessary to have good performance in the gym, and this supplement is not intended for people under the age of 18! Always consult your doctor before using any supplement, especially pre-workout! What’s your experience with pre-workouts? Do you have any favorites? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• Pre Workout With Highest Caffeine
• Best Tasting Pre Workout
• Pre Workout Powder for Beginners
• Best Pre Workout on a Budget
• Best Pre Workout For Cardio
• Can Pre Workout Make You Throw Up
• Does Pre Workout Make You Gain Weight
• Best Low Caffeine Pre Workouts
• Best Pre Workout for Muscle Gain
• Strongest Pre Workout 

References:

1. Dry Scooping and Other Dangerous Pre-workout Consumption Methods: A Quantitative Analysis  // Publications: http://cutt.link/77Dyk
2. Is it safe for my kid to take supplements? // Mayo Clinic Health System: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/is-it-safe-for-my-kid-to-take-supplements
3. International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine // National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/
4. AIS SPORTS SUPPLEMENT FRAMEWORK CAFFEINE // Australian Institute of Sport: https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1000498/36194_Sport-supplement-fact-sheets-Caffeine-v6.pdf
5. Caffeine and Children // The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Caffeine_and_Children-131.aspx
6. Caffeine and Kids // Columbia University: https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/caffeine-and-kids