Rigorous training and a demanding schedule sometimes call for an extra energy boost—and coffee might not cut it. For times when you need a little oomph to keep you going, pre-workout steps into the picture.
Featuring a blend of performance-enhancing ingredients like caffeine, creatine, and amino acids, pre-workout supplements are designed to increase energy, enhance focus, and support recovery. But like many fitness supplements, finding a clean pre-workout formula that meets your needs (and works) can be tricky.
For those looking to add a clean pre-workout formula to their training, we’ve compiled a list of the healthiest pre-workout supplements of 2024 that are effective and worth your money.
What are the Healthiest Pre-Workout Supplements?
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Thorne Pre-Workout Elite | 122.6 g (4.32 oz) | $41.00 |
| TypeZero Pre-Workout Stim-Free | 315 g (11.1 oz) | $35.95 |
| Naked Nutrition Naked Energy | 240 g (8.5 oz) | $44.99 |
| Transparent Labs Bulk | 636 g (1.4 lb) | $49.99 |
| Transparent Labs Lean | 495 g (1.1 lb) | $49.99 |
| Promix Pre-Workout | 285 g (10.05 oz) | $32.00 |
1. Best Overall: Thorne Pre-Workout Elite
Overview
Typical pre-workout supplements are loaded with ingredients that lead to nasty side effects—but Thorne Pre-Workout Elite promises everything but. With this pre-workout, you’ll get all the benefits—focus, alertness, energy, stamina—without side effects. That means no jitters, tingles, itching, racing heartbeat, palpitations, or sugar crash. It’s an ultra-clean, ultra-effective pre-workout with high-quality ingredients in research-backed doses—and it’s why we ranked it as our healthiest pre-workout for 2024.
But what differentiates Thorne as the healthiest pre-workout from other supplements is its ingredients. It contains unique ingredients like quercetin phytosome and mango leaf extract that offer unique benefits for women, especially for peak VO2. You’ll also find Alpha-GPC, which has been shown to improve peak power and fatigue index.
Thorne Pre-Workout Elire is also NSF Certified for Sport®, meaning it’s free of banned substances and safe for professional athletes.
Product Highlights
- NSF Certified for Sport®
- Clean ingredients
- Caffeine-free
- Naturally supports energy production and performance
- Citrus berry flavor
- No sugar
Pricing
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Thorne Pre-Workout Elite | 122.6 g (4.32 oz) | $41.00 |
Bottom Line
Thorne offers one of the healthiest pre-workout supplements on the market with a unique combination of naturally energy-boosting ingredients without caffeine. It’s ultra-clean, NSF Certified for Sport®, tastes great and works.
2. Best Stim-Free: TypeZero Pre-Workout Stim-Free
Overview
Stimulants don’t work for everyone, and if you want the same pump without the jitters, TypeZero Pre-Workout has your back. Apart from being one of the most effective and healthiest pre-workout supplements, it’s also a powerful nitric oxide booster. It combines high doses of L-citrulline, L-arginine, and beetroot extract to maximize NO production.
Like Thorne, TypeZero Pre-Workout is stimulant-free, making it a suitable option for people looking to curb caffeine—but that doesn’t mean you’ll also curb efficacy.
Product Highlights
- Caffeine-free
- Vegan, gluten-free, and keto-friendly
- Contains high doses of L-citrulline, L-arginine, betaine, beetroot extract, GABA, and N-acetyl L-tyrosine for optimal performance and cognitive enhancement
- Available in four flavors: fruit punch, cherry limeade, pineapple orange mango, and blackberry limeade
- Free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives
- Follows GMP guidelines and is third-party lab tested for purity
Pricing
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| TypeZero Pre-Workout Stim-Free | 315 g (11.1 oz) | $35.95 |
Bottom Line
Unlike most traditional pre-workout supplements and nitric oxide boosters, TypeZero Pre-Workout Stim-Free offers natural performance enhancement without any B.S. It’s packed with precursors and energy-boosting nootropics, giving you a bigger pump for longer, harder workouts—all without the post-workout crash.
3. Best Sweetener-Free: Naked Nutrition Naked Energy
Overview
True to its name, Naked Nutrition’s Naked Energy is one of the cleanest pre-workouts on the market, making it a suitable choice for athletes who want to know precisely what they’re putting in their bodies. Naked Energy contains only essential ingredients and is free of artificial colors, sweeteners, and other additives.
Beta-alanine, natural caffeine, creatine, and L-arginine combine to boost endurance, focus, and overall athletic performance. Naked Nutrition is also available in citrus and fruit punch if you’re not a fan of unflavored powders.
And for athletes looking to stay away from stimulants, Naked Energy is available in a stim-free version.
Put simply, Naked Energy isn’t just a good vegan pre-workout; it’s a good pre-workout, period.
Product Highlights
- Contains natural caffeine, creatine monohydrate, and beta-alanine (CarnoSyn)
- Certified vegan
- Free of artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors
- Available in fruit punch, citrus, and unflavored
- Stim and stim-free options
- Independent third-party tested
- Contains only 10 ingredients
Pricing
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Naked Nutrition Naked Energy | 240 g (8.5 oz) | $44.99 |
Bottom Line
Naked Nutrition offers an extensive lineup of clean fitness supplements that work, and Naked Energy is no different. Whether you’re vegan or not, Naked Energy is our top pick for the best sweetener-free pre-workout supplement that’s as effective as it is clean.
4. Best for Muscle Growth: Transparent Labs Bulk
Overview
We value research-backed products that clearly disclose ingredients and dosages when looking for fitness supplements.
Transparent Labs Bulk made the list of the healthiest pre-workout supplements thanks to its solid number of scientifically-backed up ingredients, fully transparent labeling, and absolutely zero artificial colors, sweeteners, or flavoring. What you see on the label is exactly what you get.
Bulk’s 200 milligrams of caffeine (per serving) offers a nice punch of energy without going overboard like some pre-workouts. It also features citrulline and beta-alanine to enhance the pump, along with L-theanine and L-tyrosine to enhance attention and mental focus.
Product Highlights
- Scientifically-backed ingredients and dosages
- Contains boron and zinc that may support testosterone production
- Incorporates alpha-GPC, taurine, and tyrosine to enhance focus
- Available in 13 flavors
- Free of artificial colors and sweeteners
- Contains moderate doses of caffeine
Pricing
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent Labs Bulk | 636 g (1.4 lb) | $49.99 |
Bottom Line
Transparent Labs Bulk is a top pick for a clean pre-workout supplement that supports muscle growth. It contains research-backed ingredients that enhance muscle endurance, focus, and energy in science-backed doses. Unlike most pre-workouts, it contains moderate amounts of caffeine for fine-tuned stimulation without burnout.
5. Best for Fat Loss: Transparent Labs Lean
Overview
The key to weight loss and fat-burning is through diet and exercise, but a unique pre-workout like Transparent Labs Lean can also help. It’s a unique formula designed to support body composition and fitness performance. Each serving of Lean is formulated with 14 grams of science-based ingredients, including citrulline malate, BetaPure betaine, beta-alanine, and Infinergy sustained-release caffeine.
Additionally, Transparent Labs Lean contains many ingredients you’ll find in traditional fat burner supplements, albeit some in lower doses, with the addition of micronutrients that support thyroid health—acetyl-L-carnitine, chromium picolinate, and zinc.
Transparent Labs LEAN is a stand-out pick for the healthiest pre-workout supplement that improves athletic performance and fat burn while supporting overall health.
Product Highlights
- No artificial sweeteners or colors
- Contains ingredients in typical fat burner supplements
- Available in 9 delicious flavors
- Moderate caffeine content (180 mg)
Pricing
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent Labs Lean | 495 g (1.1 lb) | $49.99 |
Bottom Line
Transparent Labs Lean is our pick for the healthiest “cutting” pre-workout supplement. It contains various ingredients that boost energy, focus, and cognition while supporting energy levels and fat loss. All ingredients serve a purpose, and Transparent Lab Lean performs.
6. Best for Vegans: Promix Pre-Workout
Overview
Some pre-workout supplements contain dodgy ingredients in unspecified amounts—but not Promix Pre-Workout. We’ve added it as the best vegan option on our healthiest pre-workout supplements list because it contains only plant-based ingredients. In this pre-workout supplement, you’ll find a blend of tyrosine, caffeine, beta-alanine, and taurine, among other ingredients that combine to give you a natural energy boost, both physically and mentally.
Promix Pre-Workout is available in a stim and stim-free version and is third-party tested and NSF Certified for Sport® to guarantee purity, making it suitable for most athletes.
Product Highlights
- Plant-based pre-workout
- Stim and stim-free options
- Stevia-free (uses monk fruit)
- Gluten, dairy, and soy-free
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Third-party tested and NSF Certified for Sport®
- Available in 9 flavors
Pricing
| Product | Amount | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Promix Pre-Workout | 285 g (10.05 oz) | $32.00 |
Bottom Line
Promix Pre-Workout is a great option for athletes needing a clean, vegan pre-workout supplement. It’s available in several flavors, including tingle-free lemon that skips the beta-alanine and stim-free raspberry lemon. While it’s great for boosting energy, it doesn’t have ingredients that increase NO, meaning it won’t give you the pump as some other pre-workouts.
Benefits of Pre-Workout Supplements
Post-workout nutrition is a key part of achieving optimal recovery, but what you take pre-workout is also important. The best pre-workout supplements offer a variety of benefits, ranging from increased stamina and endurance to enhanced focus and attention. Regardless of which pre-workout supplement you choose, your pre-workout should improve your overall athletic performance and energy levels, helping you achieve a more effective and efficient training session.
Some benefits of pre-workout supplements include:
- Improved cognitive function
- Increased resting energy expenditure (REE)
- Increased force and power output
- Enhanced muscular endurance
- Increased blood flow
- Reduces muscle fatigue
- Improved high-intensity exercise performance
Are Pre-Workout Supplements Safe?
For most people, pre-workout supplements are safe when taken in appropriate doses. But people sensitive to certain compounds may experience mild side effects from pre-workout.
The most common pre-workout side effects include:
- Jitters
- Water retention
- Paraesthesia (pins and needles)
- Digestive upset
- Headaches
To avoid side effects, be sure to follow the dosing instructions on your pre-workout label. If your supplement has caffeine or another stimulant, avoid taking it within 2-3 hours of bedtime.
