BLUF
Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (MIPS) are popular among athletes to boost energy, focus, endurance, and strength during workouts. However, their effectiveness depends on the ingredients, how they are used, and the quality of the product. Our review of academic studies shows that pre-workout does indeed have a positive effect on training, specifically for muscular endurance, moderate loading strength training, endurance interval, and threshold work (specific to running), while results are less clear for high-intensity conditioning (work capacity).
Notably, studies that compared just caffeine versus Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (MIPS) showed equal results for strength training, but less was discovered on its impact for endurance and work capacity training. Caffeine is far less expensive than MIPS products and maybe a more cost-efficient method.
Common Ingredients and Their Intended Effects
- Caffeine Effect: Increases energy and alertness by stimulating the central nervous system.
- Beta-Alanine Effect: Increases carnosine levels, buffering lactic acid to delay fatigue.
- Creatine Monohydrate Effect: Provides more ATP, the energy currency for muscles during high-intensity efforts
Note: Creatine impacts are generally found ~1 month after daily use - L-Citrulline Malate Effect: Boosts nitric oxide production, increasing blood flow and muscle pumps..
- BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) Effect: Reduces muscle breakdown and speeds recovery.
Note: BCAA impacts are generally found ~1 month after daily use
MIPS/Caffeine Impact on Training Performance
Strength:
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A comparison of caffeine vs. MIPS found both improved strength endurance in resistance training, though caffeine performed slightly better for bench press volume. Research indicates that caffeine or MIPS has positive impacts on strength training, particularly higher rep training (5+ reps) and recovery between rounds.
- MIPS Ingredients and Dosages Used:
- Caffeine was administered at 6 mg/kg bodyweight
- MIPS utilized the same caffeine dosage, along with the following ingredients. The study does not specify dosage besides caffeine.
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- Beta-Alanine
- L-Citrulline Malate
- Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate
- L-Taurine
- L-Tyrosine
- Caffeine Anhydrous
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A separate study identified that MIPS use has a relatively nominal impact in terms of heavy strength work, but did seem to have a positive impact on maintaining peak velocity during the lifts and recovery between sets.
- MIPS Ingredients and Dosages Used:
- Best Strength Training Use Case: Bodyweight muscular endurance, power-based movements
Endurance:
- MIPS enhanced time to fatigue and lactate threshold in NCAA Cross Country Athletes by during treadmill trials, with participants running longer 5.4% at a threshold pace before reaching exhaustion. Additionally, the lactic threshold improved by 26% immediately following testing, which indicates a positive impact for high-intensity, repeat efforts (intervals, repeat threshold).
- MIPS Ingredients and Dosages Used:
- Caution: Caffeine will artificially raise your heart rate and act as a diuretic. These impacts can be harmful for athletes participating in military training where environmental exposure (heat, humidity) and its impacts (dehydration, body temperature increase) can be problematic. While it may be a useful training supplement, the risks outweigh the benefits for profession-specific endurance training events for tactical and mountain athletes.
- Best use case: Threshold and interval endurance training
Work Capacity:
- While work capacity (high intensity, gym-based multi-modal training) studies could not be found, the improvements in muscular endurance, lactic threshold, and recovery would indicate a positive relationship for work capacity training.
Caffeine or Multi-Ingredient Pre-Work Out
- No Difference for Strength Training: The Bench Press study referenced above analyzed performance with a 10 Rep-Max for a group of 15 males with an average of ~5 years of training experience, comparing results between caffeine only and MIPS.
- Results: There was no difference in performance between caffeine and MIPS. In terms of cost-effectiveness, caffeine is significantly more affordable for athletes compared to off-the-shelf pre-workout supplements.
Rules for Use: When and How to Take Pre-Workout
- When to Take It:
- 30 minutes before your training session to allow the ingredients to fully absorb and activate.
- How Much to Take:
- Caffeine: 3-6mg per kg of body weight/serving (~200-400 mg for most adults). Note that caffeine only may result in the same performance increases for less money.
- Beta-Alanine: 2-5g/serving
- Creatine Monohydrate: 3-5g/serving
- L-Citrulline Malate: 6-8g/serving
- What Types of Sessions Benefit Most:
- Strength training: Helps improve power and muscular endurance under moderate to heavy loads.
- Endurance sessions: Enhances energy and time to fatigue, ideal for interval work and threshold training due to positive lactic impact
- How Often to Take It:
- Limit to 3-4 times per week to avoid building a tolerance to caffeine and other stimulants.
- Cycle off every few weeks if using regularly to maintain effectiveness.
Finding Clean Sources
The supplement industry remains unregulated in the US. The vast majority of brands utilize private labeling and production facilities that often use the same large vats to produce a wide variety of supplements. Due to this technique, trace elements of supplements outside the nutrition labeling can make it into the product you buy. To ensure safety and compliance, look for certified supplements with transparent labeling and high-quality ingredients. Athletes should prioritize products that are free from banned substances to avoid contamination risks.
- NSF Certified for Sport
- Ensures products are tested for banned substances and meet strict labeling standards.
- Used by professional sports organizations like the NFL and MLB.
- NSF Approved Products
- Informed Sport Certification
- Every batch is tested for banned substances to ensure the safety for athletes.
- Ideal for military personnel and athletes subject to anti-doping regulations.
- Informed Sport Approved Products
Conclusion
Pre-workout supplements can improve performance and enable improved training volume when used correctly, but they are not one-size-fits-all. For strength training, it may be more cost-effective to simply drink a cup of coffee instead of pre-workout. Choose products with clinically backed ingredients at the right dosages and avoid proprietary blends with undisclosed formulas. By using MIPS strategically—for the right sessions and in moderation—you can enable better energy, endurance, and strength gains safely.
Sources
Fye, H., Pass, C., Dickman, K., Bredahl, E., Eckerson, J., & Siedlik, J. (2021).
The Effect of a Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplement on Time to Fatigue in NCAA Division I Cross-Country Athletes.
Nutrients, 13(6), 1823.
Kruszewski, A., Tabęcki, R., Aksenov, M. O., & Pągowski, Ł. (2022).
Effects of Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplement and Caffeine on Bench Press Performance: A Single-Blind Cross-Over Study.
Nutrients, 14(9), 1750.
Beyer, K. S., Gadsden, M., Patterson-Zuber, P., & Gonzalez, A. M. (2024).
A Single Dose Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplement Enhances Upper Body Resistance Exercise Performance.
Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1323408.
Jagim, A. R., Jones, M. T., Wright, G. A., Antoine, C. S., Kovacs, A., & Oliver, J. M. (2016).
The Acute Effects of Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Ingestion on Strength Performance, Lower Body Power, and Anaerobic Capacity.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13(1), 11.
Harty, P. S., Zabriskie, H. A., Erickson, J. L., Molling, P. E., Kerksick, C. M., & Jagim, A. R. (2018).
Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplements, Safety Implications, and Performance Outcomes: A Brief Review.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15(41).
Blake, M. S., Johnson, N. R., Trautman, K. A., Grier, J. W., Stastny, S., & Hackney, K. (2020).
Neither a Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplement Nor Caffeine Were Effective at Improving Markers of Blood Flow or Upper-Body Resistance Exercise Performance.
International Journal of Exercise Science, 13(2), 167-182.