I don’t like supplements. They tend to be overpriced and rarely offer tangible benefits.
However, I have a soft spot for pre-workout drinks. They simply make you feel like a BEAST in the gym…
But if you look at the nutrition label you’ll find a long list of ingredients that you can barely even pronounce. And if you google their names you’ll be perplexed why some of them are even included in a pre-workout powder.
But not all of them. A select few have been scientifically proven to have their merits. So why not skip the overpriced pre-workout products, buy the individual ingredients (that actually make a difference), and make your own? It’s cheaper and more effective, because nearly every commercial powder under-doses the scientifically proven compounds, rendering them ineffective.
Buy the ingredients listed below, mix them with water, drink up, and enter beast mode.
The Ingredients
1. Caffeine (100-300 mg per serving)
Caffeine improves focus and blunts the pain response (1). This means you’ll feel more energetic and be able to push yourself further before feeling fatigued.
This is the main ingredient in every pre-workout powder and energy drink.
Note: The above link is to 200 mg capsules of caffeine. But you can simply open them up and empty the powder into your drink.
2. Creatine (5 g per serving)
Supplementing creatine while lifting weights has been shown to increase muscle mass and improve strength. There are a large amount of studies and research to prove this.
Creatine is an organic acid, naturally synthesized by our bodies from several amino acids, that helps to supply energy to the cells of the body, especially in skeletal muscle.
3. Beta-Alanine (4 g per serving)
If you’ve ever taken a pre-workout powder and felt tingles on your skin, it’s because of this amino acid.
It’s been shown to lead to improved endurance in numerous studies (2) (3).
Optional
4. Citrulline Malate (6 g per serving)
Citrulline malate doesn’t have the large bodies of evidence to support it like creatine and beta-alanine. It’s also not cheap. So I personally don’t use it.
But it has been shown to relieve muscle soreness and improve performance when taken before a workout (4).
5. Gatorade Powder (for taste)
Use this so you’re not drinking powdery water. It can also add some carbs in if you get the non-diet version.
Watch Me Make My Pre-Workout
In the video above, I show you exactly how to mix up this pre-workout concoction.
Note: the only 2 things that NEED to be taken pre-workout are caffeine & citrulline malate.
Creatine and beta-alanine work over time — they don’t have immediate effects. But I take them pre-workout because it’s convenient (and I like the skin tingles during my workouts).
Creatine and Beta Alanine do not exert any immediate, acute effects on performance, so they aren’t really “pre-workout” ingredients. Nothing wrong with putting them in there, but it won’t make any difference in comparison to taking them any other time of day.
You’re correct. It’s just more convenient and I like the beta alanine tingles during my workout.
what about nitric oxide supps?
Exactly what he said
These are the best to products to put in a preworkout do to the fact that they are lactic acid buffers and will make you pwo get more and more effective over time. They don’t work like caffeine for an immediate blast but they are probably the best 2 products in this list. They will extend the duration of your workout And to me this is more important then the immediate blast of caffeine! Oh and proven to work in hundreds of studies.
Any thoughts on higher levels of lactic acid causing a growth hormone response? I followed a program that had me focus on the concentric phase of the lift, reset quickly, and immediately go back into the concentric phase. Imagine curls…4 seconds up, 1 second down, immediately start back up for 4 seconds…
It certainly felt intense. Now…if it increased my GH…awesome, but who really knows? If it does, would it be counter-productive to buffer that response?
Ouch. Science make head hurt.
I’m honestly not sure Fred. From my experience just pushing to get stronger is the most effective way to induce muscle growth. I like to keep it simple personally.
You note that Caffeine and Citttruline are the only 2 ingredients that need to be taken on the bottom for a preworkout drink,but than go on to say in 4 you don’t take it??I am looking for a natural preworkout drink that doesn’t raise blood pressure so much,I am currently on Assault.Ty
Those are the only 2 that need to be taken RIGHT before working out yes. And no, I never took CM because it’s quite expensive versus the rest.
What about AAKG as a preworkout supplement?
It doesn’t have any research to back it up that I know of. Here’s one study that found that it provided zero measurable benefits:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-9-17.pdf
How are you measuring out the ingredients specifically the mg
The creatine and beta alanine have basic 1 tsp servings. The caffeine is tricky, since 200mg is about 1/16 tsp. You can buy 1/16 tsp measuring spoons on amazon.
What about citrulline malate? is the 1 teaspoon for 1 serving too?
You want to use about 6 grams per serving. It may vary depending on the brand you buy, but refer to the nutrition details on the product you buy and then adjust to 5 or 6 grams.
you poozy faces
The link provided for caffeine no longer works when attempting to redirect to Amazon. Could you update this?
Hmmm, it looks like Amazon isn’t offering a caffeine powder at the moment.
These pills will do the job: link.
But if you want something to mix into your pre workout (which I prefer), here’s an alternative (not Amazon): link.
After some research, seems caffeine powder overdose was cited as the cause of death of a teen athlete recently, maybe that’s why Amazon dropped it: link.
Holy s**t can you not google or search amazon yourself?
Can you freeze coffee in ice cube trays and use them in the drink? If so, how many?
Yes, this would work for caffeine. And how many depends on the coffee and your tolerance. Some coffee is a lot stronger than other coffee. Experiment and see what gives you the boost you want.
Would ginseng be good to put in the mix
I don’t think it’s worth it. I couldn’t find any studies that back it up. Here are two that say it’s not effective:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2001.tb06995.x/abstract
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2002/05000/Effects_of_Ginseng_Ingestion_on_Growth_Hormone.3.aspx
This is exactly what I take (this list). Two things I have added are: liquid coconut oil standardized for MCT content, and BCAA’s if I am in a fasted state prior to working out. These both have relatively good scientific support for providing energy to athletes. Let me know what you think!
Agreed on the BCAAs if you’re in a fasted state. Martin Berkhan at leangains.com recommends that and I respect his judgement. I’ve not heard of coconut oil for MCT content however.
Can you substitute vitamin b12 for caffeine? If so is the ratio the same or different?
No, vitamin b12 is not a stimulant.
Vitamin B12 works well WITH caffeine…not necessarily as a substitute. A lot of the top pre-workout supplements are loaded with B vitamins along with caffeine, l-theanine, taurine, even creatine. While B vitamins can improve an energy rush, combining the vitamins with caffeine creates a synergetic effect.
Maybe slightly, but caffeine is almost 100% responsible for the acute effects of all pre workouts. This is why a lot of people just use caffeine pills or drink coffee.
Citrulline malate is actually very good to have in a preworkout. It leads to a higher production of Nitric Oxide, which will give you the “pump” you want during your workout. It helps blood flow in your muscles, which will aslo help them in recovery after your workout. As for Arginine, it comes in different forms (including AAKG), but it isn’t absorbed as well as citrulline malate. AAKG DOES have benefits, but it isn’t as effectively used by your body as citrulline malate. The best dosage amount would be between 6-8 grams. Also, I would suggest using creatine HCL rather than monohydrate. HCL is absorbed much better than monohydrate and you require a much smaller dosage (about 2g). Creatine choice is usually personal preference though and both are effective supplements.
Why waste money on a creatine HCL when you can dissolve the cheaper more researched creatine monohydrate with warm water and your body can absorb it more effectively
Pretty much like my preworkout but I add 1 gram of agmatine sulfate to the rest. I wish my dick would swell up like arms do when I take this shit !! lol
your logo looks like a pile of poop haha sorry!. good article though! certainly considering making my own.
Thanks for the advice. Based on your above ingredients I built my own PWO.
As far as caffeine… powdercity.com still offers the powder version of caffeine. I just got some from there for a decent price.
Thanks Ryan – I added a link to powdercity above.
Is there a substitute you could use for caffeine for when you start to build a tolerance to caffeine?
No, not really. Caffeine is the only really effective and easily available stimulant I know of.
Your best bet is taking 2-4 weeks off of caffeine to reset your tolerance.
Check out Oxiracetam. It is a mild stimulant and nootropic used for memory and learning. It is a well researched and especially safe drug, in fact it is neuroprotective. While it won’t provide the strength and motivation effects caffeine use provides, it certainly will give you and “extra edge” in the form of focus, and is especially effective at removing the depression, fatigue, and lack of motivation associated with caffeine withdrawl. This stuff kicks as for studying and work as well. Let me know if you want me to post some links to some solid sources. Read about it online, check out examine.com or Google it.
Regards to your info,about making your own pre-workout.
I am in the early stages of mixing the ingredients,and i found your views very helpful…….
I have recently purchased most of the products you recommend!
Regards to the difficult in obtaining Caffeine — if your a UK resident, this is a decent place too find it……http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/caffeine.html
A build up of molybdenum in your system can decrease your sensitivity to caffeine since it works to break it down. If you want to improve your sensitivity eliminate sources of molybdenum from your diet for a couple days.
Yo. I’ve been thinking about making my own PWO for a while now, since the prices for PWO are sky-high here in Norway. Is it possible to make a 1 month mix in a jar and take a scoop from it every day? My math sux, so could anyone help me with how many grams of what I need for 1 month, and also how many grams of that I need to take daily before my workout? I want all of the ingredients on the list. Thank you
Marius I considered doing this and decided not to mainly because I’m not confident I could guarantee that everything would be mixed evenly and you CAN go overboard on the caffeine dose to the point of it being toxic and dangerous.
Agreed David. Maybe do the caffeine separate and mix the rest Marius?
Although honestly It is not too much of a time loss to just mix one dose every time.
What I will sometimes do is scoop out the powders for one one PWO and put it into a plastic bag then tie it up, for when I am out of town, going to stay with friends or family, or in a big hurry the next morning. Maybe prepackage a few like that for when you are busy, and just make your mixture the rest of time.
Double post cause I forgot to check the email updates box
Hey Fisher,
Whenever I question the actual efficacy of a certain compound – let’s take Glutamine, for instance – I search for peer reviewed studies using https://scholar.google.com/
Then I search for “glutamine resistance training”…
And find an article like this: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-001-0523-y
“We conclude that glutamine supplementation during resistance training has no significant effect on muscle performance, body composition or muscle protein degradation in young healthy adults.”
I’m not going to go through all of those one-by-one but I’m willing to bet most of them are similarly disproven. Unfortunately supplement companies are always pushing a wide range of compounds with little scientific backing.
I was wondering how much water should be used for the recommended portion?
I go with about 12 ounces – a large glass will do the job.
I bought the Dr Max Powers Anabolic Stack – just took my first packet today before the gym – It kicked in quickly. I’d say it took about fifteen minutes. I got amazing pumps, my veins looked swollen. The energy level was spectacular, and most of all I felt relentless. My body actually went out of commission before my energy and motivation did. I left the gym wanting to do more, but knowing my body couldn’t. I would highly suggest this supplement as a must have in your stack.
Where’s the L-Arginine powder?
I can’t find any conclusive studies on whether or not L-Arginine is useful for men who train regularly – but it seems to have some benefits on body composition:
http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/291/5/E906.short
The body of evidence seems smaller than the compounds I mentioned above, however.
I have actually bought the same ingredients that you listed above to make my own pre work out but have been trying to decide the best way to measure it out. All of the products I ordered came with serving size scoops except for the caffeine. I would like to use about 100 mg a serving but my scale only goes to whole grams. Would you recommend buying a more accurate scale or just making enough pre work out for 10 days at a time (able to round to 1 gram, making 10 100 mg servings)? Or are there accurate serving size spoons online? I am worried about too high a caffeine content
I recommend buying small size serving spoons. The caffeine powder I have indicates that 1/16 of a teaspoon is roughly 200mg so, in your case, buying a 1/32 teaspoon measuring spoon will yield you 100mg.
Something like this for example: http://amzn.to/1FQnyLS
Just double check the serving sizes for your caffeine powder.
How do you go about mixing the caffein evenly than throughout a month supply if you did it in bulk? How to manufactures go about doing it so well without it being in toxic levels….
I don’t recommend mixing it in advance. I’m not sure how manufacturers accomplish this. But risking consuming a toxic level of caffeine isn’t worth the risk.
That is why they recommend on the label to shake the container before every use. I.E. to disperse everything relatively equally (good enough).
David: What are your thoughts on a non-synthetic caffeine source? Instant (powder) coffee, guarna, etc. Interesting blog on this: http://hawaiianola.com/natural-synthetic-caffeine/
I try (I dont always succeed) to go as natural as possible without synthetics. Crazy hard to do in the world of synthesised supplements. Just wanted your thoughts.
Thanks.
Hey James, interesting article. The sources cited don’t comment at all on the effects of natural vs synthetic caffeine, however.
I’d say to try both out and see how you feel, and then make a decision. Going the synthetic route will definitely be cheaper. Whether you’ll feel different or not, I’m not sure. But I doubt there’s any health cost to using synthetic caffeine.
Hey David how do you go about fitting that many grams into single capsules? Just a question because putting that amount of beta alanine into a capsule would take about 4 of them im guessing? I’m trying to make them in advance and I was thinking that would be the easiest way. Feedback would be awesome! Thank you!
Hey Harrison – I don’t put them in capsules. I just mix them all in with water or gatorade.
can you give me advice how i would mix whey power and whey protein
to make my own whey supplement. i can buy whey power for R20 /kg
and whey protein for R143/kg . but it seem to expensive to use whey protein
by itself. do you mix it and what will the ratio be
thanks
alex du toit
South Africa
I’m 15 and have been using the gym for 3 months. I’m looking to make my own pre workout and was wondering if you think Creatine is safe for me to take?
Hey Shawn, creatine is safe to take – yes.
Whats your oppinion on DMAA? I was thinking about putting it in my own pre-workout
Caffeine does it for me – I think DMAA is probably more of a stimulant than you realistically need for working out.
Great article. But me being new to this realm of life, is a “pre-workout” worth taking on pure cardio days?
Personally I only take it before lifting.
I am an avid runner, usually following runs with bootcamp workouts. I use a home made pwo with beta-alanine, L-arginine (switching to citrulline), creatine, and water. Anecdotally it doesn’t do much during the run, but days where I don’t take it the recovery is not as good. As noted the creatine is not really critical timing wise to be in a pwo but I prefer to get it in there so I don’t forget. Toying with adding caffeine, but I prefer to save that for race days and long runs. Maybe will add the gatorade powder.
Best information regarding to pre workout supplements for health. i really appreciate to you for share information…please share more information or tips related to this topics in future…..
I use creatine split 2.5g morning and post workout. 1.5g beta alanine 3x a day. Pre workout i take 3g argenine 100mg amp citrate and 500mg guarana powder mixed with a energy vitamin (effervescent). Everythin but the pre go down with foo for absorbtion
This is a great article!
Making your own pre-workouts supplements is a great way to really tweak the formula to your own personal preference.
I actually just compiled a really thorough guide of Pre-workout supplements. I think you might find some of the information mentioned useful. Take a look if you get a chance: http://onlinestrength.com/pre-workout-supplements/top-10-best-pre-workout-supplements/.
Just stumbled accross your page. Nice articles, man
Have you ever tried DMAA, DMAE or another stimulant than caffeine?
They’re not treally recommanded due to health issues, but they put your workouts up to another level
Hey Tinu – I haven’t really messed around with any other than caffeine. I’m super sensitive to caffeine so I’ve never felt the urge! Plus I know “stim-dick” can be a side effect, and I’d rather not fuck with that.
What’s your experience been?
Are you all saying we need to pump caffeine and stuff into our bodies to in order to do a decent workout?
I prefer the nature way, clean food and drink, and no artificial stimulants, to think that every pre workout I would need to subject my heart to abnormal heart rates in order to get stuff done makes me frankly shudder.
Nope. I’m just showing people how they can save some money instead of buying commercial pre-workouts… and be healthier in the process.
Hello there David! Good article and the follow up on the comments are a God send, they answer most of the questions which I had myself.
Me and my brother are looking to make our own PWO, Amino Acid and Whey, mainly because we are fed up with the overprices, and the unnecessary additives that don’t do much.
And I love that Tingly feeling aswell.
So The PWO here:
100-300 mg Coffe, (1/16 tpb)
5g Creatine, 1tsp.
– Could this be Creatine Monohydrate? Or is this the same as you are referring to?
4g Beta-Alanine, 1 tsp.
6g Citrulline Malate:
– Measurement size is brand dependent.
Do you have any tips for adding BCAA’s in the mix?
Is there any article where you go through own whey and Amino aswell?
// Ludvig,
Hey Ludvig – thanks for stopping by!
Creatine monohydrate is what I use, yes.
And no I don’t use bcaas. I personally don’t think they’re beneficial if you’re already eating a solid amount of protein in your diet. In terms of making your own whey, that would be a lot more complicated that a pre-workout. I’d suggest just finding a cheap option on Amazon or something and getting the big 5 lb. tubs.
Man I just found your website yesterday and it’s fucking awesome. You don’t like bullshit. You use logic and have a real world perspective, you’ve got a new fan.
Onto the comment…have you read up at all about cordycep mushrooms? A lot of big health gurus back them up. Any opinion on them?
I don’t get why people need energy drinks.
Is it because they are too lazy to eat right???
I load up on carbs the day I workout on the weights.
I eat a bowl of Grapenuts, a couple of slices of jelly toast, and some meat. Wait a couple of hours and then go to the gym.
Keep me energized for a full two-hour full-body workout.
which supplement should I use to gain muscles and become big?
None. You should focus on training regularily and following a plan to get big.
Take 5 Grams of Creatine a day and start supplementing only after your diet is perfect.
Hey – great site and really great article and information on PWO. Reading this has given me the confidence to kick mass produced supplements and experiment with my own.
What are your thoughts on dopamine precursors? They’re a common ingredient (L-tyrosine, Mucuna extract etc)
Also thoughts on Betaine?
Thanks for the kind words Bharath! Honestly I don’t know much about dopamine precursors. Betaine has been shown to increase strength endurance in some studies but very little research has been done on it versus the things I listed in the article.
I would venture to say that citrulline malate has stronger research backing it up compared to beta-alanine. Check out the independent analysis of the supplements on examine.com
Hey Philip, examine is a great resource! I would put both of them in a category below creatine, but above the countless other substances and compounds that float around the fitness world.
Hi Philip – thanks for the examine.com info – really great site. I see what you’re saying. Makes sense.
I thought those two were complimentary, while citrulline and arginine were more similar as NO2 precursors.
should I be taking the beta alanine and citruline Malate several times a day or will it still work if I’m only using it striclty before a workout ?
The CM should be taken before the workout but the BA doesn’t have acute effects so it’s not necessary. However, I still suggest taking the BA before the workout, because the tingling sensation seems to get most people excited to lift.
how about this recipe. it has some good essentials.
Panic X http://neurobolics.com/panic-x-sucker-punch-limeade/
Creatine monohydrate
Caffiene Anhydrous
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)
(AAKG)…
Beta Alanine
DL-Malate
L-Citrulline
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine L-Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate
That includes everything I listed PLUS some more things. I don’t think the extra ingredients are worth the money you’ll pay for them honestly. Research each of them on Google Scholar like I’ve explained in a previous comment, but they are not proven like the few things I listed above.
So informative knowledge for those guys whose want to make their body like Bodybuilder and Want to get Perfect shape by these king of Pre-workout supplements ..thanks to share this Valuable knowledge
Hi, i am creating a supplement that instead of cold and sweet, is hot and coffee based. would it work adding all these extra ingridients to coffee powder?
I’m not sure but I don’t see why not – they are all simple powders. I’d just say to avoid the caffeine since coffee already has that.
Creatine is creatine. Just try to find the one that works best with your body. There are so many expensive creatine products sold in supplement shops – all you really need is creatine monohydrate and I recommend the Dr Max Powers Creatine Pills (even though they have 3 types of creatine). I’ve seen better results with the Dr Max Powers Creatine vs. the Optimum Nutrition creatine. I’ve seen an increase in strength and size as well but make sure you are careful. Always stay hydrated.
I also don’t do the loading cycles as well because I’ve seen results without it.
Agreed. A cheap, basic monohydrate is all you need.
I’m in Canada and most supplements are more expensive and less available here than in the USA, so at a quick glance when I look at the cost of each of the individual components named in your article, including the shipping cost, in $CAD, it seems that making my own isn’t really all that much cheaper than a commercial mix. I’ll keep looking for the deals and doing the math. Thanks for the great article.
Thank Syd – some of the ingredients can be tough to find. If a quality pre-workout is the same price in your case, it may be more convenient to go with that.
Check out Canadianprotein.com; They have all these ingredients and more for way cheaper than you’ll find in our Canadian supplement stores.
Interesting read thanks David, I am currently 7 weeks into a 16 week cutting cycle for my first natural body-building comp so anything with more than 1 complicated name in the ingredients is out so making my own pre workout is a must, can I add though, the Beta-alanine is a waste of money, as my coach says, does a tingly face help you lift more weight? No. Try adding L-glutamine 5 to 10g for protein synthesis and reduce muscle wastage and 1g acetyl L-carnatine for fat burning, all available on ebay nice n cheap in non branded packaging. I never used to believe in BCAA’s either if using a quality supplement but the truth is you do need extra, I take twenty grammes over the day including intra and post workout, hope this helps with some of the newbies out there as there are a lot of people offering advice that don’t know what they are talking about, keep up the good work David
Forgot, D-aspartic acid, 3mg, testosterone booster and oestrogen suppressor (not blocker) for us oldies
can we add bcaa ?
Yes, but I only advise BCAAs if you’re training fasted.
Nice blog! the content which is mention in this blog is really understandable and informative. I really like this blog and thanks for sharing.
Hi David
I workout every other day . Meaning 3 days a week. I take workout before my workout. That means I don’t take creatine and BA every day. Do they have any effect this way. Or I should have those in my rest catalyst too?
You should add them to your rest catalyst to ensure you’re getting all benefits.
What are your thoughts on mixing in a small amount of a Vitamin C powder drink mix, like Emergen-C? I figured instead of the Gatorade powder I could use that for flavor and get a dose of Vitamin C. I see a lot of pre-workout formulas that contain Vitamin C.
I supplement vitamin C in the morning, but I don’t see any reason to include it in a pre-workout.
Love the post. When I first read this I totally did this and saved myself a s%&t ton of money.
The only thing I would add is Agmatine. It gives a great pump during workout (super swole). It’s a much more natural N.O and it has also shown to boost mood as well.
Thanks Phil. I don’t see anything on agmatine’s effects on training, but it does appear to have cognitive benefits (https://examine.com/supplements/agmatine/).
David do we need to eat an amino blend to optimize muscle making and energy or bcaa and glutamine in our protein shake is enough. Bacically there are a lot of amino acids out there do we need all?
Thanks for the very informative article! I’ve just bought the main ingredients and it works out alot cheaper per serving than off the shelf pre-workouts
Not sure if its already been asked but do you cycle off/on this pre-workout mix?
I imagine after taking it for a while you would need to or either increase the dosages of caffeine/beta alanine to get the same effects?
No need to cycle the beta alanine, but yes you will develop a tolerance to caffeine. I’d say that once 200mg is not giving you a solid boost, then take 2 weeks off.
Would you recommend me mixing in 1,3-dimethylamylamine in your mixture?
I personally would not. Just a strong stimulant, probably won’t have a an actual impact on strength/size.
Awesome idea. I didn’t think it would be this easy to make your own pre-workout drink. Any recipe for other types of workout supplements?
Excellent. I think i’m going to create this but with Cocoa powder as my caffeine and BCAA powder instead of gatorade. Should be amazing.
Don’t we need to add L-Arginine in pre workout?
Glad I stumbled across your blog and You Tube!! I have been struggling with AM workouts and was searching for another product (have tried several) to just give me a boost without the jitters or all the other crap. I am now making my own drink before the gym and it has been a game changer. Thanks for the info and insight!!
What about Betaine and acetyl L Carnitine?
Yo. I’ve been thinking about making my own PWO for a while now, since the prices for PWO are sky-high here in Norway.
Is it possible to make a 1 month mix in a jar and take a scoop from it every day?
My math sux, so could anyone help me with how many grams of what I need for 1 month, and also how many grams of that I need to take daily before my workout? I want all of the ingredients on the list.
how much Gatorade powder should i add per serving