Pre-workouts are notorious for containing an array of ingredients to boost performance — like citrulline, caffeine, BCAAs, tyrosine, creatine, and many others that can help with muscle growth, energy, and even recovery. With so many ingredients and so many products that target male customers, deciphering labels and finding the right ingredients to suit your needs, as a female, can be tedious. Do you want something that may include fat-burning ingredients to help with weight loss, as well? Or are you just looking for your typical citrulline, caffeine, and tyrosine blend that can help with blood flow, energy, and focus?
No matter what you need in a pre-workout, it’s no secret that many of your run-of-the-mill pre-workouts are marketed more toward men, which may leave some women with questions like, “Will this product do the same things for me?” Most of the time actually, a lot of the ingredients and doses stay the same for males and females. However, sometimes women may look for a leaner blend or a different set of vitamins within their pre-workout. We put together this list of the best pre-workouts for women so that you can find your perfect pre-workout match.
The Best Pre-Workout Supplements
- Best Pre-Workout for Women Overall: KOS Bolt from the Blue
- Best Pre-Workout for Women (Runner Up): Swolverine PRE
- Best Weight Loss Pre-Workout for Women: Transparent Labs LEAN
- Best Tasting Pre-Workout for Women: KOS Bolt from the Blue
- Best Pre-Workout for Women’s Muscle Gain: Huge Supplements Wrecked
- Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout for Women: Swolverine PRE
- Best Endurance Pre-Workout for Women: Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
- Best Pre-Workout for Female Runners: Transparent Labs LEAN
- Best Cheap Pre-Workout for Women: Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine.
Best Pre-Workout for Women Video Review
While we recommend you still read this article in its entirety, check out our video review as Nick English breaks down our top pre-workouts for women in 2023.
Best Pre-Workout for Women Overall
To win our top spot, a pre-workout has to have a solid ingredient list, good flavor, and beneficial inclusions to support women in their chosen sport or fitness outlet. In our opinion, this pick checks every box, and it does it using all-natural ingredients.
KOS Bolt from the Blue
KOS Bolt from the Blue is not like your typical big hitters for women who strength train — instead of taurine, citrulline, beta-alanine, and tyrosine, it uses a mixture of nootropic ingredients and a light dose of caffeine to help get you boosted for your workout. The potential result? Natural, jitter-free energy and alertness during your workout without any skin tingles and hard crashing. This formula contains 70mg of caffeine (less than the average cup of coffee), plus organic blue spirulina and Lion’s Mane mushroom, both of which can provide an energy boost.
This pre-workout strays from the typical ingredients list and pulls its effectiveness from a blue energy and focus blend with ingredients for energy like ginseng and green coffee beans along with potential mood boosters like ashwagandha and rhodiola for a balanced and clean and organic pre-workout devoid of artificial ingredients.
This blend of natural ingredients also includes spirulina, ashwagandha, and blueberry, all designed to help keep you alert and energized. The pre-workout’s name comes from the blue spirulina, which not only can help boost energy, but is also made up of amino acids.
The cordyceps mushrooms in this powder may help fight off fatigue during workouts, and the blueberries have antioxidants that can help reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery. Plus, every ingredient in KOS Bolt from the Blue is USDA-certified organic and soy-, gluten-, and dairy-free. And at about $1.21 a serving, it’s one of the least expensive pre-workouts you’ll find.
Who Should Buy KOS Bolt from the Blue
- Women who want natural ingredients will like the blue spirulina algae, adaptogenic mushrooms, and all-natural flavoring in this pre.
- Anyone who wants a less extreme dose of caffeine than most pre-workouts will like the 70mg of caffeine in this product.
- Athletes on a budget will appreciate the price of around $33.99 or $1.21 per serving.
Who Shouldn’t Buy KOS Bolt from the Blue
- Athletes who want to feel their skin tingling should look elsewhere since this pre-workout doesn’t have beta-alanine.
- People who want a huge dose of caffeine will want to find a product with more than the 70mg found here.
KOS Bolt from the Blue avoids the heart-racing ingredients you’ll find in most other brands of pre-workout, opting instead for natural ingredients. If you’re looking for a pre-workout that provides a steady stream of just the right amount of energy using all-natural ingredients, KOS Bolt from the Blue may be the right formula for you.
Best Pre-Workout for Women (Runner-Up)
Though this product is not specifically made for or marketed toward women like some other products on this list, we still love it for its solid ingredient list and its potential to help you reach your fitness goals.
Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout
Swolverine PRE pre-workout has eight ingredients that can potentially boost your performance and help with recovery in the gym. It includes citrulline-malate, beta-alanine, betaine anhydrous, amino acid L-carnitine, amino acid L-taurine, coconut water for potential hydration, siberian ginseng for non-stim energy, and pomegranate.
Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout may lack stimulants, but it makes up for that with a great blend of high-dosed ingredients to help improve blood flow, recovery, and endurance. The citrulline malate and betaine anhydrous can give you the edge you need to conquer your next gym session.
Amino acids are beneficial as they may help repair muscle and build mass after an intense workout (2). Beta-alanine is known for the tingles it can provide during your workout, but it also might help you perform better for high-intensity intervals due to its potential to improve muscle carnitine (3). This formula only comes in Mango Lemonade and costs $2.11 per serving, making it a more expensive option on our list.
Who Should Buy Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout
- Women who want a pre-workout that contains amino acids, which may help boost recovery will like the formulation here.
- Anyone who wants a non-stimulant pre-workout — this product has ginseng which may provide natural energy without the intake of caffeine.
- People who are looking for bonus ingredients like coconut water and pomegranate will like the extras in this product.
Who Shouldn’t Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout
- Those who want a pre-workout that is unflavored or comes in a multitude of flavors will have to look elsewhere as this only comes in Mango Lemonade.
- This pre-workout doesn’t contain creatine, which some women may want to have in their formula.
- Anyone on a budget can find a cheaper pre-workout on the market.
Swolverine has created a pre-workout that may give you energy while avoiding stimulants and also provides big-hitting ingredients like beta-alanine, betaine, and amino acids, which may help you push through tough workouts and build muscle.
Best Women’s Pre-Workout for Weight Loss
First and foremost, in order to lose weight, you’ll want to focus on taking in fewer calories than you burn each day. After that, this pre-workout may be able to help you out just a little further.
Disclaimer: Please note that none of these products describe themselves as weight loss supplements and should not be taken as such. Please consult with a medical professional before beginning any weight loss protocol.
Transparent Labs LEAN
Transparent Labs LEAN contains some ingredients you may also see on fat burner labels. One of these is synephrine, which can help increase the number of calories burned throughout your day — and the hordenine in this product may also contribute to this cause. In addition, iodine, zinc, selenium, and copper may boost thyroid health. On top of that, you’ll find many pillar pre-workout ingredients like citrulline, beta-alanine, and theanine. It’s worth noting that this supp does contain caffeine and theobromine though, both of which are stimulants.
Third-party tested and clearly dosed, Transparent Labs LEAN has a huge variety of ingredients for endurance, power, alertness, and focus. Use code BARBEND10 for 10% off.
LEAN comes in Sour Peach, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple, Orange, Cherry Limeade, Sour Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch, and Watermelon flavors. Each tub contains 30 servings, and each serving will cost about $1.65 per serving, which is a pretty reasonable price for a pre-workout supplement. It is even more reasonable when you consider the quality ingredient list of Transparent Labs which contains no artificial dyes, flavors, or sweeteners.
Who Should Buy Transparent Labs LEAN
- Women who are looking to burn more calories with the help of their pre-workout can supplement a calorie deficit with this blend.
- This product is free of artificial sweeteners and colors, which may appeal to some.
- If you’re looking for multiple flavors to choose from, this product comes in Fruit Punch, Orange, Green Apple, Tropical Punch, Peach, Watermelon, Cherry Limeade, Sour Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, and Blue Raspberry.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Transparent Labs LEAN
- You can find a higher dose of caffeine in other pre-workouts if that’s what you’re looking for. There’s only 180mg here.
- Women who may be trying to bulk will want to look for a pre-workout that doesn’t contain synephrine or hordenine.
- If you’re hoping for an unflavored option you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Since many women may look for leaner supplement options, Transparent Labs leaned (pun intended) into this, and designed a product that can help increase thermogenesis (the number of calories you’re burning).
Read our full review of Transparent Labs LEAN.
Best Tasting Pre-Workout for Women
If you’re looking for a lot of great-tasting flavors to choose from, we think this blueberry flavor from KOS Bolt from the Blue is the way to go.
KOS Bolt from the Blue
If you’re looking for a pre-workout that tastes great and does it with all-natural ingredients, KOS Bolt from the Blue might be your best bet. It only comes in one flavor, but that flavor is an invigorating blue raspberry that the company calls Electric Boostberry. KOS achieves this using organic blue raspberry flavor sweetened with organic coconut sugar, stevia extract, and monk fruit extract.
This pre-workout strays from the typical ingredients list and pulls its effectiveness from a blue energy and focus blend with ingredients for energy like ginseng and green coffee beans along with potential mood boosters like ashwagandha and rhodiola for a balanced and clean and organic pre-workout devoid of artificial ingredients.
The organic ingredients don’t stop with the flavor, though — KOS also uses all-natural, organic active ingredients as well. You won’t find skin-tingling beta-alanine or 300mg of caffeine in this mix. What you will find are loads of phytonutrients, adaptogenic mushrooms, organic caffeine, and ocean algae to help provide a steady stream of energy without sending you over the edge. Plus, all the ingredients are organic and dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free. And at around $1.21 a serving, it’s firmly on the lower end of the price range for pre-workouts.
Who Should Buy KOS Bolt from the Blue
- Women who are fans of berry flavors will enjoy the Electric Boostberry flavor here.
- Anyone who wants to avoid high levels of caffeine will like the 70mg you’ll find in this formula.
- Women looking for a pre-workout energy boost that may not cause jitters will appreciate the lack of beta-alanine here.
Who Shouldn’t Buy KOS Bolt from the Blue
- Women who want a jolt of energy will want to go with a higher caffeine dosage than you’ll find here.
- Customers who want unflavored options will want to go with a different pre-workout.
- Those who like the tingles you may get from beta-alanine might want to look elsewhere since this pre-workout doesn’t have any.
If taste is a priority to you and you’re sick of basic pre-workout flavors, KOS Bolt from the Blue’s Electric Boostberry is a great choice. Plus, its all-natural formula can help provide an even, steady amount of energy without any jitters, skin tingles, or energy crashes.
Best Pre-Workout for Women’s Muscle Gain
Some women may be looking for a pre-workout that simply helps boost energy before their workout. However, if you’re also wanting something that can help with performance and muscle gain, Huge Supplements Wrecked Pre-Workout has a whopping 17 ingredients that can help you on your journey to gaining muscle.
Huge Supplements Wrecked
Huge Supplements Wrecked contains 17 ingredients, including many that can help boost muscle growth. The 3,000mg of beta-alanine especially can help increase strength and power, allowing you to lift heavier weights, and potentially gain more muscle mass in the process. In addition, this product contains ingredients that can help with energy and blood flow, like citrulline and caffeine.
This product packs 17 ingredients at high doses, including 8,000mg of citrulline, 3,500mg of beta alanine, 250mg of caffeine, and 3,000mg of betaine anhydrous. Plus, you’ll find 1,500mg of tyrosine and 197mg of Himalayan pink sea salt, as well.
Plus, it comes in four delicious flavors — Raspberry Mojito, Bomb Popsicle, Rainbow Burst, and Peach Rings, giving you creative flavor choices, so you never get bored. The price tag on Wrecked is $49.95 for 20 servings per container making it $2.45 per serving — however, the high dosage of each ingredient may allow for higher potency, and the need for a smaller serving size.
Who Should Buy Huge Supplements Wrecked
- Women who want a pre-workout that can specifically help with blood flow, strength, and power to potentially build more muscle — you’ll appreciate the addition of beta-alanine and citrulline in this formula.
- Anyone who wants a good caffeine kick will appreciate the two types of caffeine that amount to 350mg in total.
- Women who want to choose from four unique flavors will appreciate the options Wrecked provides.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Huge Supplements Wrecked
- If you’re looking for a pre-workout with creatine, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
- Those who work out later in the day may opt for an option that has less caffeine than this formula.
- Women on a budget may want to look for cheaper options on the market — this comes in at almost $2.50 per serving.
For starters, if you want to gain muscle, you’ll have to have a rigorous workout routine to match. But if you want a pre-workout that can help push you along a little bit further, the solid dose of beta-alanine in Huge Supplements Wrecked Pre-Workout should have you covered.
Read our full review of Huge Supplements Wrecked.
Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout for Women
A stim-free pre-workout can be ideal for women who work out late at night, or those who are just trying to avoid caffeine in general. This Swolverine pre-workout is one of our favorites.
Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout
This formula is free of stimulants, but still contains 1,000mg of ginseng, which has been suggested in various studies to be a potential treatment for fatigue (4). This may be a great pre-workout option for women who prefer to work out at night, or who work out after a long day and need a pick-me-up without the side effects of stimulants.
Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout may lack stimulants, but it makes up for that with a great blend of high-dosed ingredients to help improve blood flow, recovery, and endurance. The citrulline malate and betaine anhydrous can give you the edge you need to conquer your next gym session.
This formula also contains some important pre-workout staples like beta-alanine, amino acids, and betaine, which may facilitate better pumps. This supplement only comes in a Mango Lemonade flavor, and each serving costs $2.11, which is on the higher end of the market — but we think this ingredient list and the potential for non-stimulant energy makes it worth the price tag.
Who Should Buy Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout
- Women who work out late at night may be trying to avoid stimulants in their pre-workout.
- Folks who still want a potential boost in energy for their workouts will appreciate the addition of 1,000mg of ginseng present in this formula.
- Anyone looking for a pre-workout that may boost their performance in the gym and recovery after will like this lineup that includes beta-alanine, amino acids, and betaine.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Swolverine PRE Pre-Workout
- Customers who want an average dose of caffeine will want to look elsewhere.
- Women who want a pre-workout with more flavor options will have to look at different products as this only comes in Mango Lemonade.
- Those on a budget can find cheaper options available on the market.
For those who are avoiding stimulants, Swolverine PRE contains 1,000mg of ginseng for a potential boost in energy without the use of caffeine or other stimulants.
Best Endurance Pre-Workout for Women
For longer workouts, turn to this pick. It’s designed for ergogenic training — meaning it may help enhance performance, recovery, and stamina — making it a top choice for endurance athletes. It contains a handful of fan favorites, like beta-alanine and citrulline, while also including a heavy hit of caffeine to keep you powered up through your workout.
Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
One of the main components of endurance is delaying muscle fatigue, and this formula contains 1,600mg of beta-alanine, which is known for its potential to delay the brain’s ability to recognize fatigue, allowing you to potentially push harder and for a longer period of time during your workouts. (5)
This pre-workout supplement comes in a 20-serving tub and provides L-Citrulline, L-Leucine, and L-Valine, to name a few, per 20-calorie scoop. There are seven flavors available including Grape, Fruit Punch, and Krisp Apple.
This formula comes with some other essentials for pre-workout, like 6,500mg of citrulline, and 3,500mg of BCAAs, which can help enhance your workout performance and potentially fuel muscle recovery. This formula also includes 2,500mg of betaine, which comes from beetroot and may help improve blood flow. To take it one step further, Kaged included the equivalent of three cups of coffee’s worth of caffeine to keep you energized and pushing through your workouts.
This formula comes in seven distinct flavors — Orange Krush, Berry Blast, Cherry Bomb, Grape, Krisp Apple, Fruit Punch, and Pink Lemonade — all of which are objectively delicious options. The price tag on this supp is a bit high at around $2.25 per serving, but if your main focus is endurance, this pre-workout is stacked with highly-dosed ingredients to potentially support your long and intense workouts.
Who Should Buy Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
- Women who work out for long periods of time may need ingredients to help extend their endurance — the beta-alanine, citrulline, and betaine here may help with that.
- Female athletes who like a heavy-handed dose of caffeine will like the 274mg present in this formula.
- Folks who are interested in delicious and diverse flavors will like the seven you can choose between here, including Orange Krush, Pink Lemonade, and Berry Blast.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
- Women who prefer a stimulant-free pre-workout may want to find a pre-workout without caffeine.
- People who want creatine in their formula may want to look elsewhere.
- Those who prefer to take a pill rather than a powdered pre-workout can find alternatives on the market.
If you’re trying to conquer long workouts and want a little extra boost in endurance, the caffeine, betaine, beta-alanine, and citrulline here may be enticing ingredients to potentially boost your athletic performance.
Best Pre-Workout for Female Runners
Running requires a lot of endurance and stamina, and if you want to maintain your training schedule, a pre-workout that has a solid dose of beta-alanine (which can help with endurance) may be just what you need to crush miles.
Transparent Labs LEAN Pre-Workout
For those tacking on those extra miles, Transparent Labs’ 16 active ingredients in their LEAN formula may help you increase your stamina. Transparent Labs includes a solid dose of 2,000mg of beta-alanine, which may especially help increase endurance by increasing muscle carnosine, which may delay fatigue. (6) You’ll also find 1,500mg of betaine and 6,000mg of citrulline malate, which can help with blood flow and endurance, as well. And the small 40mg bump of caffeine may boost alertness throughout long running workouts.
Third-party tested and clearly dosed, Transparent Labs LEAN has a huge variety of ingredients for endurance, power, alertness, and focus. Use code BARBEND10 for 10% off.
LEAN comes in at around $1.66 per serving and is offered in 10 delicious flavor options including some basics and some unique flavors, like Fruit Punch, Orange, Green Apple, Tropical Punch, Sour Peach, Watermelon, Cherry Limeade, Sour Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, and Blue Raspberry. That’s quite the variety, in our opinion.
Who Should Buy Transparent Labs LEAN Pre-Workout
- Female runners who are trying to increase their endurance will like the solid doses of beta-alanine, citrulline, and betaine here.
- If you’re looking for a mild caffeine boost, you’ll enjoy the 40mg found in this formula, which is equivalent to half of a cup of coffee.
- Folks who like a wide variety of flavors to choose from will appreciate the 10 options for this formula, which include Sour Peach, Fruit Punch, and Cherry Limeade.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Transparent Labs LEAN Pre-Workout
- If you don’t like the tingles you can get from beta-alanine, know that this product contains 2,000mg of it.
- If you’re looking for a pre-workout that has a higher dose of caffeine you’ll want to look at some of our picks that contain 200+ mg per serving.
- Those who want an unflavored option will have to look elsewhere.
For runners — especially long-distance runners — a pre-workout that can help with endurance is important. Transparent Labs LEAN Pre-Workout contains great doses of citrulline, betaine, and beta-alanine, all of which can help you hit those long Saturday morning runs.
Best Cheap Pre-Workout for Women
Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t find a high-quality pre-workout. Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout offers great dosages at an affordable price point.
Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
A cheap pre-workout doesn’t mean cheap ingredients. Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout contains all the important ingredients to support your best lifts including 274 mg of caffeine per scoop. The balance of ingredients in this pre-workout has you covered with caffeine for a potential boost in energy, taurine that can help with endurance, beta-alanine, which may increase blood flow, and creatine HCL which can help expedite your gains.
This pre-workout supplement comes in a 20-serving tub and provides L-Citrulline, L-Leucine, and L-Valine, to name a few, per 20-calorie scoop. There are seven flavors available including Grape, Fruit Punch, and Krisp Apple.
Plus, it includes l-tyrosine, which may help the fight or flight response, and promote better mental endurance during tough workouts. This pre-workout comes in Berry Blast, Pink Lemonade, Grape, Fruit Punch, Krisp Apple, Orange Krush, and Cherry Bomb for seven varied flavors that make it hard to go wrong.
Who Should Buy Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
- Women who want a decently affordable pre-workout that includes most of the basics of a pre-workout, and a few extra bonus ingredients.
- Women who want a high-quality blend of ingredients that includes creatine.
- Anyone who’s concerned about mental focus will appreciate the l-tyrosine in addition to caffeine that may help you stay concentrated on giving it your all in your workout.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout
- Athletes looking for a pre-workout that doesn’t contain caffeine may want to opt for a stimulant-free option.
- Anyone who wants their pre-workout unflavored should look at other options on the market.
- Those on a budget can find a cheaper alternative on the market.
For $2.25 per serving, this pre-workout provides many of the classic pre-workout ingredients, all at solid dosages, and with the added benefit of less common, but equally important ingredients. Plus, it comes in seven different flavors, which should allow you to mix up your routine for many months.
What’s In Your Pre-Workout?
Since pre-workouts can be so robust, we broke it down a little bit further to eliminate some of the research necessary to choose which ingredients may be right for you.
Caffeine
Caffeine can help with alertness, endurance, power output, strength, and exertion. A typical cup of joe can contain around 180mg of caffeine. Pre-workouts can vary to contain anywhere from 80 to 350mg of caffeine, or might be caffeine-free in some blends.
Citrulline
Taking about five grams of citrulline (an amino acid commonly found in watermelons) can help with circulation and blood flow, improving power output in the process. This is one of the most common pre-workout ingredients, but you can also take it as a separate supplement and stack it in your regimen. (7)
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine can help improve endurance-based cardio and strength workouts. Since you may be working your muscles for longer, beta-alanine may also help with hypertrophy. A typical dose is about 1.6 to 3.2 grams. (8)
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most researched pre-workout ingredients. It can help increase power output, up anaerobic capacity, and decrease fatigue. It may also increase muscle size by drawing more water to your muscles. A normal dose is about five to 10 grams per day, and consistency is key, whether you’re taking your creatine in a pre-workout or as a separate supplement altogether. (9)
Betaine Anhydrous
You can find this ingredient in beets and leafy greens, and it’s been linked to power output and muscular endurance. Betaine (from three to six grams daily) can potentially decrease post-exercise cortisol, which may help your body better respond to stress. (10)
Taurine
Taurine can be helpful in improving focus, and it may help with recovery and muscle cramps, too. A typical dose you may find in pre-workouts is one to two grams. (11)
Tyrosine
In addition to potentially helping with focus, tyrosine may also help produce adrenaline and dopamine, which can help the body combat stress (like the kind you endure during intense exercise). While most research has been done with a dose of 5 grams, there isn’t enough information to provide a minimum dosage — we recommend somewhere between 500mg and 5g, but it’s important to talk to your doctor to decipher the right dose for you. (12)
Benefits of Pre-Workout for Women
There are several reasons why women might want to add a pre-workout supplement to their regimen, including the desire for more energy or better pumps. Below, we discuss the main benefits you can potentially receive from taking a pre-workout.
More Energy
One of the benefits that may come from taking a pre-workout is having more energy to use during your workout. Some pre-workouts contain caffeine, which may give you a solid boost to push through tough workouts while others use ingredients like ginseng for that potential extra energy burst.
One study suggested that BCAAs prolonged time to exhaustion, which means that a pre-workout containing BCAAs may help you perform for a longer period of time. (13) According to one study, creatine is another example of an ingredient that may help prolong workout durations. (14)
Better Recovery
Many pre-workouts contain ingredients that may benefit your recovery after a workout. Some ingredients, like amino acids, have the potential to aid in your recovery, as amino acids are the building blocks of protein and can help repair damaged muscle tissue after a hard workout. Some pre-workout formulations include creatine, which has also been suggested to speed up recovery time between intense workouts. (14)
More Muscle
There is potential for your pre-workout to assist you in building more muscle when paired with resistance training. Some pre-workouts contain ingredients in their formula — such as creatine and amino acids — which have the potential to help build muscle. Of course, if gaining muscle is your goal, it will be important to look for a pre-workout that contains these ingredients geared toward building more muscle, because not all pre-workouts share a similar ingredient list.
Better Pumps
Added ingredients such as beta-alanine, nitric oxide, and beetroot powder all have the potential to help facilitate better pumps when taken before a workout. All three ingredients may promote vasodilation, which can lead to wider blood vessels and better blood flow, thereby improving your pumps (15).
When your blood flow is improved, your muscles have the potential to be filled with more blood and look and feel bigger for a short period of time.
How We Chose the Best Pre-Workouts for Women
We tested a lot of pre-workouts to choose our favorites. In the process, these are the main factors we considered in deciding which ones we thought were the “best.”
Price
Most of the pre-workouts we tried ranged from $1.00 to $2.45 per serving. You can find plenty of pre-workouts closer to the $1.00 range, so the products we considered closer to $2.00 per serving were particularly robust and worth the extra cash.
Dosage
Though most pre-workouts include research-backed ingredients, not all of them provide the proper doses of these ingredients. We not only walked you through the proper doses for each ingredient above, but we also didn’t include products on this list that didn’t match those standard dosages. And for the ingredients (like tyrosine) where the dosage is not clear, we made sure they were within the proper range that had been included in studies.
Ingredients
Pre-workout ingredient lists are longer than a lot of other supplements on the market. You won’t find many pre-workout with fewer than seven or eight ingredients. Some pre-workouts include the base classic pre-workout ingredients, plus some additional, more innovative ingredients that aren’t as common across the market. Others just stick to the basics. No matter if you’re looking for your typical citrulline, caffeine, and tyrosine blend, or you’re wanting to try something a little different, we’ve included a research-backed option for you on this list.
Branding
There’s no denying that many of the products we included on this list have branding and marketing designed specifically for women. Some may even include ingredients that are particularly good for women — like beetroot. However, we also included some products that are marketed and branded more generically.
If you’re looking for a product that’s made specifically for women, we have plenty for you here — but, we also have options for women who are looking for a non-gender specific pre-workout that may just contain a few solid ingredients that are ideal for female athletes in particular.
How Much Do Pre-Workouts for Women Cost?
Pre-workouts will vary greatly in price depending on the types of ingredients, number of ingredients in the formula, options for bulk buy and serving size. This list ranges from $1.66 to $2.50 per serving and has an average price of $2.11 per serving.
| Best Pre-Workout for Women Overall | KOS Bolt from the Blue | $33.99
$1.21 per serving |
| Best Pre-Workout for Women (Runner-Up) | Swolverine PRE | $52.99
$2.12 per serving |
| Best Weight-Loss Pre-Workout for Women | Transparent Labs LEAN | $49.99
$1.66 per serving |
| Best Tasting Pre-Workout for Women | KOS Bolt from the Blue | $33.99
$1.21 per serving |
| Best Pre-Workout for Women’s Muscle Gain | Huge Supplements Wrecked | $49.95
$2.50 per serving |
| Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout for Women | Swolverine PRE | $52.99
$2.12 per serving |
| Best Endurance Pre-Workout for Women | Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout | $44.99
$2.25 per serving |
| Best Pre-Workout for Women Runners | Transparent Labs LEAN | $49.99
$1.66 per serving |
| Best Cheap Pre-Workout for Women | Kaged Pre-Kaged Pre-Workout | $44.99
$2.25 per serving |
If a pre-workout has an extensive ingredient list and includes some big-hitters, like BCAAs, creatine, beta-alanine, citrulline, or a host of other options, it will most likely sport a higher price tag than a simple pre-workout that contains one or two ingredients. Another factor to consider is that an all-natural ingredient list may be more expensive than a pre-workout that contains artificial ingredients or fillers in its formula.
What to Consider Before Buying Pre-Workouts for Women
It’s no secret that the jitters and tingles you may sometimes feel after taking pre-workout can lead to concern for some. However, pre-workouts are legal and the ingredients are all backed by research, so when it comes down to it, you really need to consider what you are personally comfortable with and what your goals are before buying a pre-workout.
Caffeine
Caffeine can cause anxiety, diarrhea, and high blood pressure in some, so it’s important to note your tolerance before buying a pre-workout that contains over 300mg of caffeine. However, caffeine isn’t necessarily bad for you — some people may just tolerate it better than others. For those who exercise late at night, caffeine also may not be ideal since it’s hard to relax after ingesting it. However, if you take caffeine at tolerable doses that your (individual) body can handle without experiencing adverse effects, and you don’t take it right before you need to go to sleep, most people can handle caffeine reasonably well.
Beta-Alanine Tingles
If you’ve ever taken a pre-workout before, you may have felt a slight tingle after ingesting it. Beta-alanine — one of the most common pre-workout ingredients — can cause paresthesia, which is a tingling feeling on the skin. While it’s not harmful, some may not like the feeling. And on the other hand, some may also love it, taking the tingles as a sign that the supplement they’re taking is getting to work.
It’s really just a personal preference when it comes to having or not having this particular ingredient in your pre-workout. Just note that if you don’t want to take beta-alanine, you may have a harder time finding a pre-workout, as most of these supplements do contain this ingredient.
Dosage
While many pre-workouts will tout their ingredients without providing the proper dosage to receive the potential effect, the products we included on this list all contain the proper doses — which we covered in detail earlier in this article. Before deciding which pre-workout supplement to buy, make sure you’re checking the labels against the dosages we talked about to ensure you’re purchasing an effective supplement.
Women-Centric Blends
Many of the products we featured here have packaging or ingredient lists that are particularly made for women. Whether they include beetroot or just have a subjectively appealing color scheme on their package, many of these pre-workouts on this list are meant for women in particular. However, if you’re looking for a product that is still great for women without necessarily being marketed to women, we’ve also included a few of those options. You’ll want to decide if you want a women-centric blend or a generic blend before scouring the market.
Consult a Physician
Above everything, it’s imperative that you speak with a physician before adding a new supplement to your regimen. Many people have intolerances (like a caffeine intolerance), and consulting a doctor first and foremost can help you discover which ingredients you should and shouldn’t consume in your pre-workout.
Final Word
It’s no secret that many supplements are marketed toward men. We sifted through the market and picked out some of the best pre-workout supplements that can benefit women in particular. Some of these products are made for and marketed specifically to women while others are more generic but have an ingredient list that can potentially benefit women specifically.
Most women can take generic pre-workouts — after all, they’re made for the general public, not just men. But if you’re looking for branding that’s specifically targeting women or specific ingredients that could potentially benefit women, this list has you covered. Just make sure you’re considering your personal goals, key ingredients, and price range before hitting the market. After that, allow this list to help you through the rest.
FAQs
Do I need a pre-workout that’s made specifically for women?
No. Most women can take the same pre-workouts that men take, and there are countless generic pre-workouts across the market. However, if you want something that is specifically made for women for peace of mind, there are plenty of options for you as well.
How much caffeine is too much caffeine in my pre-workout?
Everyone has a different tolerance, but the general dosage falls between 80mg and 350mg. Consult a physician before adding more caffeine to your regimen if you are concerned.
How much do pre-workouts for women cost?
The cost of a container of pre-workout varies greatly, but per serving, pre-workouts generally cost between $1.00 and $2.00. The ones that cost closer to $2.00 are generally more robust, while the ones that are closer to $1.00 may just include the classic pre-workout ingredients with no extras. You can expect to pay around $2.11 per serving for a high-quality pre-workout supplement for women.
What is the best pre-workout for women?
This list contains a handful of great pre-workouts for women, but our top pick is KOS Bolt from the Blue, which goes against the chemical grain of most of the pre-workouts you’ll find. Instead of the usual suspects, like beta-alanine and high doses of caffeine, KOS utilizes a surprising list of all-natural ingredients — including spirulina, cordyceps, and blueberry — that can help provide a steady flow of energy without making you overly jittery. Plus, all the ingredients are soy-, gluten-, and dairy-free.
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