5 Best Pre-Workout Gummies to Supercharge Your Next Workout
- By Sydney Bueckert, NASM C.P.T., C.E.S., F.N.S., G.P.T.S.
- November 22, 2023
Between protein powder, creatine, BCAAs, and pre-workout your supplement stack might be looking a little liquidy these days. We’re not against hydration, in fact, we highly recommend it. But a stack of blendable powders can become cumbersome and inconvenient when you’re constantly on-the-go. Allow us to present: Pre-workout gummies.
Pre-workout gummies promise to deliver all the benefits of liquid pre-workout, like elevated performance, endurance, and focus, in a bite-sized gummy. Are pre-workout gummies worth it, and which you should buy? Here’s the scoop.
Our Experience
Hone Health is a team of health-obsessed journalists, editors, fitness junkies, medical reviewers, and product testers. We’ve spent hours researching pre-workout supplementation, pre-workout gummies, the effects of the wide variety of ingredients, and why gummies may be preferable to powder or pills before ever putting finger to keyboard.
Benefits of Pre-Workout
According to registered dietitian Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN, pre-workout gummies fall under a larger class of multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements (MIPS). In general, MIPS may boost muscular stamina and mood when consumed before exercise (1). But each ingredient brings different benefits to the table.
Ingredients like creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, and l-carnitine might boost workout performance (2, 3, 4, 5). Creatine may also enhance focus and reduce fatigue along with adaptogens like ginseng and Rhodiola rosea (6, 7, 8). On the other hand, you can count on ingredients like BCAAs, glutamine, and taurine to aid in recovery (9, 10, 11). Citrulline delivers a pretty sweet muscle pump (12).
Pre-Workout Gummies vs. Powders
Pre-workout gummies and powders offer similar benefits, but gummies offer a few perks over powder:
You’ll get the exact dose
If you care about precision, or are sensitive to any of the active ingredients in a typical pre-workout blend (like caffeine) getting the exact amount of pre-workout is helpful. Pre-measured gummies can offer peace of mind.
They’re convenient
Pre-workout gummies come in clutch for anyone who doesn’t want to haul their Blender Bottle and a jar of powder around. Gummies easily stash away and are perfect for popping when the compulsion to workout strikes.
You can plan ahead
Pre-workout gummies don’t absorb as quickly as powder, so take your gummy 30 to 60 minutes before your workout for best results.
The Best Pre-Workout Gummies You Can Buy
If you’re thinking about giving pre-workout gummies a try, these are the best you can buy. We’ll note that while creatine gummies and energy chews could fall under the umbrella of pre-workout gummies, we’ve stuck to gummies that contain a cocktail of workout boosting ingredients, which we’d argue is the spirit of a true pre-workout supplement.
What to Look For in a Pre-Workout Gummy
There’s a lot to consider when looking for a pre-workout supplement. Here’s what Costa looks for:
Transparency
“Look for products that are transparent about their ingredient list and dosages,” says Costa. Stick with pre-workout formulas that include only ingredients that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA and backed by current scientific literature, such as caffeine, ginseng, B-complex vitamins, and creatine, she adds. Proprietary blends that don’t list ingredients or amounts may not be effective.
Third party tested
Third party testing guarantees the quality, safety, and efficacy of any supplement. NSF Certified for Sport ensures a supplement is safe for competitive athletes, while the GMP stamp signals that a supplement is consistently produced and controlled for quality.
Minimal additives
“Sugars and other additives can impact the rate and extent of nutrient absorption,” says Costa. While gummies typically range from one to four grams of sugar per chew, the first ingredient of most formulations is sugar, glucose syrup, or corn syrup. The less sugar, the better.
About the Expert:
Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN, is an esteemed authority in the field of nutrition, holding a Master of Science and registered dietitian nutritionist credentials. She’s a nutrition consultant for Consumer Health Digest, master certified wellness coach, and author
References
1. Harty, P. et al. (2018). Multi-ingredient Pre-Workout Supplements, Safety Implications, and Performance Outcomes: A Brief Review.
2. Kreider, R. et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation in Exercise, Sport, and Medicine.
3. Saunders, B. et al. (2017). β-Alanine Supplementation to Improve Exercise Capacity and Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
4. Guest, N. et al. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance.
5. Fielding, R. et al. (2018). L-Carnitine Supplementation in Recovery After Exercise.
6. Roschel, H. et al. (2021). Creatine Supplementation and Brain Health.
7. Arring, N. et al. (2018). Ginseng as a Treatment for Fatigue: A Systematic Review.
8. Stojcheva, E. et al. (2022). The Effectiveness of Rhodiola rosea L. Preparations in Alleviating Various Aspects of Life-Stress Symptoms and Stress-Induced Conditions—Encouraging Clinical Evidence.
9. Weber, M. et al. (2021). The Use of BCAA to Decrease Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness After a Single Bout of Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
10. Coqueiro, A. et al. (2019). Glutamine as an Anti-Fatigue Amino Acid in Sports Nutrition.
11. Chen, Q. et al. (2021). The Dose Response of Taurine on Aerobic and Strength Exercises: A Systematic Review.
12. Gonzalez, A. et al. (2020). Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current Literature.
13. Shannon, O. et al. (2022). Nitric Oxide, Aging, and Aerobic Exercise: Sedentary Individuals to Masters Athletes.
14. Trexler, E. et al. (2015). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Beta-Alanine.
15. Sanz, J. et al. (2019). An Overview on Essential Amino Acids and Branched Chain Amino Acids.
