Have you ever experienced a tingling sensation after taking your pre-workout supplement? No, you’re not turning into your favorite spidey superhero – this means that you may be sensitive to beta-alanine, a non-essential amino acid known for supporting muscle fatigue and preventing lactic acid buildup. (1) This strange side effect, “paresthesia,” isn’t dangerous or harmful. (2) Some athletes love this feeling since they consider it a signal that their pre-workout pump is kicking in, while others consider it unpleasant.

However, trying to avoid beta-alanine in your pre-workout formula can be tough, since it’s one of the most popular ergogenic pre-workout ingredients out there. If you want to reap the benefits of taking the best pre-workout supplements without the jitters, our team of experts and athletes tested many products against criteria like formula quality, flavor, value, and caffeine content to gather up a list of the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine.

The 5 Best Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine of 2024

Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine Overall: Jacked Factory Pump Surge

Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine for Weight Loss: Transparent Labs PUMP

Best Stim-Free Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Nitric

Best Budget Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine: 4 Gauge Natural Pre-Workout

Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine for Beginners: Performance Lab Pre Lab Pro

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. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.

How We Tested and Chose the Best Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine

The BarBend team is made up of competitive athletes, certified personal trainers, and lifelong fitness enthusiasts. To determine the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine, we’ve tested 74 different supplements from some of the industry’s most trusted brands using a multi-point methodology to rate each profile on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Below are some of the categories and components that played into our rankings.

For further information on how we trial and test the products chosen for this guide and more, be sure to read the BarBend Supplement Testing Methodology page.

Formulation Quality: With the help of our registered dietitians, we’ve scored each formula weighing the different pros and cons. The best formulations contain clinically dosed levels of key ingredients such as L-citrulline, taurine, or carnosine to support athletic performance with none of the low-grade fillers that do not contribute any nutritional value. As a registered dietitian, I also like to see the inclusion of more natural ingredients over artificial sweeteners and flavors.

Caffeine Content: Caffeine is a popular ingredient in pre-workout formulas because it may help support the reduction and weight and fat and give you an energy boost. (3) For each product, we’ve listed out how much caffeine is in the pre-workouts so whether you’re sensitive to caffeine or love higher energy levels from caffeine, we’ve got you covered.

Third-Party Certifications: Checking for third-party testing on the label is important because the FDA does not regulate supplements or their claims. (4) We’ve done the due diligence to see which picks are independently tested for purity, safety, quality, and ingredient accuracy.

Taste: While we understand that flavor and taste are highly subjective, we’ve rounded up a variety of different flavors to satisfy the pickiest of taste buds. We’ve also included our recommendation for the best-tasting pre-workout without beta-alanine after trying 74 different products.

Solubility: Ever experience clumpy residue at the bottom of your shaker cup? In our round-up, we tried to include products that mix well at room temperature or in cold water so that you can take the powder and experience its benefits instead of having giant clumps sit in your shaker cup.

Price: We get it – pre-workout supplements aren’t cheap, but you also don’t want to skimp on quality. If you’re on a tight budget or want to save a couple of bucks for next month’s gym membership, we’ve got you covered with the best budget pick. However, if you have more specialized needs to help meet your fitness goals, you may need to consider paying a little more to suit your needs.

Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine Overall: Jacked Factory Pump Surge

If you’re looking for a beta-alanine free pre-workout with nitric oxide boosters and other high-quality ingredients to support your fitness goals, look no further than Jacked Factory Pump Surge – it’s our overall best pick due to its stacked ingredient deck. As a registered dietitian, I love that this formula contains clinically dosed levels of key ingredients. 

First, it contains 8g of L-citrulline. Most studies point to about 6 to 8g of citrulline to reap its benefits, which include raising the availability of nitric oxide for better muscle pumps and more reps in your workouts. (5) Second, it has 2.5g of betaine, which may support improved body composition and muscular power for exercises like the bench press when taken for at least six weeks. (6) Lastly, the formula contains L-tyrosine, which is considered a nootropic to boost mental focus if your dopamine and norepinephrine levels are lower than desirable. (7)

Overall, for these reasons, I’d give this formulation a 4.5 out of 5, with deductions for its use of proprietary formulas. It’s a solid product compared to the different pre-workout formulations out there, but I like to know the exact amount of each ingredient I’m taking. Moreover, while it’s not third-party tested, Jacked Factory does list out all ingredients included in the formula to provide transparency, which is good to see. If you’re a fan of caffeine, though, keep in mind that this formula is completely stim-free, so it doesn’t contain any caffeine.

Another great aspect of this formula is that the dosing is pretty flexible. The effectiveness of its ingredients is based on two scoops, but if you find that you get similar results with less, you could take one scoop before your workout and get more bang for your buck by getting 30 servings out of a tub. Our team gave the price a 4 out of 5 rating since it’s a fair value for your money. Overall, we’d highly recommend this pre-workout powder for those who prefer caffeine-free and beta-alanine free pumps.

Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine for Weight Loss: Transparent Labs PUMP

We rated Transparent Labs PUMP as the best pre-workout for weight loss without beta-alanine, since it can best support your body composition goals. To achieve your weight loss goals, you need to have a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories for each pound you want to lose, through a combination of diet and exercise. This pick contains clinically dosed ingredients of nitric oxide boosters to best support those goals. 

First, it contains research-backed doses of L-citrulline (8g) to support nitric oxide production and get more reps into your workout. (1) Second, the betaine content (2.5g) can help you improve body composition and give you more power for tough exercises like the bench press. (6) And lastly, the formula contains 2.5g of arginine, which complements a different pathway to bolster nitric oxide production. (15) With all these vasodilators (ingredients that enhance blood flow), you’ll feel better pumps, get more reps in, and be able to achieve that lean, chiseled look by dropping weight and building muscle mass. 

As a registered dietitian, I love that this formula is beta-alanine free while still delivering on ingredients at high enough doses to support athletic performance. It also contains antioxidants in the form of vitamin C, which can help reverse oxidative stress and damage that accumulates in your body, especially if you’re constantly doing tough workouts. However, I wish the formula would contain at least a little caffeine since it could further support weight and fat loss and help you increase energy levels. (3) Overall, I’d give this pick a score of 4.5 out of 5 for weight loss.

As far as taste goes, this pick is unfortunately only available in one flavor: blue raspberry. According to customer reviews on Amazon and the Transparent Labs website, this product can taste a little bitter, since it’s sweetened with stevia extract. Overall, it seems to receive glowing reviews from customers, though. Our team rated this product a 4 out of 5 for its taste, with minor deductions for lack of variety in flavors. Given the clinically dosed ingredients in this formula, we think this pick is a strong bet for weight loss when taken alongside a reduced-calorie diet.

Best Stim-Free Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Nitric

If you’re sensitive to stimulants and beta-alanine, we think Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Nitric is your best bet for sustained energy while supporting your exercise performance, whether you’re into bodybuilding or high-intensity interval training. As one of the best non-stim pre-workout supplements out there, Gorilla Mode pre-workout contains no caffeine and no beta-alanine while still supporting your muscle growth through key ingredients like citrulline and creatine. And that means increased pumps for you without any of the jitters or staying up all night.

While Gorilla Mode Nitric doesn’t contain beta-alanine, it does contain a high dose (10g) of L-citrulline, which can increase blood flow and dilation while supplying nitric oxide to your body – this can help you get more reps in. (5) It also contains creatine monohydrate, which is the most studied form of creatine out there compared to other options like creatine HCl. (8) 

As a registered dietitian, I love seeing the inclusion of creatine in a pre-workout formula since it can help generate more creatine phosphate and pull in more water into your muscle cells when they need it. (9) It even contains key electrolytes sodium and potassium to hydrate your cells. (10) Each ingredient is also third-party tested with certificates of analysis available online for anyone to check out. 

Moreover, the dosing is flexible, which is helpful for those who don’t want to take too much pre-workout. If you don’t want the high doses and want a gentle boost in your workout performance, you can also try taking 1 scoop instead of 2 scoops. Overall, as a registered dietitian, I’d rate this formula a 4 out of 5. It earned points for its clinically dosed ingredients but lost points for the inclusion of artificial sweeteners and flavors, as well as proline which is derived from milk, a common allergen.

As far as taste goes, consumer reviews on Amazon have this product rated at 4.5 out of 5. With 14 different fruity and sweet-and-sour flavors, it’s easy to find a fun flavor that’ll satisfy your palate, although some flavors receive more positive reviews than others. We just wish it was a little cheaper, but we get why it might be worth the money given the thoughtfully crafted formulation to keep it stimulant-free but effective for those who prefer non-stim options.

Best Budget Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine: 4 Gauge Natural Pre-Workout

Pre-workouts can get expensive. And that’s especially true if you take more than one serving per workout for that extra pump since it’s harder to “feel” the effectiveness of a pre-workout that doesn’t contain beta-alanine. For those on tighter budgets, we love 4 Gauge Natural Pre-Workout since it only costs $0.98 per serving when purchased in bulk. To get this price per serving, you’d need to buy four tubs of 4 Gauge Pre-Workout, but we think it’s worth it if you know getting the best value is an important consideration.

Despite the cheap price, 4 Gauge didn’t skimp on the formula. Our team rated this pre-workout formula a 4 out of 5 for its effectiveness. Our product tester states, “You get a good boost of energy, but it didn’t make me feel shaky or uneasy like other pre-workouts I’ve tried. There aren’t any tingles or unwanted side effects outside of the increased energy and heart rate.” L-citrulline is one of the best pre-workout ingredients for a better pump and this product contains 6g of it, which is enough to provide increased nitric oxide and dilate your blood vessels during workouts. (5) 

It also contains other key ingredients like creatine and carnitine, but as a registered dietitian, I was disappointed to see that these weren’t in high enough doses to be effective in supporting muscular endurance or increasing energy. (8)(11) I also wish the formula was third-party tested.

As far as solubility, this pick mixes well without having to vigorously shake it in a blender bottle. Our tester gave it a score of 5 out of 5 stars and states, “This powder mixed easily in a shaker and I had no issues with leftover particles. All of the powder dissolved with just a few shakes or stirs.”

We thought this pick also tastes pretty good, too, although some customer reviews on Amazon noted bitterness from the stevia sweetener. Our tester tried the Frozen Lemonade flavor and notes that it tasted like Chick-fil-A lemonade (yum!). “I didn’t think the flavor was too sweet – it seems to cater to sour enthusiasts,” our tester adds. Overall, this product checks the boxes for mixability, taste, and effectiveness despite being offered at a very economical price.

Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine for Beginners: Performance Lab Pre Lab Pro

Just getting started with workouts? This formula provides clean, sustained energy with just a light amount of caffeine that’s equal to about one cup of coffee. It also contains electrolytes to ward off cramping during your workouts and B-vitamins and vitamin D for energy levels and bone and teeth support, respectively. (12)(13)  Our product tester, who is a certified personal trainer, states, “As someone who is traditionally sensitive to stimulants, I found this powder to provide excellent energy and focus without any unwanted jitters or crash. Plus, I like the all-natural formulation — it makes me feel better about taking it.” 

While the ingredients are all-natural, some of the ingredients are not high enough to be effective. It’s certainly not one of the strongest pre-workouts out there. For example, for L-citrulline to be effective, most studies point to 6 to 8g for boosting nitric oxide levels and increased reps during workouts. (5) However, this pick only contains 2.2g, which may not have the same effect. 

Also, as a registered dietitian, I thought the only newbie essential ingredient that this formula is missing is branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which may support muscle recovery and muscle soreness. (14) Overall, I’d still give this product a 4.5 out of 5 for its formula, especially for beginner athletes who may benefit from multiple beneficial ingredients.

Taste was one of the areas where this pick lost points – our team rated this product a 2 out of 5 for taste. Unfortunately, many all-natural products aren’t known for their taste and this pick is no exception. Our tester states, “This wasn’t the most appealing taste for my palate. It’s very acid-like, which I attribute to its all-natural makeup. I think it could appeal to sweet-averse athletes, but it wasn’t for me.”

The texture is also a little clumpy, but we recommend adding a little bit more water than the 10 ounces that the directions call for. “While there was a little bit of grainy residue at the bottom of my shaker bottle, I had no issues with this pre-workout’s solubility. A quick splash of water allowed me to get the entire serving into my system without issue,” our tester adds. Overall, while its active ingredients aren’t the strongest, Performance Lab Pre Lab Pro has natural ingredients that are ideal for beginners.

Benefits of Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine

You may be looking for a pre-workout without beta-alanine for different reasons, including better pumps or more fuel for workouts without the tingles. However, note that everyone’s body and goals are different, so the benefits you experience may vary. Pro tip: Our ultimate guide to pre-workouts discusses common pre-workout ingredients and their potential benefits. 

Read on as we discuss some of the health benefits you may get from taking a pre-workout supplement without beta-alanine.

No tingling sensation: One of the main benefits of a pre-workout without beta-alanine is avoiding the paresthesia that it causes, which can be uncomfortable for some individuals. (2)

Fuel your workouts: No beta-alanine? No problem. While beta-alanine is a great pre-workout ingredient for reducing muscle fatigue, other ingredients like BCAAs can help support recovery while citrulline can boost nitric oxide production to support your hardest workouts. (1)(14)(5)

Avoid stimulants: Beta-alanine-free pre-workouts often have gentler formulas that avoid excessive inclusion or doses of other stimulants like caffeine or taurine. This makes them potentially more suitable for those sensitive to different ingredients or beginners who are looking for a milder boost.

Greater pumps: Even without beta-alanine, key ingredients in pre-workouts like citrulline can help you improve blood flow and support more muscle pumps during workouts. (5)

How Much Do Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine Cost?

Pre-workouts without beta-alanine range in price from as low as just under $1 for budget-friendly options to around $3 for premium formulas. This wide price range allows for various choices to suit different budgets, preferences, and fitness goals. 

Also, note that these prices reflect the price per serving, not the price per scoop. Depending on the brand, a serving can be one or two scoops, so be sure to check the supplement facts when comparing prices.

What to Consider Before Buying Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine

When you’re on the search for a pre-workout supplement without beta-alanine, there are several important considerations to ensure you find the best product for your specific needs. We recommend assessing the product for its key ingredients and dosages, presence of stimulants, value, and fit for your needs and goals to help you make an informed decision. 

Key Ingredients

When picking a pre-workout without beta-alanine, make sure you look through the ingredient list and supplement facts panel for ingredients like caffeine, creatine, citrulline, BCAAs, antioxidants (vitamin C, A, and E), alpha-GPC, and electrolytes, to name a few. These are the key ingredients that can support your athletic performance without causing tingling sensations. Moreover, try to avoid products that include artificial additives or proprietary blends that don’t disclose the exact amounts of each ingredient. 

Dosages

Now that you know what ingredients the pre-workout consists of, the next step is to check for the dosages of these ingredients. Ensure that the product provides clinically effective doses of these key ingredients so that they deliver the benefits you’re looking for. While insufficient doses might not provide the benefits you’re looking for, excessively high doses could also result in undesirable side effects. Everyone’s tolerance can vary, though, so be sure to check with your doctor when in doubt about how much to take.

Other Stimulants

While avoiding beta-alanine, be mindful of other stimulants present in the formula. Some people might want some light stimulants like caffeine, while others might be looking to avoid all stimulants. High levels of caffeine can give you jitters while niacin can make you tingle and itch like beta-alanine does, so if you know you’re sensitive to these side effects, choose products that match your tolerance.

[Related: Why Does Pre-Workout Make You Itch?]

Dietary Needs and Preferences

Take into account any dietary restrictions or preferences when choosing a pre-workout supplement. Look for options that are vegan, gluten-free, or free from artificial sweeteners and colors if these factors are important to you. 

4 Gauge Natural Pre-Workout added to water

Ensuring the product aligns with your dietary needs can enhance your overall experience and satisfaction.

Your Fitness Goals and Level

First, consider whether you’re training for the pump, trying to lose weight, or wanting to gain muscle. The product that fits your needs will differ based on your fitness goals. Second, consider your fitness level. Beginners – you may want to start with milder formulations to avoid overwhelming your system. See how your body reacts to different ingredients and dosages. Hardcore athletes – you’ll want to take advantage of more potent formulations and potentially more servings before each workout. 

Value

When evaluating value, check the price per serving, not the price per scoop, against the ingredients in the formula. Higher-priced picks may offer better quality and meet more specific needs, but economical choices can also still deliver the results you’re looking for. Ultimately, try to balance your budget with the benefits you expect to gain from your pre-workout. You can also shop bulk sizes for savings with select brands.

Best Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine FAQs

References

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Maestre-Hernández, A. B., Pérez-Piñero, S., López-Román, F. J., Andreu-Caravaca, L., Luque-Rubia, A. J., Ramos-Campo, D. J., Díaz-Silvestre, M. J., & Ávila-Gandía, V. (2023). Effect of a sustained-release formulation of β-alanine on laboratory parameters and paresthesia in recreational trained men: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Frontiers in nutrition, 10, 1213105. 

Tabrizi, R., Saneei, P., Lankarani, K. B., Akbari, M., Kolahdooz, F., Esmaillzadeh, A., Nadi-Ravandi, S., Mazoochi, M., & Asemi, Z. (2019). The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 59(16), 2688–2696. 

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Gough, L. A., Sparks, S. A., McNaughton, L. R., Higgins, M. F., Newbury, J. W., Trexler, E., Faghy, M. A., & Bridge, C. A. (2021). A critical review of citrulline malate supplementation and exercise performance. European journal of applied physiology, 121(12), 3283–3295. 

Cholewa, J. M., Wyszczelska-Rokiel, M., Glowacki, R., Jakubowski, H., Matthews, T., Wood, R., Craig, S. A., & Paolone, V. (2013). Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 39. 

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Wax, B., Kerksick, C. M., Jagim, A. R., Mayo, J. J., Lyons, B. C., & Kreider, R. B. (2021). Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations. Nutrients, 13(6), 1915. 

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