Best Pre Workouts UK 2023 – Your Ultimate Guide
Looking for a supplement to support your workout goals? This is our guide to some of the best pre workouts in the UK right now
Looking for a pre workout supplement to support your training goals? This is our in-depth guide to some of the best pre workouts in the UK available to buy right now.
Whether you’ve used a pre workout before or you’re simply looking for a product that can help to support you through your workouts, you’re on the right page.
This guide is going to bring you all of the important things you need to know about pre workout supplements, as well as our pick of five of the leading pre workouts in the UK right now.
Pre workouts are probably one of the most popular forms of supplements in the fitness world. They usually come in a powder form to be mixed as a drink and contain a range of ingredients including Caffeine, vitamins and minerals.
There are lots of pre workout options on the market in the UK, and the purpose of this article is for us to pick out some of the leading products out there in this category.
We’re also going to look at some of the commonly-asked questions when it comes to pre workout supplements in general.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. Our articles and the products featured in them are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Always speak with a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, and/or taking any supplements.
So, with the introductions out of the way, let’s start taking a closer look at some of the best pre workouts in the UK on sale at the moment.
Best Pre Workouts UK 2023 – Our Top Picks
| Rating | Summary | Website | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre Lab Pro |
 
|
• 80mg Caffeine • 160mg L-Theanine • L-Citrulline • Vegan Friendly | Buy Now | |
| Powher |
 
|
• Made for Women • 100mg Caffeine • L-Tyrosine • Vitamins B6 & B12 | Buy Now | |
| Pre-Workout Blend |
 
|
• 150mg Caffeine • Vitamins B6 & B12 • L-Citrulline • Two Flavours | Buy Now | |
| Elevate |
 
|
• 5g Citrulline Malate • 200mg Caffeine • 2.5g Taurine • Tyrosine | Buy Now | |
| 4 Gauge |
 
|
• 150mg Caffeine • 200mg L-Theanine • 1g Creatine • Potassium | Buy Now |
What Is A Pre Workout Supplement?
If you’ve landed on this page, the chances are that you already know a bit about pre workout supplements, but we’re going to cover the basics here anyhow.
Pre workout supplements are products that are designed to be taken before periods of exercise, to help support you on your health and fitness journey.
They usually come in a flavoured powders, which is designed to be mixed with water and consumed before starting your training session. That said, there are other forms available, such as pre workouts as capsules.
Most pre workout supplements have at least some ingredients in common. For example, most supplements will contain a stimulant such as Caffeine, along with other popular ingredients such as Creatine and Citrulline Malate.
Pre workout supplements are designed to be taken before exercise (Photo: Adobe Stock)
A lot of pre workout supplements also contain a selection of essential vitamins and minerals to help support your intake of these vital nutrients from your everyday diet and nutrition.
It’s important to remember that pre workouts are food supplements – and supplements are not intended to replace a varied diet and a healthy overall lifestyle. It’s best to regard supplements as a potential ‘companion’ to help support your healthy lifestyle choices.
The vast majority of pre workout supplements come as a flavoured powder. This powder is then mixed into water and consumed before training, usually about half an hour before starting your workout.
The idea is then that the pre workout will ‘kick in’ as you begin your workout or exercise session.
What To Expect From A Pre Workout
So, you may be asking yourself, do I really need a pre workout supplement? The answer to this is that it’s completely up to you.
Whether you decide to take a pre workout supplement or not will come down purely to personal preference.
If you’ve taken pre workouts in the past and have noticed a benefit, then you may want to continue doing so.
Pre Workouts are popular fitness-focused supplements (Photo: Adobe Stock)
If you’ve never taken a pre workout before and are considering it, then perhaps you’ll want to give one a go to see if it helps you or not.
However, the idea that anyone ‘needs’ a pre workout supplement is probably untrue.
Generally speaking, if you’re sticking to a balanced and varied diet, and also doing other important things for your overall health such as getting enough quality sleep and sticking to a sensible workout plan, then the chances are that you’ll be ready to hit your fitness goals.
Nevertheless, pre workouts remain as one of the most popular forms of fitness supplements out there.
What Are Some Of The Ingredients To Look For?
As we have already touched upon above, there are a number of commonly-used ingredients that you’d expect to find in most pre workout supplements.
Among the ingredients commonly-found in pre workout supplements are some essential vitamins and minerals. If you’re sticking to a good diet and nutrition plan, then you should be able to get enough of these from your diet. However, consuming vitamins and minerals in supplement form can help to protect against potential shortfalls in some of these important nutrients.
Let’s now take a closer look at some of the ingredients you’d expect to find in a good pre workout supplement.
Editor's note: Any health claims about the ingredients mentioned in this article are listed as authorised on the EU Register at the time of publishing. Additionally, you should carefully check the ingredients information shown on the official website of any product you're considering purchasing, as formulas may change from time to time and therefore may differ from what's shown on this page.
• Caffeine – One of the most popular stimulants on the planet, Caffeine really doesn’t need much of an introduction. You’ll find it as one of the main ingredients in most of the top pre workout supplements, although there are also stimulant-free options if you’re not keen on upping your Caffeine intake. We all know that Caffeine is a powerful stimulant, so it’s important to keep an eye on your total intake from all sources. Remember, you’d expect to find around 100mg of Caffeine in a regular cup of coffee.
• Vitamins and Minerals – As we mentioned above, many of the best pre workout supplements contain a range of vitamins and minerals. These often include common B Vitamins such as B6 and B12, both of which can help with normal energy release and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. The essential mineral Potassium is also sometimes included in pre workouts, because it can help with normal muscle function.
• Creatine – You may already be familiar with Creatine as a popular supplement for after workouts. It’s one of the most common and widely-researched ingredients out there in the fitness and sports nutrition world. It’s also sometimes included in smaller amounts in leading pre workout supplements.
Caffeine is a common pre workout ingredient (Photo: Adobe Stock)
• Citrulline Malate – This is an amino acid which is found in watermelons. Again, it’s one of the most common pre workout ingredients you’ll come across and many of the leading supplements include it in their formulas.
• Beta-Alanine – Beta-alanine is what’s known as a ‘non-essential’ amino acid that is often taken as a sports supplement. You’ll find it used in many of the leading pre workout supplements out there.
Before we continue to our look at five of the best pre workouts out there at the moment, it’s important to point out that the ingredients you’ll look for will depend partly on your personal preferences.
For example, you may prefer a supplement with a lower dose of Caffeine, or perhaps you’re keen on taking an altogether ‘stimulant free’ product.
You may also want a pre workout without any sweeteners or flavourings, and so a capsule-form product may be best in that case.
Whatever you’re looking for, it’s important to do your own research into any product you’re thinking of buying, and that means carefully checking the ingredients formula yourself.
Best Pre Workouts UK 2023 – Five Top Supplements
So, now that we’ve covered some of the basic things you need to know about the products in this category, it’s now time to take a more in-depth look at our selection of five of the best pre workouts in the UK right now.
We only selected products that transparently show exactly what is in each serving on their labels, with the doses of each individual ingredient clearly shown.
We also have a more in-depth guide to the best pre workout supplements in general. We also have a pre workout guide for women.
Editor's note: The writer of this article has not necessarily tried the products featured. All product information provided is purely research based.
1) Pre Lab Pro
Product website: www.prelabpro.com
Pre Lab Pro is an expertly-formulated pre workout supplement made by the UK-based company Opti-Nutra. It contains a range of the popular ingredients you’d expect to find in a good pre workout, including 80mg of ‘Natural’ Caffeine, alongside 160mg of the amino acid L-Theanine. Pre Lab Pro is vegan friendly and uses a selection of top level ingredients in the pre workout category, including common inclusions such as L-Citrulline and Red Beet Extract. It also contains an excellent array of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins B6 and B12, Vitamin D3, as well as Iron and Potassium, to help support you through your workout. It comes in a ‘Natural Berry’ flavour and each tub contains 20 servings. You can save some money on the price per tub if you’re willing to commit to buying more than one at a time from the official website.
2) Powher (For Women)
Product website: www.powherofficial.com
Powher is a pre workout supplement designed for women and made by a UK-based company called Ultimate Life. It comes in a pink tub and contains a lot of the ingredients you’d expect to find in a solid pre workout supplement. Among the ingredients in the Powher formula are 100mg of ‘Natural’ Caffeine (from Green Coffee Bean), along with Beta-Alanine and a branded form of Beetroot Extract called RedNite. Among the other ingredients in the Powher formula are the essential vitamins B6 and B12, and Folic Acid. It currently comes in one flavour called ‘Pink Lemonade’ and each tub contains 25 servings. At the time of writing, you can only buy Powher directly from the manufacturer on the official site.
3) Pre-Workout Blend
Product website: www.myprotein.com
Pre-Workout Blend is a powder-form pre workout supplement made by the UK-based company Myprotein. Myprotein are a popular supplement brand based in Britain who have been around for many years and have a good reputation. The Pre-Workout Blend is their popular main pre workout supplement that’s designed to help support you through your workouts. It contains a range of the popular ingredients you’d expect to find in a quality supplement, including 150mg of total Caffeine per serving. This supplement also contains 3g of Citrulline Malate and 1g of Taurine. It also contains some important vitamins, such as Vitamin C, Vitamins B6 and B12. The Pre-Workout Blend offers good value for money and is available in a range of flavours to buy directly from the Myprotein website.
4) Elevate
Product website: www.bulk.com
Elevate is one of the main pre workout supplements made by sports nutrition brand Bulk Powders. It comes in a black and green pouch and contains a lot of the ingredients you would expect to find in a supplement in this category. Among them are common inclusions such as Citrulline Malate, Taurine and Tyrosine. Elevate also contains 200mg of Caffeine per serving. Other ingredients in the formula, which is suitable for vegetarians, include the essential Vitamin B6. Elevate is available in a number of different flavours, including ‘Cherry Cola’, ‘Orange and Mango’ and ‘Summer Berry’. The Bulk Powders brand is one of the biggest names in the supplements industry in the UK, and you can buy their products from the official website and in some shops as well.
5) 4 Gauge
Product website: www.4gauge.com
4 Gauge comes in a bright red shotgun shell-shaped bottle which certainly makes it stand out in a crowded pre workout supplement market. 4 Gauge uses a range of popular ingredients in its formula, including 150mg of Caffeine Anhydrous per serving, as well doses of Creatine, Citrulline Malate, L-Theanine and Red Beet Root Extract. Other ingredients in the formula include the essential minerals Potassium and Calcium, as well as Coconut Water Powder. 4 Gauge comes in one flavour called ‘Fruit Blast’, which is sweet but also slightly sour at the same time. Each bottle contains 20 servings and it comes with a scoop to measure out the correct amount. It’s one of the more premium-priced pre workouts on the market and you can only buy it directly from the official website.
What About Pre Workout Side Effects?
Some of the ingredients found in pre workout supplements may cause unwanted side effects. This is why we strongly recommend that you consult your doctor before taking any new supplement.
You probably already know that too much Caffeine can cause problems. For this reason, it’s important to watch your Caffeine intake from all sources.
You should probably avoid taking a supplement containing Caffeine if you’re sensitive to stimulants or already consuming significant amounts of Caffeine from other sources.
Consuming too much Caffeine can cause unwanted side effects (Photo: Adobe Stock)
It’s usually a good idea not to take Caffeine within six hours when you intend to go to sleep. This is important to note if the pre workout you choose contains Caffeine in its ingredients formula.
It’s always important to carefully check the label of any product you purchase before consuming it. This means carefully reading the label and checking out the directions, the warnings and the ingredients formula in full.
You should also check the ingredients label to ensure that you’re not allergic to any of the substances used.
Most of the pre workout supplements out there are not intended to be used by anyone under the age of 18, anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with an underlying medical condition, or anyone taking any prescription medication.
This is why speaking to your doctor and carefully reading the label before taking a new supplement is so important.
How To Use A Pre Workout
It’s important that you carefully read the entire label of any supplement you’re thinking of taking. This includes all of the directions, warnings and ingredients.
Generally speaking, most pre workout supplements come in a powder form to be mixed with water to form a flavoured drink for consumption before starting your workout.
The timing directions vary a little bit from product to product, but in general, most pre workout supplements are designed to be consumed around 30 minutes before starting your exercise session.
This time delay is designed to allow the ingredients such as the Caffeine to ‘kick in’, so that the peak of effects happens while you are working out.
The effects that some of the ingredients may have can vary from person to person, so it may be worth experimenting with the timing of taking your supplement to work out when it’s best for you.
Unless you specifically choose a pre workout without it, most supplements in this category will contain at least some Caffeine.
Due to the half-life of Caffeine, it is usually best to avoid taking any Caffeine-containing foods or supplements within about six hours of going to bed.
This means that if you’re used to working out in the evening, it may be best to choose a pre workout that doesn’t use any Caffeine in its formula in order for it not to affect your sleep.
Anything Else To Consider?
It’s important to once again point out that supplements are not intended to replace a varied, balanced diet and a healthy overall lifestyle.
Yes, supplements can help to provide some important nutrients and other ingredients such as plant extracts, but it’s usually best to get the basics right before thinking about trying a new supplement.
That means ensuring that you’re sticking to a healthy diet and a sensible workout plan, and that you’re also getting enough restorative sleep.
It’s generally best not to regard supplements as ‘magic pills’ or ‘magic powders’ that will work without any effort on your part.
Products such as pre workout supplements can help to give you a boost during your training, but you’ll still have to be responsible for ensuring that you’re sticking to the right workout and exercise plan for your fitness goals.
As we mentioned above, we recommend that you speak to your doctor before taking any new supplement for the first time, or making any major lifestyle changes overall.
Wrapping Things Up – Our Final Thoughts
That brings us to the end of our detailed look at some of the best pre workout supplements in the UK right now.
We’ve walked you through the key things you need to know about when it comes to picking a supplement in this category.
We’ve also looked at some of the key ingredients, and how different products may be able to help support you on your health and fitness journey.
We’ve also picked out five of the best pre workout supplements on sale in the UK right now and have taken a look at each of the products in detail.
The products we have picked all have slightly different features and ingredient formulas, meaning that you should be able to find one that’s well-suited for you on your health and fitness journey.
The bottom line is that there are plenty of pre workout supplements out there to help support your health and fitness goals, but it’s important to do your research before choosing which one to go for.
