Caffeine, and other stimulants, are excellent sources of additional energy, especially if you need a boost before a workout. However, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, or want to reduce your reliance on stimulants, then a non-stim pre workout can help you get that same burst of energy in a more controlled way – without the jitters or crashing feeling once it’s out of your system.

What is a non-stim pre workout supplement?

Instead of taking advantage of the energising effects of caffeine and other stimulants, non-stimulant pre workout supplements focus on helping your body to deliver as much nutrient-enriched blood to the target muscle groups, whilst leaving you feeling pumped and ready for your exercise session.

But how do caffeine-free pre workouts actually do this?

The answer is simple: vasodilation and improving blood flow. Vasodilation involves blood vessels in the body widening due to the relaxation of the vessel walls. Alongside lowering blood pressure, vasodilation enhances blood flow to areas in need (Ramanlal & Gupta, 2023), providing oxygen and vital nutrients to your muscles during exercise.

Non-stimulant pre workout formulas therefore contain varying levels of vasodilatory ingredients to improve blood flow before exercise.

Both Nitrosigine® and Citrulline Malate are common ingredients in pre-workout supplements that have been thoroughly researched and proven to increase vasodilation (Rogers, Gill & Gray, 2020), leading to potential performance improvements.

These bioavailable compounds work by increasing nitric oxide synthesis. Once produced, nitric oxide diffuses into the muscle cells of blood vessels to trigger the release of an enzyme called guanylate cyclase. This in turn activates the production of more cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) to relax the vessel walls (Ahmad et al., 2018).

Or, in simpler terms, non-stimulant pre workouts contain ingredients that are part of a chain of bodily processes designed to relax and widen blood vessels - thus, you can get pumped.

Why choose a caffeine-free pre workout?

There are several reasons you may want to choose a non-stim or caffeine-free pre workout, including:

  • Less disruption to your sleep: as a stimulant, caffeine can keep you awake, so if you work out in the evenings, or struggle to maintain a sleep routine, a non-stim pre workout may be better for your lifestyle.

  • Exercise without the jitters: caffeine-free pre workouts contain ingredients to give you a natural energy boost without the side effects common to stimulants like caffeine (Saimaiti et al., 2023).

Interested in learning more? Explore our guide to What is a Non-Stim Pre-Workout?

The bottom line is, whether you’d prefer to avoid stimulants, or have dietary requirements that encourage a lower caffeine intake, non-stim pre workouts can give you that essential clean energy boost to help you achieve your performance goals.

Discover non-stim pre workout at Supplement Needs

For expert formulas and total ingredient transparency, choose Supplement Needs for your pre workout powders. 

From the expertise of Dr. Dean St Mart PhD, explore our premium Supplement Needs PRE Pump+, which contains 11 ingredients that are clinically dosed for maximum vasodilation. These include Nitrosigine® - which can improve that all important vasodilation. Other ingredients in PRE Pump+ include VASO6™ - which can also contribute to vasodilation.

With free shipping on all orders over £19.99 and same day dispatch (if ordered before 3pm, Monday to Friday), there’s no better place to buy your pre-workout supps from than Supplement Needs.