Introducing caffeine into multi-ingredient pre workout supplements can help you feel more energised, compared to non-stim formulas (Stratton et al, 2022, Nicoll, Fry & Mosier, 2023).
This means that, whether you’re keying up to achieve a new personal best, preparing for an intense gym session, or simply need a boost for your post-work exercise class, a pre workout with added stimulants may be exactly what you need.
What is a stim pre workout?
Typically shortened to stim pre workout, this type of performance-based supplement is designed to provide your body with additional energy and nutrition before an exercise session.
Alongside ingredients like L-Citrulline (vital for the production of Nitric Oxide and consequently the dilation of blood vessels) and L-Carnitine (which aids muscle mitochondria to burn fat), stim pre workouts contain caffeine or naturally focusing ingredients that can offer you an extra edge during training.
The majority of the time, performance-supplements are down to personal preference and training requirements, so make sure you take some time to examine which type of stim pre workout would suit your needs.
Guide - learn more about the types of pre workout with our guide to Non Stim Pre Workouts Vs Stim Pre Workouts: Which is Best?
Nootropic-based pre workout
Nootropic-based stim pre-workouts, such as Supplement Needs PRE Focus+, provide a gentle source of caffeine alongside nootropic ingredients to increase mental focus and energy.
Nootropic ingredients are naturally-derived compounds that improve ‘human thinking, learning, and memory’ (Malík & Tlustoš, 2022).
Ginkgo biloba for instance, derived from Ginkgo leaves and fruit, has been shown to have positive effects on memory, antioxidation, vasodilation, and endurance performance (Malík & Tlustoš, 2022, Sadowska-Krępa et al, 2017).
If you’re looking for a nootropic pre workout then check out Supplement Needs Pre Focus+. This is a renowned nootropic pre workout which is packed with plant-based, fungi-based, and amino-based nootropics. These include, Ginkgo Extract, Lions Mane, and Acetyl-L-Carnitine respectively.
Guide - want to find out more about nootropics in general? Then read our detailed guide to nootropics now.
Pre workout with caffeine
At the other end of the scale, ‘heavier’ stimulant based products such as RedCon1 Total War and Strom Sports Nutrition StimuMax Pro utilise caffeine to provide the stimulant element.
Alongside increased levels of caffeine, these stimulant pre workout powders contain energy-enhancing ingredients like Taurine and Alpha-GPC.
Whilst more research is required, there is promising evidence to suggest that performance supplements containing Taurine (Chen et al, 2021) or Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine (Harrington, 2023) can boost athletic performance and provide you with a more concentrated energy boost before you hit the gym.
What should you look for in a stim pre workout?
Aside from choosing between a nootropic or caffeine based pre workout powder, there are a number of other key ingredients you should look out for.
Nitrosigine®
A proprietary and patented complex of Bonded Arginine Silicate, Nitrosigine® is very much a ‘must have’ with a stim pre workout powder.
Why? Because studies (Rogers, et al. 2020) have indicated that Nitrosigine® can potentially boost nitric oxide production, which in turn, improves blood flow - supporting oxygen and nutrient delivery; exactly what you need during an intense workout.
AmentoPump®
Another quality ingredient to look out for in stimulant pre workouts is AmentoPump®. This is a patented form of Selaginella tamariscina essence. This is a hardy evergreen perennial that has been widely used within herbal medicine.
So, what’s it doing in a pre workout? Because it can act as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor - causing blood vessels to relax and widen - supplying your muscles with the additional oxygen and nutrients they require during intense workout sessions.
CellFlo6™
Some of the very best pre workout powders contain green tea extracts. However, THE best pre workout powders contain CellFlo6™ - a proprietary green tea extract which is produced using a double-extraction process that increases catechins (in particular, galloylated procyanidins) - a class of flavonoids that have been demonstrated in studies (Maki, et al. 2009) to enhance exercise-induced abdominal fat loss.
CellFlo6™ is also able to potentially support circulation, which in turn can aid muscle recovery.
Betaine Anhydrous
Betaine Anhydrous (also referred to as Trimethylglycine) is a multi-faceted chemical which primarily acts as an osmolyte - ensuring that the body’s cellular fluid levels remain balanced.
In the context of a workout, this fluidic balance ensures that your muscles remain hydrated - contributing to ‘pump’ as well as muscle growth and recovery. One extensive study (Cholewa, et al. 2013), found that ‘six-weeks of betaine supplementation improved body composition, arm size, bench press work capacity… and tended to improve power’.
When to take pre workout
The most obvious answer about when to take a pre workout is, of course, before you exercise.
However, there is an additional caveat when it comes to pre workout powders with additional stimulants. To avoid disrupting your sleep schedule, make sure to take any stim pre workouts in the morning or early afternoon to allow your body to process the energising ingredients in plenty of time (and especially before trying to sleep).
Don’t want stimulation from your pre-workouts? Then we have an extensive range of non-stim pre workouts.
Choose Supplement Needs for premium stim pre workout
When it comes to choosing the best pre workout supplements, formula is key.
At Supplement Needs, we choose to stock only the best supplements so that you never have to compromise on quality. Developed by the industry-leading Dr Dean St Mart PhD, our Supplement Needs stim pre workouts are impeccably-researched, and expertly formulated solely with ingredients to improve your performance.
Unlike other supplements on the market, you can explore our collection of Pre Workout Powders in unparalleled detail. With completely transparent ingredient lists, you can know exactly what you’re putting into your body when you choose Supplement Needs.
Plus, with free shipping on orders over £19.99 and same day despatch (if ordered before 3pm Monday to Friday), there’s no better place to buy your pre workouts than Supplement Needs.