Beta Alanine may be the key to pushing your workouts to the next level. It has been clinically proven to increase your capacity for exercise, mainly by reducing muscle fatigue and what’s known as time-to-exhaustion.
For many fitness enthusiasts, beta alanine is the single most impactful pre workout ingredient. So we set out to find the best beta alanine pre workouts on the market, formulated specifically to maximize the positives of beta alanine while mitigating its negatives.
The Beta Alanine Pre Workouts
Quick Links
- The Power of Beta Alanine in Pre Workouts
- How to Get the Most Out of Beta Alanine Pre Workouts
- Ranking Methodology
- Best Beta Alanine Preworkouts
The Power of Beta Alanine in Pre Workouts
You might be surprised to learn that beta alanine isn’t a synthetic ingredient in pre workouts!
In fact, it’s a non-essential amino acid that your liver naturally produces on its own and through the consumption of meats like chicken, beef, and pork as well as fish. These foods are rich in carnosine, which are responsible for many of the benefits of beta alanine – and this is where the benefits of beta alanine supplementation through pre workouts come in – because beta alanine is converted into carnosine when its digested.
But first, a closer look at carnosine, a molecule stored in high concentrations in muscle tissues that, in turn, are vital in delaying muscle fatigue and increasing muscle strength.
While eating carnosine-rich foods will stimulate natural carnosine production in the body, muscle tissues usually have high histidine levels and low beta alanine levels.
The imbalance results in less carnosine production in the body.
The Beta Alanine – Carnosine Connection
Beta alanine supplementation, fortunately, has been proven effective in increasing carnosine levels by as much as 80%! This means that taking the best pre workouts with beta alanine will definitely improve exercise performance – and here’s how it works in layman’s terms.
In a process known as glycolysis, glucose breaks down during high-intensity exercise and serves as the body’s main fuel. In the process, the muscles produce lactic acid that’s converted to lactate that, in turn, produces hydrogen ions.
The hydrogen ions decrease the muscles’ pH levels that make them more acidic. Muscle fatigue sets in because the higher the pH levels in the muscles, the lesser the muscles’ ability to contract.
Carnosine serves as a buffer against lactic acid accumulation and, thus, decreases the level of acidity in the muscles during high-intensity workouts. With beta alanine supplementation before high-intensity workouts, the muscles have greater stamina and strength that, in the long term, results in better exercise performance, larger muscle mass, and better overall health.
To be more specific, here are the ways that proper supplementation with pre workouts with high levels of beta alanine can increase exercise performance.
- Increases time-to-fatigue, meaning longer periods for workouts
- Improves short-duration exercise for several minutes
- Increase muscle endurance and training volume
- Improve body composition by promoting muscle growth
Other possible benefits are antioxidant properties that delay the signs of aging and promote the immune function, particularly in older people.
How to Get the Most Out of Beta Alanine Pre Workouts
Neither the best pre workouts with beta alanine nor standalone beta alanine supplements are magic pills!
There’s a reason these are called dietary supplements – these nutritional products are intended to supplement a healthy diet and exercise plan in achieving fitness goals, not replace them.
Hard work is also a must since those weights won’t lift themselves and the treadmill won’t run on its own.
5 steps to safely get the most out of your beta alanine supplementation:
- Feed your mind and body properly even when you’re taking the best pre workout with beta alanine.
- Foods with simple carbohydrates, such as rice cakes, oatmeal with fruits, and toast, are best.
- Foods with simple carbohydrates, such as rice cakes, oatmeal with fruits, and toast, are best.
- Drink water and other liquids, such as an electrolyte drink, before, during and after high-intensity exercises.
- Even mild dehydration can speed up muscle fatigue and mental focus, among other issues.
- Even mild dehydration can speed up muscle fatigue and mental focus, among other issues.
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommended dose and timing. While every person has unique fitness goals and physical needs in a pre workout, these dietary supplements are formulated as a one-size-fits-all product. Most manufacturers recommend a single scoop mixed with a tall glass of water and then taken 30-45 minutes before high-intensity exercises.
- Most are also formulated for daily use but should be consumed during the day (i.e., not during the late afternoon and early evening) to prevent restlessness before bedtime.
- Most are also formulated for daily use but should be consumed during the day (i.e., not during the late afternoon and early evening) to prevent restlessness before bedtime.
- For beginners to pre workouts with beta alanine, a low and slow approach is best.
- Start with half a scoop and gradually build up your tolerance to the ingredients, particularly if there’s caffeine.
- Start with half a scoop and gradually build up your tolerance to the ingredients, particularly if there’s caffeine.
- Be consistent with your intake of your choice in a pre workout with beta alanine – take it every day, if that’s what’s recommended by the manufacturer.
- You won’t feel its effects immediately but with consistent use, you will!
Of course, it’s also important to adopt healthy lifestyle habits while you’re at it!
Getting sufficient sleep at night, decreasing stress levels, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol consumption will help your body to operate better in all areas of performance.
Ranking Methodology
According to the goldilocks principle, there is an ideal amount of any given substance for a particular person based on what results they are looking for. In the case of beta alanine, this means fitness enthusiasts often look for “just the right amount” — not too much, not too little.
We selected and ranked the best pre workouts with beta alanine according to the following criteria:
- The beta alanine content must be high enough to produce results but not to result in side effects – 2,500 milligrams per serving is the Goldilocks amount.
- The pre workout must be actually effective based on user reviews and our own personal experiences with it.
- The ingredients list must be transparent, meaning no proprietary formulas, and the ingredients must be proven safe and effective via third-party certification and other means.
- We considered value, meaning the pre workouts must provide the right balance between price and efficacy.
We also took into account brand reputation and tried to incorporate both big-name brands and rising stars.
With all the preamble out of the way, let’s reveal our top picks for the best pre workouts with beta alanine.
Best Beta Alanine Pre Workouts
Shifted Maximum Pre Workout
In our view, SHIFTED offers the best beta alanine pre workout because of its high beta alanine content – 2, 500 milligrams in every scoop – but it isn’t too high as to cause unpleasant side effects. The most common side effect is paraesthesia that feels like tingling of the skin, usually in the back of the hands, face and neck. While it’s harmless and resolves on its own, it’s often described as unpleasant, particularly when beta-alanine is taken in excessive doses.
SHIFTED’s Maximum Formula is a high beta alanine pre workout that also contains other beneficial ingredients that complement, even boost, the efficacy of the non-essential amino acid. According to the company, Shifted Maximum pre workout aids in boosting exercise performance in general and physical energy, mental focus and concentration, and muscle growth, pump and stamina with proper and regular use.
In terms of ingredients, Shifted Maximum lives up to the hype of being the bar of excellence when it comes to ingredients formulation, efficacy and transparency. The ingredients label clearly shows the ingredients and their amounts with no proprietary blends hiding dosage information.
Each ingredient has been dosed optimally according to SHIFTED’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Adam Gonzalez, who is a recognized expert in the field of exercise physiology.
The four suite of ingredients and their effect as listed are:
Muscle complex
L-citrulline 6,000 mg
Creatine monohydrate 2,000 mg
Betaine anhydrous 2,500 mg
Beet Root Extract 1,000 mg
Energy complex
Caffeine anhydrous 250 mg
Stamina complex
Taurine 1,000 mg
Beta alanine 2,000 mg
Rhodiola rosea 50 mg
Co-enzyme Q10 25 mg
B vitamins and electrolytes
Focus complex
L-tyrosine 1,000 mg
Alpha-CPG 150 mg
L-theanine 150 mg
The ingredients are among the most comprehensive we’ve seen in pre workouts with beta alanine, too. Every ingredient is also there for a purpose, not just as fillers.
What Did We Find During Our Review?
Let’s take a look first at its beta alanine content that, at 2,500 milligrams, is considered the clinically effective dose in pre workouts. At this amount, proper and regular use will result in reduced muscle fatigue, increased muscle capacity, and improved exercise performance.
Plus, the tingling sensations are at a minimum. First-time users of pre workouts with beta alanine are most likely to experience it but veteran users probably won’t for as long as the recommended dose is followed. After a couple of Shifted Maximum use, the tingling sensations resolve on their own – or at least, aren’t as unpleasant as they were before. Many users even like the slight tingling sensation since it’s proof that the beta alanine in Shifted Maximum is doing its work.
When taken 30 minutes before an intense workout, we agree with most of its users that there’s a near-immediate feeling of being more energized and focused. The physical and mental energy grows and then becomes sustained during the high-intensity exercises before gradually tapering off after several hours. There’s no sudden crash, thanks to the optimum combination of ingredients including delayed-release caffeine.
As for the decreased muscle fatigue from beta alanine consumption, there’s a noticeable effect in this aspect, too, after a couple of uses. Hitting the wall doesn’t come too soon and too hard, and it’s possible to prolong an HIIT workout for several minutes with consistent use over a week or so.
And for women and beginners who prefer lower doses of ingredients like caffeine and beta alanine, SHIFTED offers a premium formula which has been formulated with these customers in mind!
REDCON1 Beta Alanine Preworkout
While prefer to get all of our pre workout ingredients in one product, we know that some individuals will prefer to stack products with single ingredients. Or they may prefer to only try one pre workout ingredient at time.
For this reason, in our review of pre workouts with beta alanine, we sought out a quality product that focused on only one ingredient–that is, beta alanine.
The benefit of using a single ingredient pre workout product like this is it provides you more flexibility in how you take your pre workouts. For instance, if there’s a pre workout flavor that you love but it doesn’t contain beta alanine, you could simply combine the two to create your ideal formula.
Because it’s a single ingredient formula, REDCON1 Beta Alanine pre workout contains only the following core ingredient:
- Beta Alanine 3.2 G
What Did We Find During Our Review?
During our review process we found that our team enjoyed being able to choose whether to combine a dose of beta alanine with a full-formula pre workout or not. The flavorless taste of REDCON1 Beta Alanine pre workout meant it was easy to mix with whatever we wanted.
We also enjoyed that there is no caffeine in this formula. This meant that we could take it before workouts at night without worrying about being too amped up at bed time.
Our only criticism is that for a single-ingredient product, the price point ($26.99 as of March 2023) is less competitive than we would have liked. But beta alanine lovers may see this as an appropriate price point for a trusted brand with a proven track record.
Transparent Labs Bulk Black Pre Workout
If you’re on the hunt for the superior pre workout with most beta alanine, then look no further than the PreSeries Bulk Black pre workout! With a 4,000-milligram beta alanine content in every serving, it’s among the hardest-hitting pre workouts in this regard. But beta alanine on its own isn’t as effective as a pre workout and, thus, Transparent Labs also included 16 other active ingredients.
The choice of ingredients and their formulation means that Bulk Black pre workout is intended for amateur and professional athletes like bodybuilders. These ingredients, which are listed below, are known for their testosterone-boosting, muscle-fortifying effects.
- Citrulline malate 2:1 8,000 mg
- Beta alanine 4,000 mg
- BetaPure Betaine anhydrous 2,500 mg
- Taurine 1,300 mg
- L-Tyrosine 1,000 mg
- Alpha-GPC 300 mg
- L-Theanine 200 mg
- Caffeine anhydrous 275 mg
- Theobromine 50 mg
- Infinergy (Dicaffeine Malate)30 mg
- Astragin 50 mg
What Did We Find During Our Review?
This is among the cleanest pre workouts we’ve seen, thanks to the fact that it doesn’t contain artificial flavors, food dyes, sweeteners and added sugars. Since it’s the highest beta alanine pre workout, it’s a good thing, too, since the stronger kick to your physical and mental energy is reassuring – it doesn’t come from synthetic, possibly harmful, substances.
Based on our experience and user reviews, consistent use of Bulk Black resulted in significant delays in muscle fatigue that resulted in improved exercise performance. We observed that our muscles didn’t get tired too soon, too fast.
But there’s a downside – the tingling sensations are definitely unpleasant at this high dose of beta alanine! You may or may not want the tingling but it’s definitely more noticeable with this formula.
Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Pre Workout
Kaged touts its Pre-Kaged Elite pre workout as its most advanced all-in-one yet with its nine patented and 20 premium ingredients. The combination of these ingredients should result in increased physical and mental energy plus muscle strength and pump. There are a few flavors to choose from, such as strawberry lemonade and fruit punch, which are quite delicious.
As a beta alanine pre workout, Pre-Kaged Elite contains 3,200 milligrams of beta alanine in every scoop or serving. Other ingredients listed include:
- ElevATP 150 mg
- L-citrulline 10,000 mg
- L-carnitine 1,500 mg
- Coconut water 500 mg
- Pink Himalayan sea salt 280 mg
- Organic caffeine 388 mg
- Creatine nitrate 2,000 mg
- Alpha-GPC 300 mg
- Beta anhydrous 2,500 mg
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What Did We Find During Our Review?
While it’s marketed as not for the faint of heart, it’s still among the safest and most effective pre workouts in the market. These aspects are supported by the Informed Choice Certification and other third-party testing procedures, which attest to its banned substances-free formulation.
Note that Pre-Kaged Elite pre workout is a premium product and, thus, its price is on the higher end. You will spend about $3 for each serving but if you’re looking for a stronger formula, then it’s a great choice. Plus, if you’re looking for high creatine, caffeine and beta alanine levels, there’s few other options that offer similarly high doses.
Pre-Kaged Elite is a high-stimulant pre workout that will boost physical and mental energy as if you’ve consumed four or five cups of coffee in a single sitting! While this may not be for everyone, it makes it a great option for gym-oholics who want to push themselves hard.
Huge Supplements Wrecked Pre Workout
With more than 17 ingredients, the Huge Supplements Wrecked pre workout makes it to this list and delivers on its promises of more muscle power, pump and stamina and less muscle fatigue. The recommended one-scoop-a-day dosage should be enough for even the hardiest athletes and fitness enthusiasts to feel the zing of its ingredients including beta alanine.
Every scoop – the serving size – contains 1,750 milligrams of beta alanine, meaning it’s fairly effective at delaying muscle fatigue, among other benefits. Other ingredients include:
- L-citrulline 4,000 mg
- Hydromax 2,000 mg
- Betaine anhydrous 1,500 mg
- Malic acid 1,500 mg
- Caffeine anhydrous 125 mg
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What Did We Find During Our Review?
We like that the Wrecked pre workout contains the minimum clinically effective doses for most of its ingredients, particularly beta alanine, without the risk of side effects from overdosing.
This is an excellent choice for beginners looking for safe and effective pre workouts that won’t cause unpleasant tingling sensations.
Over time and with consistent use, you should be able to observe a significant increase in your exercise capacity, specifically in delayed muscle fatigue, as a result of the beta alanine inclusion. We also like that its powder can be easily mixed with water and its flavors are delicious.
Beta Alanine Pre Workouts FAQs
Sometimes finding the right supplement comes down to answering the right questions.
Let’s go through the most common questions we found related to beta alanine supplementation.
Is Beta Alanine safe to take everyday?
Not only is it safe to take beta alanine everyday, it is recommended! Beta Alanine breaks down into carnosine during digestion, which builds up over time.
So in order to experience the most benefit from beta alanine supplementation, you should absolutely take it consistently (on a daily basis).
When should you take Beta Alanine?
It is recommended that you take beta alanine about 15-30 minutes before you plan to start your exercise.
Though you might adjust this timeframe depending on when you want to experience the peak effects of the beta alanine, and it is important to take into account the other ingredients in pre workouts and their effect-horizons as well.
How long does it take Beta Alanine to kick in?
It takes beta alanine about 30-45 minutes to kick in. And you should experience its peak effects within about an hour of digestion.
Which brand of Beta Alanine is best?
If you’re just looking to dose beta alanine, you have many great options. And you can choose products based on your desired price point.
However, if you want a best all-rounder pre workout with beta alanine, SHIFTED is our favorite brand! They offer both high-end doses of pre workout ingredients in their maximum formula, and doses on the lower-end of clinical effectiveness for those who want an introductory option.
