We test and review fitness products based on an independent, multi-point methodology. If you use our links to purchase something, we may earn a commission. Read our disclosures.
For this RSP Nutrition Amino Lean Pre-Workout review, we had GGR staff writer and certified personal trainer Lauren Strong try it for herself and give her thoughts and ratings on the supplement, based on GGR’s supplement testing methodology. If you’ve ever been a fan of AminoLean Energy the energy drink, then you are in luck.
AminoLean’s pre-workout comes in the same flavors as their energy drink and more, along with caffeine originating from clean sources to boost energy levels without the jitters. It also includes a focus blend to help with mental focus. We tried AminoLean’s pre-workout for ourselves. Let’s take a look at what we found.
RELATED: Best Pre-Workout
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
Honest Reviews, Fitness and Nutrition Expert-Approved
Everyone on our expert team has extensive experience in fitness and nutrition, so we look forward to personally testing each product we review. To help you make the best choice for yourself and your fitness journey, we are committed to expressing both the good and the bad of supplements we write about with transparency and honesty.
From the best treadmills for a home gym to the best protein powder for muscle gain, our team of certified nutrition coaches, certified personal trainers, and competitive athletes has tested and reviewed it all.
Amino Lean Pre-Workout
Amino Lean Pre-Workout
Product Highlights
- Vegan-friendly pre-workout supplement
- Sugar-free and gluten-free
- Six flavors available
- Amino acid blend of taurine, Beta-alanine, L-citrulline, and more
- Contains 125 mg of caffeine per serving
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Vegan-friendly
- Zero sugar and no artificial flavors
- Gluten-free
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Sweetened with sucralose
- Some customers complain taste is too sweet
Bottom Line
Amino Lean Pre-Workout is a supplement with a vegan-friendly amino acid blend as well as 125 milligrams of caffeine. While the gluten-free supplement has zero sugars and no artificial flavors, it is sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Amino Lean also is inexpensive, making it a good pre-workout for beginners.
A Quick Look at AminoLean Pre-Workout
AminoLean Energy is the most popular supplement offered by RSP Nutrition, a company started in 2008 by a former collegiate athlete. AminoLean Energy now has a pre-workout version, formulated to provide value without a hefty price tag.
Before You Buy
- Note that the servings are two scoops to get the dosages listed on the label
- Be warned that AminoLean pre likely does not have the clinically effective doses of beta-alanine and l-citrulline
Is AminoLean Pre-Workout Worth It?
AminoLean certainly lives up to its name in the way it contains plenty of essential amino acids. The “lean” is likely included due to the inclusion of green tea extract which may help with weight management along with being a source of natural caffeine for what RSP calls “Anytime Energy.”
That said, though the price per serving offers a great value at first glance, the presence of proprietary blends makes it tough to know how much of what ingredients are actually included. So, if you are used to taking a pre-workout with dozens of ingredients in huge dosages, this pre may leave you disappointed.
Great for:
- People looking for a BCAA supplement that also gives an energy boost
- People who are looking for a moderately-dosed pre-workout for beginners
- Those who need a pre-workout or BCAA supplement with a great taste
Not recommended for:
- People looking for a pre that’s high stim and will provide a huge pump
- Those who prefer a pre-workout that includes creatine
- Individuals who need a strong pre-workout to power through long, intense workout sessions
AminoLean Pre-Workout Specs
| Price per serving | $1.10 |
| Serving size | 2 scoops (8.9 grams) |
| Flavors | Pink Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Blackberry Pomegranate, Berry Alixir, Watermelon, Blue Raspberry, Summer Rocket Pop, Cherry-Lime |
| Caffeine dosage | 125 mg |
| Beta-alanine dosage | Not listed |
| L-citrulline dosage | Not listed |
| Creatine dosage | None |
| Other ingredients | Taurine, CarnoSyn® Beta-alanine, L-Glutamine, L-Arginine, L-Leucine, L-Citrulline, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, L-Tyrosine, L-Histidine HCL, L-Lysine HCL, L-Phenylalanine, L-Threonine, L-Methionine, L-Carnitine, Citric Acid, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) |
| Sweeteners | Sucralose |
| Third-party tested? | No |
Experience Using AminoLean Pre-Workout
GGR staff writer Lauren Strong had a generally good experience using RSP Nutrition AminoLean, despite thinking it was a missed opportunity that they did not include creatine in the formulation. She says, “Overall, using Amino Lean pre-workout was enjoyable. I personally don’t use pre-workout that often and I don’t want something too strong. All I need is a little boost (not a kick in the pants).”
RELATED: Best Pre-Workout with Creatine
“The pink lemonade flavor I tried isn’t too sweet and I didn’t have any tingles or jitters,” Lauren says. Although she didn’t find the effects overwhelming or get the jitters that can come with pre-workout that contains beta-alanine or caffeine, she wasn’t a fan of the lack of transparency with the dosages. “The downside to Amino Lean is the use of proprietary blends. Yes, it lists all the ingredients, but you don’t know the exact dosage of each.”
Price Per Serving
Lauren rated AminoLean Preworkout 5 out of 5 stars for price per serving. When purchasing from Amazon, the cost of a tub is currently $28.49 for 30 servings which comes out to about $0.95 per serving, lower than the market average and reasonable for most budgets. If you buy it from RSP Nutrition, it costs a little more at $1.10 per serving.
Formulation
Lauren rated AminoLean Preworkout 3 out of 5 for formulation mostly due to the “amino blend” and “weight loss blend” not providing a specific dosage for each ingredient on the label. This is a bit of a bummer because certain ingredients, like l-citrulline and beta-alanine, must be taken in a specific quantity to provide muscle recovery, help with muscle soreness, and other performance benefits.
RELATED: Does Pre-Workout Have Calories?
The full breakdown of the ingredients in AminoLean is as follows:
- 5 mg Amino Blend: Taurine, L-Glutamine, CarnoSyn, Beta-alanine, l-arginine, l-citrulline, vegan branched chain amino acid (L-Leucine, L-isoleucine. L-Valine), L-Phenylalanine, L-Threonine, L-Methionine
- 1.5 g Weight Management Blend: L-carnitine L-Tartrate, Conjugated Linoleic Acid, Green Tea extract, green coffee extract
- 130 mg Energy and Focus Blend: InnovaTea natural caffeine, organic matcha
Beta-alanine is a common pre-workout supplement ingredient because research shows it may delay muscle fatigue and mitigate lean muscle soreness which can help you lift more weight1. However, these benefits are only available after taking 4-6 grams of beta-alanine a day2 and it is unclear if AminoLean contains this dose.
Likewise, the efficacious dose of l-citrulline is 3 to 5 grams to help improve blood flow to the muscles by boosting nitric oxide production3. However, it’s undefined as to how much l-citrulline AminoLean has.
Regardless, RSP Nutrition AminoLean does have an amino acid blend that includes EAAs, and studies have shown that consuming all nine essential amino acids (EAAs) results in more gains4 in lean muscle than BCAAs alone. AminoLean has eight EAAs: all except tryptophan.
RELATED: Types of Pre-Workout
Finally, the weight management blend in AminoLean includes some fat burners, the notable one being green tea extract, which studies have shown can help with weight loss. In one study with 60 subjects, obese adults taking green tea extract lost 7 more pounds5 than subjects who did not take the extract after three months of weight management efforts.
Taste and Solubility
Lauren gives AminoLean a 4 out of 5 in taste saying, “I tried the pink lemonade. It was good, pretty sweet but nothing offensive. My taste buds favor bitterness so I’m typically happy when things don’t taste like sugar water.”
The supplement is sweetened with sucralose, an artificial sweetener you may know as Splenda. “It’s sweetened with sucralose but it doesn’t leave a bad aftertaste like some sucralose-based products do,” Lauren says. She also rates solubility a 5 out of 5, observing that it mixes fine with no issues.
Side Effects
Lauren rates this 5 out of 5 in the side effects category, saying, “No tingles and no crazy side effects of stimulants. Although that is not surprising because it’s 130 milligrams of caffeine, which is like a RedBull.”
Third-Party Testing
Though the description claims the pre-workout supplement is third-party tested, there are no verified certifications or lab results noted. Thus, we give it a 1-star rating in this category. The pre workout powder is labeled as gluten free.
AminoLean vs Optimum Nutrition Amin.o Energy
Amin.o Energy
Essential Amin.o Energy
Product Highlights
- Comes in 11 flavors
- Zero added sugars
- Has 100 mg of caffeine per serving
- Great for a boost of energy and mental focus
- Supports muscle recovery with amino acids
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great price
- Only 5-10 calories per serving
- Lots of flavor options
Cons
- Artificially flavored
- Artificial sweeteners
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for an affordable muscle recovery and energy drink, then Essential Amin.o. Energy might be a great fit for you.
We wanted to compare AminoLean to ON Amin.o Energy, which we’ve previously listed as one of the best pre-workouts with BCAAs. At first glance, you can see that ON’s pre-workout has the same serving size as AminoLean, along with a similar quantity of flavors and caffeine intake. It’s also nearly half the price per serving and is third-party tested, making it a safer supplement for athletes.
Learn more with our full Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy review.
| Amino Lean Pre-Workout | ON Amin.o Energy | |
| Price per serving | $1.10 | $0.66 |
| Serving size | 2 scoops (8.9 grams) | 2 scoops (9 grams) |
| Flavors | Pink Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Blackberry Pom, Berry Alixir, Watermelon, Blue Raspberry, Summer Rocket Pop, Cherry-Lime | Blue Raspberry, Blueberry Lemonade, Blueberry Mojito, Concord Grape, Fruit Fusion, Green Apple, Orange, Strawberry, Strawberry Lime, Watermelon, Wild Berry |
| Caffeine dosage | 125 mg | 100 mg |
| Beta-alanine dosage | Not listed | Not listed |
| L-citrulline dosage | Not listed | Not listed |
| Creatine dose | None | None |
| Sweeteners | Sucralose | Sucralose |
| Third-party tested? | No | Informed Choice |
Customer Experience
Amazon’s return policy applies when you purchase AminoLean through them. Due to the nature of the supplement, returns and refunds are not allowed for this pre-workout powder. If you need assistance with another customer service question, you can contact Amazon via chat, telephone, or e-mail.
If ordering from the RSP website and you find you need customer assistance, visit their Contact Us page to send an email or give them a call. There is no chatbot available.
Ordering AminoLean Pre-Workout
When ordering this pre workout powder from Amazon, ordering will follow the same process as any other Amazon order. When ordering directly from RSP, the payment process goes through Shopify. So, if you have information saved from ordering in the past, it should be a quick process.
Also, shipping is free when the subtotal is over $50. You can enjoy a 15% discount by enrolling in their Subscribe & Save program which provides automatic deliveries either every month or every other month.
Customer Reviews
On Amazon, AminoLean pre is rated 4.3 out of 5 stars based on 33,197 global ratings at the time of writing, with most customers praising the great taste, value for the price, and its effect on energy levels.
On the AminoLean product page, the rating is 5 out of 5 stars based on 270 reviews, with customers also enjoying the pick-me-up and amino energy from the supplement.
Final Verdict of Our AminoLean Pre-Workout Review
At the end of the day, AminoLean likely works best as a BCAA supplement rather than a pre-workout that many take for a boost in performance to get through very intense workout sessions, simply due to the modest caffeine content and lack of ergogenic ingredients.
It’s also not reassuring that it is not third-party tested and the labeling makes it difficult to know the dosages of key ingredients. That said, the consensus is that it’s affordable, has great taste, mixes well, and has plenty of BCAAs as promised.
- 125 mg of caffeine for a modest, but clean energy boost
- Tastes great and has a small scoop size, which makes it manageable to get down
- Proprietary blends mean you likely won’t get many athletic performance benefits
- May be targeted to help with weight loss unlike other pre-workout supplements
Full Rating
Amino Lean Pre-Workout
Amino Lean Pre-Workout is a supplement with a vegan-friendly amino acid blend as well as 125 milligrams of caffeine. While the gluten-free supplement has zero sugars and no artificial flavors, it is sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Amino Lean also is inexpensive, making it a good pre-workout for beginners.
Product Brand: Amino Lean
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 28.49
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.78
AminoLean Pre-Workout: FAQs
Is AminoLean a good pre-workout?
AminoLean provides a decent value for the price but may be more effective at giving an energy boost than providing athletic performance benefits due to the proprietary blends.
Does AminoLean give you a pump?
AminoLean does contain compounds that can help expand blood vessels and thus is likely to help provide a pump post-workout. However, due to the proprietary blends, it’s unclear if the ingredients are in efficacious doses.
Is AminoLean a fat burner?
AminoLean is not a fat burner, but it contains compounds that can be considered fat burners such as green tea extract.
When should I take AminoLean?
According to the instructions on the label, you want to take AminoLean pre 20-30 minutes before your workout to get the energy boost and mental focus benefits.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
References
- Hoffman J, Ratamess NA, Ross R, et al. Beta-alanine and the hormonal response to exercise. Int J Sports Med. 2008;29(12):952-958. doi:10.1055/s-2008-1038678
- Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:30. Published 2015 Jul 15. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y
- Rogers JM, Gills J, Gray M. Acute effects of Nitrosigine® and citrulline malate on vasodilation in young adults. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2020;17(1):12. Published 2020 Feb 24. doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00343-y
- Church DD, Hirsch KR, Park S, et al. Essential Amino Acids and Protein Synthesis: Insights into Maximizing the Muscle and Whole-Body Response to Feeding. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3717. Published 2020 Dec 2. doi:10.3390/nu12123717
- Auvichayapat P, Prapochanung M, Tunkamnerdthai O, et al. Effectiveness of green tea on weight reduction in obese Thais: A randomized, controlled trial. Physiol Behav. 2008;93(3):486-491. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.10.009
Further reading
Check out our full ProForm Sport 6.0 treadmill review for the 4-1-1 on this budget-friendly cardio machine. Read more
Our Bells of Steel Blitz Air Rower review reveals just how similar—or not—this Concept2 dupe is to the real thing. Read more
Our ProForm Performance 400 Treadmill review takes a look at this now-discontinued machine and offers alternatives. Read more
Your workouts are better when you fuel better. Here's a look at the best pre-workout food from a certified nutrition coach. Read more