Best Pre-Workout Supplements for Women (2025): Expert Approved

There are a few reasons we like Legion Pulse as the best pre-workout for women. First, it’s because this is a good pre-workout for anyone, because nobody needs a pre-workout specifically made for one gender. In just one serving of Pulse, which is an all-natural product, you get clinically-backed dosages of l-citrulline, beta-alanine, betaine anhydrous, and l-theanine.

We also love that Pulse gives you options: with caffeine and without caffeine, and there are multiple flavors in each option. If you go with the caffeinated option, we have to point out that one serving (which is two scoops) has 350 milligrams of caffeine; that’s a LOT. Kate Meier, GGR’s head of content and competitive weightlifter, says she takes just one scoop to get the energy she needs.

Jacob Penner, USA Weightlifting L-2 coach, also tested Legion Pulse and names it among his favorites. He says that the 1:1 ratio of caffeine to l-theanine provided him with a “balanced” experience, giving Pulse a 4 out of 5 for its overall effects. “Whenever I take Pulse, I feel energized but not overstimulated.”

It should be noted that there isn’t any creatine in this formulation, which has been shown to increase muscular performance¹, so you’d have to take it separately if muscle growth is one of your goals. There is, however, betaine in this formula, which is known for its volumizing effects (AKA, it gives you a nice pump).

In terms of taste, I personally tried Blue Raspberry and thought it was superb, giving it a 5 out of 5. Jacob tested the Peach Ring flavor and said he liked it so much that he would drink it just for the taste.

All three of our testers noted that they didn’t experience any tingles or crashing after using Pulse, which is third-party tested through Labdoor to ensure that what’s on the label is what is actually inside.

One downside of Pulse is that it costs $2.25 per serving, though Legion does offer a subscribe-and-save option. There are also only about 20 servings per tub.

For more, check out our Legion Pulse pre-workout review.

While a supplement alone won’t be your magic answer to weight loss, Transparent Labs’ LEAN is marketed toward those who want to lose body fat. It contains a “fat-burning and thyroid support complex,” which includes some important vitamins and minerals like iodine, zinc, and selenium that can potentially support healthy thyroid function and thus support weight loss. 

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And we say potentially, because the research is not conclusive. While these ingredients are generally safe to use, the benefits are usually only seen in individuals who are deficient in them. 

What this product does have going for it is its transparent label, which shows 180 milligrams of caffeine. Laila says this is a relatively lower dose, but that moderate doses of caffeine have been shown to not negatively interfere with natural thermoregulation like higher doses potentially can. 

You’ll also get 6 grams of citrulline, 2 grams of beta-alanine—a slightly low dose—and 2.5 grams of BCAAs in this formula. There are nine flavors to choose from, too.

I tried Tropical Punch and although it tasted slightly bitter to me, it’s not overly sweet, which I appreciate. Solubility is not the best, but that didn’t detract too much from the experience overall.

For those wanting just a bit more than the recommended dose of caffeine (200 milligrams) in their pre-workout, Nutricost Pre-X has you covered. With 300 milligrams of caffeine per scoop, you’re sure to get that energy boost you’re looking for, making it the clear winner for best caffeinated pre-workout for women. One cup of coffee has about 95 milligrams of caffeine, so you’re looking at the equivalent of about 3 cups in one serving of Pre-X—whoa.

GGR director of content Kate Meier, CPT, USAW-L1, and GGR expert panelist Jacob Penner, USAW-L2, tested this pre-workout, and were pleased to see an affordable price tag on a third-party tested supplement; Pre-X Pre-Workout is NSF-certified, which is great for any athletes worried about banned substances.

Kate rates the taste and solubility a 4 out of 5, saying, “It’s very drinkable, and for a pre-workout it’s refreshing, too. Plus, the Blue Raspberry flavor tastes exactly how you’d expect it to taste.” The pre-workout mostly mixes well, too, although it can leave behind some small granules at the bottom of your drink.

In addition to having a high level of caffeine, there is L-citrulline, beta-alanine and betaine. Perry Nix, MS, RD, notes that the L-citrulline comes in a recommended dose of 4 grams. Plus, the pre-workout has alpha-GPC, which can help with focus. Perry adds, “Alpha-GPC is recognized as a nootropic due to its ability to enhance cognitive function, potentially improving memory and learning abilities.”

Jacob Penner— USA Weightlifting Level-2 coach, GGR expert panel member, and coach of North Carolina-based Endless Strength Weightlifting—has seen many of his clients and weightlifting teammates excel when taking this pre-workout supplement, including Kate Meier, a competitive weightlifter and GGR’s head of content.

“This brings great focus and clarity to your workout. It’s not overly stimulating; it’s more of just feeling very present and ready to do the work,” says Kate, who’s tried dozens of pre-workout supplements. “Also, no tingles from this one.”

Unfortunately, Kate and Jacob’s weightlifting team found it more difficult to say nice things about its taste. “The Tiger’s Blood taste is tropical, but not pineapple; more coconutty/watermelon/strawberry. We much preferred this one to the Yuzu Peach; some of our testers really didn’t like the flavor at all, and others said they could drink it, but it wouldn’t be their go-to choice because it seemed bitter, not sweet or tart.”

As we note in our full Onnit Alpha Brain pre-workout review, this pre-workout comes with 200 milligrams of caffeine per scoop, which is roughly the same amount in two cups of coffee. As our testers can attest to, you’ll probably feel a little more wired than if you just went with the two cups of Joe since Alpha Brain contains Dynamine, a compound that can boost caffeine’s mental alertness and energy-boosting effects.

Dynamine has a longer half-life than caffeine, so it takes longer to leave your system and could cause any additional caffeine to disrupt your sleep cycle or cause cardiovascular issues.

Jacob says his weightlifting clients and teammates saw modest pumps with this pre-workout after an hour-long Olympic weightlifting training session.

If you’re sensitive or intolerant to stimulants, you can still take pre-workout, you’ll just need a stimulant-free version—yes, those exist! Consider Transparent Labs Stim-Free as a caffeine-free pre-workout option. 

We rated this product as a 4.5 out of 5 for formulation, and here’s why: Instead of a stimulant, there’s an added 150 grams of elevATP, an ingredient that supposedly increases the level of ATP in the system, which can support strength, power, and performance levels in athletes. 

In this formulation, you’ll get 8 grams of citrulline malate for increased blood flow, 4 grams of beta-alanine to buffer lactic acid buildup in the muscles, 2.5 grams of betaine anhydrous to help reduce fatigue, plus sodium and potassium for hydration.

Laila likes that this pre-workout can be taken any time, and still contains many crucial supporters of a good workout.

Amanda Capritto, CPT, endurance athlete and former GGR senior staff writer, tried the Cherry Limeade flavor and was pleasantly surprised. “It’s tart and not overly sweet like a lot of other Transparent Labs flavors, which I appreciate,” she says, leading her to rate it as a 3 out of 5 taste-wise.

Jacked Factory Nitrosurge is a great pre-workout option for beginners “because it won’t give you those wild tingles or insane feeling that some other pre-workouts on the market would,” says Kate Meier, GGR head of content and product tester.

You have the option to use one scoop or two scoops of Nitrosurge, and the supplements facts label clearly lays out the nutrition and dosages for every ingredient for both serving sizes.

A two-scoop serving contains 6 grams of L-citrulline, 3.2 grams of beta-alanine, 2.5 grams of betaine anhydrous, 360 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous, 180 milligrams of L-theanine, 100 milligrams of theobromine, and 50 milligrams of AstraGin.

Kate took one scoop of this pre-workout before morning workouts and is overall pleased with the experience. “One scoop really only gives you a half dosage of the active ingredients you’d find in other pre-workouts, aside from caffeine, so I don’t feel itchy or hype, because ingredients like beta-alanine are halved,” she explains.

“This is what makes it really good for a beginner who isn’t ready to get the mad-hype feeling you get with other pre-workouts,” she says. “I like that you still get 180 milligrams of caffeine with one scoop, so you get the energy, but without all the other effects.”

“If you do half a scoop of other pre-workouts, you don’t get all that caffeine still, so you might not feel as energized,” Kate explains.

One of the members of her Olympic weightlifting team took two scoops to get the full dosages of all the ingredients, and he said this one was mild compared to some other, stronger pre-workouts he has used.

Unfortunately, there is no creatine in this pre-workout, so you will need to get that supplement elsewhere if you want the muscle-building effects of creatine supplementation. (We happen to have a guide to the best creatine supplements.)

If you want a pre-workout that won’t break the bank, we recommend Cellucor C4 to almost anyone. 

This cult-favorite has 1.6 grams of beta-alanine, which Laila says helps support endurance and mitigate muscle fatigue, plus 1 gram of creatine. Both are underdosed here, especially creatine —3 to 5 grams is the researched-backed maintenance dose² for athletes—but you’ll often find that to be the case with less expensive supplement options. This lead to us rating C4 as a 1.5 out of 5 for formulation.

C4 does have an abundance of vitamins, including vitamin B12, C, B6, niacin, and folic acid, but Laila points out that this pre-workout formula is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame potassium, plus colored with red food dye 40, which is something some may be wary of. There will also be a “pump” effect from C4, from the nitric oxide boosters citrulline-malate and N03-T creatine nitrate.

C4 was the first pre-workout I ever tried, and I’ve had a few tubs over the years. I particularly like Icy Blue Razz. It gets the job done, and while I do get a little tingly from it, the sensation goes away quickly. Both taste and solubility get a 5 out of 5 rating for me.

All in all, this is an average pre-workout, particularly good for beginners, at 78 cents per serving—significantly cheaper than any other on our list.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t love when products are marketed “for women”—especially when they have names like Pink Candy. However, I actually really like this pre-workout, and so does Laila. It’s a bonus that it’s gluten-free, perfect for those who try to avoid this ingredient.

Pre-Game contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving, which Laila says is on target, plus 6 milligrams of l-citrulline, which can support a longer workout and less fatigue. 

“All formulas of Pre-Game contain AstraGin, a synergistic compound used to facilitate absorption of all ingredients, and some formulations contain SenActiv, which is an extract that has been shown to support recovery and cell regeneration,” says Laila. 

Pre-Game also contains theobromine, which, when used in conjunction with caffeine, helps to avoid that abrupt caffeine crash, Laila says. 

It should be noted that there isn’t any creatine in this formulation, which has been shown to increase muscular performance, so you’d have to take it separately if muscle growth is one of your goals. And all in all, the formulation of this product only earned a 2 out of 5 since it’s missing beta-alanine as well, an important pre-workout ingredient. 

Where Pre-Game did shine is in taste and solubility, earning a 4 out of 5 and a 5 out of 5 respectively. I tried the aforementioned Pink Candy and while it’s sweet, I enjoyed the flavor. It also had a bit thicker consistency than most pre-workouts, but I didn’t mind it. 

If you’re looking for a good pre-workout that can give you a bit of energy but won’t turn you into a crazed gymrat, consider Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard. It contains a modest 175 grams of caffeine, which is about 1.5 to two cups of coffee, depending on how strong they’re brewed.

It also contains 3 grams of creatine, which Laila calls a “relatively high provision,” but with creatine’s proven track record of positive effects on strength and performance³, this formulation could help you build muscle. 

Gold Standard also contains 750 milligrams of citrulline, and several vitamins and minerals—all appropriate doses. AstraGin, a synergistic compound that helps facilitate the absorption of ingredients, is also included. 

All in all, Laila likes the creatine in this formulation and the AstraGin only sweetens the deal. 

GGR Head of Content Kate Meier and her weightlifting team tested this pre-workout. In fact, one of the members of her team has been using this as his go-to pre-workout for years.

“The flavors are absolutely delicious,” he says. “In terms of how it makes you feel, you will feel a little tingly. I like it for giving me great focus and great energy levels. Not the strongest pump, but this is always a reliable choice for pre-workout.”

While we know taste is subjective, JYM pre-workout has a wide array of flavors that get great acclaim among users, including Anthony O’Reilly, GGR performance editor, as well as Kate Meier, GGR head of content, and many members of her weightlifting team.

After a couple weeks of using it, Kate says, “This is now our team’s favorite pre-workout: It’s the one the athletes grab and go to every time.”

In our full JYM Pre-Workout review, GGR writer and product tester Amanda Capritto explains that this pre-workout contains a LOT of ingredients, which is great news for your fitness goals. One serving of JYM Pre-Workout contains:

• 6 grams of Citrulline malate
• 6 grams of BCAAs in the 2:1:1 ratio (leucine, isoleucine, and valine)
• 2 grams of Con-Cret® patented creatine HCl
• 2 grams of beta-alanine
• 1.5 grams of betaine
• 1.5 grams of l-tyrosine
• 1.5 grams of l-valine
• 1 gram of taurine
• 500 milligrams of beet root extract
• 300 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous
• 150 milligrams of alpha-GPC (from 300 mg of AlphaSize®)
• 50 micrograms of Huperzine A
• 5 milligrams of BioPerine® Black Pepper Extract

Anthony says of the pre-workout: ““When it comes to pumps, move over Michelin man. My ego was through the roof after working out with this.”

He feels that the focus-related effects could’ve been more pronounced or longer-lasting, but that he’d “buy this for the pump alone” and the Pineapple Strawberry flavor is “very tropical.”

“I want to drink this while on a beach, but without the caffeine,” he says.

If you’re looking for a “clean” pre-workout, Naked Energy is probably your best bet. With only 10 ingredients and no additives, fillers, or artificial sweeteners, you’re getting a product with a super-transparent label. 

Instead of citrulline, Laila says, Naked Energy uses l-arginine for the same nitric oxide effects. Also, 2 grams of beta-alanine mitigates lactic acid buildup while 1 gram of creatine—while underdosed—can support more power and less fatigue. You’ll also get 200 milligrams of caffeine from purely sourced coffee beans. 

There’s also an abundance of B vitamins and minerals, says Laila, and the flavored options are sweetened with cane sugar. “Overall, Naked Energy has a great transparent label and clean ingredients, while still containing many of the necessary components—even creatine,” Laila says. 

Despite this, the ingredients are underdosed, leading us to rate Naked Energy a 2 out of 5 in formulation. However, it scored a 5 out of 5 in price because of its affordability, and we also liked the taste, particularly of the Citrus flavor, which led to a 5 out of 5 rating.

If you’re looking to pack on some new muscle mass, you’ll love the 11 active ingredients in BlackWolf Pre-Workout, which include L-citrulline malate, beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate, betaine anhydrous, L-arginine, caffeine anhydrous, taurine, L-tyrosine, dynamine, coconut water powder, BioPerine, dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), and Huperzine.

While our product tester, GGR editor Nicole Davis, wasn’t a superfan of the taste or solubility of BlackWolf Pre-Workout, she says that stomaching the “just OK” taste is worth it for people who want a load of active ingredients at clinically studied dosages.

There’s also a version of BlackWolf Pre-Workout sans caffeine, which is the one that Nicole tried. She likes that it’s stimulant-free, since there are already so many other ingredients that can give you that hyped-up feeling.

BlackWolf is a good choice for those who want to build muscle due to its clinical dosing of creatine monohydrate (3 grams). It’s also likely to give you a fantastic pump due to the 3.2 grams of beta-alanine. Even if you get the caffeine-free version, the DMAE⁶ and Huperzine⁵ are nootropics that can support mental acuity and focus.

1st Phorm Endura-Formance should get an award for name accuracy. Amanda Capritto, GGR senior staff writer and our resident triathlete, is a huge fan of this pre-workout for its ability to keep her powering through long endurance workouts, especially on the bike.

“I love Endura-Formance for high-wattage bike sessions, long runs, and even my support strength training, which typically lasts about an hour and 15 minutes,” Amanda says. “Between the 5 grams of creatine and the endurance-specific ingredients, this pre-workout may be my new lifetime pre.”

Those aforementioned endurance-specific ingredients are PeakO2 and S7.

PeakO2⁶ is a patented compound that is said to increase oxygen utilization while decreasing lactate, a combo that results in greater work capacity, Amanda explains, while S7 is a blend of seven nutraceuticals that has been clinically shown to increase nitric oxide production by up to 230%⁷!

“I don’t know if it’s placebo from knowing what’s in the powder or if it’s actually working, but I definitely feel like this helps with my triathlon training sessions,” Amanda enthuses, noting that Endura-Formance is also quite tasty in the Berry Lemonade flavor and mixes relatively well.

Additionally, Endura-Formance contains more sodium than most pre-workouts, and this mineral is absolutely crucial for endurance athletic performance. How’s that for an all-rounder supplement?