Pre-Workout Performance Stack

Public • 1/28/2026

Targets acute performance via nitric oxide support, buffering capacity, and central drive.

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Practical pre-check

Deterministic heuristics (stimulants, duplicates, hydration). Not medical advice.

Supplements

Items in this stack

Training load

Unknown load

Need more wearable data

Stimulant estimate

200 mg

Only counts explicit caffeine items

STIMULANT LOAD

Stimulant load

Estimated caffeine dose is about 200mg/day (only counting explicit caffeine items). This can shift sleep and perceived recovery, especially under higher training load.

AI risk assessment

Context: No wearable data

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Supplements

4 items

L-Citrulline MalateModerate

Pre-workout • Malate • Click to expand

Increases nitric oxide availability and may improve endurance and blood flow.

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8000mg

Systolic blood pressure reduction

Moderate

Population: Adults; mixed health status (8 trials)

Study type: Systematic review & meta-analysis

Dose context: 6000 mg typical (range: 3000–9000 mg) • Duration: 1–17 weeks

Pooled reduction of −4.1 mmHg systolic BP (95% CI −7.94 to −0.26); diastolic reduction significant only at ≥6 g/day.

Citation: Barkhidarian B et al. J Hum Hypertens. 2019;33(1):10–21.•DOI: 10.1038/s41371-018-0113-1•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30788274/

Antihypertensive effect modest; most consistent with doses ≥6 g/day.

Aerobic exercise performance / oxygen kinetics / RPE

Moderate

Population: Recreationally active and trained adults

Study type: Systematic review & meta-analysis

Dose context: 6000 mg typical (range: 3000–9000 mg) • Duration: Acute to 7 days

Positive impact on aerobic performance outcomes including lactate, VO2 kinetics, and perceived exertion via nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation; results mixed, effect sizes small.

Citation: Viribay A et al. Nutrients. 2022;14(17):3479.•DOI: 10.3390/nu14173479•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36079738/

Ergogenic effects more consistent for resistance than large-muscle endurance tasks.

Resistance exercise repetitions to failure

Moderate

Population: Resistance-trained adults

Study type: Systematic review & meta-analysis

Dose context: 8000 mg typical (range: 6000–8000 mg) • Duration: Acute (single dose pre-exercise)

Significant benefit for total repetitions to failure vs. placebo (SMD = 0.20, p = 0.036) with citrulline malate; 8 g acutely prior to upper/lower body resistance exercise.

Citation: Trexler ET et al. Eur J Sport Sci. 2021;21(9):1229–1238.•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34010809/

Pérez-Guisado & Jakeman 2010 RCT (PMID 20386132) found ~52% more bench press reps with 8 g CM vs. placebo.

Beta-AlanineHigh

Pre-workout or split doses • Powder • Click to expand

Increases muscle carnosine levels, improving buffering during high-intensity efforts.

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3200mg

High-intensity exercise performance (1–4 min efforts) via muscle carnosine elevation

High

Population: Athletes and trained adults

Study type: ISSN Position Stand (systematic review)

Dose context: 4800 mg typical (range: 3200–6400 mg) • Duration: 4–12 weeks

4–6 g/day for ≥4 weeks significantly augments muscle carnosine (intracellular pH buffer) and improves exercise lasting 1–4 min; no benefit for efforts <60 s.

Citation: Trexler ET et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:30.•DOI: 10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26175657/

Paresthesia (tingling) is common but harmless; split dosing reduces it.

Exercise capacity and performance (broader meta-analysis)

Moderate

Population: Mixed athletes; 1,461 participants across 40 studies

Study type: Systematic review & meta-analysis

Dose context: 4800 mg typical (range: 3200–6400 mg) • Duration: 4–12 weeks

Significant overall effect size (ES = 0.18, 95% CI 0.08–0.28); greatest benefit for exercise in 1–10 min duration window.

Citation: Saunders B et al. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(8):658–669.•DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096396•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27797728/

Effect size modest; larger in capacity vs. performance measures.

CaffeineHigh

30–45 min pre-workout • Anhydrous • Click to expand

Improves alertness, power output, and endurance across multiple exercise modalities.

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200mg

Sleep disruption (safety warning)

High

Population: Healthy adults

Study type: Systematic review & meta-analysis

Dose context: 200 mg typical (range: 100–400 mg) • Duration: Acute

Caffeine prolongs sleep latency, reduces total sleep time and efficiency; clinically meaningful disruption occurs with 400 mg within 8–12 h of bedtime.

Citation: Gardiner C et al. Sleep Med Rev. 2023;68:101764.•DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101764•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870101/

Avoid caffeine within 6–8 h of intended sleep time when sleep is a priority.

Endurance and sport performance

High

Population: Athletes and active adults

Study type: ISSN Position Stand (systematic review)

Dose context: 200 mg typical (range: 100–400 mg) • Duration: Acute (single dose)

Strong evidence that 3–6 mg/kg caffeine improves endurance, strength, and power; benefits consistent but moderated by genetics and habituation.

Citation: Guest NS et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):1.•DOI: 10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33388079/

CYP1A2 and ADORA2A genotypes influence individual response.

Cognitive performance (attention, reaction time)

High

Population: Healthy adults (31 trials, n=1,455)

Study type: Systematic review & meta-analysis

Dose context: 200 mg typical (range: 100–400 mg) • Duration: Acute

Caffeine significantly improves reaction time (g=0.28) and accuracy (g=0.27) on attention tasks; dose ≥200 mg shows larger effects.

Citation: Grgic J et al. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2021;31(3):199–206.•https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33800853/

Benefits are acute; tolerance develops with daily use.

L-Tyrosine

Pre-workout • Powder • Click to expand

Supports catecholamine synthesis under stress and fatigue.

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1000mg

Evidence curation in progress.

Discussion

5000mg

Beta-Alanine

3200mg

Magnesium (Glycinate)

400mg

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