5 Best Pre-Workouts for Evening Workouts (Actual Results)

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Pre-workouts can hurt your sleep if you work out in the evenings.  

Many pre-workouts are full of caffeine and stimulants, causing insomnia, anxiety, and bad sleep, leading to a cycle of poor recovery and dependence on more stimulants.  

However, there are some fantastic pre-workouts that boost strength, power, endurance, focus, and fat oxidation without excessive stimulants.  

I’ve tested over 30 pre-workouts in the past two years, and below are the best options for safe and effective evening workouts based on my actual experience. 

Key Criteria

To assess which products were the best evening workout options, I used the following four criteria.

1. Effective Ingredients

I assess whether the pre-workout uses ingredients that have research behind them to prove they are effective. 

This adds a degree of certainty that you will see benefits like increased strength or energy that the product claims to provide. 

2. Effective Doses

It’s one thing to have effective ingredients, but this only matters if the product has effective doses. 

Effective dosing means that the company is using the same doses of ingredients that have been proven effective in research trials. 

3. Total Caffeine Content Between 0 to 200mg

Many people experience the effects of caffeine differently. 

Some people might have a small cup of coffee and feel wired for hours, whereas others say they can “drink a pot of coffee right before bed and fall asleep with no problem”. 

Therefore, I have prioritized pre-workouts that either don’t have caffeine or contain low levels of caffeine that are less likely to disrupt sleep. 

4. Does NOT Contain Multiple Sources of Caffeine

Typically, when I am assessing pre-workouts, I rank products with multiple caffeine sources at the top because those are the ones that provide the most prolonged energy and reduce the likelihood of post-workout crashes. 

In this case, however, we don’t want sources of caffeine that are slower-acting because they will have longer-lasting effects and are likely to hurt sleep quality. 

1. Transparent Labs Stim-Free: Best All-Around Caffeine-Free Formula

Overview

• Caffeine: 0mg

• Clinical doses for 7/7 ingredients

Why It’s Good for Evening Workouts

• The caffeine-free formula won’t have any impact on sleep quality

• Still contains clinical doses of all performance-enhancing ingredients to maximize your workout

Transparent Labs Stim-Free has earned a permanent spot on my shelf due to its great formula and excellent quality standards. 

Because I’m busy juggling multiple jobs and family priorities, sometimes my days get away from me, and I can’t squeeze my workout in until later in the evening. 

With Transparent Labs Stim-Free, I still had incredible gym sessions despite going into these workouts exhausted.  

I’ve always struggled to find a pre-workout supplement with clinical doses for key strength and pump ingredients like citrulline, beta-alanine, and betaine.

Transparent Labs Stim-Free checks all of the boxes for me with clinical doses, high-quality ingredients, and third-party testing, which ensures that what you see on the ingredient label is what you get. 

Stim-Free also contains a really unique ingredient called ElevATP®, which has been shown in clinical trials to increase the body’s levels of ATP (the body’s energy molecule). This increases strength, power, and overall performance.  

At $1.66 per serving, Transparent Labs Stim-Free offers phenomenal value. 

Similar pre-workouts with clinical doses of these same ingredients cost upwards of $2.25-$3.00 per serving, such as Legion, Swolverine, and Gorilla Mode Nitric.

To top it all off, Transparent Labs does not use any artificial flavors or colors and is Informed Choice Certified, making it a suitable option for any drug-tested athletes. 

One more thing I’ll say is that, in addition to using Transparent Labs Stim-Free for my evening workouts,  I also use it for my deload weeks, which is every 4-6 weeks. This is where I decrease total workout volume and intensity and reduce my caffeine intake to help reset my tolerance and avoid dependency.  

Read my in-depth review of Transparent Labs Stim-Free here.

2. X Werks Ignite: Best Low-Caffeine Pre-Workout

Overview

• Caffeine: 150mg

• Clinical doses for 2/4 key ingredients

Why It’s Good for Evening Workouts

• Great energy and stamina with minimal caffeine

This is a weird one for me, because on paper XWerks Ignite is unlikely to make anybody’s “Top 5” list. But that’s the beauty of me personally buying and trying each of the products I talk about. 

I get to try all of these products without bias and relate my true experience. 

Despite XWerks Ignite falling short on two key ingredients I look for in a pre-workout: citrulline and beta-alanine, I had really great results during the weeks I tested this product. I set a personal best on my 5-mile run time and had so much left in the tank I felt like I could have tacked on a few extra miles. 

I felt this same kind of stamina when I hit the weight floor, feeling like I could have cut down my rest breaks and added additional sets to the end of my workout. 

I also noticed a significant mood-boosting effect from XWerks Ignite. This provided a big motivation increase, which helped me gain power through some of my hardest training sessions.  

Ignite does contain caffeine at a dose of 150mg per serving, equal to approximately a medium cup of coffee.

Where pre-workout supplements are concerned, this is actually a low dose. There are very few caffeinated pre-workouts that have less than 150mg of caffeine per serving, and some go up to 400mg.

I did not personally experience any jitteriness or anxiety using XWerks Ignite. I didn’t notice any energy crash after taking it, but I also didn’t feel wired for hours as with other pre-workouts like Ryse Loaded Pre. 

I tested this pre-workout working out from 5-630pm on multiple training days, and I could still fall asleep just fine by 1030pm, and I didn’t feel like my sleep quality was impacted at all.  

While this was a great product for endurance and stamina, Ignite is not necessarily the product to go to if you want to maximize muscle pump.  If you’re looking for more muscle pumps, then the next pre-workout will be a better option. 

Read my in-depth review of XWerks Ignite here.

3. Transparent Labs Pump: Best For Pump

Overview

• Caffeine: 0mg

• Clinical doses for 4/4 ingredients

Why It’s Good for Evening Workouts

• Zero caffeine won’t negatively affect sleep

• Great formula for optimizing pump and nitric oxide production

There are a ton of pump products on the market, and many of them offer virtually identical formulas with the same 3-4 ingredients to boost nitric oxide production: citrulline, agmatine, arginine, and glycerol. 

However, what I like about Transparent Labs Pump is that it also includes tyrosine, betaine, and glutathione. 

Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine and can provide a decent physical and cognitive boost to your workouts. Betaine is a great additive for potentially supporting strength and power, as it has been shown to support improvements to body composition. 

The unique ingredient in Transparent Labs Pump, though, is glutathione, which I haven’t seen in any other pre-workouts on the market. This antioxidant has been shown to significantly increase the body’s nitric oxide production, especially when paired with citrulline. 

In fact, the combination of citrulline with glutathione, according to research, keeps nitric oxide levels elevated 30 minutes post-exercise compared to when either ingredient was used on its own. That is to say, 1 + 1 = 3 when this combo is used. 

And, in case you missed it, there’s no caffeine in this formula, so you don’t have to worry about falling asleep afterward. 

This unique, clinically dosed formula, when paired with what we know to be Transparent Labs’ high-quality standards, makes Transparent Labs Pump a fantastic formula for late-night lifters looking to optimize muscle pumps and boost recovery. 

I personally noticed the muscle pump effect most in my delts, glutes, and arms, but that’s likely because my training has more isolation exercises targeting these body parts right now. 

I also found some lifestyle factors influenced how significant the actual muscle pump was.  The days when I worked out in the evening when I ate well and drank lots of water throughout the day, gave me great muscle pumps. 

I did find this product had a fairly sour and bitter taste (though that’s not an uncommon feature of pump products). If you consider yourself to be especially sensitive to taste then I recommend opting for Transparent Labs Stim Free instead.

Read my in-depth review of Transparent Labs Pump here.

4. 4 Gauge Pre-Workout: Best For Cardio-Focused Workouts

Overview

• Caffeine: 150mg

• Clinical doses for 4/5 ingredients

Why It’s Good for Evening Workouts

• Great formula for cardio and endurance

• Nice clean energy with no insomnia or jitteriness

4Gauge is another pre-workout that offers a lower dose of caffeine at 150mg, the same as XWerks Ignite. 

Where I found XWerks to provide a noticeable boost to mental focus and mood, the 4Gauge formula focuses more on endurance and recovery. 

One thing I really appreciate about 4Gauge is their commitment to using all-natural ingredients.

There are no artificial flavors or colors in their products, and include food-based ingredients like beet root powder and coconut water to support athletic performance and recovery. 

4Gauge provides a nice clean energy but does not cause any negative side effects like jitteriness, anxiety, or insomnia. 

I don’t often use buzzwords like ‘clean energy,’ but that really is the best way to describe the energy effect of this product. Having both theanine and Rhodiola provides a really calm energy that helps you dial in versus a jacked-up, “I’m ready to take on the world” type of energy. 

That said, the formula is definitely best suited for cardio and HIIT-based exercise. 

I personally felt like it fell a bit short on powering me through my heavy strength days. I also didn’t really notice a significant muscle pump either, especially when compared with other pre-workouts on this list.

That said, I’m an experienced pre-workout user, so I think 4Gauge would be a good beginner pre-workout if you’re new to taking these sorts of products.

After realizing it was more suited to my cardio workouts, I would use this on my after-work training runs around 5PM. I didn’t notice any negative impact on getting to bed by 1030PM or my overall sleep quality. 

4Gauge does not contain any beta-alanine, which is a rarity in the pre-workout world. 

So, if you hate the “tingly feeling” that pre-workouts can cause, then 4Gauge is one of the best options for you. 

One last note about 4Gauge is its fairly strong beet taste. 

I actually found this enjoyable since I happen to like the taste of beets, and it made me feel good that I could tell I was consuming a more “natural” product. 

So many pre-workouts today are overloaded with artificial sweeteners or strong flavors to mask the taste of the natural ingredients. So, for me, it was a refreshing change of pace. 

Read my in-depth review of 4Gauge here.

5. Swolverine Pre-Workout: Best For Those With Fat Loss Goals

Overview

• Caffeine: 0mg

• Clinical doses for 4/6 ingredients

Why It’s Good for Evening Workouts

• Caffeine-free formula that also supports fat loss goals

Swolverine is a bit more expensive than some of the other pre-workouts on this list, coming in at around $2.20 per serving. (This does drop to a more reasonable $1.83 if you take advantage of the Subscribe & Save feature). 

I still feel like Swolverine deserves a spot in the top 5, since it provides a completely stimulant-free formula with ingredients to support fat loss goals. 

Alongside pre-workout supplements, many products that fall under the “Fat burner” category are also overloaded with stimulants, so it’s nice to find an option for individuals who are opting to stay away from caffeine. 

Swolverine falls a little bit shy on clinical doses for citrulline and l-carnitine, but just barely. The doses found in Swolverine will still support pump and energy production and the overall formula contains ingredients like betaine, which have been shown in research to support body composition improvements. 

Swolverine has the highest dose of beta-alanine of any pre-workout on this list, making it a fantastic option for cardio and long-duration exercise. This product will more than likely give you some significant tingles. 

When I tested Swolverine, I found that it took around 30-45 minutes for me to start feeling its effects, and I was still feeling the pump and beta-alanine effects long after my 45-minute workout had ended. 

So, like I said, this is a great formula for your longer (60-120 minute) workouts.

I also noticed that I sweat a TON when I took Swolverine, which made me feel really positive about myself, like I was working really hard, and also motivated me to keep pushing harder. 

The other caffeine-free formulas mentioned above are great for supporting strength (Transparent Labs Stim-Free), and Pump (Transparent Labs Pump), but Swolverine takes the top spot for boosting endurance and stamina.

Read my in-depth review of Swolverine here.

What To Read Next

• Pre-Workout At Night: How To Take It Without Negative Effects
• What To Do If You Can’t Fall Asleep After Taking Pre-Workout (9 Tips)

Our Testing Methodology Explained

When I test products, I go beyond just what’s written on the label. I spend weeks testing each pre-workout, making sure to use them for a variety of workout styles and at different times of the day. Having tested more than 50 pre-workouts, I also assess them on aspects like taste and mixability relative to other products on the market. Lastly, I consider different aspects of the purchasing experience like how easy the product is to order, the company’s shipping/return policies, and the brand itself for aspects like transparency, third party testing, and customer service. 

Why Trust Our Recommendation?

I have managed a supplement store for more than a decade, and I have personally used pre-workout supplements for almost twice as long. This combination gives me first-hand experience using the products, but also gives me a lot of insider knowledge as to what makes a great product. 

Our team at FeastGood.com is a diverse cast which includes Registered Dietitians and coaches with PhDs in Human Nutrition. We have personally tried and tested all of the products mentioned in this article. 

I did not receive any incentive or compensation from any companies mentioned in this article in exchange for these reviews. Nobody has “paid” for their spot in this article.

References

Reyes, Tania & Nemzer, Boris & Argumedo, Ruby & Cervantes, Melissa & Pietrzkweski, Zbigniew. (2016). The Effect of ElevATP ™ on Exercise Output: A Single Dose, Blinded, Three-Way Cross-Over Study. Current Trends in Nutraceuticals. 1. 1.

Tumilty, L., Davison, G., Beckmann, M. et al. Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 2941–2950 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1921-4

Van Every, Derrick W. BS1; Plotkin, Daniel L. BS1; Delcastillo, Kenneth BS1; Cholewa, Jason PhD2; Schoenfeld, Brad J. PhD1. Betaine Supplementation: A Critical Review of Its Efficacy for Improving Muscle Strength, Power, and Body Composition. Strength and Conditioning Journal 43(4):p 53-61, August 2021. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000622

McKinley-Barnard S, Andre T, Morita M, Willoughby DS. Combined L-citrulline and glutathione supplementation increases the concentration of markers indicative of nitric oxide synthesis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Jun 10;12:27. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0086-7. PMID: 26097441; PMCID: PMC4472409.

Cabre HE, Greenwalt CE, Gould LM, Smith-Ryan AE. The effects of L-Citrulline and Glutathione on Endurance performance in young adult trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023 Dec;20(1):2206386. doi: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2206386. PMID: 37125500; PMCID: PMC10134954.