Naked Energy Review: All-Natural, But Underdosed (Results)

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Naked Nutrition takes its all-natural approach to supplements seriously and offers one of the only completely unflavored pre-workout supplements on the market with Naked Energy. I tested this pre-workout to see if this all-natural product stands up against its competitors. 

Key Takeaways

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• Naked Energy offers one of the lowest-cost pre-workouts at $0.90 per serving. In analyzing more than 50 available pre-workouts, the average cost per serving is $1.61, making Naked Energy great value.

• While Naked Energy uses high-quality ingredients with zero artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors, the performance-enhancing ingredients are underdosed, resulting in a product that provides a reasonable energy boost but no other significant effects. 

• Naked Energy is for anybody looking for an all-natural product and wants to avoid artificial flavor, color, or sweetener. Given the 200mg of caffeine, Naked Energy is a good option for anybody looking for a small energy boost. Individuals looking for a noticeable muscle pump or strength boost will find this underwhelming. 

Check out our article on the Best Pre-Workouts Without Artificial Sweetener to learn our top pick.

What Is Naked Energy? 

Naked Energy is an unflavored, caffeinated pre-workout offered by Naked Nutrition. 

Naked Nutrition prides itself on being a brand that focuses on premium ingredients without the use of any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives and is non-GMO. 

Naked Energy blends beta-alanine, creatine, arginine, and caffeine. They suggest using a 2-scoop serving size with 100 scoops per container. As such, this is a 50-serving product. 

Naked Energy also uses high-quality, patented ingredients like CarnoSyn® beta-alanine and AjiPure® arginine. Using patented ingredients provides additional reassurance that the ingredients are safe and effective since they go through more strict clinical trials before being patented. 

Despite using high-quality ingredients, the doses used in Naked Energy fall below the clinical doses proven effective in research. 

When taking the recommended 2-scoop serving of Naked Energy, you are likely to experience an energy boost from the 200mg of caffeine, and you may notice some increased endurance from the 2g dose of beta-alanine. 

Because the creatine monohydrate (1g) and arginine (1g) are significantly below clinical dose standards, you are unlikely to experience noticeable improvements to strength or pump. 

I believe anybody who has been supplementing with pre-workout for a while will likely find Naked Energy doesn’t provide a significant performance benefit. 

With that said, some consumers will value the “natural” aspects. The formula contains no gluten, wheat, soy, or dairy, making it appealing to anybody with any potential allergies or intolerances. 

Also, Naked Energy is cheaper per serving than a cup of coffee or an energy drink, so it’s worth a try if you’re simply looking for a pick-me-up. 

Claims vs Reality:  How I Felt After Taking Naked Energy Pre-Workout? 

Before the product arrived, I was really excited to try it because I was familiar with the quality of products offered by Naked Nutrition (I’ve also reviewed their protein powder and mass gainer).

I’ll be honest, though: this pre-workout sat on my shelf for a long time once it arrived.  

I took one look at the formula and felt incredibly disappointed. I found the ingredients to be really under-dosed and was drawn to doing product tests for some other, more exciting-looking pre-workouts. 

While I feel like Naked Energy falls short of delivering significant strength results and muscle pump, I softened up to the product because it provided pleasant energy at a very reasonable price. 

The 200mg of caffeine was enough to wake me up for my morning workouts, and I felt like its energizing effects slowly tapered off, so I didn’t feel a crash as I started my work day.  This was a nice change, especially after testing RedCon1 Total War, where I crashed hard. 

I also did not experience any jitteriness with this pre-workout. 

Now, onto the taste…

After seeing all the negative feedback on its taste, I was scared to try it. 

Truthfully, I found the bitter aftertaste to be relatively mild, and the scoop size is so small that it can easily be diluted by adding a few extra ounces of water or mixing it with a small amount of juice. 

Because I am not personally trying to avoid added flavors or sweeteners in my diet, I am unlikely to add Naked Energy to my supplement stack ongoing. 

That being said, I can appreciate this product for being completely natural and vegan. I think it could be a suitable option for anybody looking for an inexpensive energy boost. 

Naked Energy Ingredients 

The ingredients here are listed per 2 scoop servings as recommended on the product label. 

Beta-Alanine

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that plays a role in creatine carnosine in the body. This carnosine buffers the hydrogen ions that build up and cause muscle fatigue. 

Supplementing with beta-alanine can increase muscle carnosine levels by anywhere from 15 to 85%. As a result, muscle fatigue will be delayed, which means you can work out at higher intensities for longer periods. 

Beta-alanine comes with a side effect called paresthesia, best described as a tingling or “pins and needles” sensation. Some enjoy this sensation because it lets them know that the ingredients are being absorbed and are beginning to do their job. Others find the sensation distracting or uncomfortable. 

To see its full benefit, beta-alanine should be taken daily at a dose of 3-6g for several weeks in order to saturate the body. After this saturation period, a dose of 1.2g daily is sufficient for maintenance. 

With 2g per 2 scoops, Naked Energy does not have a high enough dose to saturate the body effectively. If you haven’t been taking beta-alanine daily before trying Naked Energy, it is recommended to supplement with additional beta-alanine for 2-3 weeks. 

Naked Energy does contain enough beta-alanine for maintenance once the body’s been saturated. 

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most thoroughly researched sports supplements, with decades of research proving it to be both safe and effective for increasing athletic performance, especially strength and power. 

Creatine plays a key role in a key energy system that the body uses during strength and power-based exercises. Creatine is stored in the body as creatine phosphate, and in this energy cycle, the phosphate is separated from the creatine and goes on to make ATP (energy). 

Like beta-alanine, creatine requires a loading phase before its full benefits are seen. 

You can either do a quick loading phase, taking 20-25g daily for 5-7 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5g daily afterward. This method comes with an increased risk for side effects like nausea. 

Alternatively, you can begin with the maintenance dose (3-5g daily), which will take around 4 weeks for the body to reach full saturation. Though this method takes longer before you see creatine’s effects, it has fewer reported side effects. 

No matter which route you take, after a month of consistent creatine intake, you will have the same level of saturation in the body and see the same benefits. 

With only 1g of creatine monohydrate per 2-scoop serving, Naked Energy falls short on clinical doses for both saturation and maintenance. If you want to see significant increases in strength, you will need to supplement with additional creatine. 

L-Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid used by the body to make protein. It also acts as a vasodilator, opening up the body’s blood vessels and allowing blood to pass more easily. 

Arginine is commonly added to pre-workouts to increase blood flow to the muscles, which can provide an aesthetic muscle pump and boost nutrient and oxygen delivery to the muscles. 

More research is needed, but supplementing with arginine may improve body composition and support athletic performance and recovery. 

The standard pre-workout dose of arginine is 3-6g. With only 1g of arginine per 2 scoop serving, Naked Energy fails to meet clinical dose standards. 

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that speeds up the central nervous system, causing an increase in alertness and mood. 

When taken before exercise, caffeine can delay fatigue, increase performance in HIIT activities, improve muscular strength, endurance, and power, and improve cardiovascular performance. 

Individual responses to caffeine will vary, but the FDA recommends a safe upper limit of 400mg of caffeine daily. 

Naked Energy contains 200mg of caffeine per 2 scoop serving, equal to roughly two 8-oz cups of coffee. 

Highlights: What I Like About Naked Energy

Zero Artificial Ingredients

Naked Energy is completely unflavored, with zero added sugar or artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colors. 

This makes Naked Energy an excellent option for anybody sensitive to artificial flavors or sweeteners. 

Because Naked Energy doesn’t contain adequate ingredients to support pump or strength, having an unflavored option makes it easy to add to other products, like creatine or beta-alanine, without worrying about flavor matching. 

Very Affordable

Naked Energy costs only $0.90 per serving, making it among the most affordable pre-workouts. 

While the low cost is primarily because Naked Energy does not contain many or high doses of ingredients, it might still be a suitable option for somebody on a tight budget who is just looking for an energy boost. 

If you take advantage of the subscribe and save feature, you can get your first order of Naked Energy for only $0.72 per serving, and each subsequent order will cost $0.81 per serving.

Suitable For All Diets

Naked Energy has no additives and is GMO-free, vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free. 

This makes it a viable option for anybody with an allergy or sensitivity. 

Drawbacks What I Did Not Like About Naked Energy

Underdosed In Key Ingredients

Unfortunately, aside from caffeine, none of the ingredients in Naked Energy are provided in high enough doses to be of significant benefit. 

The one exception is that the 2g of beta-alanine found in 2 scoops of Naked Energy is enough to qualify as a maintenance dose if you have already been taking beta-alanine on its own at 3-6g daily for several weeks. 

I recommend supplementing with additional beta-alanine and creatine to see optimal strength and endurance benefits. 

Poor Taste

Despite being “unflavored,” Naked Energy has a slightly bitter taste that may be undesirable if taken on its own. 

To remedy this, I looked to add my pre-workout to juice or flavored amino acids, which negates the benefit of having no artificial sweeteners or sugar. 

Some reviews online described this as an unbearable product to drink on its own. I found those claims slightly exaggerated, but there’s no denying the bitter taste.

How Does  Naked Energy Stack Up Against Our Criteria For Pre Workouts

Price

Our rating: 5/5

Naked Energy is among the most affordable pre-workouts available on the market.

This low cost comes with the trade-off of Naked Energy not having significant doses of performance-based ingredients. 

Even still, if all you are looking for is an energy boost, Naked Energy costs less than a cup of coffee.

Taste 

Our rating: 1/5

Naked Energy is unflavored and unsweetened, leaving only the natural flavor of the raw ingredients, which are quite bitter.

Mixability 

Our rating: 5/5

Naked Energy dissolves entirely with no residue or chalky texture. 

If it weren’t for the slightly bitter taste, it would be difficult to distinguish this pre-workout from drinking plain water because it dissolves so well. 

When mixed into juice, Naked Energy was entirely undetectable. 

Energy

Our rating: 3/5

With 200mg of caffeine per serving, Naked Energy provides the same energy as two 8-oz cups of coffee. 

200mg of caffeine is a very reasonable dose and did increase alertness and improve total time to fatigue. 

However, the lack of additional nootropics to boost mental focus or clinical doses of ingredients to support physical stamina made this pre-workout feel like it provided less energy than others on the market. 

Pump 

Our rating: 1/5

Naked Energy contains 1g of arginine, which may support nitric oxide production, resulting in a light to moderate muscle pump. 

I didn’t personally notice any muscle pump from taking this pre-workout, but some individuals who left reviews for Naked Energy said they did. 

Because this product is inexpensive, consider pairing it with additional L-Citrulline which is available unflavored to provide extra muscle pump without adding more stimulants.

Strength

Our rating: 1/5

Despite containing creatine monohydrate, the dose found in Naked Energy is insufficient to provide a noticeable benefit.

I recommend supplementing with additional creatine at 3-5g daily for individuals looking to see a noticeable increase in strength. Naked Energy offers an unflavored creatine monohydrate here.

Who Should Take Naked Energy? 

 Naked Energy is for: 

• People looking for an energy boost and don’t care as much about strength or muscle pump

• People trying to avoid all artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives

• Individuals on a tighter supplement budget

Who Should Not Take Naked Energy? 

I would not recommend Naked Energy for:

• Anyone looking for a noticeable boost to strength or muscle pump

• Somebody who wants to experience dialed-in mental focus

• Individuals who want a great-tasting product

What Are Other Customers Saying About Naked Energy? 

The Naked Nutrition website indicates that Naked Energy has a 5/5 star rating based on 359 reviews. 

When I scanned through the 36 pages of reviews, however, there were quite a few 3 and 4-star ratings, which makes me question whether the company is deliberately trying to be deceptive in how they present their rating. 

Regardless, the reviews on the Naked Energy website were overwhelmingly positive, with users reporting that the product provides a great, natural energy boost worth the slightly bitter taste. 

Amazon appeared to have a more accurate overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on more than 2600 reviews.

Customers appreciate that they don’t feel jittery when taking this product and that there are no artificial ingredients. (The latter likely drew customers to the product first).  

Naked Energy did have one of the highest percentages of 1-star ratings I have seen for pre-workouts on Amazon, at 10% of the total ratings. 

Some negative ratings were because of poor customer service experiences or because people experienced beta-alanine tingles and weren’t familiar with this common side effect. 

Otherwise, most negative reviews were around the product’s taste or users’ feeling that it “did nothing for them.” 

Read my reviews of other Naked Nutrition products: 

• Naked Whey Protein Powder Review
• Naked Mass Review

Naked Energy Alternatives

Transparent Labs Bulk

Transparent Labs Bulk is a complete pre-workout offering strength, stamina, energy, and mental focus ingredients. 

It contains the same caffeine as Naked Energy and zero artificial sweeteners, colors, or preservatives. 

Unlike Naked Energy, though, Bulk contains clinical doses of ingredients for pump (citrulline malate), strength (betaine anhydrous), and endurance (beta-alanine), as well as clinical doses of three ingredients known to support increased mental focus. 

Transparent Labs Bulk can be an excellent middle ground if you want to avoid as many artificial ingredients as possible while prioritizing strength and athletic performance. 

Bulk does come with a slightly higher price tag, however, at around $1.66 per serving (as low as $1.50 if you choose the Subscribe and Save feature). 

Read my full breakdown of Transparent Labs Bulk here

Build Your Own

If your main priority is eliminating all possible flavors and sweeteners, choose three or four key ingredients and purchase them individually. 

This will cost more upfront but will keep the overall cost per serving low and help you avoid any artificial flavors or colors. 

The key trade-off here is that it can be more time-consuming as you will have to measure each ingredient individually. 

If you were to try to imitate the Naked Energy formula but use clinical doses of all ingredients, you could do it the following way: 

• Bulk Supplements Beta-Alanine: $16.96 for 500g, or approx $0.11 per 3.2g serving
• Naked Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate: $28.79 for 1kg, or approx $0.14 per 5g serving
• Bulk Supplements L-Arginine: $22.96 for 500g, or approx $0.14 per 3g serving
• Bulk Supplements Caffeine Pills: $14.96 for 120 capsules, or approx: $0.12 per 200mg serving

Total upfront cost: $83.67

Total cost per clinically dosed serving: $0.51

Find my complete guide on building your own pre-workout supplement here

Are There Any Promos or Discounts For Naked Energy? 

When you visit the Naked Nutrition website, you can find a pop-up box in the bottom right-hand corner to get 20% off your order. Clicking on that button generates a pop-up that advertises 15% of your first order if you subscribe to their mailing list. 

If you want to stay current with all Naked Nutrition promotions and offers, that e-mail list will likely be the best way. 

During Black Friday, Naked Nutrition was offering 15% off using a special discount code, so they likely run seasonal promotions throughout the year. 

Naked Nutrition also has a bundle page where you can buy pre-built supplement bundles and save anywhere from 15-25% off. 

Lastly, Naked Nutrition offers a Subscribe & Save Feature where you can save 20% off your first shipment and 10% off of subsequent orders. You can set your autoship every 1, 2, or 3 months. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Naked Energy The Best Pre-Workout?

Naked Energy pre-workout is one of the only unflavored pre-workout supplements available. This is one of the best options for avoiding all flavors and colors for the most natural product. 

Is Naked Energy Third Party Tested? 

Naked Energy is third-party tested for heavy metals. 

Is Naked Energy Good For Weight Loss? 

Naked Energy contains 200mg of caffeine, which can provide a reasonable energy increase and may slightly suppress appetite in some individuals. It does not contain any specific ingredients to support weight loss.

Is Naked Energy Safe For Women? 

Naked Energy is safe for use by women but should not be used if you are pregnant or nursing. 

How Long Does Naked Energy Last For? 

The energizing effects from Naked Energy can be felt for 1-2 hours after taking it with no noticeable jitters or crashes. There were no other noticeable effects from taking Naked Energy. 

Does Naked Energy Need To Be Cycled? 

Naked Energy does not technically need to be cycled, but you may start to build up a tolerance to caffeine with prolonged use. If you stop feeling the energizing effects from Naked Energy, it’s recommended to take 2 weeks off to reset your tolerance. 

What Flavors Are Available For Naked Energy? 

Naked Energy is available unflavored but can also be purchased in Citrus and Fruit Punch, which are flavored using cane sugar and natural plant-based flavors.

Where Is Naked Energy Made? 

Naked Nutrition’s headquarters are in Miami, Fl. Their products are all made in a GMP-certified facility. 

What Is Naked Nutrition’s Shipping Policy? 

Naked Nutrition offers free shipping on orders over $100. They ship all products within the US and select products to Canada and the UK. Standard shipping is expected to be 5-7 business days, with expedited orders arriving in 2-3 business days. 

What Is Naked Nutrition’s Return Policy? 

Unopened and unused items may be returned within 14 days for a full refund or exchange, less shipping charges. 

How To Contact Naked Nutrition? 

Naked Nutrition can be reached via e-mail at questions@nakednutrition.com or through the e-chat feature on their website. 

Their customer service phone line 855-964-0970 can be reached Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm EST. 

You can also send a message through the contact form found here. 

Naked Nutrition can be found active on social media on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Youtube.

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