More and more people are becoming vegan or have been for a long time which is why many supplement companies offer plant-based options in a variety of categories.
For this one, we’re bringing you our best vegan pre-workout supplement picks for 2022 that do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
But don’t worry, they still contain a potent profile of ingredients to help boost energy and mental performance and offer other benefits such as enhanced strength and more muscle growth!
Best Vegan Pre-Workout Ranked:
- Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout – Buy here Editor’s Choice
- 4 gauge Pre-Workout – Buy here
- Powher Women’s Pre-Workout – Buy here
- Honey Badger Pre-Workout – Buy here
- Naked Pre-Workout – Buy here
- MRM Organic Pre-Workout – Buy here
- Elevate Nutrition Pre-Workout – Buy here
- Vega Sports Energizer – Buy here
- RSP AminoLean – Buy here
- Garden of Life Sport Pre-Workout – Buy here
- Organic Muscle Pre-Workout – Buy here
Editor’s Choice – Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout
Bulk is a product formulated to help users gain muscular weight through fast recovery and key ingredients such as betaine and citrulline that are proven to enhance muscle growth.
It also contains testosterone support in the form of vitamin D, boron, and zinc.
There are no proprietary blends so you know everything in the formula and it’s naturally sweetened with Stevia.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
BULK Pre-Workout
BULK Pre-Workout
The Transparent Labs BULK Pre-Workout is designed to help you recover better with a nice dose of BCAAs and many other suitable ingredients. This all comes from a company that focuses on creating products that are fully transparent.
Here’s our full Transparent Labs Bulk pre-workout review.
4 Gauge Pre-Workout
4-Gauge is a potent pre-workout formula with an equally appealing bottle design in the shape and size of a 4-gauge shell.
It’s made from all-natural ingredients and there are no proprietary blends or artificial sweeteners.
While it only has 150mg of caffeine (still nothing to scoff at), 2g of l theanine, 6g of citrulline, creatine, 3g red beet, and other ingredients enhance its firepower to make it a uniquely effective formula.
4 Gauge Pre-Workout Review
4 Gauge Pre-Workout Review
4 Gauge is safest and one of the strongest pre-workout on the market. Each serving contains 150mg caffeine plus 200mg L-theanine combined as "Smart caffeine," 6g citrulline for pumps, carnitine for fighting fatigue and Rhodiola Rosea for all-around performance.
See our full review of 4 Gauge here.
Powher Women’s Pre-Workout
A women’s focused pre-workout, this formula has the Powher to get you through tough training sessions without a ton of caffeine and stimulants.
Men and women are very different by nature. Most women don’t need as strong a formula to experience the desired effects and this also helps to minimize the potential for unpleasant side effects.
There’s only 100mg of caffeine but one key ingredient is the 300mg of EnXtra that has shown to enhance the effects of caffeine. It’s known to be a “caffeine amplifier”.
RedNite® or beta vulgaris is a more potent variation of beetroot that acts as a strong vasodilator that expands blood vessels and enhances blood flow to enhanced pumps.
But it’s also shown to enhance muscular performance and fatigue which means you can train harder and longer.
Powher Pre Workout
Powher Pre Workout
Powher is a clinically-dosed, easy-on-the-caffeine pre-workout supplement for women that has become quite the buzz. Powher support intense workouts, increased motivation with zero side effects.
Check out our Powher pre-workout review.
Honey Badger Pre-Workout
While we love the name, Honey Badger is more than just cool marketing.
It’s 0-calorie, 0 sugar, and 0 sucralose, and has a respectable performance blend of ingredients that include l-citrulline (big pumps and muscle performance), beta-alanine (longer training sessions), tyrosine (enhanced focus), and 150 mg caffeine.
There’s plenty of mental and physical performance-enhancing compounds.
You also get a nice dose of vitamin C that’s great for the immune system and general health.
Honey Badger is a good option for both men and women.
Pros
- Natural formula
- Vegan
- Keto and paleo-friendly
- No artificial sweeteners
- No sugar
- Soy and gluten-free
- Great for men and women
Cons
- Not very potent (good for non-hardcore exercisers)
- Some don’t like the taste
About the brand
Honey Badger is a US brand founded by three brothers and special forces veterans that all share the same passion for fitness and health.
They thought of no better name for the company than “the most fearless animal on the planet” which fits their fierce, determined, and resilient personalities.
They craft unique and clean formulas designed to maximize performance for all.
Naked Pre-Workout
Naked is a super-simple pre-workout (hence the name), that contains only clean ingredients that contribute something to the effectiveness of the formula.
You get a decent profile of vitamins such as C, B3, B6, and B12 that are important for maintaining heart, nerve, blood cell, and general health.
The core performance ingredients include Carnosyn beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate, AljiPure (l-arginine), and 200mg caffeine.
Creatine is proven as a muscle and strength builder, and it can also improve several factors of performance.
L-arginine acts as a vasodilator to widen blood vessels and increase pumps. Consequently, it may also have heart and sexual health benefits.
Pros
- Natural, clean, and basic formula
- Vegan
- Soy and gluten-free
Cons
- Many don’t care for the taste
About the brand
Naked Nutrition is a US-based brand that was founded in 2014 by cross country athlete Stephen Zieminski. He noticed that many supplements offered ingredients with little value and wanted to change that.
It started with 5 simple ingredients and their flagship Naked whey before introducing over 40 products, most of which contain 3 ingredients or less.
MRM Organic Pre-Workout
If you prefer organic ingredients then you might want to take a look at this pre-workout from MRM.
It has several superfoods and adaptogens that include organic maca root and rhodiola rosea that can help with stress and fatigue. Red beetroot and cordyceps support blood flow, and green tea leaf, guayusa tea leaves, schizandra berries, green coffee bean extract, and coffee fruit increase energy and focus.
That’s a lot of ingredients that can aid your performance.
Other ingredients include acacia fiber, stevia, and monk fruit which are natural sweeteners.
Overall, MRM organic pre-workout looks like a solid option that does more than just provide energy to break through personal records and perform longer.
Pros
- Vegan
- Organic
- Holistic ingredient profile
- Natural sweeteners
- No artificial flavors
- Soy and gluten-free
Cons
- Some don’t like taste
- Some may feel it’s not strong enough
About the brand
MRM was founded by a variety of professionals such as nutritionists, researchers, food specialists, and more. They value both modern extraction processes and ancient wisdom to craft top-notch products for everyone.
Elevate Nutrition Pre-Workout
Elevate is dosed with a very respectable 240mg of caffeine which should give almost anyone a nice performance boost.
You get a full B12 supply and the main ingredients are citrulline, beta-alanine, creatine, l-leucine, taurine, beetroot powder, and l-isoleucine, and valine (BCAAs).
There’s some coconut water which is good for hydration and there are natural flavors and monk fruit as a natural sweetener.
Pros
- Natural ingredients
- Low-carb
- 0 sugars
- Naturally sweetened
- Paleo and keto-friendly
- Soy and gluten-free
Cons
- Some don’t like taste
- May be strong for those new to pre-workouts
About the brand
Founded by Jillian and Paul Salomone, Elevate is the first of its kind to offer high-performance nutritional supplements made only from plant sources.
Vega Sports Energizer
Vega Sports Energizer is a good option for those who need energy without the crash and jitters that are common with high-stimulant pre-workouts.
It contains just 100mg of caffeine from organic coffee fruit, which isn’t a lot compared to many options on the market, but it’s perfect for exercisers who just want a little boost.
Plus, each dose supplies 16g of simple carbohydrates from brown rice syrup and coconut palm sugar that provide energy during physical activity.
There’s also 11mg of caffeine from green tea.
Vega Energizer has several ingredients that should increase energy levels.
Pros
- Vegan
- Soy and gluten-free
- Has some B12 for energy support
- Non-GMO
- Good for men and women
Cons
- 15g added sugar
- May not be potent enough for some exercisers
About the brand
Vega is a plant-based supplement company founded by Brendan Brazier, a professional triathlete who wanted an “all-in-one solution” to power his performance and lifestyle.
The website has information on the health benefits of eating more plant-based, such as helping to maintain heart health and reducing the risk of cancers and Type 2 diabetes.
They also make sure to give back.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
RSP AminoLean
Next up is RSP AminoLean.
It has an amino acid blend and for those who don’t know, amino acids are important for building proteins and other processes. The amino blend also includes l citrulline, beta-alanine, and taurine.
In addition, there’s a weight management blend that consists of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), green tea with EGCG that’s shown to have great health and potential weight loss benefits, and then there’s green coffee.
For the natural energy and focus blend, the InnovaTea (natural caffeine 98% from tea and organic matcha is another ingredient. There’s 125mg of caffeine per serving.
If you want to benefit from additional calories burned (more weight loss potential), this may be a good choice.
Pros
- All-natural
- Organic
- Vegan-friendly
- Zero calories
- Sugar-free
- Includes weight management blend
Cons
- Many not thrilled with taste
- Some reported little energy boost
About the brand
RSP was started in 2008 by former collegiate athlete Victor Davanzo. He saw the need for safe and healthy nutritional supplements after being dissatisfied with many offerings that he felt were not healthy or safe.
Out of that, RSP was born and their mission has been to provide the highest quality products to anyone.
Garden of Life Sport Pre-Workout
Garden of Life pre-workout isn’t going to win any awards for most hardcore pre-workouts at 85mg of caffeine per serving. However, it contains an antioxidant energy blend and nitric oxide blend that can enhance the performance effects.
Not to mention, there’s a huge dose of vitamin B12.
The ingredients for energy support include baobab and coffeeberry whole coffee fruit extract.
The nitric oxide blend includes spinach, kale, and beet.
While it’s not the most hardcore option, there are a lot of health-promoting ingredients and you’ll still notice improvements in physical and mental performance.
Pros
- Vegan
- USDA organic
- Big dose of B12 for energy and helping fatigue
- Sugar-free
- Low-calorie
- Certified for Sport
- Non-GMO
- Soy and gluten-free
Cons
- Many don’t like the taste
- May not be ideal for those who need more caffeine
About the brand
Garden of Life is a well-known brand that starts every formula with real foods. They aren’t about including synthetic ingredients in their products and are focused on the health of customers.
Organic Muscle Pre-Workout
Organic muscle pre-workout has three blends…
Vascularity and pump – pomegranate, beet, goji berry, and more.
Energy, focus, and stamina – maca, coconut water, ginseng, green coffee bean, cordyceps, rhodiola rosea, and more.
There’s 150 mg of caffeine per serving of this pre-workout formula.
Metabolic boost – matcha green tea, organic green tea extract, and more.
Natural flavoring – passionfruit and guava.
There’s apparently a lot going on here with multiple ingredients that are added to have many performance-aiding benefits.
Pros
- All-natural
- Vegan
- USDA organic
- Low-calorie
- No added sugars
- Non-GMO
- Soy and gluten-free
Cons
- Many complaints about the taste
About the brand
Organic Muscle was founded by James B after landing in the ER from taking a dangerous, “stimulant-ridden” supplement. This led him to want to create safe, organic, and natural ingredients that work.
How We Chose The Best Vegan Pre-Workout Supplements
The product selections on our list were based on certain criteria to ensure we recommend only the best quality options currently available on the market.
Here are the main factors we took into consideration…
Ingredients – All pre-workouts don’t necessarily need to contain the same exact ingredients but they should have a healthy and effective dose of ingredients that have been scientifically proven to provide some sort of benefit.
Effectiveness – This will depend entirely on the ingredients contained in the product and sometimes, how your body reacts to specific substances.
Manufacturing Standards – Ideally, products are produced and stored in a cGMP facility which ensures quality.
Side Effects – Side effects are sometimes inevitable when it comes to supplementation which doesn’t always mean there’s something wrong with the product as one person may experience a side effect and someone else may not.
However, products should only contain ingredients that are generally considered safe for most people with little chance of causing discomfort or other undesirable effects. User feedback is also sometimes a good way to determine the overall quality of a product.
If we could single out one ingredient it would be the nervous system stimulant caffeine. If you’ve not built up a solid tolerance relative to the dose, you may experience serious side effects such as jitters, anxiety, heart palpitations, etc.
Always read the product label and start off with a small dose if you’re new to taking similar products.
Benefits of a Vegan Pre-Workout Supplement
While experienced pre-workout users will know the benefits of using these awesome formulas, some don’t. Keep in mind, there are stim and stim-free options that offer some of the same but also different effects.
Here are the main benefits to expect from a pre-workout.
Increased energy
Caffeine is the main ingredient included in any supplement for the purpose of increasing energy levels. It’s a nervous system stimulant that comes from plants or synthetic sources. Thus far, nothing really compares to the jolt of energy it can give exercisers.
Some pre-workouts have very little caffeine and others have a whole lot. More is not always better, especially when it comes to individual needs.
For example, more often than not, women require less caffeine than men. Not to mention, some people do not do well taking lots of caffeine and stimulants.
13 Best Caffeine Pills Reviewed for 2024
Enhanced performance
While caffeine should do its job to keep you energized, a really good formula will contain several performance-aiding ingredients.
Beta-alanine, for example, acts as a buffer against lactic acid in the muscles and this helps to train longer, whereas the pain and discomfort would normally be too much to keep pushing (1).
L-citrulline is another common ingredient that enhances pumps and performance and it’s even shown to increase growth hormone and muscle mass (2, 3).
Then you have adaptogens (maca, rhodiola rosea, cordyceps, schizandra) and nootropics (caffeine, creatine, l-theanine, rhodiola rosea, l-carnitine) that enhance mood, reduce stress, help with motivation, extend cognitive effects, etc (4).
Health support
A lot of pre-workout formulas contain vitamins and minerals and herbs that can help to support and maintain many factors of health.
Although, by no means should you rely on a pre-workout to supply health-supporting nutrients and ingredients. But it definitely doesn’t hurt and can help in some cases.
Who Should Buy A Vegan Pre-Workout Supplement?
Whether you’re a gym-goer, athlete, or anyone in between, a pre-workout can be safely taken prior to the activity of choice, for most healthy individuals. Otherwise, it’s a no-brainer. If you are trying to follow a vegan eating regime, choose one that is completely plant-based.
How Do I Pick a Good Vegan Pre-Workout For Me?
All of the pre-workout products on our list offer something unique, but whether or not one may be slightly better than another, well… it’d be impossible to give an accurate answer to that.
Consider your budget, overall value (cost for a number of ingredients and servings), and user feedback to determine what it is you may be looking for from a certain product. Not all products are created equally and many times the cost is reflective of this. But you can make a good decision by doing your due diligence.
And in this case, we did a lot of the work for you by choosing products with clean and effective active ingredients from reputable companies.
Related: Best Vegan Protein Powders Reviewed In 2021
Wrapping Up
There you have it, our picks for the best vegan pre-workout supplements in 2021.
We included options that we felt offered something unique but that also do what they’re supposed to, and that is, boost your energy and mental performance, without animal-based ingredients.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
