Are you ready to push your running or workouts to the max? Whether at the gym, working out at home, or on the trail, a pre-workout supplement can provide you with the focus and energy that you need to get the most out of your workout anywhere.
Pre-workout supplements should be taken around 20 minutes before exercise and contain ingredients that provide quick energy, reduce recovery time, and help build or maintain muscle mass during your workout. Many also contain caffeine to keep you alert and rev-up your metabolism.
The question is then, are endurance supplements necessary? For a standard workout, probably not. In most cases simply eating a healthy meal about an hour before your workout is sufficient to provide your body with all the fuel it requires, but if you’re working out for an extended period, running marathons or doing high-intensity training (HIT), or just want to overcome a lapse in motivation, they can be a highly effective boost.
Do They Actually Work?
How effective these supplements are for you will depend on what brand you choose. There are a lot of cheaper brands out there that are packed with nasty chemicals, caffeine, and not much else. While you may feel more energized after taking these, you may also experience unwanted side effects such as jitteriness and hard crashes.
The key is to choose a reputable brand and formulation that is best suited to your desired workout regime. To help you sort the good from the bad, we’ve researched a collection of the market’s top endurance supplements as well as cross-checked actual user reviews to come up with the top five pre-workout endurance supplements available today.
When evaluating the contestants, we looked at brand reputation, ingredients contained, results, and overall value for each product. Want to see which brands made it to the top five? Check it out below.
Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Endurance Supplement
- 100% ALL NATURAL PRE WORKOUT POWDER. Pulse is a naturally sweetened and flavored pre workout supplement that contains large and effective doses of the best science-backed ingredients, including those found in many nitric oxide supplements: L citrulline malate, betaine, beta alanine and alpha gpc.
- BOOSTS ENERGY & FOCUS. Mix a serving of this preworkout for women and men with water, swig it down, and get fired up and zeroed in and crush your workout . . . and without the jitters, upset stomach, or post-workout crash.
- ENHANCES STRENGTH & ENDURANCE. This all natural preworkout powder is a nitric oxide booster and helps you push more weight and reps, get bigger and better pumps, and gain more muscle and strength.
- GUARANTEED RESULTS OR YOUR MONEY BACK. If you're not 100% satisfied with this preworkout for men and women, just notify us and we’ll give you a prompt and courteous refund on the spot. No complicated forms and no return necessary.
- THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND. Tired of the exaggeration and lies of the workout supplements industry? So was Mike Mathews, international bestselling fitness author with over a million books sold, and that's why he created Legion Athletics.
Legion Pulse is one of the best endurance supplements to try if you’re not keen on the possibility of side effects. While some powders might leave you feeling jittery or upset your stomach, Pulse is free of dangerous stimulants and includes all-natural ingredients.
Pulse also won’t cause you to crash mid-workout. The manufacturers guarantee against crashes and other adverse side effects. Although, in all fairness, that’s a bit of a rash claim to make – everyone is going to react to endurance supplements a little differently.
The formulation of Legion Pulse includes six compounds that have been significantly proven to help boost your nitric oxide levels, energy, and performance ability including:
Beta-alanine
Citrulline
Ornithine
Betaine
Theanine
Caffeine
Pulse supplements do not, however, contain arginine or creatine as many other pre-workout supplements do. This is because, according to Legion, arginine is unreliable, and creatine is best taken post-workout. The resulting formula is perfect to give you a clean energy rush without unnecessary dyes and additives.
Reviews of Legion Pulse are positive overall with the only reoccurring themes being complaints of headaches, a bitter flavor, and a potentially overly large suggested serving size.
Pros
• Made in the United States
• The Legion facility is NSF- and CGMP-certified
• Full 90-day money-back guarantee
• Excellent customer service
• No extraneous chemicals or fillers
• All-natural formulation
Cons
• Some users report it can cause headaches
• Flavor described as bitter
BPI Best Pre-Workout Endurance
Prior to BPI’s release of Best Pre-Workout, if you were following a strict keto diet (low carb/high fat/moderate protein), you had to make a choice – diet or pre-workout drink. BPI developed this formula so that you wouldn’t have to make that choice.
Best Pre-Workout is designed to help turn your body into a fat-burning machine while providing it with the support that it needs to ensure that lean muscle mass is maintained without net-carb content.
The caffeine in this supplement, combined with CDP-Choline, gives you a boost of energy to help you to stay focused and alert during your workout.
The inclusion of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) and beta-hydroxybutrate (BHB) salts in this formula also assist your body in going into or staying in ketosis. This means that it switches from burning glucose for energy to burning fat. This is a great option if you are trying to lose weight and are following some form of low-carb diet.
Best Pre-Workout reviews are mixed. Some users report they love the taste and it provides a jitter-free ample boost. Others state it tastes horrible and had no effect. This may reflect the variety of flavors BPI offers. For instance, many seemed to like the watermelon and dislike the lemon. It also highlights how different individuals can respond to endurance supplements differently. It may take some trial and error to find the best fit for you.
Pros
• No Fillers
• It’s a reputable brand
• Full thirty-day money-back guarantee
• OK on low carb diets
• Provides a good jolt of energy
• Easy to mix
• Good if you’re trying to lose weight
Cons
• Some users dislike the taste
BPI Sports Best BCAA w/ Energy
Another offering from BPI, Sports Best BCAA w/Energy is an excellent choice if your focus is not just on obtaining a jolt of energy before your workout, but also on better performance and faster muscle recovery. Sports Best is packed with branched chain amino acids that are in a bio-available format to help promote muscle building and recovery.
Similar to other products on our list, user reviews again report the flavor of Best Sports is not fantastic. It seems that in general, endurance supplements can have an unpleasant taste.
Pros
• Reputable company
• Not badly priced
• Great for supporting muscle building
• Won’t leave you jittery
Cons
• Better if used before noon so not ideal for late workouts
• You have to up your hydration when using it
• Some users dislike the taste
>> Check out our guide to the best organic whey protein powders
CLIF Shot
- Who knew strawberries could pack this much get-going caffeine?
- DESIGNED BY ATHLETES FOR ATHLETES: CLIF SHOT Energy Gel provides quick energy for training and racing.
- FLAVORS YOU’LL LOVE: Available in a variety of delicious flavors.
- CUSTOMIZABLE CAFFEINE LEVELS: Available in different caffeine levels (from 0 to 100mg) to help customize your energy boost.
- CONVENIENT PACKAGING: Litter Leash top stays attached to the packaging so you can help keep our roads and trails pristine.
CLIF Shots are individually packed gel shots that allow for a convenient energy boost on the go with perfect portion sizes. There are eight flavors to choose from, so you’re bound to find at least one that you like, but Clif Shot is also the first endurance supplement on our list to have mostly positive reviews on flavor. Users do, however, note to be sure to drink water following use.
What sets CLIF shot apart from the competition is that you get to decide how much caffeine you want. If you’re sensitive to the effects of caffeine, choose the decaf option. If you want a full caffeine buzz, get the maximum option with 100 mg of caffeine. There are four caffeine-content levels to choose from.
Probably our favorite aspect of CLIF shots, though, is that they are easy to carry with you on a run. The package even features a litter leash so that the top will always stay attached to the body of the packet. This means no little bits of packaging left lying around when you’re out and about.
Pros
• Convenient – no mixing required
• No-litter packaging
• Offers varying caffeine levels
• Easy to carry
• One serving per packet so no mistaking the right dose
Cons
• Can be pricey
• Is quite thick
• You will need to drink a lot of water with it
Ape Shit Pre-Workout Endurance Supplement
- Who knew strawberries could pack this much get-going caffeine?
- DESIGNED BY ATHLETES FOR ATHLETES: CLIF SHOT Energy Gel provides quick energy for training and racing.
- FLAVORS YOU’LL LOVE: Available in a variety of delicious flavors.
- CUSTOMIZABLE CAFFEINE LEVELS: Available in different caffeine levels (from 0 to 100mg) to help customize your energy boost.
- CONVENIENT PACKAGING: Litter Leash top stays attached to the packaging so you can help keep our roads and trails pristine.
Ape Shit is one of the newer supplements on the market, and the company has gone for a no-frills approach. They market their pre-workout supplement simply as a way to go apeshit where it really counts the most – in the gym. They pull no punches – they bill it as unbridled aggression to help you destroy your workout.
The supplement itself works by increasing your production of nitric oxide making it more ideal for serious bodybuilders.
In addition to the high caffeine content, what sets Ape Shit pre-workout supplement apart is the Yohimbe that it contains. This is a natural stimulant for your adrenal system which allows you to take advantage of your fight or flight response to get the most out of your workout.
Some users reported they didn’t like that adrenal stimulation, though all did agree Ape Shit is quite stimulating.
Pros
• Good price
• Comes in some interesting flavors, such as pink lemonade
• It shouldn’t count, we know, but the name is as cool
• Gives you a jolt of energy, followed by a sustained energy boost
• Also contains Huperzine A, a powerful nootropic
Cons
• Could make you jittery
• Not for the weak of heart, literally
• Do NOT take this late in the afternoon or early evening – you won’t sleep
That’s a Wrap
So, there you have it—the top endurance supplements on the market today. Which one is best for you will depend on what you want to get out of your workout.
If you’re into a hardcore, punishing workout schedule, then the Best BCAA supplement may be a great choice for both energy and muscle recovery. If you’re looking for a good all-rounder, then Legion Pulse should tick all the boxes nicely. CLIF Shot is conveniently packaged if you’re out on the trail or hitting the road. If you need a low-carb option, BPI Best Pre-workout is a great place to start, and if you need to go apeshit, well, Ape Shit is a go-to brand.
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