Caffeine and beta-alanine have the strongest evidence of the usual pre-workout ingredients, with citrulline malate and betaine a step behind. The ISSN’s 2018 review put caffeine, beta-alanine and creatine in its strong-evidence group and citrulline and nitrates in its limited-or-mixed group. The dose decides whether any of it works: about 3 to 6 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight, 4 to 6 g of beta-alanine a day, and 6 to 8 g of citrulline malate before training.
Most pre-workout labels read like a nightclub guest list: long, loud and impossible to check at the door. This page is the bouncer. Every ingredient worth knowing, the dose the studies used, and how strong the evidence really is.
The Short Version
- The strong-evidence group: caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate and sodium bicarbonate, among others, for performance (ISSN review, 2018).
- Caffeine: 3 to 6 mg per kg of body weight consistently improved performance, and 9 mg per kg brought more side effects and did not seem to be needed (ISSN position stand, 2021).
- The next tier: 6 to 8 g of citrulline malate added about 6% more total reps to failure (meta-analysis of 8 studies, 2021); betaine for at least 7 days raised maximal strength, mostly in the lower body (meta-analysis of 17 studies, 317 people, 2024).
- Ninja Up holds Caffeine Anhydrous 300 mg plus Infinergy 135 mg, 3200 mg of beta alanine, 6000 mg of L-citrulline malate 2:1 and 2500 mg of betaine anhydrous a scoop.
Which Pre-Workout Ingredients Have the Strongest Evidence?
Caffeine, beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate lead, according to the ISSN’s 2018 review, which sorts supplements into three groups: strong evidence and apparently safe, limited or mixed evidence, and little to no evidence. Sodium bicarbonate, carbohydrate and water also sit in the strong group for performance.
- Strong: caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate, sodium bicarbonate.
- Limited or mixed: citrulline, nitrates, glycerol, taurine.
- Little to no evidence: plain arginine, among others.
Two notes on that sorting. “Limited or mixed” means a sound rationale and inconsistent results, not “useless”: citrulline has a meta-analysis behind it now, below. And betaine is not in the 2018 table at all; a 2024 meta-analysis has since done the sorting for it.
What Dose of Each Ingredient Actually Works?
The studied dose is the line to check, because an ingredient below it is decoration. Here is each one against the research, and against Ninja Up’s label.
| Ingredient | Studied dose | Evidence | Ninja Up holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | 3 to 6 mg per kg, most often 60 minutes before | Strong (ISSN 2018, 2021) | Caffeine Anhydrous 300 mg plus Infinergy 135 mg |
| Beta-alanine | 4 to 6 g a day for at least 2 to 4 weeks | Strong (ISSN 2015, 2018) | 3200 mg |
| Creatine monohydrate | 3 to 5 g a day, or 0.3 g per kg a day for 5 to 7 days first | Strong (ISSN 2018) | Not in Ninja’s pre-workouts |
| Citrulline malate | 6 to 8 g, 40 to 60 minutes before | Limited or mixed (ISSN 2018); small effect (2021 meta-analysis) | 6000 mg |
| Betaine | 2.5 g a day for 14 days in a 2010 trial | Small to moderate gain in maximal strength, mostly lower body (2024 meta-analysis) | 2500 mg |
| Nitrates | 300 to 600 mg, 2 to 3 hours before | Limited or mixed (ISSN 2018) | Not on the label |
| L-theanine with caffeine | Varied by trial | Small to moderate gains in attention and mood in the first 2 hours, with wide uncertainty (2025 meta-analysis) | 150 mg |
Caffeine is the heavyweight: the ISSN says 3 to 6 mg per kg consistently improves performance and that the minimum effective dose may be as low as 2 mg per kg. Beta-alanine works by building muscle carnosine over weeks, so a single scoop does little on its own; the ISSN lists tingling as its only reported side effect.
Citrulline malate earned its place in a 2021 meta-analysis of 8 studies and 137 people: 6 to 8 g taken 40 to 60 minutes before training raised total reps to failure by 6.4%, a small effect. Betaine is the sleeper. The 2024 meta-analysis pooled 17 studies and 317 people and found betaine taken for at least 7 days raised maximal strength (effect size 0.47), mostly in the lower body, with no clear effect on upper-body strength, sprint power or muscular endurance. The 2010 trial behind the 2.5 g figure in the table, which used 1.25 g twice a day, was funded by a betaine maker.
The focus ingredients get their own pages: alpha GPC and L-tyrosine compared, and L-theanine with caffeine.
Is Pre-Workout Just Creatine?
No. Creatine monohydrate is a separate daily supplement, and none of Ninja’s pre-workouts list it. It is in the ISSN’s strong-evidence group, but it works by filling the muscle’s creatine stores: about 0.3 g per kg a day for 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5 g a day to hold them, or 3 to 5 g a day from the start, which fills them over 3 to 4 weeks.
Because it works on stores, not on the session in front of you, creatine does not need to ride in a pre-workout. Take it daily, whichever way suits you, and let the pre-workout do the jobs that do depend on the day: caffeine and citrulline.
How Can You Tell If a Pre-Workout Is Underdosed?
Hold the label against the studied doses above; if the amounts are hidden, you cannot tell, and that is the first warning. A 2018 review of multi-ingredient pre-workouts found proprietary blends, which list a total but not each amount, make comparing formulas “challenging and often impossible”.
- Citrulline malate under 6 g sits below what the meta-analysis tested.
- Beta-alanine is studied as 4 to 6 g a day; a scoop with less is a partial daily dose, so count it with that in mind.
- Plain arginine as the “pump” ingredient is a yellow flag: the ISSN puts it in the little-to-no-evidence group, and notes oral citrulline raises blood arginine more effectively than arginine itself.
- More caffeine is not more performance. The ISSN says very high doses bring more side effects and do not seem to be needed.
Is Pre-Workout Safe?
For healthy adults at labelled doses, the research so far says largely yes, with one big caveat: most of it is short. The 2018 review found multi-ingredient pre-workouts appear relatively safe, but most safety studies ran for less than eight weeks. The FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects for most adults, and that counts coffee and energy drinks too.
The common complaints are predictable: tingling from beta-alanine, and feeling wired from caffeine. If a scoop leaves you jittery, here is why pre-workout makes you jittery and how to stop it.
Coach’s Corner: A Session That Tests the Ingredients
- Warm-up: 5 minutes easy on the bike, then 2 lighter ramp-up sets of your main lift, 60 seconds rest. Same technique you will use under load.
- Main lift, squat or trap bar deadlift: 4 x 5 at a weight you could lift about 7 times, 2 to 3 minutes rest. Brace hard before every rep.
- Volume block, leg press: 3 x 12 to 15, 90 seconds rest. Full range, controlled on the way down.
- Finisher, rower: 3 x 2 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy between. Legs, then back, then arms on every stroke.
- Log it: write down your leg press reps and rower metres, and compare after 4 weeks. Beta-alanine’s studied loading window is at least 2 to 4 weeks, and the ISSN says its effect is clearest in efforts of 1 to 4 minutes, like that finisher.
Healthy adults: if you have an injury, pain, a heart condition, or you are new to training, check with your doctor before you start. Stop if it hurts.
The Fuel Plan
| 80 kg lifter | 100 kg lifter | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein a day (1.4 to 2.0 g per kg, ISSN) | 112 to 160 g | 140 to 200 g |
| Caffeine range in the studies (3 to 6 mg per kg) | 240 to 480 mg | 300 to 600 mg |
| FDA figure for most adults, every source | 400 mg a day | 400 mg a day |
| Beta-alanine (not weight-based) | 4 to 6 g a day | 4 to 6 g a day |
| Creatine fast load, then daily | 24 g a day for 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5 g | 30 g a day for 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5 g |
Where the caffeine range and the FDA figure disagree, the lower number wins. One scoop of Ninja Up covers 3200 mg of the day’s beta-alanine. Protein comes from meals first; a scoop of protein after training is a top-up, not the plan. These are general numbers for healthy adults. With kidney disease, diabetes or any medical diet, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Where Ninja Up Fits
Line Ninja Up’s label up against the table and it covers the session-day core: caffeine, citrulline, betaine and beta-alanine. Ninja Up lists Caffeine Anhydrous 300 mg plus Infinergy 135 mg, 6000 mg of L-citrulline malate 2:1 (the 6 g end of the studied range), 2500 mg of betaine anhydrous (the daily amount from the 2010 trial), 3200 mg of beta alanine toward the 4 to 6 g daily dose, and 150 mg of L-theanine beside the caffeine. Every dose is printed, nothing hidden in a blend. If you want the evidence-backed ingredients in one scoop and you handle caffeine well, this is the tub.
Who it’s for: experienced caffeine users who want energy, focus and the pump in one fully dosed scoop. Who it’s not for: the caffeine sensitive, anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing, and anyone avoiding yohimbine (take Ninja Up NoYo).
Ninja Up: The Doses This Article Is About
Per serving, straight from the label. The full label is on the product page.
| Caffeine Anhydrous | 300 mg |
| Infinergy™ (as Dicaffeine Malate) | 135 mg |
| L-Citrulline Malate 2:1 | 6000 mg |
| Beta Alanine | 3200 mg |
| Betaine Anhydrous | 2500 mg |
| L-Tyrosine | 1000 mg |
| Alpha GPC (50% Alpha Glycerylphosphorylcholine) | 600 mg |
| L-Theanine | 150 mg |
| Alpha Yohimbine 90% Rauwolscine (Rauwolfia vomitoria)(Root) | 2.5 mg |
The numbers: $49.99 for 25 servings is $2.00 a scoop, or $1.70 a scoop with Subscribe and Save at 15% off. Flavours on sale: Energy Drink, Grape Bubblegum, Juiced Fruit and Pineapple Sangria.
The product Ninja Up buyers add most often is Ninja Gains, the protein for after the session.
I really love this pre workout. It gives really great energy and focus that lasts throughout my entire workout. This is definitely one of my top three pre's right now. Juiced fruit tastes amazing....
Best Pre on the market
This pre workout hits hard with clean ingredients. Taste amazing 🤩. You won’t regret buying this. Customer service was amazing too
One scoop of Ninja Up lists Caffeine Anhydrous 300 mg plus Infinergy (as Dicaffeine Malate) 135 mg, and 2.5 mg of alpha yohimbine: for experienced users only. Not for anyone under 18, pregnant or nursing. Check with your doctor if you have a heart condition or take medication, and do not stack it with other caffeine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ingredients should a pre-workout have?
Look for caffeine at a dose you tolerate, beta-alanine, and citrulline malate near 6 to 8 g, all with the amounts printed. Betaine is a reasonable extra. The ISSN’s 2018 review rates caffeine and beta-alanine as strong evidence and citrulline as limited or mixed.
What is the most effective pre-workout ingredient?
Caffeine. The ISSN position stand says 3 to 6 mg per kg of body weight consistently improves performance, with benefits for muscular endurance, strength and sprinting in many but not all studies. More is not better: very high doses bring more side effects.
Does beta-alanine work from one scoop?
Not really. Beta-alanine works by raising muscle carnosine over time, and the ISSN’s dose is 4 to 6 g a day for at least 2 to 4 weeks. The tingle you feel from one scoop is a known side effect, not proof it is working.
Should a pre-workout have creatine in it?
It does not need to. Creatine monohydrate has strong evidence, but it works by filling muscle stores with 3 to 5 g a day, so the timing around one session matters little. Ninja’s pre-workouts do not include it.
Is betaine worth it in a pre-workout?
It looks worthwhile for strength. A 2024 meta-analysis of 17 studies and 317 people found betaine taken for at least 7 days raised maximal strength, mostly in the lower body, but showed no clear effect on upper-body strength, sprint power or endurance.
Next on the mission: pump vs stimulant pre-workout, and which one you need. And for the evidence-backed core in one scoop, Ninja Up is the tub.
Sources
- Kerksick CM, et al. ISSN exercise and sports nutrition review update: research and recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018 (several authors work with supplement companies).
- Guest NS, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021.
- Trexler ET, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2015.
- Vårvik FT, Bjørnsen T, Gonzalez AM. Acute Effect of Citrulline Malate on Repetition Performance During Strength Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2021.
- Zawieja E, et al. Effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2024.
- Lee EC, et al. Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2010 (funded by a betaine maker).
- Payne ER, et al. Effects of Tea (Camellia sinensis) or its Bioactive Compounds l-Theanine or l-Theanine plus Caffeine on Cognition, Sleep, and Mood in Healthy Participants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrition Reviews, 2025 (authors include tea company employees).
- Harty PS, et al. Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements, safety implications, and performance outcomes: a brief review. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
How we wrote this: we rewrote this page and folded in a removed copy on the same question, read the ISSN’s 2018 review (including its full text on evidence groups, creatine dosing and nitrates), the position stands, the meta-analyses and trials above, and checked every Ninja Up dose against the product label and every price against the store on the day of writing. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
