Is Alani Nu Pre-Workout underdosed?

• CalciumPer scoop 35 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

• SodiumPer scoop 145 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

• L-CitrullineLabel: L-Citrulline Malate [2:1]Per scoop 4 gStudies 4–5.33 gEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 4 g; studies use 4–5.33 g.

  ASSUMPTION: "2:1" is read as a weight ratio (2 parts L-citrulline to 1 part malic acid), so 2/3 of the stated weight is counted as L-citrulline. Applied only when the label does not state the citrulline amount itself. If 2:1 were a molar ratio the share would be about 72% (2 x 175.19 / (2 x 175.19 + 134.09)); the weight reading gives the lower citrulline figure.

• Beta-AlaninePer scoop 1.6 gStudies 3.2–6.4 g/dayBelow research doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 1.6 g; studies use 3.2–6.4 g/day. Beta-Alanine works through daily use over weeks; a lower amount still builds up, just more slowly.

• L-TyrosinePer scoop 500 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 500 mg. Not graded: a 2023 meta-analysis found no effect on endurance; its evidence is for focus under stress, at about 150 mg per kg of bodyweight.

• CaffeineLabel: Caffeine (Coffea arabica Bean Extract)Per scoop 200 mgStudies 3–6 mg/kgBelow research doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 200 mg (2.7 mg/kg at 75 kg); studies use 3–6 mg/kg.

• L-TheaninePer scoop 200 mgStudies 100–200 mgEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 200 mg; studies use 100–200 mg.

Use “Check it for your dose” to see this table for your own scoops and bodyweight. Only caffeine is dosed per kilogram in the studies we cite; the other research doses are fixed amounts, so your weight doesn't change them.

How many scoops would it take?

To reach the low end of the research dose for each underdosed ingredient.

Taking more doesn't fix this product. Reaching those doses means more than 400 mg of caffeine from the scoops alone, above the FDA's 400 mg daily reference for most adults, before any coffee.

Where the reference doses come from

1. Beta-Alanine, 3.2–6.4 g/day: Harris et al., 2006Hobson et al., 2012Trexler et al., 2015.
2. Caffeine, 3–6 mg/kg: Guest et al., 2021.
3. L-Citrulline, 4–5.33 g: Gough et al., 2021Vårvik et al., 2021.
4. L-Theanine, 100–200 mg: Owen et al., 2008Payne et al., 2025.
5. Daily caffeine reference, 400 mg: US FDA, Spilling the Beans.
6. Label data: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Label Database, 2026. https://dsld.od.nih.gov/. Label 336632.

Assumptions used on this page: ASSUMPTION: "2:1" is read as a weight ratio (2 parts L-citrulline to 1 part malic acid), so 2/3 of the stated weight is counted as L-citrulline. Applied only when the label does not state the citrulline amount itself. If 2:1 were a molar ratio the share would be about 72% (2 x 175.19 / (2 x 175.19 + 134.09)); the weight reading gives the lower citrulline figure.

Methodology 1.11. Read the full methodology or the corrections log.