Is Nutricost Pre-Workout Complex underdosed?

• Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl)Per scoop 60 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.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin)Per scoop 200 mcgStudies 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.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• SodiumPer scoop 20 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 20 mg. Not graded: on its own the sodium in a serving says little, because what counts is the drink it makes. Electrolyte products are judged on the sodium per litre once mixed as the label directs (0.5–0.7 g per litre, AIS).

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• L-CitrullinePer scoop 4 gStudies 4–5.33 gEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 4 g; studies use 4–5.33 g.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Beta-AlaninePer scoop 2 gStudies 3.2–6.4 g/dayBelow research doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 2 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.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• TaurinePer scoop 1.5 gStudies 1–6 gEffective doseEvidence: Moderate

  Contains 1.5 g; studies use 1–6 g.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Arginine Silicate (Nitrosigine)Label: Nitrosigine® (Inositol-Stabilized Arginine silicate)Per scoop 750 mgStudies 1.5 gBelow research doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 750 mg; studies use 1.5 g.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• N-Acetyl-L-TyrosineLabel: N-Acetyl L-TyrosinePer scoop 250 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 250 mg. Not graded: a form of L-tyrosine, which isn't graded either (see the L-tyrosine guide).

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• CaffeineLabel: Caffeine AnhydrousPer 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.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Alpha-GPCLabel: Alpha GPCPer scoop 100 mgStudies 250–600 mg/dayBelow research doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 100 mg; studies use 250–600 mg/day. Trials gave it daily, for weeks.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• DMAE DL-BitartratePer scoop 150 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: we have no research dose for it from exercise studies.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• TheobrominePer scoop 100 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 100 mg. Not graded: there is no peer-reviewed exercise trial, and 100–400 mg did not change mood or alertness in human studies.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Huperzine APer scoop 200 mcgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 200 mcg. Not graded: its one exercise trial found no effect. It is a prescription drug in China and not authorised as a food or supplement ingredient in the EU.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

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. Alpha-GPC, 250–600 mg/day: Bellar et al., 2015Marcus et al., 2017.
2. Arginine Silicate (Nitrosigine), 1.5 g: Kalman et al., 2016Rogers et al., 2020.
3. Beta-Alanine, 3.2–6.4 g/day: Harris et al., 2006Hobson et al., 2012Trexler et al., 2015.
4. Caffeine, 3–6 mg/kg: Guest et al., 2021.
5. L-Citrulline, 4–5.33 g: Gough et al., 2021Vårvik et al., 2021.
6. Taurine, 1–6 g: Deng et al., 2025Waldron et al., 2018.
7. Daily caffeine reference, 400 mg: US FDA, Spilling the Beans.

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