Is Nutricost Pre-X Workout Complex underdosed?

• NiacinPer scoop 16 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• SodiumPer scoop 40 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-CitrullinePer scoop 4 gStudies 4–5.33 gEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 4 g; studies use 4–5.33 g.

• 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.

• TaurinePer scoop 2 gStudies 1–6 gEffective doseEvidence: Moderate

  Contains 2 g; studies use 1–6 g.

• Arginine Silicate (Nitrosigine)Label: Nitrosigine® (Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate)Per scoop 1.5 gStudies 1.5 gEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 1.5 g; studies use 1.5 g.

• Betaine AnhydrousPer scoop 1.5 gStudies 2.5 g/dayBelow research doseEvidence: Moderate

  Contains 1.5 g; studies use 2.5 g/day. Betaine Anhydrous works through daily use over weeks; a lower amount still builds up, just more slowly.

• CaffeineLabel: Caffeine AnhydrousPer scoop 300 mgStudies 3–6 mg/kgEffective doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 300 mg (4 mg/kg at 75 kg); studies use 3–6 mg/kg.

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

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

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

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

• Alpha GPCPer scoop 100 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: the label gives it in a form or blend we can't turn into a dose (no stated ratio or amount), so it isn't counted. See the methodology.

• CDP CholinePer scoop 100 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

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

• 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.

• 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.

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. Arginine Silicate (Nitrosigine), 1.5 g: Kalman et al., 2016Rogers et al., 2020.
2. Beta-Alanine, 3.2–6.4 g/day: Harris et al., 2006Hobson et al., 2012Trexler et al., 2015.
3. Betaine Anhydrous, 2.5 g/day: Cholewa et al., 2013Hoffman et al., 2009Zawieja et al., 2024.
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.