Finding a vegan pre-workout is the easy part.
The options are only growing.
But it's hard picking the best one.
Whether you need something with smooth energy or better focus or just want the cleanest option available, we'll help you decide which one to go with.
In this list, you'll find the best vegan pre-workouts that are made with high-quality ingredients.
Lean is designed to support weight loss from multiple angles, including improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
Kaged is a simple but effective formula with much-needed ingredients to improve performance and recovery for workouts.
Jacked Factory NitroSurge features ingredients to support strength and muscle building with the perfect ratio of caffeine to theanine for smooth and long-lasting energy.
Containing over 22g per serving, Bulk contains full doses of ergogenic aids and a range of nootropics as well as stimulants to help enhance energy.
Jacked Factory is a company you can rely on for safe pre-workouts as well as effective formulas without putting your health at risk.
Naked Energy is an okay choice but it's the last thing we would recommend as the formula is mostly underdosed.
Not all vegan pre-workouts are the same.
Some options are better for weight loss, some have better nitric oxide support (pumps) while others have better energy and cognition support.
Here are the 6 best options for vegans:
Containing over 22g per serving, Bulk contains full doses of ergogenic aids and a range of nootropics as well as stimulants to help enhance energy.
Bulk is made with the goal of muscle building.
It has a solid foundation of minerals and vitamins that supports muscle and testosterone production.
Transparent Labs is a company based in Utah and have grown tremendously since it launched years ago.
They create supplements with natural flavoring and sweeteners without sacrificing quality.
Without using proprietary blends, they were one of the first companies to use fully disclosed and transparent labels.
Transparent Labs is also one of the most trusted companies as they don't only provide certificates of analysis but they provide them for public viewing on their website.
Bulk is a prime example of what Transparent Labs stands for.
It's an effective pre-workout formula that's safe to use for vegans and a wide range of users would enjoy this option.
That's why Bulk is our most recommended pre-workout for vegans.
Kaged is a simple but effective formula with much-needed ingredients to improve performance and recovery for workouts.
If there's one pre-workout that has been done for so long, it's Pre-Kaged.
It started out on Bodybuilding.com but has since expanded outside.
Pre-Kaged is an excellent choice for a vegan pre-workout as it has the ingredients needed to maximize performance during workouts and more.
Similar to Transparent Labs, this is tested for quality and is third-party tested.
This is a great choice for competitive lifters since it doesn't contain banned substances.
If you're also health conscious, you'll feel good knowing that Pre-Kaged is free of artificial flavors and colors as well as GMOs.
It's also gluten-free, and only has a gram of sugar per serving.
Pre-Kaged is well balanced as it has everything from BCAAs to creatine, taurine, and even antioxidants to help with your immune system.
There are also ingredients to help with pumps and mental support like taurine and tyrosine.
The flavors are all great as well so if you're looking for a great tasting vegan pre-workout then consider Pre-Kaged.
Jacked Factory is a company you can rely on for safe pre-workouts as well as effective formulas without putting your health at risk.
Altius Pre is made for strength gains and muscle building.
It's a complete pre-workout formula coming from Jacked Factory, and it's packed although it appears to be simple.
Starting out with a solid dose of citrulline malate at 8 grams, it's followed up by 3.2g of beta-alanine, 3g creatine, 300mg AlphaSize, and AstraGin to help you absorb the most out of the formula.
The beta-alanine means you may feel the tingling if you're not already saturated with beta-alanine but that soon subsides as you use it on a regular basis.
With the big dose of citrulline malate, you'll be getting some nice pumps from the increased vasodilation which will also help with nutrient delivery and recovery.
AlphaSize is also another great ingredient that's made for focus but it also has benefits for muscle growth and it's a highly bioavailable ingredient.
And of course, it's a vegan friendly pre-workout that is also naturally sweetened and doesn't contain anything artificial.
Altius is made with a clinically dosed formula that vegans will enjoy.
Lean is designed to support weight loss from multiple angles, including improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
Lean is another pre-workout from Transparent Labs.
But this one is made specifically for weight loss.
Instead of using vitamins and minerals that support muscle building, it focuses on thyroid, insulin sensitivity, and metabolism.
Without this foundation of vitamins and minerals for weight loss, you'll struggle to lose weight if you're deficient in any of them.
Transparent Labs is known for creating the cleanest supplements that aren't only fully disclosed but they're also free of artificial sweeteners and colorings.
Lean is a great choice if you're looking to lose weight, although it has nearly the same ingredients and ergogenic aids as Bulk, it differentiates by using minerals and vitamins that help maximize thermogenesis in multiple ways.
The minerals include iodine chelate, zinc, copper, chromium, and selenium.
Iodine and selenium optimize thyroid function which can help the heart, brain, and digestive tract function at their best.
If your thyroid function is low, then your metabolism will suffer and it can lead to many health complications.
And of course, there are performance enhancing ingredients that will increase pumps, strength and focus as well as energy.
Jacked Factory NitroSurge features ingredients to support strength and muscle building with the perfect ratio of caffeine to theanine for smooth and long-lasting energy.
Jacked Factory is well-known and one of the best brands when it comes to clean supplements.
Their NitroSurge is not only vegan-friendly but it also features a formula that'll boost energy better than most vegan pre-workouts.
With a combination of 2 stimulants, both theobromine and caffeine will help increase focus, alertness while also benefiting thermogenesis (fat loss).
You can use one scoop, half a serving and you'll still get a very nice flow of energy with 180mg caffeine with 50mg theobromine and it would last you twice as long.
It's also one of the most affordable options here.
With also a big dose of 6g citrulline along with beta alanine and betaine, these ingredients will help with muscle growth and strength gains.
NitroSurge is a great affordable and clean option for beginners.
Naked Energy is an okay choice but it's the last thing we would recommend as the formula is mostly underdosed.
Naked Energy is a pre-workout made for vegans but it isn't our recommended option.
It has 200mg caffeine and 2g beta-alanine, but everything else is underdosed or just plain useless.
Arginine is okay for endurance but not good at all for nitric oxide, unfortunately.
But with 200mg caffeine and beta-alanine, we can say this is probably the better option over coffee.
A vegan pre-workout is a product that's plant-based and can be taken prior to a workout session.
Pre-workouts can be powders or in capsule form and they can help maximize performance in your workouts by enhancing energy and focus.
They are made out of vegan-based ingredients and do not contain any animal products.
This means you'll be doing your part in making the world a little more environmentally friendly and it'll also be healthier for your body.
Pre-workouts are growing in popularity and the options are expanding.
Ingredients like green coffee extract, coconut water, and plant-based BCAAs are some of the ingredients found in vegan pre-workouts.
There are also nitric oxide boosters like beet root and citrulline to help increase blood flow, leading to better pumps.
There are many reasons why pre-workouts are growing in popularity and one of the main ones is that people are finding them useful to enhancing performance.
And with the growth in popularity, there are also many options including vegan pre-workouts.
Here are the benefits of using vegan pre-workouts:
Often the problem with keeping up with exercise is not having energy.
Vegan pre-workouts may contain several ingredients to increase energy through different methods.
One of the most common ways is through caffeine which can reduce fatigue and increase alertness by inhibiting the very enzyme that causes drowsiness and tiredness.
There is a wide range of ingredients that can also increase energy.
Endurance can be increased by using compounds like beta-alanine and typically, vegan pre-workouts will contain this along with other ingredients.
This means you'll be able to sustain your efforts for a longer period of time before feeling fatigued.
Vegan pre-workouts can improve workouts by using ingredients that can enhance performance in different ways, and one of the common ways is by increasing blood flow, oxygen uptake, and nutrient delivery to your muscles.
These ingredients can also reduce lactic acid build-up that occurs from exercise, which is a natural state that occurs when performing high volume.
Nootropic ingredients as well as stimulants can improve focus and concentration for long periods of time.
You'll feel a better connection to your body when your exercising, which is key when performing exercise at your best efforts.
When using vegan pre-workouts, it's not always the best experience for everyone.
It varies by experience of caffeine (coffee) and past pre-workouts.
Depending on which one you use, you may experience some side effects but they are rarely life-threatening.
If you follow the instructions on the label and use a supplement by a reputable company then you'll be safe.
A pre-workout can be as dangerous as coffee, as both of these can cause issues if it's overused.
That being said, there are ingredients that can cause inconveniences, which we can call side effects but they are mostly inconveniences.
Here they are:
This can happen when using multiple stimulants or just a high dose of caffeine.
The feeling of jitteriness and anxiety is mostly normal and can be reduced by reducing the serving size or using a different vegan pre-workout.
Caffeine can improve focus and reaction time but it can have different reactions for different people.
Avoid drinking pre-workouts late in the afternoon or evening as it can affect sleep and start with a lower dose to assess your tolerance.
You can also go with a stimulant-free (no caffeine) vegan pre-workout like this one.
Like coffee, pre-workouts can cause a withdrawal effect if you stop using them.
But it only happens if you completely cut out caffeine and go cold turkey.
You can still drink coffee in-between the days when you use pre-workouts and you wouldn't feel the withdrawals.
This can happen naturally from caffeine but it can also happen from other ingredients like sodium bicarbonate or magnesium.
You'll likely only experience more bowel movements when using vegan pre-workouts from ingredients like caffeine.
When it comes to pre-workouts, it's key to have information about what ingredients are used so you can be educated when you choose the one you want.
Here we'll go over the common and useful ingredients in vegan pre-workouts.
Some ingredients may have similar effects and overlap to other ingredients but a lot of times they have other benefits as well that are unique.
Caffeine
Caffeine works by inhibiting the enzyme that makes you feel tired, and that's adenosine.
It also increases alertness, energy, and focus.
There are studies that also show it can increase workout performance by increasing strength and power output.
Theobromine
Theobromine is a cousin of caffeine and it works in similar ways but it has more of an effect on mood.
You'll feel more motivated, uplifted, and happy.
It also has benefits for fat burning.
Citrulline
Citrulline is one of the most commonly used ingredients in pre-workouts.
Since it can increase nitric oxide production and arginine levels, far better than arginine itself, it can produce much better pumps and vasodilation.
It can also reduce fatigue, which makes it a great addition to vegan pre-workouts.
Agmatine
Agmatine can reduce the breakdown of nitric oxide, leading to longer-lasting muscle pumps and vasodilation for longer periods of time.
It can also function as a neurotransmitter, providing a little bit of an uplift to mood.
Beetroot
Beetroot is naturally rich in nitrates, making it a great ingredient in vegan pre-workouts.
Creatine
This one ingredient alone has hundreds of studies backing up its benefits.
Not only is it going to be helpful for muscle growth but it can also help with ATP production and energy.
You'll be able to grind out more reps with more weight with this ingredient, a very beneficial ingredient to have in a vegan pre-workout.
Betaine anhydrous
Betaine works similar to creatine, but it's special as it can hyperhydrate cells, further helping with water retention and hydration.
It can also help with ATP production, which makes it a great combination to have with creatine.
Beta-Alanine
You may feel tingles when you take pre-workouts which tends to come from beta-alanine.
The tingles are a natural sensation to have but they can subside after a week or two of using beta-alanine on a regular basis.
This ingredient can boost power and muscle by delaying lactic acid build-up.
Nootropics:
Choline
There are a few forms of choline, with Alpha GPC being one of the best options to have in a pre-workout as it has benefits for strength as well.
Choline can increase acetylcholine production, which is responsible for increasing focus and concentration.
Huperzine
Huperzine can reduce the breakdown of acetylcholine, making it a synergic ingredient to combine with choline.
Other ingredients:
There are a wide range of ingredients that are also included in pre-workouts like minerals, vitamins, hydrating ingredients like coconut water and more.
Can vegans use pre-workouts?
Absolutely, yes! Vegans can use pre-workouts. The pre-workouts we listed above are for vegans.
Are vegan pre-workouts bad for you?
No, but like anything else, it should be used responsibly and instructions should be followed.
If you've chosen to live the vegan lifestyle and have given up animal products, then pre-workouts can do good for you as it has vitamins, minerals, and ingredients to help optimize performance in your workouts.
These ingredients can have benefits for increasing muscle growth, metabolism and more.
What is the cleanest and healthiest pre-workout?
Our choice for the cleanest and healthiest pre-workout is PreSeries Bulk.
Is Total War pre-workout vegan?
Yes Total War is a vegan pre-workout.
Is Ryse pre-workout vegan?
No, unfortunately, Ryse pre-workout is not recommended for vegans since it may have animal products.
And Ryse doesn't advertise itself as vegan.
What's the best vegan pre-workout with creatine?
The best vegan pre-workout with creatine is Pre-Kaged.
What's the best vegan pre-workout without caffeine?
The best vegan pre-workout without caffeine is Stim-Free by Transparent Labs.
What does Reddit recommend for a vegan pre-workout?
Reddit users mostly advise against using pre-workouts as they believe it doesn't have ingredients that can boost performance.
This can be true if they are referring to the general category of pre-workouts as most companies will try to put a higher price on a very poorly made formula.
However, the vegan pre-workouts we chose above are specifically made with ingredients that are clinically dosed and shown to improve performance.
Today we have plenty of clean options when it comes to vegan pre-workouts.
A few years ago, we wouldn't have been able to recommend this many.
It goes to show that the category is growing and you have great options to choose from.
When you use a vegan pre-workout, use it when you need that boost of energy or use something that doesn't have a lot of caffeine so you won't depend on it.
Otherwise, enjoy it, and check out our free workout spreadsheets for program suggestions.
