Best Pre Workouts Without L-Arginine
We take a look at some of the key things worth bearing in mind when selecting a pre workout with L-Arginine
In this article, we’re going to look at some options when it comes to selecting a pre workout without L-Arginine.
L-Arginine is a popular pre workout ingredient, but perhaps you are looking for a product that doesn’t contain this particular substance.
In this article, we’re going to bring you some of the key things to bear in mind when it comes to L-Arginine and selecting a pre workout supplement in general.
Pre workouts are some of the most popular supplements in the health and fitness industry, and there are loads of products to choose from when it comes to selecting a supplement to be able to support your training goals.
However, any supplement is only as good as the ingredients it contains, and some people may prefer to go for a pre workout without L-Arginine.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. Our articles and the products featured in them are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Always speak with a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, and/or taking any supplements.
So, with the introductions out of the way, let’s start taking a look at L-Arginine and pre workout supplements in a bit more detail.
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What Is L-Arginine?
L-Arginine is an amino acid that is obtained from the diet and necessary for the body to make proteins.
You probably already know that most ‘essential’ amino acids are required from the diet and act as the so-called ‘building blocks’ of protein in the body.
L-Arginine is found in foods such as red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products and can also be made in a laboratory.
Interestingly, L-Arginine has been traditionally classified as a ‘semi-essential’ or ‘conditionally essential’ amino acid, which makes it something of a ‘halfway house’ when it comes to amino acids.
L-Arginine is a common pre workout supplement ingredient because of its supposed benefits related to Nitric Oxide in the body.
For this reason, you’ll find plenty of pre workout supplement manufacturers make a big deal about the fact that it’s included in their formulas.
However, you may be looking for a pre workout without L-Arginine due to personal preference or for other reasons, so read on to find out more.
What Is A Pre Workout?
You probably already know all about the basics when it comes to pre workout supplements, but let’s quickly cover some of the key things to consider.
Pre workouts are supplements that are designed to be consumed before periods of exercise to help support you through your training.
They usually contain a range of different ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and stimulants.
Most pre workout supplements use a dose of a stimulant such as Caffeine in their ingredient lists, but there are also plenty of options out there that feature ‘stimulant free’ formulas.
The large majority of pre workout supplements are delivered in a flavoured powder form, which is designed to be mixed in with water and consumed as a drink before starting your exercise session.
That said, there are also other pre workouts that are delivered in a capsule form instead of a powder.
It’s worth bearing in mind that pre workouts are not ‘magic powders’ that will work with no effort on your part.
They are supplements which, combined with the right healthy lifestyle choices, can help to support you through your periods of exercise as you look to hit your health and fitness goals this year.
Potential L-Arginine Side Effects
As always, we strongly recommend that you speak to your doctor before thinking about taking a new supplement for the first time.
This will ensure that you are able to discuss the ingredients label in full with a certified medical professional in order to assess whether a supplement is right for you or not.
As with most supplement ingredients L-Arginine has the potential to cause some unwanted side effects.
According to WebMD, some of the side effects L-Arginine may cause include: abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, gout, allergies, worsening of asthma, and low blood pressure.
WebMD also says that because of lack of verifiable research, you should stay on the safe side and avoid use of L-Arginine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The bottom line here is that L-Arginine should be used with caution. This is why it’s always best to speak to your doctor before trying any new supplement, or making any major lifestyle changes.
Best Pre Workout Without L-Arginine – Two Top Picks
Now that we’ve covered the basic things you need to know about L-Arginine and pre workouts in general, it’s time to focus on a couple of supplements that do not use L-Arginine in their formulas.
Editor's note: Any health claims about the ingredients mentioned in this article are listed as authorised on the EU Register at the time of publishing. Additionally, you should carefully check the ingredients information shown on the official website of any product you're considering purchasing, as formulas may change from time to time and therefore may differ from what's shown on this page.
4 Gauge
Product website: www.4gauge.com
4 Gauge is a popular pre workout supplement that does not use L-Arginine as an ingredient in its formula.
Instead, 4 Gauge uses a dose of L-Citrulline, and this is blended together with some popular pre workout ingredients such as Creatine Monohydrate, L-Carnitine and L-Theanine.
4 Gauge also uses a 150mg dose of Caffeine per serving as part of its formula. To put this amount into context, you’d expect to find around 100mg of Caffeine in a regular cup of coffee.
Here is the active ingredients list of 4 Gauge, which was shown on the official website at the time of writing:
4 Gauge comes in a powder and in a ‘Fruit Blast’ flavour (it’s sweet but also slightly sour). Each bottle contains 20 servings, and it’s designed to be consumed around half an hour before starting your training session.
It carries something of a premium price tag, but you can save a bit on the price per bottle if you’re willing to buy more than one at a time from the official website.
Pre Lab Pro
Product website: www.prelabpro.com
Pre Lab Pro is a vegan-friendly pre workout supplement made by the UK-based company Opti-Nutra.
Pre Lab Pro contains some popular ingredients and uses 80mg of Caffeine per serving – and it also does not use L-Arginine as one of the ingredients in its formula.
Instead, Pre Lab Pro uses a range of other common pre workout ingredients such as L-Citrulline, Beetroot Extract and L-Theanine, along with some important vitamins such as B6 and B12.
Here is the active ingredients formula of Pre Lab Pro, as shown on the official website at the time of writing:
It features a clean and simple, vegan-friendly formula, and tub contains 20 servings.
Opti-Nutra are also the company behind the Performance Lab range of supplements, which also includes other products such as multivitamins and vegan protein powders. Like those products, Pre Lab Pro features a clean and clear ingredients formulas free of any unnecessary additives or artificial flavourings.
The lower stimulant content in this supplement (80mg of Caffeine per serving) may suit people who are sensitive to Caffeine or are looking for a pre workout with a lower dose of it.
Anything Else To Consider?
As we mentioned above, it’s always best to speak to your doctor before taking a new supplement for the first time, or making any major lifestyle changes.
Supplements such as pre workouts are not intended to replace a varied, balanced diet, and a healthy overall lifestyle.
It’s always a good idea to get the basics right when it comes to your health and fitness before thinking about adding a supplement to your regimen.
Sticking to a varied and balanced diet, following a sensible workout plan and ensuring that you’re getting enough restorative sleep are three main building blocks to overall good health.
Supplements can play a role in assisting alongside an already healthy lifestyle, but it’s best not to regard them as ‘magic’ powders or pills that will work without any effort on your part.
It’s also important that you carefully check the label of any supplement you’re thinking of taking. As we mentioned above, check the ingredients formula shown on the official website of any supplement you’re thinking of buying before making a purchase, as manufacturers may tweak or update their formulas from time to time. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the manufacturer to find out more.
Pre Workout supplements are designed to be used before exercise or hitting the gym (Photo: The Sport Review)
Wrapping Things Up – Our Final Thoughts
So, that brings us to the end of our detailed look at some of the main things to know when you’re picking a pre workout without L-Arginine.
We’ve walked you through the basic things you need to know when it comes to L-Arginine in general, as well as some of its potential side effects.
We’ve also explained the basic things to bear in mind when it comes to pre workouts, and have picked out two supplement options on the market at the moment that do not use L-Arginine as one of their main ingredients.
