The Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine!

As great as pre-workout supplements can be, sometimes they can contain powerful ingredients that some users don’t agree with. Beta-alanine is a prime example.

Because of this, today we’re going to be looking at the best pre-workout without beta-alanine.

Exercising and working out is not only great for you physically, it’s great for you mentally as well. Exercising can lift your spirits, improve your health, and provide a wide range of other benefits as well.

The problem is that sometimes you just can’t seem to get motivated or energized enough to work. This usually means that you will either skip your workouts or you’ll force yourself to train and you won’t have a productive workout.

For times when your energy levels and motivational levels are lacking, a pre-workout supplement could be the perfect solution.

The problem with some pre-workout formulas, however, is the fact that they contain ingredients that some people don’t tolerate too well.

Beta-alanine is a key example of that.

If you want a pre-workout supplement without the negative aspects of beta alanine, here’s a look at the best pre-workout without beta alanine, currently on the market today.

What Are Pre-workout Supplements?

Whereas some supplements are designed to help build muscle or assist with recovery, others are created to provide energy and boost athletic performance.

Pre-workout supplements most certainly fit this specific criteria.

Pre-workout supplements are designed to be taken before you work out.

As you can see from the name, you consume pre-workouts before you begin a workout, with the idea being that once you begin training the ingredients in the supplement will kick in and will get to work.

Pre-workout supplements are designed primarily to provide more energy and help you get mentally prepared and focused before you start training.

They contain stimulants such as caffeine, as well as amino acids and active ingredients which improve athletic performance, speed up recovery, make you feel more mentally alert, and provide more energy for your body as well.

Designed for people who perhaps feel tired when they exercise, who can’t quite get motivated, or who simply need a bit of an energy boost to get through a particularly strenuous and physically demanding workout, pre-workout supplements are great for times when you can’t quite seem to get motivated or energized enough to train.

Usually coming in powder form, and available in sweet and fruity flavors such as lemonade, lemon and lime, sour cherry, blue raspberry, tropical punch, sour apple, bubblegum, and all manner of other flavors too, it’s easy to see why the demand for pre-workout supplements is so high.

Pre-workout supplements contain ingredients such as caffeine, creatine, L-citrulline, L-arginine, betaine, DMAA, and taurine, and the one that we’re focussing on avoiding today is beta-alanine.

What Is Beta-alanine?

As we’re looking at the best pre-workout without beta-alanine, it’s only right that we first take a look at exactly why it is that beta-alanine may not be suitable for some people, and why some pre-workout supplement manufacturers choose to omit it from their ingredients list.

Very simply, beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that has been found to provide a wide range of fitness and athletic benefits to those who supplement with it.

As beta-alanine is non-essential, the body can synthesize it naturally.

This, however, does not mean that supplementing with it is not beneficial. Studies have found that increasing the amount of beta-alanine in your body can provide all manner of different health and fitness benefits, which is why so many physically active individuals choose to supplement with it.

A lot of non-essential amino acids are used by the body to synthesize protein. This of course makes them ideal for muscle growth and muscle recovery, as part of protein synthesis.

Beta-alanine however, works in conjunction with histidine so that it can produce carnosine.

Why is that important?

Because carnosine can prevent muscular fatigue.

Carnosine is stored in your skeletal muscle tissue and prevents muscle fatigue by acting as a lactic acid buffer.

This means that less lactic acid is produced, which means that you can train harder, and for longer, before fatigue sets in.

Once lactic acid begins to build up and accumulate in your muscles, it causes them to grow tired. Furthermore, it can lead to painful muscle cramping.

By using beta-alanine and histidine, your body is essentially able to exercise for longer before your muscles begin to feel tired and suffer the ill effects of fatigue.

Why Can’t Some People Have Beta Alanine?

So, as you can see, from an athletic standpoint, beta-alanine is a very beneficial supplement and is an amino acid that does the body a world of good.

however, we need to figure out why beta-alanine isn’t for everybody.

Here are a few of the possible side effects of beta-alanine.

Digestive Issues

Though this is one of the rarer side effects associated with beta-alanine, some people who consume too much of this amino acid have reported mild digestive issues such as gas, bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea.

Racing Heart

Again, this is very rare considering we produce this amino acid naturally, but there have been some users in the past who have reported a racing heart and an erratic heartbeat caused by excess beta-alanine.

Reduced Taurine Levels

One of the more common side effects of beta-alanine consumption is a reduction in the amount of taurine in the body.

Taurine is an amino acid that provides many health benefits, including those relating to the brain.

Beta-alanine competes with taurine when it comes to muscular absorption, so some users of this supplement find themselves dealing with a taurine deficiency.

Tingling Sensation

Without question, the most common side effect associated with beta-alanine, and the one that causes most people to stop using it, is the fact that it can cause a tingling sensation in the skin.

There is a technical name for this, and it is a very common side effect of beta-alanine, which is why we’re going to look at it in more detail now.

Beta-Alanine And Paresthesia

By far, the most common side effect associated with beta-alanine supplementation is one which is known technically as Paresthesia.

Paresthesia feels unusual to a lot of people, and is best described as being a tingling sensation of the skin, almost like prickly heat from the sun, or what we know as pins and needles.

Perhaps most frustrating of all, is the fact that experts are not yet 100% certain about what causes this tingling sensation in the skin.

The most likely answer, however, is that beta-alanine fires up sensory neurons in the body which terminate within the skin.

This causes the skin to tingle, sting slightly, and even itch.

Whereas most of the upper and lower body is affected, most users of beta-alanine who experience this side effect find that the tingling and itching sensation is most concentrated in the face and neck regions.

While Paresthesia is not considered a dangerous side effect, it can be very uncomfortable which is why some people avoid beta-alanine altogether or dramatically reduce their dosages to less than 800mg per serving.

Because of the complaints of this particular side effect, manufacturers of pre-workout supplements have been known to omit beta-alanine from their ingredients.

The Best Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine

As you can see, as beneficial as beta-alanine is, there are a couple of side effects and potential downsides to be aware of.

If you can’t have beta-alanine, or if you simply wish to avoid the paresthesia that sometimes goes with beta-alanine supplementation, finding alternative pre-workout supplements can be beneficial.

If you’re looking for a pre-workout that gets you fired up, and energized and helps you get dialed in for training, without having to deal with the side effects of beta-alanine, here are some of the best pre-workout options currently available.

1. Dark Labs – Flame

The first pre-workout we have for you today is an incredibly potent offering by supplement company Dark Labs, and it is completely free of beta-alanine.

Flame is a pre-workout at GNC that is perfect for those of you who are looking for a much-needed energy boost, without having to rely upon beta-alanine.

Flame is a stim-based pre-workout that focuses primarily on physical and psychological energy. If you’re looking for muscle pumps, you may wish to look elsewhere.

If however, you’re looking for insane bursts of energy, and the ability to get dialed in and zoned in harder than ever, Flame is the perfect supplement for you.

With an impressive 300mg of caffeine anhydrous per serving, along with 100mg of caffeine citrate, and 200mg of DMHA, Flame is a stim junkie’s ultimate fantasy.

If you’re familiar with Dark Labs, you’ll know that they don’t mess around when it comes to pre-workout supplements.

They’re not afraid to push boundaries and create the most potent of mixes, and Flame is a prime example of this.

To make up for the missing beta-alanine, as well as the caffeine and DMHA, Dark Labs has also used natural ingredients such as yohimbine, Beta PEA, and theobromine.

Make no mistake about it, this is a very potent supplement that packs one heck of a punch and is great for those training sessions where you’ve got heavy weights to lift, and a lot of volume to work through.

2. Myoblox – Loco

While you won’t go Loco when using this supplement, it will give you some pretty impressive increases in energy, both physically and mentally.

Loco, from the supplement company Myoblox, is a very potent pre-workout supplement that does not rely upon beta-alanine when it comes to muscular endurance and recovery.

Loco is more like an energy drink than a pre-workout supp, and we certainly aren’t unhappy about that.

Loco provides a clean energy boost that lifts your spirits, improves mental focus, and energizes the brain and body in a slow and controlled manner.

Make no mistake about it, however, it still kicks like a mule and with a staggering 400mg of caffeine per serving, it’s easy to see why that is.

Using a selection of potent and natural ingredients, including citrulline malate, along with tyrosine and taurine, Loco not only works on your body and muscles, but it also works on your mind and helps you to get focused and motivated before you train.

The star of the show, however, is their super-secret Loco Energy Matrix, which comes in at 1425mg per serving.

This, along with the other key ingredients, promotes heaps of energy, laser focus, crazy vascularity, and insane muscle pumps.

It’s easy to see why this is considered the best pre-workout without beta alanine, by those who have used it.

3. Transparent Labs – Pump

Another contender for the best pre-workout that is currently on the market today is the aptly named ‘pump’ from Transparent Labs.

As the name strongly infers, Pump is a pre-workout supplement that is designed for people looking for crazy muscle pumps.

Whereas a muscle pump may not offer you any real lasting benefits, for those few hours when you are pumped after an insane workout, you’ll look and feel bigger and harder than ever.

It also provides a very impressive psychological boost.

The pump contains all of the ingredients you’d expect to find in a pre-workout supplement such as Citrulline, L-Arginine, Betaine Anhydrous, and Tyrosine to help you get dialed in and energized before you start throwing the weights around.

This is the perfect pre-workout for people who want a natural, caffeine-free, stimulant-free energy boost and crazy muscle pumps, with no energy crash or side effects associated with caffeine and high stimulant consumption.

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Enriched with nitrates to stimulate Nitric Oxide production in the body, this pre-workout provides unbelievable muscle pumps, crazy levels of vascularity, and a hugely impressive increase in blood flow and circulation.

Think of all the benefits of a pre-workout with a slightly less dramatic energy boost, with no side effects or downsides associated with caffeine and other stimulants.

Some people even stack it with a pre-workout containing low caffeine and other stimulants, allowing them to enjoy plenty of energy as well as rock-hard muscle pumps.

4. Gorilla Mind – Gorilla Mode

When you think of Gorillas in the wild, you think of huge, hulking, powerful beasts, and that is exactly what Gorilla Mind wants to turn you into with their powerful supplements.

Gorilla Mode from the supplement company Gorilla Mind is a unique beta-alanine-free pre-workout supplement that provides energy, mental focus, strength increases, vascularity, and muscle pumps, all without the need for beta-alanine.

Enriched with creatine for muscle endurance and performance thanks to its ability to boost ATP productions and amino acids such as L-Citrulline and L-Tyrosine, it’s the perfect supplement for people who want to go full beast mode, or rather, Gorilla Mode, without the itchy, tingly sensation commonly associated with beta-alanine.

Don’t worry, for added energy there’s 350mg of caffeine per serving, along with their Glycerpump muscle pump matrix, which is comprised of 65% glycerol powder.

This means you have plenty of energy, heaps of mental focus, and muscles pumped harder than granite by the time you finish training.

5. 4Gauge Pre Workout

Yes, we know we’re looking at the best pre-workout, but if we were looking for a pre-workout with the coolest packaging, we’d stop writing right now, because 4Gauge pre-workout would win without any doubt.

4Gauge pre-workout comes in a tub designed to resemble a shotgun cartridge or shell. It looks cool as heck, but what about the powder that’s inside?

Well, we’re also blown away by that too! 4Gauge provides beta-alanine-free muscle performance-boosting benefits, improves mental focus, and helps to provide crazy muscle pumps.

4Gauge is designed with athletic performance in mind, rather than just pure energy-boosting effects. While it contains caffeine, per serving it provides just 150mg, which is the equivalent of around 1 very large cup of coffee.

Instead, it improves your workouts with the help of coconut water powder, which is loaded full of electrolytes and is designed to hydrate the muscles and body.

4Gauge contains creatine monohydrate, caffeine, coconut water powder, L-citrulline, Acetyl L-carnitine, and red beetroot extract for added Nitric Oxide production.

combine all of these ingredients, and you have the perfect recipe for a pre-workout supplement that’s ideal for those who are sensitive to caffeine and stims, but who still need a bit of a physical and mental energy boost before training.

6. Onnit – Total Nitric Oxide Pre-Workout Powder

For anybody out there who is overly sensitive to stimulants and who is looking for a stim-free pre-workout that is also free from beta-alanine, this offering from Onnit is perfect.

As the name is more than a giveaway, this supplement emphasizes Nitric Oxide in terms of energy production.

NO, or Nitric Oxide, is a vasodilator that causes the blood vessels to dilate and expand in size, allowing more blood to be pumped around the body.

By allowing for better circulation, more oxygen and nutrients can be transported around the body and delivered to the cells in your muscles, which they will then use to fuel your muscles.

The ingredients in this product work in synergy to enable the body to naturally produce more NO, which boosts circulation, improves muscle pumps and increases energy delivery as well.

Onnit Total Nitric Oxide Pre Workout Powder is ideal for those looking for minor energy increases without the need for beta-alanine and certainly without relying on powerful stimulants.

If you want a gradual and comfortable increase in energy, this can be to best option.

7. Alpha Neon – Darkside Onslaught

While the name may sound like something out of a fantasy epic, rather than a supplement company, Darkside Onslaught is one of the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine that money can buy.

This may be the most unique pre-workout at GNC we’ve ever encountered, and take it from us, we’ve tried plenty. If you want a mild pre-workout supplement such as the one from Onnit we just looked at, this is not for you.

This supplement packs one heck of a punch. It contains ingredients for burning fat, increasing energy levels, boosting mental focus, and recovering from tough workouts.

With natural ingredients such as White Willow Bark extract, L-Citrulline, Glycerol powder, Alpha GPC, and of course, caffeine, it’s perfect for those of you looking for a sustained energy boost, an increase in metabolism, and an increase in mental focus, all with the bonus of being pumped more than a bodybuilder backstage about to step on stage at the Olympia.

How To Get More From Your Pre-Workout Supplements

Once you’ve decided on a beta-alanine-free pre-workout supplement, the next thing to do is figure out how to use the supplement correctly.

Pre-workout supplements are not cheap, so to get the most value for money, and to get the most from your workouts, you need to ensure you are using them correctly.

These tips should help you do exactly that.

Take Them On An Empty Stomach

Unless the instructions tell you otherwise, to get the most from a pre-workout supplement, you should always consume it on an empty stomach.

Taking a pre-workout in this way means that it will get into your system quicker and will get to work quicker.

If you have a full stomach your body will first digest and break down the food before getting to the supplement, rendering it far less effective.

Make sure you consume your pre-workout on an empty stomach, I.E. having waited at least one hour since eating.

Never Exceed The Recommended Dosage

No matter how tired you are, or how resistant to stimulants you may be, you should never exceed the recommended dosage for your pre-workout supplement.

If you take too much, not only will you experience minor adverse side effects such as digestive issues, anxiety, and insomnia, but you could suffer more serious health issues which could even be fatal.

Never Mix With Energy Drinks

Again, no matter how well you feel you may handle caffeine and other stimulants, you should never mix your pre-workout supplements with energy drinks or ingredients containing caffeine or stimulants.

Doing so could result in cardiovascular issues such as a heart attack.

Final Thoughts

That brings this look at the best pre-workout without beta-alanine to a close today.

As you can see from the list above, there are plenty of options for people who want a pre-workout but want to avoid those pesky beta-alanine tingles.

Whether you want a mild and stim-free supplement, or a potent one to leave you more energized and pumped than ever, there are plenty of options available, so get looking now!