Caffeine is just about synonymous with pre-workout supplements.

After all, caffeine is one of the most well-researched ingredients in existence, and it has been shown to support everything from strength to endurance to focus.

However, there are many good reasons to have a tub of pre-workout without all the caffeine on hand.

That’s what “stimulant-free” pre-workouts are. They’re typically the same or similar formulas as traditional pre-workouts, but without the caffeine.

At Kaged, we have two stimulant-free pre-workout options.

1. Our original award-winning Kaged Pre-Workout

2. Pre-Workout Elite, which contains more ingredients and is designed for serious athletes.

Why They’re Labeled “Stimulant-Free” Instead of “Caffeine-Free”

To give you some insider baseball, the term “stimulant-free” became popular because many ingredients contain trace amounts of caffeine. For example, our original stimulant-free pre-workout contained green tea extract as part of the SPECTRA™ antioxidant blend.

This means it has a trace amount (a max of 1.2mg) of caffeine per serving. While this is less caffeine than a typical decaf coffee, we don’t call it “caffeine free” because it’s technically not.

With definitions out of the way, let’s talk about who should take a stim-free pre-workout, when to take it, and how to customize it for your stack.

If Your Pre-Workout Relies on Caffeine… It’s Not a Good Pre-Workout

We’ve been in this business for over a decade. We’ve seen pre-workouts blow up onto the scene and fade away just as fast.

Time and again, the pre-workouts that rely on caffeine don’t last long. People realize they’re paying for overpriced coffee and move on. Your pre-workout should be about more than caffeine. It should support…

Endurance
Pumps
Strength
Power
Focus

The Benefits of Stimulant-Free Pre-Workout: Everything But The Energy

The benefits of a stimulant-free pre-workout depend on the benefits of the ingredients. You have to check the label, the forms of those ingredients, and the doses.

If you want more endurance, strength, power, or focus, ensure your stimulant-free pre-workout has ingredients to support that.

Here’s how Kaged stimulant-free pre-workouts bring these benefits.

Endurance

Endurance is about sustaining performance over time, whether you're grinding through a high-rep set or pushing through the final miles of a run. Kaged Pre-Workout Stimulant-Free supports endurance with:

CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine (1.6g in original, 3.2g in Elite): This research-backed form and dose helps buffer lactic acid buildup, delaying muscle fatigue so you can get that extra rep.* It's the ingredient behind the familiar "tingles."
BetaPower® Betaine Anhydrous (2.5g): BetaPower® Betaine has been shown to support strength, power, and muscle endurance.* BetaPower® is a patented, purified form with extensive research backing its efficacy.
elevATP® (Elite only): A blend of ancient peat and apple extracts, elevATP® has been shown to increase ATP production, the energy currency of your cells, promoting increased power output and training volume.*

Pumps

Muscle pumps aren't just about aesthetics; they play a role in nutrient delivery and muscle growth. To maximize pumps, Kaged includes:

Pure L-Citrulline (6.5g in original, 10g in Elite): This amino acid boosts nitric oxide production. This not only amplifies the pump but also supports endurance and nutrient delivery.*
Creatine Nitrate (Elite only): This hybrid molecule combines creatine with nitrate, supporting both strength and muscle pumps.*

Strength + Power

Building strength and power requires more than just heavy lifting; it demands the right nutrients to fuel performance:

Creatine (1.5g in original, 5g matrix in Elite): Creatine supports ATP regeneration, allowing for increased power output and strength gains.
BetaPower® Betaine Anhydrous (2.5g)
elevATP® (Elite only: 150mg)

Sharper Mental Focus

Caffeine supports sharper mental focus. But it’s not the only supplement ingredient that does.

Kaged Pre-Workout Stimulant-Free includes two forms of tyrosine to support mental focus.

Our Elite version takes this up a notch. In addition to L-Tyrosine, it includes AlphaSize® Alpha-GPC. This is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, supporting cognitive function and focus.

When to Take a Stimulant-Free Pre-Workout

Ideal For The Caffeine Sensitive

Not everyone tolerates caffeine well. For some, it leads to jitters, increased heart rate, or disrupted sleep. Kaged Pre-Workout Stimulant-Free provides all the performance benefits without the caffeine, making it perfect for those sensitive to stimulants.

Ideal For Late Afternoon and Night Training

Training later in the day shouldn't mean sacrificing sleep quality. With no stimulants, stim-free pre-workouts allow you to train hard in the evening without worrying about caffeine keeping you up at night.

With A Stimulant-Free Pre-Workout, You Can Customize Your Caffeine Dose

When we launched Pre-Workout Elite in 2021, we got many comments about how amazing the formula looked, except that for some people, the caffeine dose was too much. At 388mg of caffeine, there’s no doubt it’s a high-stim pre-workout.

In response to this, in 2023, we launched the stimulant-free version. Yes, this gives you an option without stimulants, but it also gives you the option to customize the caffeine dose by stacking it with Kaged Organic Caffeine Capsules.

It comes in a 100mg or 200mg option. So if you want the Pre-Workout Elite formula with less caffeine, stack Elite Stimulant-Free with Kaged Caffeine Capsules.

Orange Mango Elite Stimulant-Free is BACK

Orange Mango is one of the most popular flavors in Pre-Workout Elite. Now we have it back in a stimulant-free option. Pick up this great flavor today.