Kaged Pre-Workout Review (2024)

Are you wondering, “Is Kaged pre-workout good?” In this Pre-Kaged pre-workout review, we’ll be going over the pros and cons of each pre-workout the brand has to offer. 

Out of all the supplement brands available, Kaged consistently delivers some of the highest-quality options on the market. Still, with 5 main options to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which is best for you, which is exactly why we’ve created this Kaged Pre-Workout review!

Kaged Pre-Workout Review

Is Kaged a Good Supplement Brand?

Kaged consistently delivers some of the highest quality supplements on the market, whether it be their pre-workouts, protein powders, or vitamins. As you’ll see later in this review, Kaged uses science-based formulas for its pre-workouts with effectively dosed active ingredients like Beta-Alanine, Betaine, and L-Citrulline. 

Many of Kaged’s products are also Informed-Sport Certified, which guarantees a high level of quality, and ensures the formula does not contain any harmful contaminants or potentially banned substances. This makes Kaged an excellent brand to consider if you’re an athlete who gets tested before competitions!

Overall, Kaged is easily one of the most reliable and trustworthy supplement brands around, which is why all the pre-workouts we’re about to cover would make an excellent choice. 

Kaged Pre-Workout Review

Below we’ll be covering the 5 best pre-workouts on offer from Kaged, which range from 0-388mg of caffeine, and all have slightly different formulas and price points. This guide should help you pick which product is best for you.

1. Pre-Kaged Original Review

Pre-Kaged Original

• Serving Size: 1 scoop (28.7 g)
• Servings per Container: about 20
• Calories per Serving: 20
• Total Carbohydrate per Serving: 4g
• Recommended By Athletes: Farren Morgan, Marvin Achi

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1. Examining the formula

Starting our list, and our top overall pick is the original Kaged muscle Pre-Kaged pre-workout.

The main Kaged pre-workout ingredients are L-Citrulline, Taurine, Betaine, Beta-Alanine, and Creatine. These 5 ingredients are found in most of the options covered on our list in varying doses (Pre-Kaged Sport is the exception, as it doesn’t contain any creatine). 

Only L-Citrulline and Taurine are likely to have any acute performance benefits out of these 5 main ingredients. L-Citrulline is beneficial for endurance and exercise performance and is dosed effectively at 6.5g per serving. Taurine is specifically beneficial for endurance performance, with the 2g dose included here being ideal. 

Meanwhile, the rest of the supplements have a more cumulative effect. Betaine is dosed effectively at 2.5g per serving and will increase force production and muscular endurance with consistent use.  Beta-Alanine is dosed fairly low at 1.6g per serving (2g+ would be more ideal), but will help with fatigue reduction with consistent use. 

Finally, while Creatine is one of the most well-researched sports supplements with benefits ranging from improving performance and recovery to increasing lean muscle mass, it’s dosed too low at 1.5g (an optimal dose would be 3-5g per day). Also, this is creatine HCl, which is not as highly recommended as the more standard monohydrate. 

Beyond these doses, you’ll also be getting 274mg of caffeine – which is in between the 2 other stimulated options we’ll be covering later in the list. 

2. The magnitude of the stimulating effect

As mentioned, at 274mg of caffeine per serving, this pre-workout will provide a significant amount of stimulation – even in experienced pre-workout users. While it’s not the highest-stim option on our list, this may still be too much caffeine for a pre-workout beginner. As a result, we mainly recommend this option for people who have already used a milder pre-workout. 

3. Flavors Variety

Pre-Kaged Original has the most flavor variety on our list with 7 different options to choose from – this is more than triple the flavor variety when compared to Non-Stim Pre-Kaged!

4. Price per serving

At ~$2.25 per serving, this is around the average price for our list. It’s worth noting that this is the same price compared to Non-Stim Pre-Kaged. Because of the more complete formula, we believe this supplement offers significantly better value for money.

5. Who is this formula best for?

This supplement will be ideal for most pre-workout users who want a solid hit of caffeine combined with effective doses of several active ingredients.

2. Pre-Kaged® Elite Review

Pre-Kaged® Elite

• Serving Size: 1 scoop (34.9 g)
• Servings per Container: about 20
• Calories per Serving: 20
• Total Carbohydrate per Serving: 1g
• Recommended By Athletes: Farren Morgan, Marvin Achi

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1. Examining the formula

Pre-Kaged Elite is Kaged’s premium alternative to their standard Pre-Kaged formula. This means stronger doses of its active ingredients, as well as significantly more caffeine. 

Elite has the same basic ingredients as the original Pre-Kaged, they’re just dosed more effectively. You can expect:

• 10g of L-Citrulline
• 3.2g of Beta-Alanine
• 2.5g of Betaine
• 5g of Creatine (3g of Monohydrate and 2g of Nitrate)
• 2g of Taurine

As you can see, except Taurine, each ingredient is dosed significantly higher than Pre-Kaged and Pre-Kaged Sport. It’s also worth noting this contains a more effective daily dose of creatine, split between monohydrate and nitrate. 

2. The magnitude of the stimulating effect

At 388mg of caffeine per serving, this is easily the strongest supplement on our list, containing about 100mg more than the Pre-Kaged original. Keep in mind that this is a very strong pre-workout, and should be reserved only for experienced pre-workout users. 

3. Flavors Variety

Pre-Kaged Elite comes with a similar flavor variety to Pre-Kaged Sport with 5 different options to choose from. It mixes well, and has a great taste, with the orange mango flavor being similar to Fanta soda. 

4. Price per serving

Because this is Kaged’s most premium pre-workout, expect a price that reflects the excellent formula. Each serving will cost you ~$3.00, so keep this in mind if budget is a concern for you. 

5. Who is this formula best for?

Pre-Kaged Elite is best for experienced pre-workout users who want a very high dose of stimulation, and strong doses of active ingredients including a full daily dose of creatine.

3. Pre-Kaged® Sport Review

Pre-Kaged® Sport

• Serving Size: 1 scoop (13.6 g)
• Servings per Container: about 20
• Calories per Serving: 10
• Total Carbohydrate per Serving: 2g
• Recommended By Athletes: Farren Morgan, Marvin Achi

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1. Examining the formula

Next up we have Pre-Kaged Sport, which is the first stimulated pre-workout we’ll be covering. On top of 188mg of caffeine, it includes the active ingredients L-Citrulline, Beta-Alanine, Betaine, and Taurine. 

When comparing Pre-Kaged Vs. Pre-Kaged Sport, it's worth noting that this supplement has lower doses of most of its active ingredients. Each serving only contains 3.5g of L-Citrulline and 1.25g of Betaine. While these should still be effective doses, they won’t be quite as beneficial as the higher doses included in the option above.

With this being said, Pre-Kaged contains the same doses of Beta-Alanine and Taurine at 1.6g and 2g respectively. 

2. The magnitude of the stimulating effect

With 188mg of caffeine per serving, this is the mildest stimulated supplement on our list. This will provide a solid dose of stimulation for most people and is likely an ideal dose for most pre-workout beginners.

3. Flavors Variety

Pre-Kaged Sport comes in 5 different flavors, which is 3 more than Non-Stim Pre-Kaged. This is a solid amount of flavor variety for Kaged, although as you’ll see, Original Pre-Kaged does have more flavors on offer. 

4. Price per serving

Likely because of the lower doses of active ingredients, this is easily the cheapest supplement on our list. Each serving of this supplement will only cost you about ~$1.25, making this an excellent budget pick.

5. Who is this formula best for?

Pre-Kaged Sport will be ideal for athletes who want a budget-friendly pre-workout with relatively mild stimulation. Just keep in mind the active ingredient breakdown isn’t as ideal as the other options on offer from Kaged.

4. Stim-Free Pre-Kaged Review

Stim-Free Pre-Kaged

• Serving Size: 1 scoop (27.9 g)
• Servings per Container: about 20
• Calories per Serving: 20
• Total Carbohydrate per Serving: 1g
• Recommended By Athletes: Farren Morgan, Marvin Achi

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1. Examining the formula

Up next is the non-stim counterpart to the first option on our list. As a result, this product is virtually identical to the standard Pre-Kaged formula, with the main difference being a lack of caffeine. 

As a quick recap of the formula you can expect:

• 6.5g of L-Citrulline
• 2.5g of Betaine
• 1.6g of Beta-Alanine
• 1.5g of Creatine HCl
• 2g of Taurine

2. The magnitude of the stimulating effect

Because this pre-workout doesn’t contain any caffeine, it’s unlikely to provide any significant stimulating effects. The effects of this supplement will instead largely come from the active ingredients outlined above. 

3. Flavors Variety

This supplement only comes in 2 flavors – fruit punch and cherry bomb. Compared to most of Kaged’s other pre-workouts, this is a very low amount of flavor variety. From our experience, it’s a bit sour, similar to an energy drink. It does mix well, although it does foam up quite a bit. 

4. Price per Serving

Each serving of Pre-Kaged Stim Free costs ~$2.25. As you’ll see, this is the same price as standard Pre-Kaged, which contains a solid dose of caffeine on top of the same formula. As a result, these 2 supplements coming at the same price makes the Non-Stim’s cost somewhat difficult to justify. 

5. Who is this formula best for?

This formula is best for athletes who are sensitive to caffeine, but still want all the benefits of high-quality active ingredients.

5. Pre-Kaged® Elite Series Stim-Free Review

Pre-Kaged® Elite Series

• Serving Size: 1 scoop (32.5 g)
• Servings per Container: about 20
• Calories per Serving: 5
• Total Carbohydrate per Serving: 1g
• Recommended By Athletes: Farren Morgan, Marvin Achi

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1. Examining the formula

Finally, we’ll be looking at the stim-free variation of Pre-Kaged Elite. Similar to the non-stim Pre-Kaged original, this is the same formula as Pre-Kaged Elite, minus the caffeine. This makes it an excellent source of its 5 active ingredients. As a quick recap, each serving contains:

• 10g of L-Citrulline
• 3.2g of Beta-Alanine
• 2.5g of Betaine
• 5g of Creatine (3g of Monohydrate and 2g of Nitrate)
• 2g of Taurine

2. The magnitude of the stimulating effect

Because this is a stimulant-free option similar to the supplement we covered above, it will provide no stimulation. It does, however, have excellent, effective doses of all its other active ingredients. 

3. Flavors Variety

Similar to the other non-stim option on our list, Elite stim-free only comes in 2 flavors – cherry limeade and orange mango. This is significantly less flavor variety than the standard Elite pre-workout which comes in 5 different options. 

4. Price per serving

Once again, this supplement costs the same as the standard Elite pre-workout at about ~$3.00 per serving, despite not having any caffeine. It’s ultimately up to you to decide whether this formula is worth the same amount as its caffeinated counterpart. 

5. Who is this formula best for?

This formula is best for those who want a strong combination of active ingredients without an exceptionally high dose of caffeine.

Overall Verdict for Kaged Pre-Workouts

So, what’s the best Kaged Pre-Workout? 

We believe that the original Pre-Kaged supplement will provide the best value for most people because of its solid blend of active ingredients and strong stimulation. While Elite has the highest amount of active ingredients, its high dose of caffeine won’t be ideal for everyone, not to mention its high price point. Pre-Kaged Sport offers a more moderate supplement which is the best budget option on offer from Kaged. 

It’s worth noting that the non-stim variants are solidly dosed, although they have limited flavor variety, and come at the same price as the caffeinated options. Because of this, it’s tough to recommend these products over the standard options. With that being said, they will be effective if you’re sensitive to caffeine – especially Non-Stim Elite. 

Overall, all of Kaged’s pre-workouts are solid supplements that will appeal to different people. With that being said, our top pick is Pre-Kaged Original.

FAQ

What is the Highest Rated Kaged Pre-Workout?

On Kaged’s website, Pre-Kaged easily has the most reviews with 1,704 rankings on their site. The other 4 options on our list range from 35-602 reviews. All 5 products have similarly high overall ratings, although it’s clear that Pre-Kaged is the most popular pre-workout offered by Kaged. 

How much Caffeine is in Kaged Pre-Workout?

Pre-Kaged Original has 274mg of caffeine per serving, which makes it a fairly strong standard pre-workout supplement. If you’re looking for a milder option, Pre-Kaged Sport only has 188mg; for a stronger version, consider Pre-Kaged Elite which has 388mg of caffeine. 

What are the Side Effects of Pre-Kaged?

The main side effects of caffeine will be related to high amounts of caffeine. Especially if you’re not used to taking large doses of caffeine at once, Pre-Kaged may cause symptoms like:

• Increased heart rate
• Stomach irritation
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Jitters
• Anxiety
• Insomnia

Another possible side effect is paresthesia, which is an itching/tingling sensation caused by Beta-Alanine. It’s worth noting this side effect typically becomes less noticeable with consistent use of Beta-Alanine. 

Does Pre-Kaged have Creatine?

Yes, all the supplements on this list include creatine except for Pre-Kaged Sport. Pre-Kaged Original contains 1.5g of Creatine HCl. Meanwhile, Pre-Kaged Elite contains 5g of Creatine split between Monohydrate and Nitrate. As a result, we recommend Pre-Kaged Elite if you’re looking for a solid daily dose of creatine in each serving. 

Conclusion

All 5 pre-workouts offered by Kaged are solid choices, although they’ll all appeal to different people. Kaged offers 2 great non-stim options, as well as 3 caffeinated options ranging in strength from 188mg to 388mg. 

While you can’t go wrong with any of these supplements, in our opinion, Original Pre-Kaged will likely be the best choice for most people looking for a moderately strong pre-workout supplement.  

Have you tried any of Kaged Pre-workouts? Let us knwo your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• C4 Pre Workout Review
• When to Take Pre Workout
• Transparent Labs Lean Pre Workout Review
• C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Review
• Promix Pre Workout Review
• Pre Kaged Stim Free Review

References:

1. Wethington, L. N. “The Ergogenic Effects of Acute Citrulline Malate Supplementation on Weightlifting Performance in Trained Females.” Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses. (2016).
2. Kurtz, J.A. et al. “Taurine in sports and exercise.” J Int Soc Sports Nutr 18, 39 (2021).
3. Apicella, Jenna M., "The Effect of Betaine Supplementation on Performance and Muscle Mechanisms" Master's Theses. 109 (2011).
4. McGonigle, B, et. al, "EFFECTS OF BETA-ALANINE ON ANAEROBIC PERFORMANCE," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 8: Iss. 8, Article 67. (2020).
5. Kreider RB, et. al, “International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine.” J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Jun 13;14:18. (2017).