BULK Pre-Workout.

The gap this formula speaks to.

Public health figures the engine matched to this formula's ingredients. Reported by their source, cited and dated, never written by the brand.

Population figures from public health data. Context for the category, not a statement about any individual and not a claim about this product.

What the trials show about timing.

Time-to-effect windows the engine read from the trial record. Each is a window a named study measured, cited and dated, never written by the brand.

• Citrulline Malatewithin about 1 hour of a single doseMeasured within a day

  In a randomised double-blind crossover trial in 19 recreationally active women, a single 8 g dose of citrulline malate taken 60 minutes before testing raised total work in a 5-repetition isokinetic leg extension protocol compared with placebo, with no difference in peak torque and no difference in the 50-repetition protocol. A separate crossover trial in 10 well-trained men using 12 g 60 minutes before high-intensity cycling found no change in time to exhaustion or power.

  Gills et al., 2023 (J Strength Cond Res)PMID 34319940

  Cunniffe et al., 2016 (J Strength Cond Res)PMID 26808848

  Early
• Beta-Alanineabout 4 to 10 weeks of daily useBuilds with daily use

  In the trial record, muscle carnosine rises about 59% over 4 weeks of daily beta-alanine, with further gains, about 80%, by 10 weeks.

  Hill et al., 2006 (Amino Acids)PMID 16868650

  Promising
• Betaineat least 1 week of daily use, measured at 14 days in the trialBuilds with daily use

  In a randomised double-blind crossover trial in 12 resistance-trained men, 14 days of betaine at 1.25 g twice daily raised bench throw power and isometric bench press force compared with placebo, with no change in jump squat power or repetitions completed. A meta-analysis of 17 trials in 317 participants reported a modest pooled effect on maximal strength of 0.47 standardised mean difference for regimens of at least 7 days.

  Lee et al., 2010 (J Int Soc Sports Nutr)PMID 20642826

  Zawieja et al., 2024 (Journal of Sports Sciences)PMID 39514262

  Promising
• L-Theaninewithin about 45 to 50 minutes of a single doseMeasured within a day

  Two double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trials measured attention at a fixed interval after one oral dose. In 24 overnight sleep-deprived adults aged 20 to 25, a 200 mg dose tested 45 minutes post-dose reduced false alarms on a traffic-scene recognition task and raised target-distractor discriminability. In 27 healthy young adults tested 50 minutes post-dose, 400 mg shortened the parietal P3b event-related potential latency against placebo, with no significant change at 100 or 200 mg. Both trials measured task and electrophysiological markers, not a subjective feeling.

  Karunaratne and Dassanayake, 2024PMID 39052627

  Dassanayake et al., 2020PMID 32777998

  Promising

Windows measured in the cited trials. Context for how the active behaves over time, not a statement about any individual and not a claim about this product.

The same ingredient, carried differently.

What each form is, and where it fits in a formula. Measured findings carry the study that reported them.

• Citrulline malate

  L-citrulline combined with malic acid, sold most often as a 2:1 or 1:1 blend by weight of citrulline to malate. The malate is the salt of the same acid found in tart fruit.

  Fits

  Suits pre-workout and endurance drink formulas, where the tart malic acid folds into a fruit-flavored mix, and it is the form most sports-performance dosing protocols were written around.

  Trade-off

  Part of each labelled gram is malic acid rather than citrulline, so a 2:1 gram delivers less citrulline than the same gram of free-form. The two common ratios (2:1 and 1:1) are not interchangeable on a label.

  In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial, 41 men took a single 8 g dose of citrulline malate before resistance training. Bench-press repetitions to fatigue rose across the later sets and reported muscle soreness at 24 and 48 hours was lower than placebo.

  Perez-Guisado & Jakeman, 2010 (J Strength Cond Res)
• Beta-alanine

  The free beta amino acid, freely water soluble, supplied as a crystalline powder

  Fits

  Divided daily doses spread through the day, and anyone who wants to control the amount per serving exactly

  Trade-off

  A single larger dose commonly produces transient skin tingling, which is why the total is usually split

• L-theanine

  The single L-enantiomer as a free amino acid, the form found in tea leaf and the form used in essentially all human trials.

  Fits

  Anyone matching what the trial literature actually tested, and anyone formulating with caffeine.

  Trade-off

  Hygroscopic powder with a faint umami taste that can come through in unflavoured drink mixes.

Descriptions of the form itself, read from the cited studies. Not a comparison between products and not a statement about any individual.