Creatine is a common staple in many of the best pre workout supplements. Along with caffeine, beta alanine and BCAAs, many pre workouts have a healthy serving of creatine.
But what if you want the best pre-workout without creatine?
It’s understandable. Many athletes like to have their own separate creatine supplement so they can measure the dose and control when they take it and how much they take. Other athletes don’t like creatine because it bloats or they’re trying to cut and they don’t want water weight. So what’s a trainer to do? Don’t worry, this article will show you the top five best pre-workout supplements without creatine.
PRODUCT
DETAILS
OUR RATING
Cellucor C4 Ripped
- Combines original C4 pre workout with explosive energy
- High Energy
- Contains L-Carintine, Green Coffee Bean Extract, Capismaz Cayenne Fruit Extract & Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract for enhancing fat loss
Our #1 Rated
Do VitaminsPurePump
- Made with natural ingredients
- Includes cranberry and green tea extract
- Modest amount of caffeine to prevent jitters or crashing
- Includes beta alanine for muscle fatigue reduction
- Includes BCAAs, L-Glutamine and AAKG to feed muscles and support stronger workouts.
Our #2 Rated
RedLeafEnergizer
- Made with natural ingredients
- Includes cranberry and green tea extract
- Modest amount of caffeine to prevent jitters or crashing
- Includes beta alanine for muscle fatigue reduction
- Includes BCAAs, L-Glutamine and AAKG to feed muscles and support stronger workouts.
Our #3 Rated
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OUR #1 RATED |
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CellucorC4 RippedIn the Creatine Free Pre Workout category |
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OUR #2 RATED |
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Do VitaminsPurePumpIn the Creatine Free Preworkout category |
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OUR #3 RATED |
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RedLeafEnergizerIn the Creatine Free Pre Workout category |
Benefits of a Creatine Free Pre Workout
Creatine isn’t for everyone but that doesn’t mean your pre workout is going to suck. Here are some benefits to pre workouts without creatine.
- Fat Loss – Everyone knows that caffeine in a pre workout is there to help with energy. It also helps with fat loss too by raising the body’s thermogensis and fat oxidation. It also delays the onset of hunger. Creatine has been shown to stop the fat loss effects that caffeine can have (1).
- Not Toxic – Taking high doses of caffeine wqith creatine is unhealthy. It can also be toxic so it may not be best to mix the two (2).
Other Benefits To Taking A Pre Workout
More Energy To Workout – One of the main reasons pre workouts are popular is because they give you the energy you need to workout. Some of us have to get up really early to fit a workout in or wait until we have a long tiring day at work. A pre workout can help give you that little bit of extra energy you need to get on with it.
Improves concentration and focus – Part of being able to nail a workout is being able to focus. Pre workouts are designed to help you concentrate and focus on the task at hand.
Why Wouldn’t You Want Creatine In Your Pre Workout
There are many reasons why you would choose to opt for a creatine free pre workout. These include:
- Already have a separate creatine supplement – You may prefer to have a separate creatine supplement so you can measure dose and control when you take it. You want to know exactly how much you are taking and when.
- Creatine causes water retention – You may find creatine bloating and are trying to cut so don’t want to be taking it currently but still want a pre workout.
- Not looking for muscular gain – Creatine is most popularly linked to bodybuilding and strength training because of its ability to increase muscle size. Maybe you don’t want to use it for strength training but are looking for a pre workout that helps with cardio or another source of training. Creatine has been shown to not help endurance (3) so you may prefer to leave it out.
- Not necessarily effective – Some studies have shown that creatine isn’t universally effective. It can help in some activities but not others. It works best for short duration exercise, so if you are using it for running, for example then its worthless.
- Maybe you didn’t find it helped – Some people just don’t respond to creatine so instead of taking it just for the sake of it, maybe you just want to leave it out for now. This may be because you get enough in your diet so already have a large store of it to use.
- A small percentage of people can’t take creatine because their body cannot absorb it into their muscle cells properly.
Are Supplements Without Creatine Less Effective?
The short answer is no. The best pre workout without creatine will include different ingredients to either create the same boost that creatine does or will simply be marketed for a different use such as cardio where creatine is not needed and neither is an alternative.
What Should You Look for in a Creatine-Free Pre-Workout?
Caffeine
Caffeine is somewhat of a personal choice. I usually avoid it but others love the effects they get from it. Caffeine is a stimulant and can give you a big boost of energy and buzz. It can help improve you performance and rsearch has shown that caffeine can get you to put more effort into your workout than you would without it, even when you are sleep deprived (4).
It can also help reduce fatigue too.
Caffeine can be addictive and pre workouts tend to have quite a big dose in them. Some people are also very sensitive to caffeine so may not like the effects they experience.
Some pre workouts will use choline bitartrate and l-tyrosine as an alternative to caffeine for their energy boosting properties.
Caffeine is better for short duration exercise rather than endurance based.
Beta-Alanine
Bete Alanine is generally used to increase muscular endurance but it also works well to reduce muscle fatigure. Beta alanine can also help you build lean mass thanks to its hypertrophic effect which increases the size of skeletal muscle through the growth of component cells.
Beta alanine can also help you work at or above your lactate threshold too. I used it successfully in my running workouts to help boost performance. I recovered much more quickly and I also felt like the workouts were easier than they were before.
It certainly improved my performance.
BCAAs
Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential amino acids. There are 2 in total called leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAAs have a number of benefits including their ability to improve aerobic exercise, fat oxidation, reduces muscle soreness and helps grow muscles. The best ratio is 2:1:1 (twice as much leucine as the other too amino acids) as this is how it is found in your muscles. Most research has been done on this ratio too. Many people, however, would argue that a larger ratio of leucine would be more beneficial as this is the most important amino acid in protein synthesis.
Cellucor
C4 Ripped
Price
Our Rating
- Combines original C4 pre workout with explosive energy
- High Energy
- Contains L-Carintine, Green Coffee Bean Extract, Capismaz Cayenne Fruit Extract & Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract for enhancing fat loss
If you’ve read my other reviews, you’ll know I love Cellucor C4. This supplement is no exception and makes for the best pre-workout without creatine when you’re in a cutting phase.
Even on the strictest diet, when calories are low, a scoop of Cellucor C4 Ripped will give you all the energy you need to attack the weights and treadmill!
This formula has Cellucor C4’s Ripped Blend and some Explosive Energy Blend in each serving but no creatine, so you won’t get bloating or water weight.
The Ripped Blend has l-carnitine, green coffee bean extract, caps imax cayenne fruit extract, and coleus forskohlii root extract. It also tastes amazing.
I recommend you try the Cherry Limeade flavor. It will feel like you are drinking a can of delicious soda!
PROS – Great energy levels and focus with a good range of flavors.
CONS – Supplement can clump up.
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Our #1 Rated |
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If you’ve read my other reviews, you’ll know I love Cellucor C4. This supplement is no exception and makes for the best pre-workout without creatine when you’re in a cutting phase. Even on the strictest diet, when calories are low, a scoop of Cellucor C4 Ripped will give you all the energy you need to attack the weights and treadmill! This formula has Cellucor C4’s Ripped Blend and some Explosive Energy Blend in each serving but no creatine, so you won’t get bloating or water weight. The Ripped Blend has l-carnitine, green coffee bean extract, caps imax cayenne fruit extract, and coleus forskohlii root extract. It also tastes amazing. I recommend you try the Cherry Limeade flavor. It will feel like you are drinking a can of delicious soda! PROS – Great energy levels and focus with a good range of flavors. CONS – Supplement can clump up. |
Do Vitamins
PurePump
Price
Our Rating
- Clean sustained energy – no crash
- No fillers or artficial flavors
- Non-GMO & Vegan & Paleo
- Third party tested and varified
If you are looking for the best pre-workout without creatine and also have strict health requirements for your supplements, there are few products that do better than PurePump by Do Vitamins.
Not only does this supplement not contain creatine, it also doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors and is non-GMO, certified paleo and vegan, and still delivers the goods in regards to pumps and energy.
This is a one-of-a-kind supplement and I absolutely love it. It mixes easily, tastes great, is healthy, and gives you the results you need.
What more can you ask for? It’s not even much more expensive than other pre-workouts!
This supplement is a complete no-brainer for vegan bodybuilders or anyone who needs a boost without wanting to slam down unknown chemicals.
PROS – Healthy, mixes well contains no artificial flavors or sugar.
CONS – Some customers felt it didn’t give them the energy and drive they needed.
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Our #2 Rated |
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If you are looking for the best pre-workout without creatine and also have strict health requirements for your supplements, there are few products that do better than PurePump by Do Vitamins. Not only does this supplement not contain creatine, it also doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors and is non-GMO, certified paleo and vegan, and still delivers the goods in regards to pumps and energy. This is a one-of-a-kind supplement and I absolutely love it. It mixes easily, tastes great, is healthy, and gives you the results you need. What more can you ask for? It’s not even much more expensive than other pre-workouts! This supplement is a complete no-brainer for vegan bodybuilders or anyone who needs a boost without wanting to slam down unknown chemicals. PROS – Healthy, mixes well contains no artificial flavors or sugar. CONS – Some customers felt it didn’t give them the energy and drive they needed. |
RedLeaf
Pre-Workout Energizer
Price
Our Rating
- Made with natural ingredients
- Includes cranberry and green tea extract
- Modest amount of caffeine to prevent jitters or crashing
- Includes beta alanine for muscle fatigue reduction
- Includes BCAAs, L-Glutamine and AAKG to feed muscles and support stronger workouts.
I feel like I’m constantly talking about this supplement. That’s because it’s so effective and so healthy and it has no creatine in it whatsoever!
I love Red Leaf because it uses herbals ingredients and gives you great energy and no crash.
It’s got beta-alanine, BCAAs, glutamine, l-arginine, green tea, and raspberry ketones.Your body and mind will both feel great after Red Leaf.
This is one of the best because it gives you a ton of healthy energy and helps you with whatever fitness goals you have (it’s especially good for fat loss). Try the Natural Cranberry Lime flavor for a delicious pre-workout treat.
PROS – Clean product, great for high intensity workouts and no jitters.
CONS – Many feel it is expensive.
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Our #3 Rated |
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RedLeaf Pre-Workout Energizer
I feel like I’m constantly talking about this supplement. That’s because it’s so effective and so healthy and it has no creatine in it whatsoever! I love Red Leaf because it uses herbals ingredients and gives you great energy and no crash. It’s got beta-alanine, BCAAs, glutamine, l-arginine, green tea, and raspberry ketones.Your body and mind will both feel great after Red Leaf. This is one of the best because it gives you a ton of healthy energy and helps you with whatever fitness goals you have (it’s especially good for fat loss). Try the Natural Cranberry Lime flavor for a delicious pre-workout treat. PROS – Clean product, great for high intensity workouts and no jitters. CONS – Many feel it is expensive. |
Organic Muscle
Organic Pre Workout
Price
Our Rating
- 3 specialized blends of organic ingredients and herbs.
- Energy, Focus, & Stamina Blend: Organic Eleuthero Root, Organic Green Coffee Bean Extract, Organic Yerba Mate, Organic Maca Root, Organic Coconut Water, Organic Ginseng, , Organic Coryceps, Organic Rhodiloa Rosea
- Vascularity & Pump Blend: Organic Beet root for increased Nitric Oxide production, Organic Pomegranate and Organic Acai
- Antioxidant & Metabolic Boost Blend: Organic Matcha Green Tea, Organic Green Tea, Organic Goji Berry, Organic Cranberry, Organic Blueberry, Organic Strawberry, Organic Raspberry, Niacin
The benefit of focusing on pre-workouts without creatine is that many of them are really healthy all round.
If you’ve got a bit of money to spend, I would definitely recommend you try out this from Organic Muscle.
There’s no creatine in the ingredients, only healthy and natural ingredients like ginseng, rhodeola rosea, maca, acai, yerba mate, green tea, beet root, goji berry, and green bean coffee extract.
This supplement tastes great, it doesn’t over-stimulate, it boosts your athletic performance, and, between you and me, it really helps you deliver in the bedroom (if you know what I mean).
Pick up a tub and you won’t be disappointed!
PROS – Clean organic product, genetle on the stomach, no jitters
CONS – Many customers felt it lacked the buzz and energy that other pre workouts provide better.
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Our #4 Rated |
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Organic Muscle Organic Pre-Workout
The benefit of focusing on pre-workouts without creatine is that many of them are really healthy all round. If you’ve got a bit of money to spend, I would definitely recommend you try out this from Organic Muscle. There’s no creatine in the ingredients, only healthy and natural ingredients like ginseng, rhodeola rosea, maca, acai, yerba mate, green tea, beet root, goji berry, and green bean coffee extract. This supplement tastes great, it doesn’t over-stimulate, it boosts your athletic performance, and, between you and me, it really helps you deliver in the bedroom (if you know what I mean). Pick up a tub and you won’t be disappointed! PROS – Clean organic product, genetle on the stomach, no jitters. CONS – Many customers felt it lacked the buzz and energy that other pre workouts provide better. |
Summary
Fortunately, these days there are a range of products on the market to cater for everyone’s needs. My top choice for creatine free still remainds Neon Sport Volt but the others are just as good. and offer different qualities you may prefer, like organic or no artifical colors and flavors.
Overall experiment with the list here to see which one works best for you.
Product Images Sourced From Amazon.com