9 Pre-Workouts With No Beta-Alanine & No Itch (2023) 

Here’s our picks for the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine. Get a boost for your workout without the itchy feeling.

Table of Contents

• Why You May Want a Pre-Workout With No Beta-Alanine
• Are Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine Effective?
• 9 Pre-Workouts With No Beta-Alanine
• Wrapping Up

All you want sometimes is a pre-workout that gives you a boost during your training session, but all you get is an annoying itch all over your body. 

Sound familiar?

And you’d probably be shocked to discover that the solution to this is simply taking a pre-workout with no beta-alanine. But would it be as effective?

Read on to discover whether beta-alanine-free pre-workouts work and find a list of pre-workouts that don’t make you itch. 

Why You May Want a Pre-Workout With No Beta-Alanine

One of the main reasons for choosing a beta-alanine-free pre-workout is avoiding the harmless side effect that  comes from taking beta alanine. 

Beta-alanine is known for causing short-term paresthesia, which in simple words is a tingling sensation that makes your body itchy. ^[1]

Unfortunately, the mechanisms behind the itch caused by beta-alanine are still unknown. Therefore, the only option to avoid this irritating tickly sensation is to consume pre-workouts that don’t contain this ingredient. ^[2]

Is Beta-Alanine Itch Dangerous?

Despite being unpleasant, paresthesia caused by beta-alanine is safe and is usually short-lived. 

However, if the tingly sensation is also paired with skin rashes, swelling, abdominal cramping or pain, difficulty breathing, or feeling sick, then it may be an allergic reaction to the other ingredients present in the pre-workout that has been consumed. Therefore, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. 

Are Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine Effective?

Pre-workouts are designed to improve your fitness performance through a series of selected ingredients with specific ergogenic effects. 

However, many of the ingredients used in sports supplements don’t have enough evidence to support their ergogenic properties. ^[3] 

With that said, caffeine and creatine are the ergogenic aids with the most extensive research that proves their efficacy in boosting performance.  Therefore, as long as a pre-workout contains these two ingredients, you should gain some beneficial effects on your alertness, power output, and muscle strength, even if it doesn’t contain beta-alanine. 

9 Pre-Workouts With No Beta-Alanine

If you want a pre-workout that doesn’t make you itch, then you need to look for one that doesn’t contain beta-alanine. 

Below is our list of some of the best pre-workout without beta-alanine available on the market.

1. Vega Sport Sugar-Free Pre-Workout

Active Ingredients: Caffeine, Green Tea, Eleuthero root, Rhodiola Rosea Extract

Pros: 

• Contains electrolytes that help you stay hydrated
• Keto-friendly
• Vegan
• Glute-free
• Easy to mix with water

Cons:

• Container size and servings are smaller than most brands
• Some consumers don’t enjoy the flavor

2. EFX Sports Karbolyn Hydrate

Active Ingredients: Phosphorous, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Karbolyn

Pros: 

• Good price for the amount of servings provided
• This pre-workout can be consumed on an empty stomach without causing side effects, as it does not contain any stimulant ingredients
• Helps keep you hydrated by providing electrolytes
• Gives an energy boost by providing carbohydrates
• Can be consumed even later in the day as it doesn’t contain caffeine that might disrupt sleep 
• Gluten-free

Cons:

• It does not contain any stimulants 
• It does not contain ingredients that increase blood flow to the muscles to give you a pump

3. Pre Lab Pro

Active Ingredients: Beetroot Powder, Setria Glutathione, L-Citrulline, Coffea Robusta Seeds, L-Theanine, L-Tyrosine, Vitamin D3, B-Complex Vitamins, Potassium, Iron, Himalayan Pink Salt

Pros: 

• Supports cardiovascular training
• Enhances muscle recovery
• Helps keeping hydrated
• Supports mental focus 

Cons:

• Only 20 servings per container
• Some consumers find it pricey for the number of servings provided in one tub
• Some consumers found the flavor unpleasant
• Only contains 80mg of caffeine per serving, which may not be enough to get an energy boost for many gymgoers

4. Organic Muscle Pre-Workout

Active Ingredients: Maca Root, Rhodiola Rosea, Acai, Ginseng, Beet Root, Yerba Mate, Green Tea, Turmeric, Cordyceps

Pros: 

• Certified organic product
• Vegan friendly
• Gluten-free
• Contains nootropics to help enhance mental clarity and focus
• Easier to digest as it contains all-natural ingredients

Cons:

• Higher price range than other brands
• Less caffeine than other blends, which may not affect people who are used to consuming caffeinated products 

5. Energy EAA

Active Ingredients: Taurine, L-Glutamine, L-Arginine, L-Leucine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine, L-Citrulline, L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, L-Histidine, L-Lysine HCl, L-Threonine, Caffeine, Theobromine, Green Tea Extract

Pros: 

• Contains essential amino acids that support muscle growth and recovery
• Good flavors

Cons:

• Some consumers received the tub without labels, which can be a risk to those suffering from allergies

6. Gorilla Mode

Active Ingredients: L-Citrulline, Creatine Monohydrate, Glycerol, Malic Acid, Betaine Anhydrous, L-Tyrosine, Agmatine Sulfate, Kanna, Caffeine, N-Phenethyl Dimethylamine Citrate, Piperine, Huperzine A

Pros: 

• 40 servings per container
• Nootropic ingredients that support mental focus
• Increases blood flow to the muscles, giving a pump

Cons:

• Some consumers found the product chunky and hard to mix with water

7. PEScience High Volume Nitric Oxide Booster

Active Ingredients: L-Citrulline, Taurine, Glycerol, Ferula Acid, Arginine Nitrate, Agmatine Sulfate

Pros: 

• Gives a pump by increasing blood flow to the muscles
• Able to consume later in the day as it contains no stimulants that may affect sleep
• Ideal to consume prior to cardio training to boost performance output

Cons:

• Contains no stimulants, such as caffeine, therefore some people may find it not effective to boost energy or alertness
• As it contains no stimulants, you may need to stack it with other supplements

8. 4 Gauge

Active Ingredients: Caffeine, L-Theanine, Creatine Monohydrate, L-Citrulline, Red Beet, Rhodiola Rosea, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Coconut Water Powder

Pros: 

• It doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners
• Helps to maintain focus and concentration high
• Gives a good pump to your muscles
• It supports high-intensity workouts
• L-Theanine diminishes the risk of side effects caused by caffeine

Cons:

• The price range for this product is higher than other brands

9. Pump Surge

Active Ingredients: L-Citrulline, Extract Betaine Anhydrous, Taurine, Alpha-GPC, Huperzine A, AstraGin

Pros: 

• Free from artificial colors, sweeteners, and fillers
• Can be consumed close to bedtime as it does not contain any stimulants
• Supports high-intensity workouts
• Improves focus, strength, and endurance

Cons:

• Some consumers find some of the flavors not very pleasant
• Some people complained it doesn’t provide an energy boost 
• The enhancing effect of AstraGin on nutrients absorption has yet to be confirmed by research

Wrapping Up

Pre-workouts, can help you support your fitness performance. However, if you dislike feeling itchy after you drink them, then you should opt for one without beta-alanine. Below you can find the key points about beta-alanine-free pre-workouts and why you should choose them:

• Beta-alanine is the compound that causes the itch when having a pre-workout.
• As the mechanisms behind the itch caused by beta-alanine are still unknown, the only way to boost your training sessions is to consume pre-workouts that don’t contain this compound.
• The itch caused by beta-alanine is not dangerous and usually doesn’t last for long. However, if paired with skin rashes, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramping, and pain, then it may be an allergic reaction caused by one of the ingredients within the pre-workout.
• Most sports supplements lack enough evidence to support their ergogenic properties, excluding caffeine and creatine. Therefore, as long as a pre-workout contains these two ingredients, they should boost your fitness performance.