Categories are not one size fits all, this was proved by Pre-Kaged. Pre-Kaged was years ahead of its time. I’m glad Kaged has kept up with additional options, so they can reach new types of athletes.
Pre-Kaged Elite: Top-End athletes going big
Pre-Kaged Elite is very exciting and it is hard to describe in words. In 2022, it blew the doors down right at the start, and we consistently turn to it anytime we need a big day in the gym.
The following text is about a certain type of lifter who need a lot of strength, pumps, energy, and focus. Pre-Kaged Elite has it all.
A few bullet points to get the idea across — all in one scoop:
- A whopping 10 grams of L-Citrulline supplemented with nitrates
- A total of 388 milligrams of naturally-sourced caffeine
- Clinical doses of creatine (CreaClear), betaine, and beta-alanine for muscle-building, performance, and more
- A high 2.5-gram dose of L-Tyrosine paired with Alpha-GPC + Huperzine A for focus
- Mitochondria-supporting taurine, carnitine, and elevATP to further synergize with creatine
- Supporting minerals and high-quality B-vitamins
Put simply, Pre-Kaged has it all. Although you’ll need to be able to handle a lot of caffeine, we’ve noticed that the caffeine doesn’t have as much of an effect as you might think because of the vasodilation from the large amount of creatine + nitrate.
If you want to achieve great results, have the necessary funds, and can handle the intense stimulant feeling, Pre-Kaged Elite is basically the best option available. This product includes creatine, betaine, and beta-alanine, so you don’t have to worry about taking them separately.
Pre-Kaged: The Classic for serious athletes
It is true that the Pre-Kaged Elite product has high levels of caffeine and is more expensive than some similar products. The price is worth it for the training sessions, even though the amount of caffeine is a lot. And possibly too much pump!
Pre-Kaged is still a great option for athletes.
This formula is very similar to the one released years ago, and with its 6.5-gram dose of fermented L-citrulline, it was ahead of its time. Pre-Kaged sports the following main bullet points:
- A beyond-clinical and time-tested 6.5 grams of L-Citrulline
- 274 milligrams of caffeine (naturally-sourced and organic)
- Clinical 2.5 grams of betaine paired with 1.5 grams of creatine HCl
- High-dosed dual L-Tyrosine blend for focus
- High-leucine blend of BCAAs for mTOR stimulation in fasted athletes
Beta-alanine is an ingredient that can cause a tingling sensation, and this product contains a 1.6-gram dose that is more tolerable for people who don’t like that feeling.
Pre-Kaged Sport: For athletes, cardio, and beginners
Both of the above options are great for increasing nitric oxide levels, but not everyone needs such a drastic increase in blood flow during their workout. This text is talking to athletes, cardio beasts, and beginners.
Pre-Kaged Sport is Kaged’s entry-level pre-workout supplement. It is more budget-friendly and athletic-friendly than the Elite version, and won’t make your muscles too full to finish your run.
Built for an athlete, we get smaller doses of nearly everything, especially citrulline and beta-alanine:
- 3.5 grams L-citrulline – still a clinical dose, just not as monstrous
- 188 milligrams of caffeine – naturally sourced but lower dosed
- 2 grams of taurine to promote endurance (same dose as Pre-Kaged Elite)
- 1.6 grams of beta-alanine and 1.25 grams of betaine for added endurance support
This is perfect for athletes who are looking to lift smaller weights, women, and those who are working within a budget. This shoes provides good performance and some support for the feet, but it is not so bulky that it would limit someone’s ability to be flexible.
If you are training for a triathlon, taurine and caffeine can be very helpful, but do you need 6 grams of citrulline? We are not concerned with that answer.
We are always looking for deals. If there is ever a sale on Pre-Kaged Sport, those who enjoy Pre-Kaged Elite and classic Pre-Kaged options can still choose to buy 1.5 to 2 scoops.
Pre-Kaged Pre Workout: Honest Hands-On Review (2022)
Pre-Kaged is a vegan-friendly pre-workout supplement developed by Kaged Muscle. Kaged Muscle is a well-established brand among fitness and bodybuilding aficionados. This supplement is generally trustworthy and transparent about every ingredient and respective dosage. This makes it easier for us to tell you if this is actually the right supplement for you.
Pre-Kaged Ingredients & Benefits
Without further delay, let’s take a look at what this product contains, so you can determine if it’s right for you. It is important to understand the ingredients of anything you plan to consume, and the Pre-Kaged formula contains:
- L-Citrulline
- BCAAs
- Betaine Anhydrous
- Beta-Alanine
- Creatine Hydrochloride
- Coconut Water Powder
- Spectra Total ORAC Blend
- Taurine
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
- Organic Caffeine
L-Citrulline (6.5g)
Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid that may increase muscle, reduce fatigue, and improve endurance in both aerobic and anaerobic exercise, based on the available literature.
There is a lot of conflicting information available about the effects of L-Citrulline, so it’s difficult to say for sure if it’s actually effective or not.
In other words, the documented benefits of L-Citrulline were seen in subjects taking 6,000-8,000 milligrams of citrulline malate per serving, and Pre-Kaged contains 6,500 milligrams of citrulline.
Although citrulline may be effective, there is not a lot of evidence to support this claim.
BCAAs (L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine)
Pre-Kaged uses a 4:1:1 ratio of BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine), which is double the leucine content of the ratio used in scientific studies.
We can look at the BCAAs that were mentioned earlier to see if they would be useful in this supplement.
L-Leucine (4750mg)
. Leucine is considered to be the most important branched-chain amino acid for protein synthesis.
Leucine boosts muscle protein synthesis, which is especially helpful for those with decreased dietary protein intake and the elderly.
While leucine supplementation can help muscle protein synthesis when a smaller amount of protein is consumed, it will not have any additional benefits if enough protein is already being consumed.
L-Isoleucine (875mg)
Isoleucine is one of many amino acids and is linked to glucose consumption and uptake. It helps improve the body’s use of glucose during exercise, and is also thought to help prevent muscle loss.
There is some evidence that isoleucine may help to prevent or reduce muscle damage after exercise, but the evidence is not clear. A 2017 systematic review found that there is no direct evidence of the positive effects of BCAAs on muscle damage, except in very specific conditions. These conditions involve taking 200mg of BCAAs per kilogram of body weight daily for a long period of time.
If claims that isoleucine may help to reduce fatigue during exercise are accurate, this could be a big help for athletes. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition has found that taking BCAAs can lower how hard you feel like you’re working during exercise, and how tired you feel mentally afterwards. Central fatigue happens when too much tryptophan and 5-HT get transported to the brain. BCAAs seem to decrease the amount of these that get transported, which could explain why they help with fatigue.
L-Valine (875mg)
Valine is thought to improve energy levels, endurance, and help the body repair muscle tissue. Other potential benefits of this supplement include reducing high blood sugar levels and stimulating growth hormone production.
A 2017 clinical study found that acute oral supplementation of BCAA’s increased the rate of recovery in isometric strength, CMJ height (countermovement jump), and perceived soreness compared to the placebo group.
Betaine Anhydrous (2.5g)
Betaine anhydrous is a chemical that is found both naturally in the body and in some foods. The foods it can be found in include beets, spinach, cereals, seafood, and wine.
There is research to suggest that betaine could improve certain aspects of exercise performance for example body composition and strength. This is particularly apparent in trained men. The effects of this training don’t seem to improve the performance of untrained men.
In general, there is not much evidence to suggest that betaine anhydrous is effective in increasing strength or improving exercise performance.
Beta-Alanine (1.6g)
Beta-alanine is a form of the amino acid alanine that has been shown to improve muscular endurance. People who use it often report being able to do additional repetitions during their workouts.
There is also evidence that beta-alanine can help improve performance for cardiovascular exercises like rowing or sprinting.
Pre-kaged contains 1.6 grams of kavalactones, which is lower than the 2-5 gram dosage that is generally considered effective.
Creatine Hydrochloride (1.5g)
Creatine is a popular ingredient in sports nutrition because it is effective and well researched. Creatine can help with exercise performance by producing energy quickly during intense exercise.
But how does that function in practice? ATP is a chemical that helps to transport energy within cells and is the main fuel source for intense physical activity. ATP is converted into ADP andAMP when it is used by cells as an energy source. Creatine phosphate store energy in cells in the form of ATP. When ADP is converted back into ATP, it results in a high-energy phosphate group.
Creatine supplements raise the levels of phosphocreatine in cells, which speeds up the recycling of ADP into ATP. More energy is available for intense exercise when this happens. If the supply of energy is more plentiful, it could lead to improvements in power and strength.
Although it is important to take note that the amount of creatine you take should be based on your weight, as someone who weighs more will require more creatine than someone who weighs less. Pre-Kaged contains 1.5 grams of protein, which is low for someone that weighs 82kg, for instance.
We can’t be sure that this ingredient is actually doing anything in this supplement.
Coconut Water Powder (500mg)
Coconut water powder does not have a major effect on increasing performance during exercise, but it does contain electrolytes that are often lost during intense exercise, including sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.
This food also contains B-complex vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pyridoxine, and folates, which can help improve your overall health.
Spectra Total ORAC Blend (100mg)
This supplement contains a blend of different fruits and vegetables, which may not directly improve exercise performance, but does improve overall health by fighting against free radicals. Free radicals are harmful compounds that cause aging and diseases like cancer, but antioxidants in this supplement help to combat them.
Taurine (2g)
Kaged Muscle claims taurine can improve athletic performance and reduce oxidative damage from exercise, but there is not enough evidence to back up these effects.
Taurine is being researched as an anti-diabetic compound because it affects organs that are of most concern to diabetics, such as the eyes, kidney, and nerves. Taurine also helps to control blood sugar and reduce some forms of insulin resistance.
Physical performance is not definitely improved by using caffeine.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (1g)
L-tyrosine is an amino acid that is made from phenylalanine by the body.
Many studies have shown that L-tyrosine can help protect against cognitive decline in stressful situations.
If you’re experiencing extreme stress, catecholamines like adrenaline and dopamine may help you cope.
Since it is essential to have Tyrosine on hand, it will promote the processes of creating catecholamines when you come into an acute stressor. This is contrary to what the data suggests.
This means that tyrosine may help you to focus and have more energy when you are doing something that is physically or mentally demanding.
Tyrosine theoretically could improve physical performance, but there is no evidence that it actually does. This ingredient is still being used in many supplements, not just pre-workout supplements.
Organic Caffeine (274mg)
The ingredient caffeine is often used in pre-workout supplements. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant which can be used to improve physical strength and endurance by sensitizing neurons and providing mental stimulation.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has started to ban the use of caffeine in higher doses because it has a positive impact on exercise performance.
Caffeine has been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
We think this is a key ingredient in pre-workout supplements