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Before I lose any readers who think I’ll be recommending some of those dodgy pre-workout pills from the ads that follow you around social media, let me tell you that is far from reality.
I can see how many crappy snake oil products are out there that all claim to be the best in helping you burn visceral fat mass while sitting on the couch with a box of donuts.
But what I’m actually going to do is present you with fat burning pre-workout supplements that are designed to work with a healthy diet and effective exercise routine. Basically, no promise that taking these pre-workout products to lose weight won’t take effort and commitment.
Over the past few months, I’ve worked with my colleagues to research and test the highest-rated and best thermogenic pre-workout products. We’ve read through thousands of customer reviews, validated ingredients with dietitians, and tested them ourselves.
Let's now find out which of the best thermogenic pre-workout products made the cut.
Our Top Thermogenic Pre-Workout Products (September 2023)
1 - Transparent Labs PreSeries LEAN Pre-Workout (Editor's Choice)
This thermogenic pre-workout is a product I started seeing a lot more at the gym, and what intrigued me most was that there didn’t seem to be any social media hype or advertising around it.
What stood out for me is that the makers took the approach of using only scientifically proven ingredients for increasing energy levels and rate of thermogenesis.
The results a lot of people are posting in reviews are very positive, with many of them also pointing to greater mental focus from the caffeine. Just make sure you don’t drink too much coffee, as it could test your tolerance of stimulants.
Also, if you're diabetic, you might find this supplement a blessing since it's free from artificial flavors and sweeteners. It ensures your systolic blood pressure and glucose levels remain consistent.
- BCAAs support increased strength and muscle mass growth
- A strong dose of caffeine
- Many users say the flavors are quite nice
- Based on average from reviews, it starts working within 15 minutes
- Free from artificial sweeteners, colors, and preservatives, perfect for people with diabetes
- Not the cheapest option unless you bulk buy
But it also goes beyond what most pre-workouts do by having some BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) added in it, such as leucine, valine, and isoleucine. These essential amino acids have been shown to increase energy levels.
This Transparent Labs product could also speed up muscle recovery times and promote protein synthesis. It's one of the best features to upgrade your workout performance, allowing you to hit the gym more frequently and achieve muscular growth.
You can watch this video review to learn more about this thermogenic pre-workout performance supplement.
Get 10% off using coupon code: TOTALSHAPE
2 - Pre Lab Pro
Out of all the thermogenic pre-workout products we tested, this seemed to be the one we were able to agree on most.
First of all, a thumbs up to the makers for not hiding behind some proprietary blends. The exact amounts of ingredients are all stated, that's why we know it contains a decent amount of creatine, L-citrulline, as well as electrolytes.
This thermogenic pre-workout will boost your performance at the gym through brown adipose tissue stimulation, which will send your metabolism into overdrive to source more energy from fats.
- Claims to raise nitric oxide levels for better blood flow
- Suitable for daily use to support performance athletes
- A good dose of creatine and L-citrulline
- Suitable for vegans due to plant-based ingredients
- Swallowing 4 pills can be a struggle
Overall, this pre-workout supplementation gets a thumbs up from thousands of happy users, all of our team here, as well as my dietician. It’s very simple and effective with no hidden or proprietary blends.
Just prepare yourself to swallow 4 capsules at a time; I usually take 2 at home and then 2 when I get to the gym.
3 - Nitrosurge Shred Pre-Workout
Next on our pre-workout supplements list is Nitrosurge Shred, which is another pre-workout supplement that keeps things very simple. By using a blend of caffeine and L-Theanine, it claims to trigger more potent thermogenic effects, so you lose more fat for losing weight and cutting phase.
The enhanced fat burning by heightening the resting metabolic rate releases lots of energy, increasing your endurance in long training and running sessions to burn fat.
Many people emphasize mental focus in most systemic review comments, so you should feel that your workouts are more straightforward.
- Combination of L-Theanine and caffeine promote fat loss
- Many positive reports of better pumps
- Claims to give you more focus
- The flavors are quite nice tasting
- Some extra minerals would be great
While the aim is to keep this thermogenic pre-workout simple, I would have liked to see some more minerals, especially zinc. This can help your body produce more testosterone, so it might be something you need to source from other supplements.
4 - Cellucor C4 Ripped Pre Workout
I’ve used quite a few different Cellucor supplements before, and while not all of them work as well as they are advertised, most of us did find some solid effects on thermogenic processes and muscle pumps from this pre-workout supplement.
We did like that the nutritional pre-workout contains green coffee bean extract, which some studies have shown to be effective in slowing down carbohydrate digestion and balancing blood sugar levels.
And who wouldn't want that?
- A good dose of caffeine for thermogenic effect and mental boost
- Many people say the flavors are refreshing
- Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Contains green coffee bean extract which can balance blood sugar levels
- Exact amounts of ingredients are kept proprietary
Personally, I wouldn’t say this is the best weight loss supplement because the company hides behind proprietary blends. But it’s still worth a try to burn fat, as it comes with a money-back guarantee.
5 - Battle Ready Fuel Pre-Workout
My initial concern with this pre-workout supplement was the name and branding as it seemed to be one of those pre-workouts that has a higher marketing than research budget.
However, I was quite wrong with that assumption and pleasantly surprised by all the positive reviews I saw online.
From a fat burning perspective, they really have gone all-out and loaded it with thermogenic ingredients like caffeine and black pepper extract. The only bad thing is that it does not contain creatine which is something I like in my nutritional supplements.
I haven’t been able to confirm this, but the company claims this pre-workout will stimulate your metabolic process to burn an extra 278 calories daily.
- Claims to help your body burn an extra 278 calories a day
- Good blend of proven ingredients that help burn fat tissue
- Many positive comments about better muscle pumps
- Only requires one capsule to be taken once a day
- Seems to be quite slow acting
How Do Thermogenic Pre-Workouts Work?
Thermogenic pre-workout supplements work by increasing your core body temperature slightly, which is achieved by your metabolism burning more energy.
It sounds simple, but it’s actually quite complicated what happens in your body. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with a lecture on physiology.
When these thermogenic ingredients are combined with exercise, then you can trigger some effective fat oxidation, as your body struggles to source enough energy [1].
The best thing about thermogenic fat loss is that once you get into the habit of healthy nutrition, exercising, and taking dietary supplements, you’ll eventually create a positive feedback loop.
What I mean by that is that a net negative diet will cause fat burning, as will your regular exercising. And when you add thermogenics on top of that, then you’ll have more energy for your muscles to perform.
The word “thermogenic” literally means heat-producing. When your body burns calories, it generates more heat, so the supplements that boost metabolism or fat burning are considered thermogenic.
- Erica Julson, Registered Dietician
Do Thermogenic Pre-Workouts Have Side Effects?
Mostly, people often tolerate nutritious thermogenic or fat-burning pre-workouts without any side effects. With all the FDA-approved products above, we’ve picked ones that contain natural stuff rather than dodgy chemicals since they're the best for fighting obesity.
That being said, some people have pre-workout reactions, so it’s important to know what to look out for. In my experience, these usually happen when people start to take higher than recommended doses to hasten weight loss.
Or if you unknowingly take other pre-workout supplements that contain thermogenic fat burner ingredients.
1. Nausea
With some of the stronger and more potent thermogenic pre-workout supplements, you may start feeling sickness or dehydration after taking them. If this happens, reduce the dose or use a different product altogether.
2. Cramps
Cramping is another side effect that can sometimes happen after a pre-workout, but I’ve only seen this with people who decide to take more than one dose at a time. If you’re new to these thermogenic metabolism boosters, then take it easy at the start. Sometimes, you might even end up experiencing pain and constipation.
3. Jitters
Stimulants like caffeine can make you anxious and jittery if you take too much of them, which could also lead to heart palpitations. It can quickly happen if you drink a few cups of coffee daily [2].
4. Insomnia
While you will get extra focus and mental energy from the caffeine nutrient, taking the best pre-workout supplements late in the day can end up staring at the ceiling for a few hours before you can get to sleep [3]. This could disrupt your Circadian rhythm and cause other effects like undue stress and anxiety, especially if you had an espresso beforehand.
When's The Best Time To Take The Best Thermogenic Pre-Workouts?
The best time to take the best thermogenic pre-workouts is 20 to 30 minutes before your training starts.
When you start pre-workouts with thermogenic ingredients, I generally advise you to take them 30 minutes before you start your warm-up routine.
This gives your metabolism enough time to respond.
You can then fine-tune this to figure out what works best for you as you go along. Keep notes of the time it takes for you to start noticing the positive effects of the pre-workouts, e.g., increased energy and focus.
What Ingredients Should You Look Out For In A Thermogenic Pre-Workout Supplement?
The ingredients you should look for in a thermogenic pre-workout are caffeine, green tea extract, capsicum/cayenne, and L-carnitine.
1. Caffeine
Consuming caffeine as an ingredient in a thermogenic fat burner for weight loss is a must. It’s by far the best natural fat burner and has been proven so through carefully planned clinical trials.
In the short term, caffeine can boost the metabolic rate and increase fat burning, but after a while, people become tolerant to the effects, and it stops working.
- Kris Gunnars, Nutrition Researcher
2. Green Tea Extract
One of the reasons this is an important ingredient in the best thermogenic pre-workouts is due to the caffeine it contains, which I’ve already covered above. But green tea extract also contains antioxidants that have been shown to enhance your body’s ability to process fat.
And because it works wonders for detox, you can really improve the way you feel in your skin [4].
3. Capsicum/Cayenne
Before you worry about having to chew through some hot chili peppers, the best pre-workout products use extracts and will not actually leave a burning sensation in your mouth.
The best thermogenic pre workouts with capsicum/cayenne can work well to suppress hunger, but more importantly, it will help you liquefy some of those stubborn fat reserves for weight loss.
4. L-Carnitine
A lot of pre-workout supplements have this added these days because it is critical for the processing of stored body fat into fatty acids. Those fatty acids are then transported to muscles to get them to their best workout performance [5].
FAQs
Do Thermogenics Really Work?
Thermogenics work, as proven by countless clinical trials and scientific studies that back up their effects. With healthy eating and training, thermogenic pre-workouts should help you lose fat and build lean muscle mass.
Do Thermogenics Give You Energy?
Yes, thermogenics give you energy by processing stored body fat and releasing it as energy. Some of that is used for metabolic processes, but you’ll also notice a difference during training.
Can a Pre-workout Help You Lose Weight?
Yes, thermogenic pre-workout supplements can help you lose weight with fat-burning and energy-boosting ingredients. The increased energy will allow you to work harder and help you burn more, therefore leading to weight loss.
Should I Take Cycles With My Thermogenic Pre-workout?
Yes, you should take cycles with your thermogenic pre-workout performance supplement to give your body some time away from stimulants like caffeine. This prevents your body from building up a tolerance to these stimulants, making the thermogenic effect less effective.
Generally, cycling thermogenic pre-workouts and fat burners for 6 to 8 weeks after 8 to 10 weeks of taking them is ideal. Others also recommended to stop taking thermogenic pre-workouts when you can no longer feel that "tingly buzz."
However, you can also alternate a stimulant-based and non-stimulant based pre-workout to get the same results.
Are Thermogenic Pre-workouts Dangerous?
Thermogenic pre-workouts aren't dangerous, but they can be when taken beyond the recommended dosage. That said, make sure to follow the instructions on the label to prevent any adverse reactions and ensure proper weight control.
Is Taking More Thermogenics Better?
No, taking more thermogenic supplements is not better. In fact, it may actually be more dangerous. Always follow the recommended dosage and never attempt to take double the recommended servings of various products to get more benefits to avoid becoming overweight.
Our #1 Recommended Pre-Workout for Weight Loss
Among our team here at TotalShape, my dietician’s opinion, and the online reviews, there is a clear favorite from all the pre-workout supplements we tested.
The top thermogenic pre-workout for us is Pre Lab Pro.
Pre Lab Pro is fast-working with the bonus of some L-citrulline for improved blood flow, and I like that it contains some creatine.
I’ll let you decide if it’s the perfect thermogenic pre-workout fat burner for your needs, but definitely give it a try for yourself. And remember to post your experience on our Facebook as well.
Our #1 Best Thermogenic Pre Workout
Transparent Labs PreSeries LEAN Pre-Workout
- BCAAs support increased strength and muscle mass growth
- A strong dose of caffeine
- Many users say the flavors are quite nice
- Based on average from reviews, it starts working within 15 minutes
- Free from artificial sweeteners, colors, and preservatives, perfect for people with diabetes
- Get 10% off using code: TOTALSHAPE
- Not the cheapest option unless you bulk buy
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