Alani Nu Pre-Workout Review (Is It Safe And Flavors Ranked)

What Is Alani Nu Pre-Workout?

Alani Nu is a relatively new company founded in 2018 by Katy Hearn. Despite its young age, the company's quickly making a name for itself in the fitness and sports nutrition industry.

In fact, it already has, seeing how their products are very well accepted, and the one in question boasts a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon, with 77% of people rating it as a 5-star product.

The Alani Nu's pre-workout powder formula is designed to give you an edge in the gym by providing more energy and focus while working out.

It comes in ten different flavors and contains a handful of ingredients that have been clinically shown to improve performance.

Alani Nu suggests that you take it slow when using their formula. They recommend starting with half a scoop dissolved in 6-8 ounces of your favorite drink.

This is to minimize the effects of beta-alanine and caffeine jitters and tingling. Still, I'd like you to know that if you do so, you won't actually get to experience much of the Alani Nu Pre-Workout benefits.

Thankfully, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try a full scoop, and if you feel like it's not working for you - it's all good. You'll get your money back.

Also, they recommend you take it 20-30 minutes before your workout, which I'd advise against, as most ingredients, shown below, take about an hour to fully kick in.

My Experience Taking Alani Nu Pre-Workout

Alani Nu Pre-Workout powder caught my eye a while ago, and even though it is marketed toward women in fitness, I was intrigued enough to try it.

I'm not exactly the target audience, being a man, but I figured that since it's such a clean product, I'd give it a chance.

When I first discovered this product, I was pleased to see that it was a simple formula, free of any proprietary blend BS, and that everyone was boasting about how delicious it was.

So, here's a complete breakdown of my experience.

1. Flavor

I love good-tasting dietary supplements, whether pre-workout products or tasty protein powder.

To be fair, I haven't tried every single flavor Alani Nu brand offers, but I did order three that seemed most appetizing to me, which were:

Apart from those, you can get the Alani-Nu in:

Now, you might find some of these flavors aren't available on Amazon or are out of stock, but you'll be able to find all of them on the Alani Nu website.

The three I tried were more than satisfactory, but I quickly settled on Hawaiian Shaved Ice, as it was the Best Alani Nu workout flavor out of three.

It wasn't too sweet and had a nice, sour-y refreshing taste. The best I could describe is Malibu with a dash of lemon juice, if that makes any sense. It's punchy, coconut shines through, and it feels refreshing; pretty delicious overall.

I know some of you like to mix your pre-workout supplements with cranberry juice for some additional carbs and antioxidants, but I didn't try it. I like to keep mine simple and mix them with water.

As for mixing, I had no issues with the Alani Nu Pre-workout supplement. I simply added a scoop to my shaker with some water and shook it until it was all dissolved - easy peasy.

Just make sure you don't get any moisture in the jar, as you'll end up with a clumpy pre-workout supplement that will be hard to dissolve.

To be fair, you're bound to end up with some clumps as you go through the jar, but if you keep your powder in a dry and cool place, clumping should be minimal.

2. Performance Increase

I was very pleased with the Alani Nu Pre-Workout benefit regarding both mental and physical performance.

I felt more energetic and focused during my workouts. I wasn't able to lift more weight, but I did manage to squeeze in an extra few reps, so it's safe to say my exercise stamina saw a small boost.

Nothing too major, but I did feel a bit more energized when tackling those later sets.

The effects lasted for the entire duration of my training sessions, which is usually around 1.5-2 hours of intense exercise.

Also, you will feel the caffeine about half an hour in (beta-alanine, too), but I found that I was at peak about an hour in, which is why I suggested you take this pre-workout an hour before your start lifting for the optimal athletic performance boost.

3. Pump

I'm not too fussed about getting an insane pump. For me, the performance-enhancing benefits are more important.

That said, I noticed a bit of a pump while taking Alani Nu, mostly due to L-Citrulline. It wasn't anything too crazy, but my muscles felt fuller, and they did get plump faster than usual.

4. Focus

I'm always pretty focused at the gym, but I noticed that I could maintain my focus for longer periods while taking Alani Nu.

Then again, this could be due to various factors, and it's hard to say that I was sharper or more focused because of caffeine or L-Tyrosine.

5. Energy

One thing you'll definitely notice is an energy boost. To be fair, if you didn't, you wouldn't take a pre-workout supplement in the first place.

But, the thing with Alani Nu is that it doesn't give you that jittery, nervous feeling that some other pre-workout supplements do.

Instead, it's a smooth energy boost that will last for the entirety of your workout.

I'm not overly sensitive to caffeine, and 1.6 g of beta-alanine isn't much, so this could be different for different people.

6. Side Effects

Aside from a minor but noticeable tingle from beta-alanine, I haven't experienced any adverse effects while taking Alani Nu.

As I said, I'm not overly sensitive to caffeine, so I can't speak for those who are.

Still, I would imagine that you shouldn't feel any jitters or anxiousness since the formula is pretty well-balanced, and 200 mg of caffeine is more than enough to get you through your workout without having your stomach in knots and your mind racing.

Learn More - Pre-Workout Jitters (How To Stop It?)

7. Post-Workout

The most pleasant surprise about Alani Nu was that I didn't experience any crashes after my workout. It's a nice, gradual decline in energy levels, so you won't feel like a deflated balloon when it wears off, which is a big, big plus in my book.

Granted, my energy levels were higher than usual, but it wasn't anything too over the top or unmanageable, and definitely not something that kept me awake or restless during the evening.

8. Cost & Availability

Alani Nu is available on their website, as well as on Amazon and GNC.

As for the cost, a tub of Alani Nu, which is 30 servings, will set you back about $40, which works out to be about $1.33 per serving.

Not great, as it's still above a dollar per serving, but also not too bad, considering you're getting a pretty good formula to help with your fitness goals.

Unless it's Amazon, you're not likely to end up with availability issues, and even there, most flavors are available and in stock.

Alani Nu Pre-Workout Ingredients (FDA Approved?)

As is the case with any other pre-workout, Alani Nu Pre-Workout isn't regulated or approved by the FDA.

The only way FDA gets involved with pre-workouts is if a reason arises and the product needs to be pulled from the shelves, which does happen.

In this case, however, I don't see it happening because the formula is pretty simple and, more importantly - safe.

In addition, unlike many other pre-workouts, Alani Nu Pre-workout supplements don't rely on natural and artificial flavors - just natural flavors.

L-Citrulline Malate 2:1 (6 G)

L-Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid. L-Citrulline Malate is a mixture of L-citrulline and malic acid. Malic acid is a compound found in fruits like apples and helps improve absorption of L-Citrulline.

L-Citrulline is a "precursor" to L-Arginine, which is important because L-Arginine is used to produce nitric oxide (NO).

In the context of working out, increased nitric oxide levels lead to vasodilation or the widening of blood vessels.

This improves blood flow and better delivery of nutrients to working muscles resulting in a greater pump and increased athletic anaerobic performance.

Research has shown noticeable improvements in overall exercise performance [1], as well as muscular endurance and lack of post-workout muscle soreness.

The recommended dose of L-Citrulline malate is 3-6 grams; Alani Nu has hit the high end of this dose at 6 grams.

Beta Alanine (1.6 G)

Beta-alanine is another amino acid and is a "building block" of the protein Carnosine.

It is widely considered the "most effective" ingredient (mostly because you feel the tingles) in pre-workouts for its ability to improve muscular endurance and boost exercise performance. 

It also relieves muscle soreness and muscle fatigue by reducing exercise-induced lactic acid buildup.

However, research suggests [2] that beta-alanine is only beneficial for exercises lasting one to four minutes, which is very unlikely to happen during a regular gym workout divided into sets.

More so, an effective dose is 3.2 to 6.4 g per day, with the latter being the optimal dosage. Research suggests that you need 179 g of beta-alanine over the course of 28 days to fully experience the benefits. [3]

And, even then, the improvements were close to marginal, with a 2.85% percent increase in the overall performance.

When you couple all that with the fact that you only get 1.6 g of beta-alanine per serving of Alani Nu Pre-Workout, it is safe to say that this ingredient will not have a significant or immediate impact on your workout.

Learn More - Pre-Workout Tingle (What Causes It?)

L-Tyrosine (500 Mg)

L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that produces dopamine; a "feel good" neurotransmitter. It is often used as a focus enhancer because it is thought to lead to enhanced cognitive function, improved focus, mental clarity, and memory.

The recommended dose of L-Tyrosine is anywhere between 500-2000 mg in a single dose, half an hour or an hour before a stressful situation, which in this case would be exercise.

However, there were studies where 100-150 mg of L-Tyrosine were administered per kilogram of body weight. [4]

However, in my opinion, that's way too much, considering how little of a boost you're getting overall.

Other than minor focus improvements, L-Tyrosine won't enhance athletic performance, exercise capacity, or boost energy, so it's questionable how effective the pre-workout supplement L-Tyrosine actually is when it comes to strenuous physical exercise.

Caffeine (Arabica Bean Extract) (200 Mg)

Unlike many other pre-workout supplements which use anhydrous caffeine, Alani Nu uses coffee Arabica bean extract for its caffeine content.

Despite popular opinion, the differences between these two forms of caffeine are negligible.

Caffeine and exercise performance are connected, but the only thing that matters is the overall dose of caffeine, which in this case is 200 mg.

At 200 mg, you're getting a very potent dose of caffeine [5] for increased alertness, focus, and physical performance boost. [6]

If you are sensitive to caffeine, jitters might be present, as 200 mg can be too much for some people.

Learn More - How Much Caffeine In Pre-Workout?

L-Theanine (200 Mg)

Another one of the amino acids found in this product is L-Theanine, an amino acid found in green tea.

It's often paired with caffeine because it can offset the side effects of too much caffeine, such as jitters, anxiety, and other stress-related symptoms, and can nowadays be found in most pre-workout supplements.

L-Theanine can help with improving mental regeneration while also reducing stress levels when administered for a prolonged period of time. [7]

As for how it will impact your physical exercise performance - it won't. Research has shown that supplementing with just 50 mg of L-Theanine can accelerate mental regeneration after a strenuous workout. [8]

Improved athletic performance benefits, on the other hand, weren’t mentioned in any research. Evidence is not there.

The jury is still out on a recommended dose for L-Theanine, but anywhere between 50 to 200 mg should be enough to experience the effects.

At 200 mg, you're getting a very potent dose of L-Theanine, which should offset the side effects of the 200 mg of caffeine present in this pre-workout.

Is Alani Nu Pre-Workout For Girls? (Who Should Take It!)

While it is marketed mainly toward women, Alani Nu Pre-Workout powdered supplements can be taken by all healthy adult humans.

The only thing to remember is that 200 mg caffeine dose is on the very high end for pregnant women and those sensitive to caffeine, so if you're either one of those, I recommend avoiding this pre-workout or at least consulting your physician before taking it.

Learn More -  Is Pre-Workout Safe To Take When Pregnant?

Who Should Avoid Having Alani Nu Pre-Workout?

As it says on the box, children under the age of 18, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions should not take this pre-workout supplement or any other supplement without consulting a physician first.

Learn More  -  Can Teen-Agers Take Pre-Workout?

How Does Alani Nu Compare Against Competitors?

Alani Nu Vs C4 Pre-Workout

C4 is a very popular pre-workout formula, but when you look at the ingredients on the back, it really can't compare to the Alani Nu Pre-Workout supplement.

It has 150 mg of caffeine compared to 200 mg found in Alani Nu Pre-Workout, and it doesn't contain any L-Citrulline malate (instead relies on Arginine AKG, which is not as useful as it can't be well absorbed by the intestines, and even if it could be, it's materially underdosed).

It contains a minor dose of creatine nitrate (which from my experience does not compare to the alternative creatine monohydrate), and it comes with a variety of vitamins that have no major impact on your performance.

A big win for Alani Nu Pre Workout.

Alani Nu Vs Transparent Labs Pre-Workout

Unlike C4, Transparent Labs Pre-Workout is a decent opponent.

They both sport the same L-Citrulline Malate dose, and the Alani Nu Pre-Workout supplements come with a smidge more caffeine per serving, but that's where the similarities stop.

Transparent Labs' pre-workout formula is much more potent. It has 4 g of beta-alanine, 1 g of L-Tyrosine, and 360 g of L-Theanine.

Apart from that, you'd get some BCAAs, taurine, and some other ingredients that are all decently dosed.

One thing that's not that good about Transparent Labs Pre-workout is that it's not delicious. In fact, many folks deem it undrinkable, so there's that to consider.

From my experience however, I have found the taste not to be an issue at all!

Read Also Our Review Of Transparent Labs Pre-Workout

Alani Nu Pre-Workout Common FAQs

Conclusion

That’s it from our Alani Nu Pre-Workout review. This very good, decently priced product can help you take your workout to the next level.

You're looking at a balanced, no proprietary-blends-BS product with solid ingredients at clinically effective doses (except beta-alanine) that should improve exercise performance, focus, exercise capacity, and energy levels without giving you the jitters.

So, if you want a good pre-workout supplement that's tailored to actually help you reach your fitness goals, I would recommend giving Alani Nu's Pre-Workout a try.

References: 

1. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2015/03000/effects_of_supplemental_citrulline_malate.29.aspx
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/
3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29168741/
5. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-before-workout#timing-dosage
6. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836118/
8. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/1550-2783-5-S1-P3