These reviews do not cover taste, mixing or how a product feels. They do something narrower: we read what each product declares on its label and on the manufacturer’s page — whether the caffeine amount is printed per serving, whether each ingredient has its own amount, how completely the label states its servings and warnings, and what independent testing is on record — and score that.
Each of the eight products had a price listing at a Maltese or Cypriot retailer we track when we read its label on 16 October 2026. Six labels come from the manufacturer’s own page. The other two, BSN NO-Xplode and Real Pharm KING, come from Cypriot retailer pages that reproduce the full label, and their cards say so. Three Optimum Nutrition labels are read from the German-language product pages and scored as printed. None of the eight is a CapyFuel product. We publish the scoring method below so you can disagree with it.
Every score on this page is a floor. Informed Sport and Informed Choice, two independent testing programmes, answer automated requests with a Cloudflare challenge, and we did not get around it, so neither register was searched. A product could be listed there. Each score is therefore shown as “at least”, and each card says why.
How the scoring works
How we score pre-workouts
Every score is built from what the label and the manufacturer’s page declare, out of 100 (rubric preworkout-v1). Price is not part of it, and the score says nothing about results or about who a product suits: it describes how fully a label states what is in it. Caffeine and any other stimulant are reported as figures printed on the label; a larger or smaller amount does not change the score.
- Stimulant disclosure — 40 points. Whether the label prints total caffeine per serving (a figure printed only per 100 g is converted and marked “calculated”, for less); whether every ingredient that carries caffeine, such as a plant extract, states its own caffeine amount or caffeine anhydrous is the only source, and whether the printed total agrees with the itemised amounts to within 5%; and whether any other stimulant from a closed checklist (theacrine, synephrine, yohimbine, hordenine, higenamine, huperzine A, phenylethylamine, or one the label itself presents as a stimulant) comes with an amount.
- Blend transparency — 25 points. The share of listed active ingredients that have their own amount per serving: all of them scores highest, then 80% or more, 60% or more, 40% or more. An ingredient named only inside a total counts as having no amount of its own. Flavourings, acids, sweeteners and colours are not counted as actives.
- Label completeness — 20 points. Five checks of 4 points each: a caffeine statement that mentions children and pregnancy, the caffeine amount printed beside that statement, a serving and a daily maximum both stated, servings per pack printed and within 3% of pack weight divided by serving weight, and ingredients with an allergen statement. A caffeine-free product passes the first two.
- Independent testing — 15 points. The product found in an independent programme’s public database (Informed Sport, Informed Choice, the Cologne List, BSCG) scores highest; batch reports published by the maker score less; a programme that is claimed but not verified scores less again. A listing is shown as “listed in”, never as a guarantee; site-level certificates certify the factory, not the product, and score nothing.
Floors. Some testing registers cannot be searched automatically. Where that could change the result, the score is shown as “at least” with a note, because the missing lookup could raise it, and a testing claim that a register contradicts would withdraw the score.
Caffeine notes. Where a serving declares more than 200 mg caffeine, or the label’s own daily maximum comes to more than 400 mg, the card adds a fixed note giving that figure next to the levels EFSA used in its 2015 opinion (EFSA Journal 2015;13(5):4102). The note is not part of the score and is not a statement about the product.
Price per serving is the cheapest tracked price per 100 g times the label’s serving weight, divided by 100, shown with the label’s caffeine figure. It is dated and never changes the score.
We hold a product back instead of publishing a score when its label does not list every ingredient, or when a testing claim is contradicted by its register. Where only a retailer’s page reproduces the full label, we score from it and say so on the card. Manufacturer statements are quoted and attributed to the manufacturer; we do not restate them as fact. We publish the method so you can disagree with it.
The reviews
Ordered by composition score. Live prices come from our Malta and Cyprus pre-workout price trackers and are shown for context only — they are not part of the score.
Gold Standard Pre-Workout 330 g Optimum Nutrition
at least 78/100The label (German-language maker page) declares 175 mg caffeine from natural sources in an 11 g serving, 30 servings per 330 g pack. Fifteen of the sixteen listed active ingredients have an amount; spirulina powder does not. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing pre-workouts that print an amount for nearly every ingredient and the caffeine figure in one table.
Watch out: Scored from the German-language page. The label says: not recommended for children or pregnant women; one serving per day. The may-contain list reads milk, gluten, eggs, soy, tree nuts and peanuts.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €1.17 (175 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: ED Sport lists €35.00 (€10.61/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score. The offer shown is a Watermelon pack (330 g); the label scored is the Blue Raspberry page.
Full declared ingredients (Blue Raspberry)
Kreatin-Monohydrat, Beta-Alanin, Säuerungsmittel (Citronensäure, Äpfelsäure, L-Weinsäure), Aroma, Trennmittel (Calciumsilicat, Siliciumdioxid), L-Citrullin, Acetyl-L-Carnitin-HCl, Verdickungsmittel (Natrium-Carboxymethylcellulose, Xanthan, Carrageen), N-Acetyl L-Tyrosin, Pyridoxinhydrochlorid (Vit. B6), Wassermelonenextrakt ( Citrus lanatus ), natürliches Koffein, Süßungsmittel (Sucralose, Acesulfam K), Spirulina-Pulver, Nicotinamid (Vit. B3), Calcium-D-pantothenat (Vit. B5), Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), Spirulina-Pulver, schwarzer Pfeffer-Extrakt ( Piper nigrum L. ), Pteroylmonoglutaminsäure (Folsäure), Thiaminhydrochlorid (Vit. B1), Cholecalciferol (Vit. D3) Für Allergene, einschließlich Getreide, das Gluten enthält, siehe Zutaten in Kann Spuren enthalten von Milch, Gluten, Eier, Sojabohnen, Schalenfrüchten, Erdnüssen
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for optimum nutrition, gold standard)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for optimum nutrition, gold standard)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (3)
- Scored from the German-language maker page as printed; the verbatim label text is kept in German.
- The table lists creatine monohydrate (3.4 g) and creatine (3.0 g) on separate lines; they are one ingredient.
- Spirulina powder is listed in the ingredients (twice) with no amount.
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the manufacturer: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
Platinum Pump Pre-Workout Caffeine-Free 380 g Optimum Nutrition
at least 78/100The page names the product caffeine-free and its ingredient list contains no caffeine source. Serving 19 g, 20 servings per 380 g pack. Nine of the ten listed active ingredients have an amount; spirulina powder does not. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing pre-workouts that print a per-serving amount for almost every ingredient and carry no declared stimulant.
Watch out: Scored from the German-language page. One serving per day is the stated recommendation. The may-contain list reads milk, gluten, eggs, soy, tree nuts and peanuts.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €1.95 (caffeine-free). Cheapest we track: Nutrition CY lists €39.00 (€10.26/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score.
Full declared ingredients (Lemon Lime)
L-Citrullin, Beta-Alanin, Säuerungsmittel (Citronensäure), L-Arginin, Aromen, Trennmittel (Calciumsilicat, Siliciumdioxid), Aquamin™ (Magnesiumcitrat), Kokoswasserpulver ( Cocosnucifera L. ) (CocoMineral®), Cholinbitartrat, Süßungsmittel (Sucralose, Acesulfam K), Fruitflow® (Tomatenkonzentrat), Spirulina-Pulver, Farbstoff (Riboflavine), Nicotinamid (Vit. B3), Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12) Für Allergene, einschließlich Getreide, das Gluten enthält, siehe Zutaten in Kann Spuren enthalten von Milch, Gluten, Eier, Sojabohnen, Schalenfrüchten, Erdnüssen
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for optimum nutrition, pump)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for optimum nutrition, pump)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (3)
- Caffeine-free by name and by ingredient list; no stimulant is declared, so the caffeine checks pass automatically.
- Scored from the German-language maker page as printed; the verbatim label text is kept in German.
- The magnesium line (56.2 mg) covers the Aquamin entry; the niacin line covers nicotinamide.
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the manufacturer: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
Platinum Pre-Workout 420 g Optimum Nutrition
at least 78/100The label (German-language maker page) declares 200 mg caffeine from natural sources in a 21 g serving (3 scoops), 20 servings per 420 g pack. Fourteen of the sixteen listed active ingredients have an amount; inulin and spirulina powder do not. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing pre-workouts that print a per-serving amount for most ingredients, with the caffeine figure repeated in the warning line.
Watch out: Scored from the German-language page. The label says: not recommended for children and pregnant women; one serving per day. The may-contain list reads milk, gluten, eggs, soy, tree nuts and peanuts.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €1.95 (200 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: Nutrition CY lists €39.00 (€9.29/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score.
Full declared ingredients (Blue Raspberry)
L-Citrullin, Beta-Alanin, L-Leucin, Aromen, Säuerungsmittel (Citronensäure, Äpfelsäure, L-Weinsäure), Trennmittel (Calciumsilicat, Siliciumdioxid), N-Acetyl-L-Carnitin, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosin, Inulin, PerforMelon® Wassermelonensaft-Pulver, Süßungsmittel (Acesulfam K, Sucralose), natürliches Koffein, L-Theanin, Spirulina-Pulver, Traubenkernextrakt ( Vitis vinifera L. ), Pyridoxinhydrochlorid (Vit. B6), schwarzer Pfeffer-Extrakt ( Piper nigrum L. ), Nicotinamid (Vit. B3), Calcium-D-pantothenat (Vit. B5), Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12) Für Allergene, einschließlich Getreide, das Gluten enthält, siehe Zutaten in Kann Spuren enthalten von Milch, Gluten, Eier, Sojabohnen, Schalenfrüchten, Erdnüssen
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for optimum nutrition, platinum)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for optimum nutrition, platinum)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (2)
- Scored from the German-language maker page as printed; the verbatim label text is kept in German.
- Inulin and spirulina powder are listed in the ingredients with no amount.
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the manufacturer: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
ABE All Black Everything Pre-Workout 375 g Applied Nutrition
at least 77/100The label declares 200 mg caffeine in a 12.5 g serving and 30 servings per 375 g pack. Five of the eight listed active ingredients have an amount stated (citrulline malate, creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, choline bitartrate and caffeine); taurine, niacin and vitamin B12 are listed without one. Applied Nutrition states the product is Informed-Sport tested. The Informed Sport register could not be searched from here, so that slot is scored as a claim, not a verified listing.
Best for: Readers who want the caffeine amount and the main ingredient amounts stated per serving, with the testing statement shown as the maker's claim.
Watch out: The supplement-facts panel on the maker page is an image, so the amounts come from the page text. The testing statement is the maker's; no register entry has been seen. The label says: do not exceed more than one serving daily; not recommended for children or pregnant women.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €1.10 (200 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: Supplemented Malta lists €32.99 (€8.80/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score.
Full declared ingredients (White)
Citrulline Malate (2:1), Creatine Monohydrate, Beta-Alanine, Acid (Citric Acid), Flavouring, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Carbonates), Taurine, Choline Bitartrate (as VitaCholine™), Caffeine Anhydrous, Anti-Caking Agents (Silicon Dioxide, Calcium Silicate), Sweetener (Sucralose), Colour (Calcium Carbonate), Niacin (Niacinamide), Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin). ALLERGENS: No common allergens included. Produced in a facility that handles milk, soya, eggs, fish, celery, cereals containing gluten and products thereof.
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for applied nutrition, abe)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for applied nutrition, abe)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
What the maker states (2)
- Applied Nutrition product page: “Informed-Sport Tested”
- Applied Nutrition product page: “Tested for Athletes”
Reviewer notes (2)
- The per-serving amounts (4 g citrulline malate, 3 g creatine, 2 g beta-alanine, 200 mg caffeine, 250 mg choline) come from the page text because the supplement-facts panel on the maker page is an image.
- The page prints one ingredient list per flavour; the White list is scored.
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the manufacturer: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
N1 Pre-Workout 510 g Nutrend
at least 70/100The label declares 200 mg caffeine per 17 g dose (100 mg per 8.5 g dose) in a 510 g pack; the number of servings is not printed (30 doses of 17 g by weight). Eighteen of the nineteen listed active ingredients have an amount (inulin does not); creatine monohydrate and creatine citrate share one creatine line. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing pre-workouts that give a per-dose table for nearly every ingredient, including the caffeine figure.
Watch out: No servings per pack and no daily maximum are printed. The page title says Red Orange, while the first ingredient list and the table are headed Blackcurrant. The label says: not suitable for children, pregnant or nursing women.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €1.25 (200 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: Malta Elite Supplements lists €37.39 (€7.33/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score. The offer shown is the Red Orange pack (510 g); the label scored is the Blackcurrant list printed first on the page.
Full declared ingredients (Blackcurrant (first list on the page; the page title says Red Orange))
L-arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate, beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate, inulin, calcium phosphate, sodium citrate, creatine citrate, acidity regulator citric acid, L-ascorbic acid, L-tyrosine, L-alanine, glycine, sodium chloride, caffeine, Ginseng extract (5% of ginsenosides), flavouring, mixture of beetroot concentrate and spirulina extract, nicotinamide, black carrot concentrate, sweeteners sucralose and steviol-glycosides, anti-caking agent silicon dioxide, calcium D-pantothenate, pyridoxin hydrochloride, thiamine hydrochloride, black pepper extract (95% of piperine) - Bioperine®. The product may contain traces of soy and milk protein.
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for nutrend, n1)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for nutrend, n1)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (3)
- The page gives two doses, 8.5 g and 17 g; the 17 g dose, which carries the headline figures, is scored.
- Creatine monohydrate and creatine citrate share one creatine line (2660 mg per 17 g); sodium citrate and sodium chloride share one sodium line.
- Servings per pack are not printed: 510 g / 17 g is 30 doses by weight (derived).
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the manufacturer: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
NO-Xplode Pre-Workout 650 g BSN
at least 66/100The retailer page reproduces a label that declares 200 mg caffeine in a 13 g serving (3 scoops), 50 servings per 650 g pack. Eleven of the thirteen listed active ingredients have an amount; inulin and dried spirulina do not. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing pre-workouts by how completely the label states per-serving amounts; the label is read from a retailer page.
Watch out: Scored from a Cypriot retailer's page, not the maker's. The warning block says "Not suitable for children, for pregnant women, for nursing women" and "Do not exceed the stated recommended daily dose" but does not name caffeine, give a caffeine figure or state a numeric maximum.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €0.80 (200 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: Nutrition CY lists €40.00 (€6.15/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score.
Full declared ingredients
L-citrulline, beta-alanine, acids (L (+) - tartaric acid, citric acid), anti-caking agents (silica, calcium silicate), aromas, caffeine, L-ascorbic acid, Rhodiola rosea L. root extract, inulin , dye: for flavor (Red Rush - curcumin), (Purple Power - beetroot red), (Green Burst - curcumin), sweeteners (sucralose - E955, acesulfame K - E950), choline bitartate, Panax notoginseng root extract, extract from grapefruit bioflavonoids (Citrus paradisi, fruit), nicotinamide, zinc oxide, black pepper extract (Piper nigrum, fruit), dried spirulina. Allergen Information: It does not contain allergens.
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for bsn, xplode)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for bsn, xplode)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (4)
- Scored from a Cypriot retailer's page that reproduces the full label; no maker page with the full label was found.
- The page title says NO-Xplode Pre-Workout; the description calls it NO-Xplode Legendary.
- The retailer's description says "up to 200 mg of caffeine per serving"; the supplement-facts table says 200 mg.
- The page prints one ingredient list for all flavours (colours named per flavour).
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the retailer’s page: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
KING Preworkout 500 g Real Pharm
at least 65/100The retailer page reproduces a label that declares 200 mg caffeine in a 15 g serving, 33 servings per 500 g pack. Seventeen of the eighteen listed active ingredients have an amount; maltodextrin does not. Cocoa extract (200 mg) and green tea extract (100 mg) are listed without a caffeine figure of their own. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing pre-workouts that print a per-serving amount for almost every ingredient; the label is read from a retailer page.
Watch out: Scored from a Cypriot retailer's page, not the maker's. The caution reads "This product contains 200 mg caffeine per serving. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Keep out of reach of children": no numeric daily maximum, and no wording about children or pregnancy beyond keeping it out of reach.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
Price per serving: €0.75 (200 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: Supplement House lists €25.00 (€5.00/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score.
Full declared ingredients
AAKG, L-citrulline malate, GlycerSize™ (glycerol powder), taurine, beta-alanine, beetroot extract, tyrosine, choline bitartrate, caffeine, cocoa extract, green tea extract (50% polyphenols), cayenne pepper extract, capsaicin, black pepper extract (95% piperine), piperine, ALA, vitamin B6, flavours, acidity regulator (citric acid), sweetener (sucralose), colourings (carmine, indigotine, beta-carotene), maltodextrin. May contain traces of: soy, peanuts, other nuts, sesame seeds, cereals containing gluten, eggs, shellfish and fish. Contains sweeteners and naturally occurring sugars. May contain traces of gluten, soy and milk.
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for real pharm, king)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for real pharm, king)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (3)
- Scored from a Cypriot retailer's page that reproduces the full label; the maker's site (realpharm.eu) could not be reached from here.
- Cocoa extract and green tea extract can carry caffeine; the table gives no caffeine figure of their own.
- The page prints one ingredient list for all flavours.
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the retailer’s page: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
Blood and Guts Pre-Workout 380 g DY Nutrition
at least 56/100The label declares 350 mg anhydrous caffeine in a 19 g serving (2 heaping scoops), 20 servings per 380 g pack. The green tea extract (13 mg) and guarana extract (9 mg) each carry a stated caffeine amount, so the itemised caffeine totals 372 mg, about 6% above the 350 mg headline figure. Ten of the eleven listed active ingredients have an amount; maltodextrin does not. Not listed in the BSCG or Cologne List registers (both read in full on 2026-10-16); Informed Sport and Informed Choice could not be searched from here.
Best for: Readers comparing how caffeine from several sources is itemised against a headline figure.
Watch out: The headline (350 mg) and the itemised caffeine (372 mg) differ. The warning block says "Contains caffeine" without a milligram figure, gives no numeric daily maximum, and has no allergen statement. Ponceau 4R is in the ingredient list.
This is a floor. Testing registry not yet checked: the score can rise if a testing registry lists the product, and is withdrawn if a registry contradicts the maker's claim.
This serving contains 350 mg caffeine, above the 200 mg single-dose level EFSA used as its safety reference. This is not a statement that the product is unsafe. EFSA Journal 2015;13(5):4102.
Price per serving: €1.50 (350 mg caffeine declared). Cheapest we track: Nutrition CY lists €30.00 (€7.89/100 g), last seen 5 Nov 2026 — view listing. Price is not part of the score.
Full declared ingredients
L-Citrulline DL-Malate (2:1), Beta-alanine, A-AKG complex (L-Arginine, Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate), Anti-caking agents (Silicon dioxide, Calcium salts of orthophosphoric acid), Flavouring, L-Tyrosine (free amino acid form), Maltodextrin, Caffeine anhydrous, Green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf extract (standardised to 95% Polyphenols and 5% Caffeine), Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame-K), Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) 100% peel extract, Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3), Guarana (Paullinia cupana) seed extract (standardised to 22% Caffeine), Colours (Ponceau 4R***, Indigo Carmine), Black pepper (Piper nigrum) fruit extract (standardised to 95% Piperine).
Testing registers checked (4)
- BSCG Certified Drug Free — not listed (searched for dy nutrition, blood)
- Cologne List — not listed (searched for dy nutrition, blood)
- Informed Sport — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
- Informed Choice — could not be searched (the search page blocks automated lookups)
Reviewer notes (3)
- The headline caffeine figure on the page is 350 mg; the nutrition table also lists 13 mg caffeine in the green tea extract and 9 mg in the guarana extract, so the itemised caffeine totals 372 mg.
- The page prints one ingredient list for all flavours.
- Ponceau 4R (a colour) is in the ingredient list.
Label checked 16 Oct 2026 from the manufacturer: source. Formulations change — always check the tub.
What we learned reading the labels
Caffeine is reported, not judged
Seven of the eight labels declare a caffeine figure per serving: 175 mg for Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout, 200 mg for Optimum Nutrition Platinum, Applied Nutrition ABE, Nutrend N1, BSN NO-Xplode and Real Pharm KING, and 350 mg for DY Nutrition Blood and Guts. Optimum Nutrition Platinum Pump is caffeine-free by name and its ingredient list contains no caffeine source. The serving sizes differ (from 11 g to 21 g), so the figures are per serving as each label defines it.
The size of the figure does not change a score. The stimulant-disclosure criterion asks only whether the label states the number, whether every caffeine-carrying ingredient states its own amount, and whether any other listed stimulant comes with an amount. Six products take all 40 points. KING takes 35: its cocoa extract and green tea extract are listed without a caffeine figure of their own. DY Blood and Guts takes 30, for the reason in the next section.
One card carries a fixed note. The DY Blood and Guts serving declares 350 mg, above the 200 mg single-dose level that EFSA used in its 2015 opinion on caffeine, so the card adds a sentence giving the figure next to that level, with a link to the opinion. The note is not part of the score and is not a statement about the product.
When a headline and the itemised amounts disagree
The DY Blood and Guts page prints 350 mg anhydrous caffeine as its headline. Its nutrition table also gives 13 mg caffeine in the green tea extract and 9 mg in the guarana extract, so the itemised caffeine totals 372 mg, about 6% above the headline. The card shows both figures. Our rule allows 5%, so this costs points under stimulant disclosure; it is the rule at work, not a statement about the powder.
No label states an amount for every ingredient
All eight leave at least one active ingredient without its own amount, so none earns the top band for blend transparency. Seven state an amount for 80% or more of their listed actives and take 18 of 25 points: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard (15 of 16), Platinum (14 of 16) and Platinum Pump (9 of 10), Nutrend N1 (18 of 19), BSN (11 of 13), KING (17 of 18) and DY (10 of 11). Applied Nutrition ABE lists eight actives and states an amount for five; taurine, niacin and vitamin B12 have none, and it takes 12. The supplement-facts panel on the ABE page is an image, so those amounts come from the page text.
Label completeness separates the middle of the table
Four labels pass all five completeness checks: the three Optimum Nutrition products and ABE. Nutrend N1 and KING pass three; BSN and DY pass two. For N1 the page prints no servings-per-pack figure (we derive 30 doses of 17 g from the pack weight) and no daily maximum. For BSN the warning block does not name caffeine or give a caffeine figure, and DY’s warning says “Contains caffeine” without a milligram figure. Each card’s watch-out line says what the label leaves out.
Testing: what is on record and what is only claimed
We read the BSCG Certified Drug Free database (2,687 rows) and the Cologne List (2,032 rows) in full on 16 October 2026. None of the eight products is listed in either. Applied Nutrition’s product page states “Informed-Sport Tested” and “Tested for Athletes”; because the Informed Sport register could not be searched, ABE earns 5 of 15 points for a claim that is not verified, and the card quotes the statements and attributes them to Applied Nutrition. The other seven pages state nothing that scores on this criterion.
Ties, and pages that disagree with themselves
The three Optimum Nutrition products tie at 78 with identical component scores (40, 18, 20 and 0), so their order on the page is not a ranking between them. Two pages contradict themselves in small ways, and the cards say so. The Nutrend page title says Red Orange while the first ingredient list and the table are headed Blackcurrant; it also gives two doses (8.5 g and 17 g), and we score the 17 g dose that carries the headline figures. The BSN retailer page is titled NO-Xplode Pre-Workout while its description calls the product NO-Xplode Legendary.
What we held back
One product is not on this page because its label could not be read in full: the Malta retailer page for QNT Metapure Overdrive lists “Main ingredients include …” and not the full ingredient list, and under our method a label that does not list every ingredient is a hold, not a score. Five more products were looked at while we chose candidates and were not scored in this first pass: Cellucor C4 Ultimate, Raw Nutrition CBUM Essential, Leap Nutrition ZINGG Supreme, Warrior Rage and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Advanced. Their absence is not a judgement on them.
How to use these scores
The score measures what a label and a manufacturer’s page declare, not whether a product suits you. A few sensible caveats:
- “At least” means a minimum. The score can rise if a testing register we could not search lists the product, and it is withdrawn if a register contradicts the maker’s claim.
- The score says nothing about results. It describes how clearly a product states what is in it.
- Caffeine and other stimulant figures are what the label declares. They are reported, not advised on. Read the warnings printed on the pack in front of you.
- Price is not scored. Where we track a local price, the card shows the cheapest one, dated, with the price per serving beside the label’s caffeine figure. Read the two separately.
- Taste and mixability are not scored. They cannot be verified from a label or a register.
- Labels change. Each card shows the date we checked and links its source. Always read the tub in front of you.
To work out the cost of a product that is not listed here, use our supplement cost calculator. For what pre-workout currently costs locally, see the Malta and Cyprus price trackers. For background on reading a label, read our pre-workout guide and the ingredient breakdown. The same method applied to other categories is in our whey protein reviews and creatine reviews.
No stake in these scores, stated plainly
None of the eight products reviewed here is made or sold by CapyFuel. We are not paid for placement here and we do not earn commission on the retailer links. The scores are generated from the declared composition by a published set of rules, which is exactly why we published the rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do you score pre-workout powders?
Out of 100, from what the label and the manufacturer's page declare, across four things: stimulant disclosure (40 points), blend transparency (25), label completeness (20) and independent testing (15). Price is not part of the score, and neither is the size of the caffeine figure. The full method is published on the page so you can check our working, and each review shows its own points breakdown.
Why is every score shown as "at least"?
Independent testing is the last 15 points, and two of the four registers we planned to search, Informed Sport and Informed Choice, answer automated requests with a Cloudflare challenge that we did not get around. Those two registers were not searched, so a product could be listed there and score higher. The BSCG and Cologne List databases were read in full; none of the eight products is listed in either.
Do you say how much caffeine is right?
No. Caffeine and any other stimulant are reported as figures printed on the label, and a larger or smaller amount does not change the score. Where a serving declares more than 200 mg of caffeine, the card adds a fixed note giving that figure next to the level EFSA used in its 2015 opinion on caffeine. The note is not part of the score and is not a statement about the product.
Do you review your own products?
No. None of the eight products on the page is made or sold by CapyFuel. We are not paid for placement and we do not earn commission on the retailer links. The scores are generated from the declared composition by a published set of rules.