Alani Nu Pre-Workout Review

How many ingredients does it take to build a good pre-workout? 10? 15? More?

The people behind Alani Nu pre-workout only take five ingredients to give customers the best pre-workout experience.

In a world where more is becoming synonymous with better, having a pre-workout supplement that throws that idea out the door is risky as many consumers will see your formula as not intense or just not good enough.

However, just like how quality reps are better than just "more" reps, the quality of your ingredients is more important than how many you have per serving.

Can Alani Nu's approach to pre-workout formulas make it stand out? At the very least, can its minimalist approach let it be on equal grounds with some of the more famous names in the pre-workout industry?

How suitable is Alani Nu? Read on to find out.

What is Alani Nu Pre-Workout?

Alani Nu Pre-Workout is a supplement company based in Louisville, Kentucky. They sell supplements that can help with general workouts, recovery, as well as energy. They also sell health and wellness supplements and even healthy snacks.

Across the board, Alani Nu seems to be really proud of the range of flavors their supplements have. They also promise no fillers, so customers only get what they need with each scoop.

Also, based on what we're seeing, they seem to cater to women heavily. The colors, the flavor descriptions, the stock photos, they all scream girl power. It's excellent since women are more skeptical about taking gym supplements than men. 

As for the formula itself, here are some of the things we noticed:

• Fully transparent formula: First and foremost, we want to know exactly what we're putting inside our bodies. It doesn't matter if it's a burger, a milkshake, or some fancy dish a chef made. It goes without saying that we need transparency in the supplements we take, and we commend Alani Nu for not going the prop blend path and displaying all the ingredients we get per scoop.
• Familiar ingredients: There's something about seeing familiar faces that puts us at ease, and it's the same for supplements. We see the ingredients we've grown to trust for years, so it's not hard for us to imagine how our bodies will respond to them.
• Lots of flavors: There are a total of 11 flavors which is actually a lot for a pre-workout. Now, if only they also added an unflavored variety.

Alani Nu Pre-Workout: Supplement Facts

Other Ingredients: Sodium Citrate, Silica, Natural Flavors, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Fruit and Vegetable Juice Color.

Directions: Mix 1/2 scoop in 6-8 oz water 20-30 minutes before your workout. Once tolerance has been assessed, you may use one full serving (1 scoop). A slight tingling sensation is normal and is due to beta alanine. Be sure to stay hydrated and have a great workout!

What are Alani Nu Pre-Workout benefits?

Based on the ingredients, we expect Alani Nu to really give us a good pump. The 6 grams of citrulline malate is actually a great dose, mainly as most supplements stick with 4 grams or even 2 grams.

The focus should also be really evident considering the tyrosine dose, which can help us concentrate on working out instead of thinking of random things.

 The stimulation, if any, shouldn't be too hard. 200 mg is equivalent to two cups of brewed coffee.

For most people, this isn't that high. If it is, the presence of theanine should help mitigate harmful effects of caffeine intake, including jitters and crashing.

Alani Nu Pre-Workout Flavors

The people behind Alani Nu pride themselves on their great-tasting flavors. For their pre-workout, they made sure to have many flavors for all types of consumers. This means if you don't like the taste of what you purchased, just pick another one.

• Cosmic Stardust
• Hawaiian Shaved Ice
• Island Crush
• Breezeberry
• Rainbow Candy
• Carnival Candy Grape
• Arctic White
• Mimosa
• Aloha Pineapple
• Galaxy Lemonade
• Pink Guava

Many people are turned off by how most pre-workouts tastes and how most have artificial flavors, but it seems Alani Nu goes as natural as possible, which is always welcome.

Best Alani Nu Flavors

The two most popular flavors are Cosmic Stardust and Hawaiian Shaved Ice. We're not exactly sure why, but if we were to guess, it's because people are curious as to what a "cosmic stardust" would taste like. Then, of course, who doesn't like Hawaiian Shaved Ice? It's one of the best summer treats you can get, so it's nice to have that flavor dancing on our tongue before we train.

Alani Nu Pre-Workout: Ingredient List

• L-Citrulline Malate 2:1: Citrulline malate is perhaps the most important pump ingredient in the pre-workout industry. It's important because it's the gold standard when it comes to high-quality, long-lasting pumps. Simply put, taking citrulline malate in high concentrations can help you lift your best PRs easier compared to when you don't take citrulline malate. 
• Beta-Alanine: Beta-alanine is a staple ingredient in the pre-workout world. Why? Because it does everything. It helps with lifting strength and recovery and even reduces the time needed to get back to training again. The only natural side effect is the tingling sensation called paresthesia and is temporary. Some even see this sensation as proof that the beta-alanine is working.
• L-Tyrosine: This is a nootropic which means it benefits your brain first. Tyrosine is known to help with focus as well as help you mentally tolerate the stress of working out.
• Caffeine (from Coffea arabica [Bean] Extract): Caffeine is the primary energy source of this formula, but it's not in anhydrous form. This means it won't have the spike-then-crash in energy many athletes hate. At 200 mg, we think it's within a suitable range, considering you can perform really well with just two cups of coffee.
• L-Theanine: Theanine is a relaxant and anti-stress ingredient. It also doubles as a caffeine buffer, helping the brain mitigate the side effects of taking stimulants.

Other Ingredients:
Sodium Citrate, Silica, Natural Flavors, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Fruit and Vegetable Juice Color.

Alani Nu: Side Effects

The main sources of side effects will likely come from either beta-alanine or caffeine.

 Beta alanine's tingling side effect is not really a side effect as much as it's just a mild annoyance. It may cause you to feel itchy underneath your legs, arms, or even your face, but it goes away eventually. Some people even associate this as a sign the beta-alanine is working.

Caffeine at 200 mg is not just about right in our books.

A cup of brewed coffee is about 90-100 mg, so the caffeine content we have here is similar to two cups of coffee.

Now, if you're a regular coffee drinker, two cups of coffee won't make you feel any different. It's even less prevalent with those who drink energy drinks or "gamer" brands of juices or supplements that are usually high on caffeine.

 Then, we also have to put this in the context of the formula having theanine and the caffeine source being natural instead of the synthetic caffeine anhydrous.

Theanine is a nootropic taken for calmness, and it just so happened that it sort of "offsets" the side effects taking caffeine usually comes with. 

The natural caffeine source is generally accepted as less "hostile" to our senses as the energy spike isn't generally that high or instant, and the crash isn't usually that low.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let's try to answer some of the most searched questions regarding Alani Nu Pre-workout

Is it vegan?

While the website does not clearly indicate it, the "vegan" guarantee is found in the actual canister. This feels weird given how having a VEGAN guarantee as the first thing a customer sees can lead to more sales. 

Weirder is how Alani Nu caters primarily to female fitness enthusiasts, which is "more vegan" than males. But yes, Alani Nu Pre-Workout is vegan.

Is it low carb?

Yes. The ingredients in Alani Nu pre-workout aren't really "carby" in the first place. The other ingredients also check out as the product doesn't use buffers like maltodextrin, which is as carb as it gets.

I guess you can say Alani Nu can be an excellent complement to a low-carb diet like the ketogenic diet. 

Does it make you itch? 

It depends on your body's metabolism and how you personally react to the large beta-alanine molecules coursing through your bloodstream. 

But as we mentioned in the Side Effects part, the tingling or itching sensation is a mild annoyance at most and is temporary. It can actually be a benefit for those who want to "feel" the supplement working.

Does it contain sugar?

Alani Nu Pre-workout does not contain added sugar. It contains Acesulfame Potassium or Acesulfame K and sucralose, which are considered calorie-free sweeteners and not sugars based on chemical structure. It's why so many sugar-free products use Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose as they can get away with declaring no sugar, yet have sweetness.

Will it break a fast?

It almost doesn't, as the nature of the ingredients in the formula aren't really caloric or require insulin to metabolize, but then we saw Sucralose. Studies show sucralose can cause insulin levels given the right body type.

So, just to be safe, don't take Alani Nu Pre Workout if you want to continue fasting. 

Is Alani Nu pre-workout safe during pregnancy?

We don't recommend taking any pre-workout or any supplement with caffeine during pregnancy. As for Alani Nu, they have this to say:

We recommend consulting your physician before taking anything while pregnant or breastfeeding. Every pregnancy and breastfeeding experience is different, and your doctor will know what is best for you and your baby.

Does Alani Nu pre-workout affect birth control?

To the best of our knowledge, the ingredients in Alani Nu won't interfere with your birth control methods. However, it would be wise to consult with a physician about this as we can't offer medical advice.

Is Alani Nu pre-workout safe while breastfeeding?

The website also has the same statement regarding not recommending Alani Nu for both pregnant and breastfeeding status.

Does Alani Nu pre-workout cause cancer?

The ingredients in Alani Nu shouldn't directly cause cancer. By this, we mean taking a serving of Alani Nu shouldn't lead to cancer next week or next year, given the ingredient doses in most (if not all) commercial supplements are usually tested to comply with safety standards. 

Then, we also have to mention that cancer can be caused by anything, so attributing it to continuous supplement usage may not be an entirely accurate assessment.

Does Alani Nu have creatine? 

Alani Nu pre-workout does not contain creatine. However, it does contain Beta-Alanine, which does many of the things Creatine is known to do.

Also, we also have to consider that Alani Nu is mostly made for the female market, and women don't like creatine as it may "bulk" them up or cause them to feel bloated. Then, we also have women who link creatine with acne, so omitting creatine makes Alani Nu pre-workout more attractive.

Does Alani Nu cause acne?

There's no direct answer to this question, as acne can be caused by bacteria or by hormonal changes. However, some studies do link dehydration with acne, and caffeine can act as a diuretic.

Then, we also have studies that say artificial sweeteners can be just as acne-causing as their sugar counterpart, and Alani Nu has two of them in the form of Sucralose and Acesulfame K.

Our take: Base it on your experience. If you see a surge of acne when taking something new, and it doesn't seem to be going away, it would be best to stop taking that supplement.

Is Alani Nu Pre-Workout FDA Approved?

The FDA doesn't really regulate supplements in general. The industry does have ways to prove safety and quality, especially when it comes to professional sports through third-party organizations.

How long does it last? 

It varies with each individual, but most effects don't last longer than four hours. This includes caffeine which has a half-life of about 5-6 hours. This means after 5 or 6 hours, half the caffeine is still in your system, or more specifically, half of it has been broken down or excreted.

Whether your body is still using caffeine or not is subjective.

Is Alani Nu Pre-Workout Safe?

The actual harm in supplements comes from people who take anything without adequately reading the label or not doing their research first. Not to mention how people tend to take more than the recommended serving, which then tends to overstimulate their senses and cause side effects.

As far as safety reviews are concerned, Alani Nu looks safe so far, especially with most reviews saying they felt great after use or not feeling anything terrible despite continuous use. 

For general purposes, we don't recommend taking Alani Nu if you have a health problem, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have specific allergies that may be triggered when taking supplements.

If you are genuinely concerned about the safety of this product, see a doctor and ask them. 

Who is Alani Nu Pre-Workout made for?

Based on what we've seen on their website, they seem to cater to women heavily. However, in their FAQs section, they also say men can take Alani Nu products.

We also agree that both men and women can take Alani Nu, especially with how pre-workout formulas have been becoming more gender-neutral or unisex as time passes.

By unisex, we mean men now prefer a low-stimulant pre-workout and women who prefer some bulk per serving.

As far as lifestyles are concerned, we think Alani Nu is suitable for those who aren't trying to outlift Atlas or beat any record for most reps or sets done in 30 minutes.

The ingredients won't stimulate you through the roof, but they are enough just to get you started and feeling good.

After all, if you're just going to do some simple rowing or a non-PR squat or two, we don't see any reason as to why you'll need more than what Alani Nu is giving.

Is Alani Nu ideal for beginners?

We think Alani Nu Pre-workout is ideal for those who want to get started with supplements. It boils down to three reasons:

1. The formula is simple. Simple formulas get a lot of flak for not having "every good ingredient," but we think having a simple formula means you can add more dose per serving while also reducing the likelihood of side effects.

Also, short formulas tend to work more efficiently as our gut and metabolic processes give each ingredient more attention.

2. The ingredients are high quality. This speaks for itself. Too many supplements offer low prices, but have cheap ingredients that don't really work and ingredients that had more thought into them. Not to mention high-quality ingredients are absorbed better and last longer before being excreted.

3. Alani-Nu is clean. By clean, we mean it doesn't have the usual additives many long-time supplement users hated in first or second-generation pre-workouts. Going more natural maybe a bit more expensive, but at least it won't leave your body with synthetic stuff that can damage it in the long run.

Pricing info

• 1 Container (30-Day Supply): $39.99; 5% off with subscriptions
• Available online and retail
• Flavors: Cosmic Stardust, Hawaiian Shaved Ice, Island Crush, Breezeberry, Rainbow Candy, Carnival Candy Grape, Arctic White, Mimosa, Aloha Pineapple, Galaxy Lemonade, Pink Guava

Alani Nu: Summary

Alani Nu Pre-Workout is a pretty good supplement overall. It's not too flashy when it comes to having too many novel or "exotic" ingredients, and it's also not too short on the benefits as the formula works as intended despite having fewer ingredients.

It's an overall good product, but we do have to point out two things that we don't really like: The price and the generic formulation.

The price for a 30-day canister is too much, in our opinion. There are simply far too many supplement brands out there that can give more for the same price or even less.

Why? Because of the generic formula, which offers no branded ingredients at all. The 5% discount doesn't help either, seeing that we regularly see other pre-workouts casually handing over 20% discounts if you subscribe long enough.

However, if you can look past the price and the generic feel of the Alani Nu, then choosing it over other brands should be, at the very least, a good decision.