🧮 Pre-workout Dosage Calculator
Pre-workout supplements: caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline, creatine – individual doses.
📊 What This Tool Calculates
The calculator applies a body-weight coefficient to each component based on your experience with stimulants, and limits the resulting caffeine amount to 400 mg.
| Component | How It Is Calculated | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | 1,5–3,5 mg/kg depending on the selected experience | A beginner needs a lower dose; the upper limit remains the same |
| Beta-alanine | 0,03–0,05 g/kg | It works cumulatively, so regularity matters, not a one-time dose |
| Citrulline | 0,04–0,08 g/kg | A larger dose more often causes stomach discomfort |
| Creatine | Fixed 5 g | Does not depend on weight or on whether you take it before training |
The coefficients are indicative: they correspond to ranges used in sports nutrition practice, not to a study with a specific person.
⏱️ When and How to Take It
- Timing: caffeine is felt after about 30–60 min., so pre-workout is taken half an hour to an hour before training.
- Evening workouts: the effect of caffeine lasts several hours, so when training late it is better to choose a stimulant-free option — otherwise sleep suffers (see caffeine dose).
- Beta-alanine can cause tingling in the skin. This is a common, though unpleasant, reaction — increase the dose gradually.
- Citrulline it is better tolerated when split throughout the day rather than taken all at once.
- For Creatine 5 g per day is more important than the hour when you take it (see creatine dose).
- For Beginners: start with half the calculated dose and monitor how you react.
📋 How to Read the Result
- The number is not a prescription. It shows an approximate amount that should be considered an upper limit rather than a mandatory one.
- If you feel anxiety, heart palpitations, or disrupted sleep — the dose is too high for you, regardless of what the calculator shows.
- Tolerance grows. With regular caffeine intake, the same amount has a weaker effect — increasing the dose is not the only way.
- If you have a health condition (heart, blood pressure, anxiety disorders, pregnancy) or are taking medications, consult your doctor about pre-workout.
- The composition is more important than the dose. Many pre-workout blends list a “blend” without individual amounts — then dosing remains guesswork.
📚 Scientific Basis
“Pre-workout” supplements are classified in the literature by what they actually affect: caffeine — alertness and perceived fatigue, beta-alanine — acidification buffers in muscles, carbohydrates — fuel availability. Different goals, different protocols.
In practice, the most important thing is testing during training, not before competition: each person reacts differently, and an unusual dose for the first time on competition day is a bad idea.
Source: NSCA guide “Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition” (chapters on ergogenic supplements); Webb G. P., “Dietary Supplements and Functional Foods” (Blackwell, 2006).
🙋 FAQ
Is pre-workout necessary? No. The most important things are food, sleep, and consistent training; supplements provide a small additional effect.
Why are some components given in milligrams and others in grams? Because their effective amounts differ by orders of magnitude — milligrams are enough for caffeine, while beta-alanine and citrulline require grams.
Can It Be Used Daily? Creatine — yes. Stimulants should be used with breaks so that tolerance does not increase.