Finaflex WRN PWO pre-workout 448 g

L-citrulline and citrulline malate

L-citrulline is an amino acid that the body converts to arginine, a precursor of nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels. Citrulline malate combines citrulline with malic acid¹.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine is a compound the body makes from the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine, and it is also eaten in meat and fish. Most of it is stored in skeletal muscle, where phosphocreatine helps regenerate ATP, the immediate energy source for short, intense muscle contractions².

Creatine monohydrate is the form used in most of the published research²³.

Beta-alanine

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that combines with histidine in muscle to form carnosine, which helps buffer acid during intense exercise⁴.

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

Betaine (trimethylglycine) occurs naturally in beetroot, spinach and wheat. It acts as an osmolyte and as a methyl donor in homocysteine metabolism.

Choline (choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC)

Choline is an essential nutrient used to make cell membranes and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. EFSA set an adequate intake of 400 mg a day for adults⁵. Supplements supply it as choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC or citicoline.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, reducing perceived effort and fatigue. It is found in coffee, tea and energy drinks and is a common ingredient in pre-workout products⁶.

Dicaffeine malate (sold as Infinergy®) is caffeine bonded to malic acid. Its caffeine adds to the total caffeine in a product, but labels do not always state the caffeine equivalent.

Yohimbine (yohimbe bark, rauwolscine)

Yohimbine is an alkaloid from the bark of the African tree Pausinystalia yohimbe. It blocks α2-adrenergic receptors, which increases noradrenaline release. Rauwolscine (alpha-yohimbine) is a closely related alkaloid.

L-citrulline and citrulline malate

A review of human studies found that citrulline supplementation raises plasma arginine, and that several studies report improved exercise performance or recovery, but the results are inconsistent¹.

Creatine monohydrate

Supplementation raises muscle creatine stores. The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand concludes that creatine monohydrate is an effective ergogenic supplement for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training².

A meta-analysis of randomised trials found improved upper-limb strength when creatine was combined with resistance training⁷, and a meta-analysis in older adults found greater gains in muscle mass and strength with creatine plus resistance training than with training alone⁸.

In the EU, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed the evidence and found a cause-and-effect relationship between a daily intake of 3 g of creatine and increased physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise⁹. That claim is authorised under Regulation (EU) No 432/2012¹⁰, and a second claim on muscle strength in adults over 55 who do resistance training under Regulation (EU) 2017/672¹¹.

Beta-alanine

The International Society of Sports Nutrition concludes that 4–6 g a day for at least 2–4 weeks raises muscle carnosine and improves performance in exercise lasting about 1–4 minutes⁴.

A meta-analysis found a significant overall ergogenic effect, with the size of the benefit depending on the type and duration of exercise¹².

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

A meta-analysis found that betaine supplementation for at least 7 days improved muscular strength, especially lower-body strength, and may improve jumping performance¹³. The EU authorises a claim that betaine contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism at 1.5 g a day¹⁰.

Choline (choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC)

The EU authorises claims that choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism, homocysteine metabolism and liver function for foods that are a source of choline¹⁰. Claims that choline improves focus or exercise performance are not authorised.

Caffeine

The International Society of Sports Nutrition concludes that caffeine consistently improves exercise performance when consumed in doses of about 3–6 mg per kg of body mass, with benefits for muscular endurance, movement velocity, strength, sprinting, jumping and aerobic exercise⁶.

Yohimbine (yohimbe bark, rauwolscine)

A small trial in professional soccer players found reduced body fat with yohimbine but no change in body mass, muscle mass or performance¹⁴. Larger, independent trials are lacking.

L-citrulline and citrulline malate

Studies differ in dose, form (citrulline or citrulline malate, often with an unverified ratio) and exercise test, and many are small. The mechanism behind any performance effect is not established¹.

Creatine monohydrate

The benefits shown are for repeated short, high-intensity efforts and for training adaptations. They do not extend to endurance performance, which EFSA did not find to be substantiated⁹.

Individual responses vary, and many trials are small and short².

Beta-alanine

Effects on strength and on endurance exercise beyond about 25 minutes are not established⁴. A single serving taken before training does not reproduce the daily supplementation used in research.

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

The studies are small and differ in dose and duration¹³.

Choline (choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC)

Evidence on cognitive or performance effects in healthy adults is limited.

Caffeine

Responses vary widely between people, partly because of genetics and habitual caffeine use. Many studies use pure caffeine, so results do not automatically apply to multi-ingredient products⁶.

Yohimbine (yohimbe bark, rauwolscine)

Evidence for fat loss or performance is limited to small studies. Supplement labels are often inaccurate: of 49 US yohimbine supplements tested, only 2 gave accurate information on both the quantity and the known adverse effects¹⁵.

• Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.
• Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
• Keep out of the reach of young children.
• Contains stimulants. Not recommended for children, or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

L-citrulline and citrulline malate

Citrulline is generally well tolerated in the doses studied. Digestive discomfort has been reported, and people taking blood-pressure or erectile-dysfunction medication should ask a doctor, because citrulline raises arginine and nitric oxide production¹.

Creatine monohydrate

Reviews of the clinical literature report no consistent adverse effects of creatine monohydrate in healthy people at commonly studied intakes. A meta-analysis found no significant effect on markers of kidney function¹⁶³.

People with kidney disease, and anyone taking medication, should speak to a doctor before using creatine. A small rise in blood creatinine is expected with supplementation and can be misread as reduced kidney function³.

Beta-alanine

The only commonly reported side effect is paraesthesia, a harmless tingling of the skin that is more likely with larger single doses⁴.

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

Betaine is generally well tolerated; high intakes may raise blood cholesterol in some people.

Choline (choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC)

High intakes can cause a fishy body odour, sweating and digestive upset.

Caffeine

EFSA concluded that single doses of up to 200 mg, and daily intakes of up to 400 mg from all sources, do not raise safety concerns for healthy adults. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, daily intakes up to 200 mg do not raise concerns for the foetus or infant¹⁷.

Higher intakes can cause anxiety, sleep disturbance, raised heart rate and blood pressure, and digestive upset. Combining several caffeine sources (coffee, energy drinks, pre-workouts) raises total intake¹⁷⁶.

Yohimbine (yohimbe bark, rauwolscine)

A review of poison-centre cases found that adverse events with yohimbine products had more serious outcomes than average exposures, including rapid heart rate, anxiety, high blood pressure and agitation¹⁸. People with heart conditions, high blood pressure, anxiety disorders or taking antidepressants should not use yohimbine.

Sold as a food supplement. No health claims are made for this product.

L-citrulline and citrulline malate

L-citrulline is used in EU food supplements under national rules. No health claim for citrulline is authorised in the EU¹⁰.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine is sold in the EU as a food supplement ingredient under the food supplements framework¹⁹. Only the authorised wording of the two creatine health claims may be used, and only at the qualifying intake of 3 g a day¹⁰¹¹.

Beta-alanine

Beta-alanine is used in EU food supplements under national rules. No health claim is authorised¹⁰.

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

Betaine is used in EU food supplements; the homocysteine claim may be used only in its authorised wording and conditions¹⁰.

Choline (choline bitartrate, alpha-GPC)

Choline is a permitted nutrient source in EU food supplements¹⁹¹⁰.

Caffeine

Caffeine is permitted in EU foods and food supplements, subject to labelling rules. It is not on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List²⁰.

Yohimbine (yohimbe bark, rauwolscine)

Yohimbine is a pharmacologically active substance. Its use in food is regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 and national rules²¹, and several EU Member States treat it as a medicinal substance²².