Most pre-workout supplements promise elite performance, but they’re not all created equally. And much like your favorite pair of training shoes may get a fresh look and new features every couple of years, sometimes the best pre-workout supplements also get a re-vamp. Kaged Muscle Pre-Kaged Elite takes the company’s Pre-Kaged formula and kicks it up a few notches — but is it worth it?
At BarBend, we’ve got entire teams of nutrition and fitness experts who have reviewed over 100 pre-workouts like this one using our supplement testing methodology. In this Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite review, we’ll take you through the ups and downs of this pre-workout, offering insights from our personal testing experiences and analyses of the new and improved formula from our team’s registered dietitian. All told, we think Pre-Kaged Elite is a solid improvement on the original, with a great taste that our tester absolutely loves, a muscle-boosting amount of creatine, and a shot of caffeine that will definitely get you ready to go. Just make sure you’re used to having a lot of caffeine before trying this one out — it packs a punch.
- Main Takeaways
- Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Specs
- Who Should / Who Shouldn’t Use Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
- Our Experience Using Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
- What to Consider Before Buying Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
- Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Vs. Competitors
- Places to Buy Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
- Customer Experience and Brand Reputation
- Our Final Verdict
- FAQs
Medical disclaimer: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.
Pre-Kaged® Elite provides nine patented ingredients with 35 milligrams of vitamin B6 and 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12 in a single 36-gram scoop. Each serving is 25 calories and includes caffeine, taurine, l-citrulline, beta-alanine, l-tyrosine, and two types of creatine.
Main Takeaways
- Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite is a super potent pre-workout (with a ton of caffeine). The dosage of all the ingredients is at or above clinically effective levels, which you don’t see in all pre-workouts.
- If you look to pre-workout for blood flow and a great pump, this one has 10 grams of L-citrulline that should do the trick. It also contains enough creatine not to need to take it separately, which we love (why take two supps when you can have just one?).
- Our expert tester says Pre-Kaged Elite hits just the right level of sweetness without overdoing it. It’s got 25 calories, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar.
Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Specs
| Price Per Serving | $2.99 |
| Caffeine | 388mg |
| Key Ingredients | L-citrulline, beta-alanine (as Carnosyn®), creatine monohydrate (as CreaClear), creatine nitrate (N03-T®), betaine anhydrous (as BetaPower®), Carnipure® (L-carnitine tartrate), taurine, coconut fruit water powder, elevATP® (Ancient Peat and apple fruit extract), l-tyrosine, caffeine (from PurCaf® caffeine from organic green coffee bean), alpha-GPC (as AlphaSize®), AmaTea®, Huperzia serrata extract (huperzine A) |
| Flavors | Fruit Punch, Orange Mango, Glacier Grape, Caribbean Sunrise, Strawberry Lemonade (5) |
| Sweeteners | Sucralose |
| Third-Party Tested | Yes (Informed Sport Certified) |
| Price Per Serving | $2.99 |
When Kaged Muscle says that Pre-Kaged Elite is “not for the faint of heart,” they mean it. Pre-Kaged Elite is one of the most potent pre-workouts we’ve come across in every aspect, from ingredients for blood flow, pump, and energy.
Our expert reviewer and registered dietitian, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RD, sums it up like this: “Pre-Kaged Elite is a stacked pre-workout containing creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, citrulline, and more. If you need a pre-workout supplement that can multitask, this one might be for you.”
Kaged Muscle designed this product, an update from their original Pre-Kaged, with elite athletes and experienced supplement users in mind, creating their most powerful formula to date. It combines 20 high-quality ingredients to potentially deliver heightened energy, sharpened focus, more power, and better pumps.
They group the ingredients into a few sections: “pump & performance,” “power & burn,” “cellular hydration & ATP amplifier,” and “energy & focus.” Within each section, you get the high end of clinical dosages for L-citrulline (10 grams, more than double the amount you find in most pre-workouts), caffeine (388 milligrams, the tippy-top edge of what’s safe for a day), tyrosine, and creatine (a clinical dosage of 5 total grams). You also get a nice dose of B vitamins and electrolytes.
Beyond these common ingredients, they include patented versions of other ingredients to round out the supp. All of it has been third-party tested for safety and transparency. The downsides? It’s nearly $3.00 per serving, and the serving size is a whopping 35-gram scoop (think of a protein powder scoop). They had to make it that big to get all the high-dose ingredients in there.
On the topic of that scoop and its intensity, our expert tester has some guidance for beginners: “You’ll be alright taking half a scoop — in fact, please do if you’re just starting out or you’ve never had one of the strongest pre-workouts before.” Newbies may also prefer Kaged’s original formula, Pre-Kaged, which comes in a non-stim variant.
Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
We love how effective Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite is (on paper), but we know not everyone will be ready for it. As our expert reviewer Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RD, explains, “Each scoop provides 388 milligrams of caffeine, around the same as four cups of coffee. This may not be ideal for everyone.”
Here are a few other groups who may or may not enjoy it.
Recommended for:
- Experienced pre-workout users who can take high dosages
- People with high caffeine tolerance
- Athletes who need third-party tested supplements to ensure no banned substances
Not Recommended for:
- Beginners — you get an effective dosage of each ingredient, but could feel like too much for newbies
- People sensitive to high stimulants and beta-alanine
- People who don’t take creatine
- People who drink caffeine throughout the day — this dosage will then put you over the edge of what is recommended as safe for a day’s consumption (400 milligrams)
Our Experience Using Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
Pre-Kaged Elite is all about the ingredients, dosages, and third-party testing to provide a safe, effective, and intense boost before you hit the gym. Our expert registered dietitian comments on a few of these specs, and we have authentic reactions from our expert tester regarding the taste and solubility. The three of us together provide ratings from 1 (yikes) to 5 (noice) in each of these categories during our experience.
Ingredients and Formulation
Kaged did an exceptional job with the dosing of each ingredient in Pre-Kaged Elite. They’ve included particularly large doses of citrulline (10,000 milligrams), caffeine (388 milligrams), beta-alanine (3,200 milligrams), and tyrosine (2,500 milligrams). Pre-Kaged Elite is also a strong contender for being one of the best pre-workouts with creatine because of the inclusion of 5,000 milligrams of creatine.
Looking at the formula as a whole, there isn’t an aspect of potential improvement that this product omits. Pre-Kaged Elite contains key ingredients for potential improvement with blood flow, muscle pumps, mental focus, energy, power output, hydration, and performance. Many pre-workouts do well to cover one or two of those areas, but very few cover them all thoroughly.
Our expert registered dietitian, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RD, rates the formulation pretty highly. She says: “Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite scores a 4.75 out of 5 for its formulation with high marks for the creatine, citrulline, and alpha-GPC. However, the amount of caffeine in each scoop might be too much for some people.”
Can you have too much energy? Definitely, especially if you’re not used to it. Our expert tester agrees. They say, “This formula is…well, it’s strong. The amount of caffeine in it is kind of absurd, and it’s got a huge kick of pump ingredients.”
Here’s a quick look at how they grouped the ingredients and what they’re for:
Pump & Performance
This pre-workout is made for performance, for sure. Bourgeois says, “I’m impressed with the amount of creatine in each serving of Pre-Kaged Elite. Each scoop has 5 grams of creatine, which is on the upper end the researched doses.” It’s also got:
- L-citrulline (amino acid to boost nitric oxide for blood flow and a pump): 10,000 milligrams (1)
- Beta-alanine as Carnosyn® (for slowing lactic acid build-up to delay fatigue): 3,200 milligrams (2)
- Creatine monohydrate (to replenish ATP quicker and boost performance in high-intensity exercise like weightlifting and sprinting): 3,000 milligrams (3)
- Creatine nitrate (combines creatine with nitrate, which may help ATP work even quicker with less oxygen cost): 2,000 milligrams (4)
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and effective form of creatine, so we love that you’ll get 3 full grams of it here. (3) And even though our tester doesn’t report getting any tingles from this pre-workout, you might if you’re sensitive to the dreaded beta-alanine itch. You can always opt for one of the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine instead.
Power & Burn
Here’s what the company lists as their “power & burn” ingredients:
- Betaine anhydrous as BetaPower® (for more power output): 2,500 milligrams (5)
- Carnipure as L-carnitine tartrate: 1,500 milligrams
Cellular Hydration & ATP Amplifier
You want to stay hydrated during your absurdly intense training sessions. Here’s how this formula proposes to support you:
- Taurine (mixed research on cognition boost): 2,000 milligrams (6)
- Coconut fruit water powder (for hydration): 500 milligrams
- ElevATP® (ancient peat and apple fruit extract): 150 milligrams
Energy & Focus
The caffeine level is another place this pre-workout stands out. It’s a lot — and you definitely will want to avoid caffeine for the rest of the day when you take this for your workout.
- L-tyrosine (boosts neurotransmitters including dopamine): 2,500 milligrams (7)
- Caffeine from PurCaff® caffeine from organic green coffee beans (for energy and focus): 388 milligrams (8)
- Alpha-GPC as AlphaSize (for cognition): 300 milligrams (9)
- AmaTea®: 100 mcg
- Huperzia serrata extract or huperzine A (for mental energy): 10 milligrams (10)
Our tester recommends taking only half a scoop, especially if you’re newer to this kind of formula. (And if you’re not sure how your body reacts to a very sudden influx of caffeine, there are always the best non-stim pre-workouts to choose from).
Taste
Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite comes in five fruity flavors and uses the artificial sweetener sucralose. Since this is a newer version of the original Pre-Kaged, we were naturally curious to know how the taste compares.
Our expert tester notes they are pretty comparable, saying: “This updated version tastes similar to Pre-Kaged — it’s sweet, but not terribly so. Overall, a good taste. So far, I’ve had Orange Mango. It’s easy to say, ‘Yep, this is orange,’ but finding the mango part of the flavor is tougher.”
It may not match its name perfectly, but we like that the sweetness isn’t too strong. When asked to rate the taste, our expert tester says, “It gets a 4 out of 5 for flavor since it’s citrusy without being overpowering.”
Solubility
Have the time to mix your pre-workout with water in a blender? Excellent. Occasionally on the go and want to know if you can shake it up in a bottle? Most likely, it happens to all of us. Luckily, our expert tester had that situation in mind. They state, “It gets a 5 out of 5 for solubility because it mixes really well in just a water bottle with no blender in sight.”
It sounds like there were no clumps or chalkiness in the water bottle, and it was easy to get down. Plus, the portability aspect is huge for busy gymgoers.
Price Per Serving
One tub of 20 servings costs $59.99, so the price per serving is $2.99. At the time of this writing, the Kaged website has a sale for $47.99, so you can occasionally get each serving for $2.40. They also offer a subscription option to save 10% — $53.99 per tub and $2.70 per serving.
The full price is high, so not everyone can swing it, but you do get a high-quality product for your money. (And, you’ll half the per-serving price by taking half a serving each time, which our tester recommends if you don’t want the full kick of all that caffeine.)
Athletes who want extreme support for intense training sessions and have the budget for it may decide it’s worth it. I like the subscription offer too, so you have a chance for some savings. I rate the price per serving a 3.5 out of 5.
Third-Party Testing
The FDA does not regulate dietary supplements, including pre-workouts, so there is no way of knowing if the labels are accurate and whether or not they contain banned ingredients. Athletes who compete and get tested need to be sure of what’s in their pre-workout, and so does any consumer who wants to know what they’re putting in their bodies.
That’s why we like supplement companies that do third-party testing to confirm that what you see on the label is what you get. Kaged products are third-party tested and certified by Informed Sport, an excellent certification that assures no contamination or banned substances. Kaged Pre-Kated Elite gets a 5 out of 5 for testing and certifying.
What to Consider Before Buying Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
Before taking the plunge with Pre-Kaged Elite, consider what’s in it, the effects, cost, and safety. Plus, those unpleasant pre-workout side effects (jitters and tingles) may pop up for some folks with lower tolerances to caffeine and beta-alanine.
If you’re more experienced, you may relate to our expert tester, who reports, “The energy from this is a constant, steady amount rather than a hyper surge that you get from other pre-workouts. I also didn’t get the tingles, which I appreciated.” Here’s what to be on the search for:
- Stimulants: Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Pre-Workout contains 388 milligrams of caffeine. Our expert registered dietitian, Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RD, notes it’s around the same as four cups of coffee, which may not be for everyone — especially if you like to drink coffee or tea throughout the day.
- Creatine: The creatine benefits are aplenty here. Pre-Kaged Elite contains 3,000 milligrams (or 3 grams) of creatine monohydrate and 2,000 milligrams (or 2 grams) s of creatine nitrate. These are solid numbers. As Bourgeois states, 5 grams (total) of creatine is “on the upper end of researched doses,” which we love.
- Price: One tub of 20 servings costs $59.99, so the price per serving is $2.99. They also offer a subscription to save 10%, which is nice if you like to take it for a good chunk of your sessions.
- Sweeteners: Our expert tester finds the taste to be just right — “sweet, but not terribly so.” Pre-Kaged Elite contains the artificial sweetener sucralose, which you might not love if your stomach is sensitive to it.
- Third-Party Testing: Kaged products are third-party tested and certified by Informed Sport. As our expert RD Bourgeois notes, this is “definitely a major positive.”
Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Vs. Competitors
Maybe you’re coming to your conclusion about whether Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite is for you. But then you remember we live in a world of endless options. No worries: we’ll stack this one against two of its top competitors to help you weigh your choices.
| Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite | Jacked Factory NITRO Surge Build | Gainful Pre-Workout With Creatine | |
| Price Per Serving | $2.99 | $1.00 | $1.85 |
| Protein Per Serving | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calories Per Serving | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| Flavors | Fruit Punch, Orange Mango, Glacier Grape, Caribbean Sunrise, Strawberry Lemonade (5) | Blue Raspberry, Grape, Green Apple, Strawberry Margarita, Watermelon, Pineapple, Arctic White, Sour Peach Rings, Cotton Candy, Blueberry Lemonade, Black Cherry, Cherry Limeade, and Fruit Punch (13) | Watermelon, Strawberry Lemonade (2) |
| Third-Party Tested? | Yes | No | No |
We’re comparing these three because they have similar ingredients and purported effects, but they vary in price, caffeine content, and testing. Gainful is an interesting company that does customizable supplements, so you can choose if you want caffeine or not (and a high or low amount), and creatine or not.
Jacked Factory NITRO Surge Build is the cheapest and has the most flavors. Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite is the only one that is third-party tested and verified, which is mainly significant for competitive athletes. It also has the highest caffeine content, and is the most expensive per serving.
Read our full Jacked Factory NITRO Surge Build Review.
Places to Buy Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
- Kaged.com
- Amazon
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- GNC
- Vitamin Shoppe
- Wegman’s
Customer Experience and Brand Reputation
Here’s what other customers have to say about their experiences with Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite, and their general experiences with Kaged as a brand.
- Shipping and Delivery:
- Time: If you place your order on a Monday through Friday, it will typically ship within 3 to 5 business days.
- Price: Kaged offers free shipping for orders over $79. Orders under $79 have a flat shipping rate of $6.49. They also offer expedited shipping for an additional cost.
- Trial Period: Kaged offers a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied with any order placed in the United States through the Kaged website or an authorized seller, you can request a refund, credit, or exchange within 60 days of your purchase. Shipping is not included in the return policy.
- Customer Reviews:
- Kaged Site: There are 305 reviews on the Kaged site with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
- Amazon: There are 180 ratings on Amazon, and an average score of 4.2 out of 5 stars.
- Customer Thoughts: Customers generally like the taste, intense energy boost, and effects. Some say it digests easily, and others report stomach issues. Opinions on the pump are also split — despite the high dosages, some say it is underwhelming. Many say it is too expensive.
Our Final Verdict on Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite
The verdict is in — Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite is strong and effective, tastes just right, mixes well, and is tested for safety. That said, it’s not for every person, and not even for every workout for the experienced users. It’s probably best to save this one when you know you need it (and probably for a morning session so it doesn’t interfere with sleep).
Our expert tester agrees and leaves us with this: “This isn’t the pre-workout you’ll turn to on a casual training day. More moderate to intense days are definitely when you’ll want this one. When you know you need to turn out an exceptional performance, this is a great choice.”
Kaged Pre-Kaged Elite Review FAQs
How much caffeine is in Kaged Elite?
Pre-Kaged Elite Pre-Workout contains 388 milligrams of caffeine per serving. That’s at the upper limit of what’s generally recommended as safe for caffeine consumption per day (400 milligrams). So, if you’re taking this pre-workout, you’ll want to avoid caffeine the rest of the day.
Should you supplement with creatine in your pre-workout?
It is up to you whether you want to take the best creatine supplements or not. Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements; decades of studies have supported its safety and efficacy for boosting athletic performance and building muscle (when combined with nutrition and resistance training). (3)(4) If you choose to take it, you can take it at any time of day. Having it in your pre-workout is a convenient way to get both supps at once, making Pre-Kaged Elite a great choice if you want to avoid remembering to take multiple supps.
How does Pre-Kaged Elite compare to the original Pre-Kaged formula?
Compared to the original Pre-Kated formula, Pre-Kaged Elite has more caffeine, L-citrulline, creatine, CarnoSyn® beta-alanine, and tyrosine. It also adds new premium ingredients MAXCatalyst™, alpha-GPC, and huperzine. The original formula contained BCAAs and came in a stim-free version; Elite does not.
References
- Gonzalez, Adam M.1; Trexler, Eric T.2. Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current Literature. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(5):p 1480-1495, May 2020. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003426
- Hoffman JR, Emerson NS, Stout JR. β-Alanine supplementation. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012 Jul-Aug;11(4):189-95. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e3182604983. PMID: 22777329.
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- Joy JM, Lowery RP, Falcone PH, Mosman MM, Vogel RM, Carson LR, Tai CY, Choate D, Kimber D, Ormes JA, Wilson JM, Moon JR. 28 days of creatine nitrate supplementation is apparently safe in healthy individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014 Dec 20;11(1):60. doi: 10.1186/s12970-014-0060-9. PMID: 25589898; PMCID: PMC4293808.
- Ismaeel A. Effects of Betaine Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Power: A Systematic Review. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Aug;31(8):2338-2346. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001959. PMID: 28426517.
- Chen, Q., Li, Z., Pinho, R. A., Gupta, R. C., Ugbolue, U. C., Thirupathi, A., & Gu, Y. (2021). The Dose Response of Taurine on Aerobic and Strength Exercises: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 700352. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.700352
- Jongkees BJ, Hommel B, Kühn S, Colzato LS. Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands–A review. J Psychiatr Res. 2015 Nov;70:50-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.014. Epub 2015 Aug 25. PMID: 26424423.
- Paluska SA. Caffeine and exercise. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2003 Aug;2(4):213-9. doi: 10.1249/00149619-200308000-00008. PMID: 12834577.
- Parker AG, Byars A, Purpura M, Jäger R. The effects of alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine, caffeine or placebo on markers of mood, cognitive function, power, speed, and agility. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Sep 21;12(Suppl 1):P41. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P41. PMCID: PMC4595381.
- Wessinger CM, Inman CL, Weinstock J, Weiss EP. Effect of Huperzine A on Cognitive Function and Perception of Effort during Exercise: A Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Trial. Int J Exerc Sci. 2021 Aug 1;14(2):727-741. PMID: 34567353; PMCID: PMC8439683.
