Advanced athletes who need a serious energy boost for intense workouts need to know about Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout. The best pre-workout supplements contain a clinical dosage of ingredients, and high-stim pre-workouts have extra stimulants. Woke AF Pre-Workout has both. That said, it’s not for beginners — its high caffeine and other stimulant content make it no joke.
At BarBend, our expert testers have put over 100 different pre-workouts through our standard testing methodology to give trustworthy ratings and help you know what it’s like. Our tester, Ben Emminger — who has plenty of experience with intense sports, high caffeine levels, and all kinds of pre-workouts — let us know how this one tastes and feels. As a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, I’ll also be rating its other specs. Overall, we think this supp is very supercharged (maybe a little too supercharged), but it tastes great and has excellent solubility. Let’s power up this Woke AF Pre-Workout review — here we go.
Editor’s note: 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.
Not for the lighthearted, this intense pre-workout contains three different stimulants — caffeine, dendrobium, and synephrine — that work with a host of other pre-workout staples to help boost energy and improve focus during lifts. It's got zero calories, zero sugar, and more than a dozen flavor options.
Main Takeaways
- Woke AF is a high-stimulant pre-workout — it contains high levels of caffeine, synephrine, and dendrobium.
- Woke AF also contains a blend of amino acids and ingredients to boost blood flow, enhance focus, and improve athletic performance for intense workouts.
- This pre-workout supplement is not for beginners, is not third-party tested, and may trigger side effects.
Woke AF Pre-Workout Specs
| Caffeine Per Serving | 333 milligrams |
| Other Notable Ingredients | Citrulline malate, beta-alanine, caffeine anhydrous, Alphasize® alpha GPC 50%, himalayan rock salt, taurine, dendrobium, deer antler velvet extract, synephrine hci, Astragin®, Actigin®, senactiv, vitamin b12, natural and artificial flavors, calcium silicate, silicone dioxide, sucralose |
| Calories Per Serving | 5 |
| Price Per Serving | $1.83 |
| Flavors | Strawberry Lime, Blue Cotton Candy, Anime (Yuzu/Peach), Rocket Pop (Blue Raz/Lime/Cherry), Miami (Strawberry/Mango/Pineapple), BKFC Punch – Lemonade, Koala Freak (Aussie Fruit – Peach Mango), Koala Freak (Piña Colada – Strawberry/Piña Colada), Cherry Candy, Sour Bucks, White Gummy Deer, Blood Raz, Blue Raz, Grape Gainz, Killa OJ, Sour Gummy |
| Sweeteners Used | Sucralose |
| Third-Party Tested? | No |
Need to wake up before you hit the gym? Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout will do the trick (and then some). It’s a high-stim pre-workout that packs 333 milligrams of caffeine and two other stimulants — synephrine and dendrobium. It also contains the classic pre-workout ingredients to boost athletic performance.
Woke AF is made by Das Labs. They say it themselves — the stuff isn’t for beginners, but rather for people with a super high tolerance to stimulants. They also offer a pre-workout called BAMF which swaps out the extra stimulants for huperzine-A and dynamine, nootropics that will boost your focus without the stim feeling. Woke AF comes in five flavors and uses the artificial sweetener sucralose. It’s close to $2 per serving and is not third-party tested.
Besides the stimulants, Woke AF contains L-citrulline (a nitric oxide booster that can improve blood flow and gives you a pump), beta-alanine (for endurance), and taurine (for cognition) — all amino acids commonly found in pre-workout. It also has other potential focus-enhancers and energy-boosters like alpha GPC and senactiv. Plus, astragin may increase citrulline absorption, and deer antler velvet extract may improve recovery. (1)(2)
Our tester, BarBend writer and expert fitness reviewer Ben Emminger, tried it three times for “strength training workouts with an emphasis on high-weight, low-rep splits.” He shares his experience: “In terms of strength, this is one of the strongest pre-workouts I’ve consumed in recent memory. There’s almost too much energy boost to deal with — I would only recommend this product to those that have developed a high pre-workout tolerance or those that desperately need the energy to get through their training sessions.”
Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use Woke AF Pre-Workout
Woke AF may be one of the strongest pre-workouts out there — but it’s not for everyone. Here’s who else might and might not want to try it.
Recommended for:
- Experienced pre-workout users
- People with a high stimulant tolerance
- Bodybuilding or other intense workouts
Not Recommended for:
- Beginners who haven’t taken pre-workout before
- People sensitive to side effects of pre-workout or caffeine might opt for the best non-stim pre-workouts
- People working out for general fitness (who don’t use as much intensity)
Our Experience Using Woke AF Pre-Workout
Using pre-workout before a tough training session can help you bust through plateaus and boost your performance. Woke AF Pre-Workout is loaded with stimulants and not for beginners, so we had one of our very experienced testers, BarBend writer and expert fitness reviewer Ben Emminger, try it out. We had him deliver ratings on taste and solubility, and I’ll add my take on ingredients, price, and safety.
Ingredients and Formulation
Woke AF has a ton of caffeine — 333 milligrams. For reference, a typical cup of coffee contains 80 to 200 milligrams. You also get 40 milligrams of synephrine HCL and 100 milligrams of dendrobium. You’ll be sure to feel it.
Emminger says, “This formulation is not for the faint of heart. There is so much caffeine in a single scoop that it gave me (someone with a well-documented caffeine tolerance) a few more flutters than usual. The energy is highly present, although I feel my focus wasn’t as improved — I was almost scatter-brained after consuming this pre-workout where I didn’t know where to focus.”
Dosage-wise, on the other ingredients, everything is clearly labeled and should contain enough to be effective. You get 6,000 milligrams of citrulline malate, 3,200 milligrams of beta-alanine, and 100 milligrams of taurine. Citrulline is within the recommended dosage range (3 to 10 grams), beta-alanine is a bit below (4 to 6 grams), and taurine reaches the minimum recommendation (1 gram). (4)(5)(6)
Regarding the pump, Emminger notes, “You do get a decent pump with this product, although it’s almost an afterthought given the heightened dose of caffeine.”
They’re not skimping on the ingredients here, and I like that the label is clear — though notably not third-party tested, which I definitely don’t love. Combined with Emminger’s input that it’s almost too strong even for someone with a high caffeine tolerance, I’ll rate it a 3 out of 5.
[Related: Best Pre-Workouts for Women]
Taste
Emminger tested the Dragonfruit flavor, though it may no longer be available. He says, “The taste was enjoyable, although it tasted like a generic pre-workout … almost cotton candy-like. I don’t think it was very true to the ‘Dragonfruit’ labeling, although I wouldn’t mind it in future instances.”
On taste, he also adds, “It’s sweet yet not overbearingly tart or sour. In all honesty, it tasted like a generic pre-workout or what I’ve come to associate with the supplement category. A little bitterness, a present sweetness, yet nothing otherworldly or off-putting.”
Emminger rates the taste a 3.75 out of 5, and adds, “You could get by drinking this day in and day out, although I’d be more inclined to peruse the available flavors if given the chance.”
Solubility
When you’ve got a powder supplement, you want to know how it actually mixes with water. Emminger reports, “The powder mixed easily with water and I had no residue or clumps at the bottom of my shaker. Typically, I wash out the remainder of my pre-workout with a dash of water, but that wasn’t necessary with this blend.”
Emminger rates the solubility a 4 out of 5, adding: “I mixed this in both a shaker cup as well as a BlendJet. In both circumstances, the powder blended easily with no signs of grittiness or residue. While the high-stim formulation may be off-putting to some, I can attest that it is one of the better pre-workouts I’ve experienced in terms of solubility.”
[Related: Best Pre-Workouts for Men]
Price Per Serving
One tub of Woke AF Pre-Workout costs $54.99. The serving size is one scoop, you get 30 of them, so it’s $1.83 per scoop. If you order it on Amazon, you can get a subscription, lowering the tub to $49.29, with each serving $1.64. Note that the Amazon version does not contain deer antler velvet extract.
The price is pretty high, but if you’re looking for a super high-stim pre-workout like this one, you might be willing to pay. I give it a 3 out of 5.
Third-Party Testing
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements, so we like to see products like pre-workouts do third-party testing to ensure their safety and clear ingredients.
Woke AF Pre-Workout is not third-party tested. It contains synephrine, a stimulant banned by the NCAA. The other stimulant, dendrobium, has mixed research behind its safety and efficacy in supplements. (3)(7)
However, the website states they are GMP Certified, which means manufacturing is done “utilizing industry best practices.” (8)
Due to the ingredients and lack of testing, though it does have the GMP certification, I’m giving it a 2 out of 5.
What to Consider Before Buying Woke AF Pre-Workout
Before taking the plunge with Woke AF, think about what you look for in a pre-workout. You’ll want to consider the stimulants and overall ingredients so you’ll know what to expect in terms of pre-workout side effects. High levels of caffeine can cause jitters, and beta-alanine may cause tingling.
When asked if he felt any side effects, Emminger answers, “Aplenty. The tingling sensation was very present here, almost to the pint of annoyance. My lips were irritated for practically my entire session. Also, I typically consume my pre-workout prior to getting in my car to get to the gym — sitting in traffic for any allotted time would likely drive other athletes insane with this product.” Still, he adds that there are “no real abnormal side effects to speak of.”
Beyond stimulants and side effects, you’ll also want to consider the price per serving, sweeteners, and other additives, and whether or not it’s third-party tested for safety and ingredient clarity. We’ve tested over 100 protein pre-workouts, and here’s what we have for Woke AF:
- Stimulants: The stimulants include caffeine (333 milligrams), dendrobium (100 milligrams), and synephrine HCL (40 milligrams).
- Creatine: There is no creatine in Woke AF Pre-Workout.
- Price: Woke AF costs $54.99 for a tub of 30 servings. Each scoop of Woke AF is $1.83.
- Sweeteners: Woke AF contains the artificial sweetener sucralose.
- Third-party testing: Woke AF Pre-Workout is not third-party tested.
Woke AF Pre-Workout Vs. Competitors
There are tons of pre-workout supplements to choose from, so we want to compare Woke AF to two other big brands by looking at some high-level specs. We chose Transparent Labs BULK and Nutricost Pre-X because they’re both reputable brands with very popular formulas.
| Woke AF Pre-Workout | Transparent Labs BULK | Nutricost Pre-X | |
| Price Per Serving | $1.83 | $1.66 | $0.93 |
| Protein Per Serving | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calories Per Serving | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Flavors | 16 | 9 | 5 |
| Third-Party Tested? | No | Yes | Yes |
Woke AF stands out among the three because it has the highest amount of caffeine and other stimulants — it’s likely the strongest of the bunch. It’s also not third-party tested. The other two are third-party tested and don’t contain those other stims.
They also differ in price and sweeteners. Woke AF and Transparent Labs are close while Nutricost is significantly cheaper at under $1 per serving. Transparent Labs uses a natural sweetener (Stevia) and the other two went artificial with sucralose.
Places to Buy Woke AF Pre-Workout
- Buckedup.com
- Bucked Up Store Locations (Idaho, North Carolina, and Utah)
- Amazon
- GNC
- The Vitamin Shoppe
- Walmart
[Related: Best Pre-Workouts for Weight Loss]
Customer Experience and Brand Reputation
Here’s what to expect as a customer if you order a tub of Woke AF Pre-Workout.
- Shipping and Delivery:
- Time: Depending on your type of shipping, orders ship in 2 to 4 days, or 3 to 6 days.
- Price: Bucked Up offers free shipping in the United States for orders over $75. For orders under $75, shipping is calculated at checkout based on your location. You can choose USPS ground or priority, or Fed-Ex.
- Trial Period: Bucked Up offers a 45-day money-back guarantee only for products purchased through their website. After using it for two weeks, if you are not satisfied with it, you can contact them within 45 days of purchase and receive a full refund. You have to return the tub, and at least half of the pre-workout must remain. You need to provide proof of purchase and pay for shipping.
- Customer Reviews:
- Bucked Up Site: Out of 509 reviews, customers rate Woke AF Pre-Workout 4.9 out of 5 stars.
- Amazon: On Amazon, 2,587 reviews average out to 4.5 out of 5.
- Customer Thoughts: Customers generally like taste and intensity. They describe the energy as “insane” and feel more focused on their workouts. Some customers debate if it is worth the price.
Our Final Verdict on Woke AF Pre-Workout
If you’re a newbie to pre-workout, this is not the one to start with. As BarBend writer and expert fitness reviewer Ben Emminger says, “Honestly, this is a humbling pre-workout formulation. I’ll likely only use it after intense work days where I am at my limit yet still need to get a workout in.”
For those with experience who go to the gym after a long work day (or after a long night), Woke AF has what you’re looking for. Although even an experienced pre-workout user like Emminger only rates it a 3.75 out of 5 overall, though he adds: “I could see where some may prefer the high-stim, skin-tingling effects of this formulation, but it’s simply too overpowering for my palate and needs.” With extra energy, focus, and less fatigue during your training sessions, you may be able to crank out an few extra reps. Over time, those gains can add up.
FAQs: Woke AF Pre-Workout
Is Woke AF Pre-Workout good for you?
Use with caution. Woke AF Pre-Workout is not third-party tested, contains a banned stimulant (synephrine), and another stimulant (dendrobium) which has mixed research on its safety. (3)(7)
Why does Woke AF Pre-Workout make you tingle?
Woke AF Pre-Workout contains beta-alanine — a common side effect of beta-alanine is tingling, and our tester, BarBend writer and expert fitness reviewer Ben Emminger, felt a ton of it. He says, “The included beta alanine did leave me with more prominent skin tingles for a longer duration than I’ve experienced with other pre-workouts.”
How much caffeine is in Woke AF?
There are 333 milligrams of caffeine in one serving of Woke AF. Even though it’s a lot, our tester Emminger notes he didn’t crash. “I don’t typically feel any pre-workout crashes, and I was happy to have a similar experience with this pre-workout. That said, my body has adapted to high-caffeine intake, so I could be an anomaly with this product.”
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.
- NCAA Banned Substances. NCAA.org. https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2015/6/10/ncaa-banned-substances.aspx
- Gonzalez AM, Yang Y, Mangine GT, Pinzone AG, Ghigiarelli JJ, Sell KM. Acute Effect of L-Citrulline Supplementation on Resistance Exercise Performance and Muscle Oxygenation in Recreationally Resistance Trained Men and Women. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2023 Jun 22;8(3):88. doi: 10.3390/jfmk8030088. PMID: 37489301; PMCID: PMC10366749.
- Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, Hoffman JR, Wilborn CD, Sale C, Kreider RB, Jäger R, Earnest CP, Bannock L, Campbell B, Kalman D, Ziegenfuss TN, Antonio J. International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Jul 15;12:30. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y. PMID: 26175657; PMCID: PMC4501114.
- 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
- Dendrobium: Why Is It In Supplements? Operation Supplement Safety. https://www.opss.org/article/dendrobium-why-it-supplements
- GMP Certification. NSF.org. https://www.nsf.org/nutrition-personal-care/gmp-certification
