Caffeine-Free Pre-Workout: What to Put in a Homemade Mix and What It Costs
Published
Share
A simple caffeine-free pre-workout drink can be made from three unflavoured powders: 5 g of creatine monohydrate, 1 g of taurine and 3 g of L-arginine in 300 to 500 ml of water. Bought as 1 kg bulk bags, one serving costs about $0.38 at LiquidShop's September 2026 prices. This guide covers why people choose a caffeine-free mix, the recipe, the cost calculation and how to make it taste good.
Why Caffeine-Free?
Most commercial pre-workout products are built around caffeine. People look for a caffeine-free version for practical reasons: they train in the evening and do not want caffeine close to bedtime, they already drink coffee during the day, or they simply prefer to avoid stimulants. A home-made mix gives full control over what goes in and how much.
These amounts are in the range commonly used in sports nutrition products. Taurine is also the amino acid used in energy drinks, typically around 1 g per 250 ml can (see our taurine guide).
Cost per Serving, Line by Line
For each ingredient: price per kg ÷ 1,000 × grams per serving. With the 1 kg bag prices listed in September 2026:
Creatine monohydrate: $40.13 per kg × 5 g = $0.20
Taurine: $41.89 per kg × 1 g = $0.04
L-arginine: $44.51 per kg × 3 g = $0.13
Total: about $0.38 per serving
Recalculate with the live prices on each product page, since prices change. The Caffeine-Free Pre-Workout Kit bundles the three 1 kg bags for 5% less than buying them separately. Because the servings per bag differ, the creatine runs out first: about 200 servings, against roughly 330 for the arginine and 1,000 for the taurine.
Making It Taste Good
Creatine and taurine are fairly neutral. L-arginine is the difficult one: it tastes bitter and slightly alkaline. Three ways to balance it:
Acidity: a squeeze of lemon or lime, or a small pinch of citric acid (start with 0.2 to 0.5 g).
Sweetness: a little sugar, or a high-intensity sweetener such as sucralose measured on a precise scale.
A flavoured base: mix it into a diluted juice or a flavoured electrolyte drink instead of plain water. Our homemade electrolyte recipe works well as a base.
Stir well or use lukewarm water: creatine does not fully dissolve in cold water, which is normal.
Mixing a Batch in Advance
You can pre-mix a dry batch to save time: for 20 servings, combine 100 g of creatine, 20 g of taurine and 60 g of L-arginine, shake the jar well and use 9 g per serving. Keep the jar airtight and dry, and give it a shake before each use, since powders of different particle sizes can separate. Add water only just before drinking.
A Note for Brands
These are food-grade ingredients sold separately. A finished pre-workout product sold as a natural health product in Canada generally requires a Natural Product Number (NPN) from Health Canada, and caffeine-containing products carry their own limits. For formulation quantities and a Certificate of Analysis for each lot, contact us.
