Scientifically testing 🔬
All of my mushroom coffees!
There are dozens of mushroom coffee and mushroom powder brands out there, and some of them frankly look like they were designed by AI. I chose six that met the following bar:
- Widely available or heavily recommended.
- Transparent ingredient lists.
- Proven sourcing
- Real reviews, not just influencer hype
This wasn’t a lab test. It was a real-life, “drink this every morning and see what happens” kind of thing. I gave each brand five mornings in a row. I kept everything else the same: drank them on a mostly empty stomach, tracked how I felt (focus, digestion, energy), and paid attention to flavor and texture. If it made me feel weird or amazing, I took notes.
In action: my scorecard!
- Used one pre-workout for at least 5 training days - Same time window (early morning or before afternoon session)Same type of training (strength + conditioning mix)
- Kept everything else consistent - Similar sleep, same diet, same exercise pattern (4–5 days/week).
- Tracked what actually mattered - Energy during the workout, focus and mind–muscle connection, pump and endurance, any side effects (jitters, crash, stomach issues, sleep impact).
- Checked labels and sourcing - Researched every ingredient, certification, and third-party lab test for each product. I was looking for ingredient quality, scientific credibility, and transparency.
- Scored them on a weighted scorecard - Rolled everything into the weighted scorecard below and ranked the powders from best to worst.
- Absorbency
- Elemental Chlorine-free
- Dye-free (inside)
- Fragrance-free
- Latex-free
- Lotion-free
- Responsibly sourced material
- Manufactured with renewable energy
- Certifications
- Wetness indicator
These are the factors that mattered to me in a natural pre-workout
✅ Clean, Stable Energy (Not Just Caffeine)
– Enough support to feel a real lift, but not 300–400mg of caffeine that destroys my sleep or spikes anxiety.
✅ Real Pump & Blood Flow
– Ingredients that genuinely support nitric oxide and circulation (beetroot, citrulline, arginine, etc.), not just “pump blend” on the label.
✅ Cognitive Focus & Drive
– Mushrooms (like lion’s mane) and ingredients like ginkgo that support actual mental clarity—not just shaky alertness.
✅ All-Natural, Transparent Ingredients
– No artificial dyes, no weird sweeteners, no mystery blends. Clear, readable label.
✅ No Gut Disaster
– No formulas that send you running to the bathroom or leave your stomach in knots.
✅ Taste & Mixability
– Something I’d realistically drink most training days, not choke down and dread.
✅ Value Per Serving
– I don’t need the cheapest option—I want the one that actually does something. But it should still make sense cost-wise if you use it regularly.
What makes a pre-workout powder actually work?
1. Why Use a Pre-Workout at All?
A good pre-workout should support:
- Energy production
- Blood flow & delivery of oxygen/nutrients to muscles
- Focus & motivation
- Endurance across your whole session
That can come from:
- Caffeine (stimulation)
- Nitric oxide boosters (pump)
- Cognitive enhancers (focus)
- Adaptogens and mushrooms (resilience, stamina)
The problem: most formulas lean way too hard on caffeine and underdose everything else.
2. Why Not Just Use Regular Pre-Workout or Coffee?
Standard pre-workouts and strong coffee can:
- Spike your heart rate
- Create short bursts of “hyped up” energy
- Then leave you crashing afterward
Common issues:
- Jitters and anxiety
- GI distress
- Sleep disruption
- Dependence on caffeine to train at all
I wanted the opposite:
- Steady performance
- Clean, natural ingredients
- No anxiety, no crash
3. What Separates a Great Natural Pre-Workout from a Bad One?
Look for:
- Transparent label – exact dosages, not proprietary blend smoke and mirrors
- Effective nitric oxide support – beetroot, citrulline, arginine
- Real cognitive support – lion’s mane, ginkgo, cordyceps
- No artificial dyes, flavors, or “mystery” sweeteners
- Caffeine that’s optional, not the entire formula
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