How to read a pre-workout label: doses, servings and warnings
A plain guide to pre-workout labels: a dose for every ingredient, serving sizes, caffeine, warnings, lab tests and notification numbers.
In this article
A clear pre-workout label tells you what's in one serving, how big that serving is, and who shouldn't take it. You shouldn't have to guess any of it. Here's how to read one, using the LA BOMBA label as the example.
Start with the serving size
Every amount on a label is per serving, so check the serving first. For LA BOMBA, a full scoop is 18 g of powder, and a 500 g jar contains 27 full scoops.
In Belgium, the recommended serving is ¼ scoop (4.5 g), which contains 75 mg of caffeine.
When you compare products, compare per serving and check how many servings a container holds. Two tubs can look alike until you notice they use different serving sizes.
A dose for every ingredient
Look for an amount next to every active ingredient. Some labels group several ingredients under one name with a single total weight. You can see what's in it, but not how much of each.
On the LA BOMBA label, all 12 actives are listed with their own dose, about 16 g of actives per full scoop:
| Active | Per full scoop (18 g) | Per ¼ scoop (4.5 g) |
|---|---|---|
| L-Citrulline | 6000 mg | 1500 mg |
| Beta-Alanine | 2500 mg | 625 mg |
| Taurine | 2000 mg | 500 mg |
| Arginine AKG | 2000 mg | 500 mg |
| Betaine anhydrous | 2000 mg | 500 mg |
| L-Tyrosine | 1000 mg | 250 mg |
| Caffeine anhydrous | 300 mg | 75 mg |
| L-Theanine | 200 mg | 50 mg |
| Vitamin C | 60 mg (75% RI) | 15 mg (19% RI) |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.6 mg (114% RI) | 0.4 mg (29% RI) |
| Vitamin B12 | 2 µg (80% RI) | 0.5 µg (20% RI) |
| Black pepper extract (standardised on piperine) | 5 mg | 1.25 mg |
The ¼-scoop column is calculated as one quarter of a full scoop and rounded.
Reading the ingredient names
The name on the label tells you the form of an ingredient, and the form changes what the number means.
- L-citrulline vs citrulline malate: citrulline malate includes malic acid, so part of its weight isn't citrulline. LA BOMBA uses L-citrulline.
- Caffeine anhydrous: caffeine in dry powder form. "Anhydrous" means without water.
- Arginine AKG: arginine bound to alpha-ketoglutarate.
- Standardised on piperine: the black pepper extract is made to contain a set amount of one specific compound, piperine.
The % RI column and the vitamins
RI stands for Reference Intake: a daily reference amount for an adult, set in EU law for each vitamin and mineral. The percentage shows how much of that amount one serving provides.
LA BOMBA contains vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. Even at ¼ scoop, each of the three is above 15% of the RI, the level at which the authorised vitamin claim may be used. That claim is the one health claim we make:
Vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
It's on the EU's list of authorised health claims, and it's about these three vitamins only, not about the other ingredients. You can look it up in the EU Register of nutrition and health claims.
Caffeine per serving
Caffeine should have its own number per serving, not be tucked into a group total or left to a plant extract with no amount given. LA BOMBA has 300 mg per full scoop and 75 mg per ¼ scoop, all from caffeine anhydrous.
Count it together with any other caffeine you have that day, such as coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks. We go into more detail in our article on caffeine in LA BOMBA.
Warnings
Warnings tell you who shouldn't take a product and what not to exceed. Read them before the first scoop. LA BOMBA's label says:
Contains caffeine (300 mg per full scoop, 75 mg per ¼ scoop). Not recommended for children, adolescents, or pregnant or breastfeeding women. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake. Consult your doctor if you take medication. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Keep out of reach of young children.
If you're in one of the groups it names, LA BOMBA isn't for you. If you take medication, talk to your doctor first.
Lab testing and notification numbers
Lab testing. Every batch of LA BOMBA gets a microbiological safety test by an independent external lab. When a brand mentions testing, check what was actually tested. "Lab tested" on its own doesn't tell you much.
Notification numbers. In Belgium, food supplements are notified to the FPS Public Health before they go on sale. LA BOMBA's numbers are NUT_PL_AS 5188/2 (Cherry) and NUT_PL_AS 5188/1 (Blueberry).
A notification is not an approval. It means the authorities have been informed about the product and its composition, not that they have tested or endorsed it. Be careful with any brand that presents a notification number as a seal of approval.
FAQ
Why does a dose per ingredient matter?
One total for a group of ingredients tells you what's in it, but not how much of each. On the LA BOMBA label, every active has its own amount.
How many servings are in a jar of LA BOMBA?
A 500 g jar holds 27 full scoops of 18 g. In Belgium, the recommended serving is ¼ scoop (4.5 g).
What does % RI mean?
It's the share of the EU Reference Intake for a vitamin or mineral that one serving provides. It's only given for nutrients that have a Reference Intake, which is why the other actives don't have one.
Does a notification number mean the product is approved?
No. It means the product was notified to the Belgian FPS Public Health. It's not an approval or a quality stamp.
Is LA BOMBA lab tested?
Every batch gets a microbiological safety test by an independent external lab.
Want to try this on a real label? See the full LA BOMBA label and check every number yourself.
LA BOMBA is a food supplement. Contains caffeine (300 mg per full scoop, 75 mg per ¼ scoop). Not recommended for children, adolescents, or pregnant or breastfeeding women. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Every dose on the label
12 active ingredients, all listed in milligrams, in Cherry or Blueberry.
