More like Broke AF
Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout Review
After two weeks of testing Bucked Up Woke AF pre-workout, the first adjective that comes to mind is underwhelming. Despite Woke AF’s promise to deliver extreme energy and focus, it falls short in third-party testing and cost-effectiveness.
Woke AF is definitely high in caffeine, but there are way better pre-workout alternatives that cost about the same.
Here to Build Muscle and Lose Fat?
Pre-workout can give you an extra 1% boost but won’t make up for a shitty diet and training. Taking a bunch of pre-workout without dialing in the diet and training is like stepping over $20 bills to pick up pennies. See how it works here.
Keep reading to learn why I think there are superior choices out there. But if you just want to know the pre-workouts that are better alternatives to Woke AF, here you go.
Table of Contents
Alternatives to Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout
Outwork Nutrition Pre-Workout
Outwork Nutrition Pre-Workout is a more transparent and trustworthy alternative to Woke AF. It’s third-party tested, GMP certified, and comes with a higher dose of L-citrulline. And although not quite as high in caffeine, it comes damn close with 300 mg. All that and you only pay $0.20 more per serving.
Learn more by reading my full review of Outwork Nutrition.
Transparent Labs BULK
Unless you have a pressing need to max out on caffeine, Transparent Labs BULK is my go-to recommendation. It has 200 mg of caffeine and 5,300 mg of L-citrulline, and it’s third-party tested and GMP certified. At $1.66 per serving ($1.49 if you subscribe), it’s also cheaper than Woke AF.
Read more about Transparent Labs BULK in my review.
Or browse through all my previous pre-workout reviews.
Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout Overview
Bucked Up Woke AF
Score:
5.3
/10
Pros and Cons:
Pros
- Decent energy and focus
Cons
- Too much junk
- Average pump
- Crash
- Not third-party tested
Product Name
Score:
9.0
/10
Pros and Cons:
Pros
- Ingredients: 9
- Price Per Serving:
- How It Made Us Feel: 8.9
Cons
- High caffeine (400mg)
- Price Per Serving: 6
- Third-party Tested: No
- How It Made Us Feel: 8.9
Product Highlights
Ingredients
6
/10
Energy
8
/10
Pump
8
/10
Price per serving
$2.38/$$2.02
Taste
10
/10
Mixability
10
/10
Customer Experience
10
/10
Third-party tested/GMP certified
Yes/Yes
Best For:
The biggest upside of Bucked Up Woke AF is also its biggest downside.
An astronomical caffeine tolerance.
With a whopping 333 mg of caffeine per scoop, Bucked Up Woke AF is best left to those who can handle — or even thrive on — a significant caffeine hit. It’s well suited for early-morning lifters or anyone needing an explosive start.
Flavor variety.
Bucked Up Woke AF comes with 16 comically tortuous flavors. If you train four days a week and rotate the flavors, you’d have the same flavor only every 30 days or so.
I don’t expect anyone with reasonably functioning cognitive skills to do this. But hey, what do I know?
Not For:
Those who lift in the evenings.
Unless your sleeping skills rival Garfield’s, the high caffeine in Bucked Up Woke AF is likely to royally mess up your nights. If you’re sensitive to caffeine or training later in the day, this one’s not for you.
Anyone who prefers a fair exchange of money and value.
At $1.83 per serving, Bucked Up Woke AF is Expensive AF. Sure, it packs a caffeine punch, but your wallet will feel it just as much as your nervous system.
Folks who care about verified purity and potency.
Bucked Up Woke AF is not third-party tested. If you prioritize certified supplements for health and athletic reasons, this pre-workout won’t cut it. The reassurance of ingredient safety and efficacy just isn’t there.
Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout Ingredients
[image showing the ingredient label]
Let’s break down the ingredients of Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout to see how their touted benefits match up with the latest scientific evidence.
Citrulline Malate 2:1
6,000 mg
Citrulline malate is a mix of two ingredients: L-citrulline and malate, or malic acid. In Bucked Up Woke AF, they make up 6,000 mg in a 2:1 ratio. That leaves you with 4,000 mg of citrulline and 2,000 mg of malate.
Citrulline malate might improve the muscle pump and may help you train a bit harder by allowing you to squeeze in a few extra reps.[1] It might also reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) post-training and improve anaerobic performance. But I wouldn’t place all your hopes on those things happening.
Although the 4,000 mg of L-citrulline hits the minimum effective dose, it’s likely not enough for more advanced users, including myself. I get a better pump by closing the curtains, sitting in front of my laptop, and queueing some OnlyFans.
Beta-Alanine
3,200 mg
Beta-alanine can improve your endurance and reduce fatigue, but only if you take the minimum effective dose daily for several weeks. The minimum effective daily dose is 3.2 to 6.4 grams.[2] Taking this amount will allow you to reach the saturation point of 179 grams after around four to six weeks.
If you don’t plan on consistently taking the minimum effective beta-alanine dose that regularly, you shouldn’t expect to notice any benefits in your training.
The tingling sensation you feel after taking beta-alanine is just a side effect of consuming it, not an indicator that it’s working or that you’ve reached saturation.
At 3,200 mg, Bucked Up Woke AF hits the minimum effective dose of beta-alanine. Not that it’s going to do anything for you without getting to that saturation point first.
Caffeine Anhydrous
333 mg
Bucked Up bumped up the caffeine from 200 mg in the original formula to 333 mg in this one. Since the daily caffeine limit for most people is 400 mg, it’s definitely a jump most folks will notice in terms of energy and focus.[3]
If you’re hell-bent on being a real devil in the gym, double the scoops for 666 mg of caffeine. That’s sure to put you in beast mode. (Disclaimer: Don’t do this. You’ll die.)
Even at the recommended serving, this is almost guaranteed to give you the shakes and a gnarly crash, especially if you have a low caffeine tolerance.
AlphaSize® Alpha GPC
200 mg
Alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (also known as alpha-GPC and glycerylphosphorylcholine) is a compound containing two molecules, choline and glycerophosphate.
Choline is a nutrient vital for brain health and function that can improve brain development, muscle movement, nervous system function, and metabolism. Glycerophosphate is a substance that helps transport choline to the brain.
Choline might help memory and physical performance in healthy young adults and trained athletes if taken long-term, but it’s going to do f*ck all for you in a pre-workout except drive up the price.[4]
Taurine
100 mg
The evidence on taurine is all over the place. It may improve performance and recovery, but the chances of that happening are next to nothing. The dosage in these studies varies between 1 g and 6 g.[5]
The 100 mg of taurine in Bucked Up Woke AF is only adding 100 mg of deadweight to the mix.
Himalayan Rock Salt With Trace Minerals
100 mg
I am so over this Himalayan salt trend. Yes, Himalayan rock salt has sodium, which can help if you’re doing excessively long training sessions, sweating your balls off, and throwing your electrolyte levels all over the place.
But there is absolutely nothing special about Himalayan salts that makes it better than normal salts.[6] Any “trace levels of minerals” amount to absolutely nothing. Sodium is sodium. Goddammit.
Dendrobium
100 mg
Dendrobium is a family of plants, and the dendrobine compound in them is said to have stimulant-like effects similar to caffeine. Some animal studies also show better immune function and potential improvements in cognitive and anti-inflammatory responses.[7]
But based on the current science, Dendrobium is yet another herb that has zero effect on your training.
Deer Antler Velvet Extract
50 mg
This is exactly what it sounds like: crushed antler base. And it works just as well as you would expect it to: not at all. There’s zero evidence to back up the claims about deer antler extract.[8]
The reason it’s in Bucked Up is the logo, which so happens to be a deer, you see. Bucked Up has done a lot of marketing around this ingredient, trying to make its product seem different.
Well, it kind of worked: This product stands out by its ridiculousness.
Also worth mentioning is that if you buy Bucked Up on Amazon, it comes without deer antler velvet extract. Amazon doesn’t allow the sale of products that contain this ingredient. Probably because even Jeff Bezos knows it’s bullshit.
Synephrine HCl
40 mg
Synephrine (also known as bitter orange) is commonly found in some plants, notably in the bitter orange plant (Citrus aurantium). It’s chemically similar to ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, although the effects of supplementing synephrine are less potent.
Synephrine has been shown to improve fat burning during physical exercise without increasing overall calorie expenditure. It’s most effective at low to moderate exercise intensities.[9]
Although it’s effective with as low a dose as 1 mg per kilogram (2.2 lb), the optimal dose is 2–3 mg per kilogram.[10]
The 40 mg in Bucked Up Woke AF isn’t going to do a whole lot unless you happen to weigh less than 40 kg (88 lb).
As for improvements in performance, one study shows that supplementing 100 mg of synephrine, either on its own or with 100 mg of caffeine, improves muscle endurance in strength training.[11]
Again, the 40 mg in Bucked Up Woke AF isn’t enough. But it sure looks nice on the label.
Something to keep in mind: Researchers have reported negative cardiovascular effects when combining synephrine with caffeine. Those include increased heart rate, blood pressure, palpitation, fainting and dizziness.[12]
Sodium
39 mg
As already covered with Himalayan rock salt, low sodium levels can mess up your electrolyte balance, which then affects your muscle contraction. So, if your perspiration tendencies are through the roof, sodium can help you correct the electrolyte imbalance.
AstraGin®
25 mg
Here are a couple of bullshit herbs you don’t need in your pre-workout. This one’s a patented proprietary blend of two herbal extracts: Astragalus membranaceus and Panax notoginseng. Both are traditional Chinese herbs.
Astragalus membranaceus is known for its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.[13]
Panax notoginseng is recognized for its benefits to cardiovascular health and as a “blood tonic.”[14]
In most pre-workouts, AstraGin is included to improve the absorption of ingredients like amino acids. Whether that works is debatable. But hey, it sounds super sciency so it must be good for branding.
ActiGin®
25 mg
Here we go again.
I covered Panax Notoginseng above. Good as a “blood tonic,” they say.
As for Rosa roxburghii, it’s been shown to improve antioxidant status.[15] Yippee.
But it won’t improve your training in any way whatsoever.
Vitamin B12
100mcg
Vitamin B12 doesn’t need to be in your pre-workout. It will have zero impact on your training. If you think you’re deficient in it, chat with your doctor.
[table showing ingredients and minimum effective doses]
My Experience Using Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout
I put Bucked Up Woke AF pre-workout to the test over a two-week trial that I’ll never get back.
The caffeine was good for energy, but not for the crash.
With a caffeine hit like this, I expected to get a bigger boost of energy and focus. I also expected to get a bit of a crash, so that wasn’t a surprise.
The pump was missing.
At 4,000 mg of L-citrulline, I went into this test expecting a shitty pump. And I got exactly that.
Price
[image of the serving size]
Bucked Up Woke AF is $1.83 per scoop and there are no discounts. No matter how pretty you might be.
Considering that the industry average is $1.50 and Woke AF barely meets the minimum effective dose of L-citrulline nor is it third-party tested, it’s almost larceny.
Bucked Up offers free shipping in the US for orders over $75. As well as a 45-day money-back guarantee (in case you want to shuffle through all those flavors).
Third-party Tested and GMP certified
[screenshots of third-party test results]
Bucked Up Woke AF isn’t third-party tested, but it is GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certified.
GMP is facility- and process-oriented, and third-party testing is product-specific.
If you’re like me and prioritize third-party testing as a benchmark for quality and safety, Woke AF isn’t for you.
Energy
I had decent focus and energy throughout my training sessions. It’s not the best I’ve ever had, but it was enough to power through. If I were going for a PR, I’d want more though.
The caffeine crash was an inescapable feature during my two weeks of testing. It didn’t knock me out completely, but I felt lethargic and irritable for a good few hours after training.
I also handed Bucked Up Woke AF off to one of my gym bros, and he’s been loving it. He’s also a caffeine addict, so your mileage may vary.
As for the tingles, the 3,200 mg of beta-alanine did its job. I could ride the tingle placebo all the way through.
Pump
The pump with Woke AF was…meh. Better than not taking anything at all, but only just.
That 4,000 mg of L-citrulline might be enough for someone on the lighter side or those new to pre-workouts. I am neither.
Taste
[screenshot of flavors from the website]
Bucked Up Woke AF pre-workout comes in 16 flavors with names that were likely agreed on at the tail end of weed-bender disguised as team building:
- Miami (Strawberry/Mango/Pineapple)
- KO Kiwi
- BKFC Punch – Lemonade
- Koala Freak – Aussie Fruit (Peach/Mango)
- Koala Freak – Piña Koala (Strawberry/Piña Colada)
- Cherry Candy
- Sour Bucks
- White Gummy Deer
- Blood Raz
- Blue Raz
- Grape Gainz
- Killa OJ
- Rocket Pop (Blue Raz/Lime/Cherry)
- Sour Gummy
- Anime (Yuzu/Peach)
- Buck Berry
I tested Blue Raz for two reasons. One, I like most Blue Raz pre-workouts, and two, it’s one of the shorter named flavors on that list. (Don’t even get me started on Killa OJ. The audacity.)
It was good enough. If a bit too sweet for my delicate taste buds.
Mixability
[image of the pre-workout mixed up]
Woke AF is easy to mix. You’ll end up with a smooth, clump-free concoction with a lovely mouthfeel. Over the gums and through the lips, look out stomach, here we go.
Customer Experience
The website was easy to use, and the whole ordering process was straightforward. The package was at my door in three days.
How I Tested Bucked Up Woke AF Pre-Workout
I test each supplement across eight categories, pouring over studies and combining them with personal feedback.
When I conduct tests and write my pre-workout reviews, my commitment is to the truth, even if it ruffles a few feathers. There are no hidden agendas, no fluff — just rigorous research.
1. Ingredients
I care mostly about two ingredients in pre-workout supplements: caffeine and L-citrulline. Then there are two that might be worth your dollars: beta-alanine and electrolytes. But those two are far from mandatory.
Once I know a pre-workout has the two ingredients I care about, I check that the dosage of both ingredients is where it should be to provide the stimulation I need.
Besides those two, most other ingredients serve a different purpose: marketing. The fewer ingredients I see on the label, the better.
You can read more about the ingredients I look for on my how I test ingredients page.
2. Price per serving
I care whether a single serving will give me enough of the two ingredients above for the needed stimulus. Ultimately, I want the best bang for the buck per serving.
Often, the key ingredients are about the same in most pre-workout supplements. It’s the proprietary blends and trademarked ingredients that raise the price. Both of which rarely contribute to the quality or effectiveness of the supplement.
Another reason why fewer ingredients are better is that it keeps the cost down.
You can read more about how price factors into my scoring system here.
3. Third-party testing and Good Manufacturing Practice certification
When a supplement company wants third-party testing and certification, it pays an outside organization to test for ingredient potency and accuracy.
Getting certified means an independent organization has reviewed the product and determined it complies with safety, quality, and performance standards.
The absence of third-party testing doesn’t immediately mean a poor product. But knowing the dishonest bullshitting going on in the supplement industry, third-party testing gives me peace of mind knowing a product is safe and has — and does — what it says on the box.
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification means the manufacturing facilities comply with the rigorous quality standards of regulatory authorities. It covers the entire manufacturing process, including sourcing of raw materials, production processes, packaging, and labeling.
These guidelines provide minimum requirements that a manufacturer must meet to ensure its products are consistently high in quality.
In short, third-party testing is about the product, and GMP compliance covers the manufacturing.
Read more about third-party testing and GMP compliance here.
4. Energy
Out of all the effects I look for in a pre-workout, this is the one I care about the most. I want to feel psyched and focused for my strength training. And I want to finish without getting the dreaded post-workout caffeine crash.
You can read more about how the energy factors into my scoring system here.
5. Pump
The second most important thing I need from a pre-workout is the pump. The product must have enough L-citrulline (4,000 mg) to increase the blood flow into the muscles I’m working. In most cases, anything less than 6,000 mg, and I’d rather spend my money elsewhere.
Read more about what I look for when scoring the pump.
6. Taste
Let’s face it: Making a decent-tasting pre-workout shouldn’t be that difficult. Yes, a pre-workout with high-quality ingredients in high doses often tastes worse because it’s hard to mask the flavor of the ingredients, but anything less than 8/10 is only acceptable if the product is otherwise exceptional.
Then again, taste is subjective, so don’t get too hung up on this.
You can read more about how taste factors into my scoring system here.
7. Mixability
I need a pre-workout that’s easy to mix in a shaker. That means no powder clumps! I expect something smooth and grit-free that doesn’t get stuck on the side of the shaker. Most pre-workouts add silicon dioxide and calcium silicate as anti-caking agents, so look for that if you’re as annoyed by clumps as I am.
Read more about how mixability factors into my scoring system.
8. Customer experience
In this testing stage, I find and navigate the website, complete the ordering process, and accept delivery, evaluating each company every step of the way. I also review customer service in cases where I have problems with the order. I have high expectations for customer service and will harshly judge brands with missing links in their customer experience.
You can learn more about how customer service factors into my scoring system here.
Conclusion
Bucked Up Woke AF pre-workout promises a potent caffeine kick, but that’s about all it has going for it.
Besides, a higher caffeine content doesn’t automatically mean a better pre-workout. Quite the contrary. It makes it less suitable for those who train in the evenings or are sensitive to caffeine.
I also don’t feel great about the lack of third-party testing and the low dose of L-citrulline. It does meet the minimum effective dose, but if you can tolerate high caffeine, it’s likely you’ll also benefit from a higher dose of L-citrulline.
Instead of settling for an average pre-workout, I recommend you choose one that offers better value for money and third-party verified potency and purity, like Outwork Nutrition Pre-Workout or Transparent Labs BULK.
FAQs
What are the side effects of Bucked Up Woke AF pre-workout?
The side effects of Bucked Up Woke AF are most likely the crash and jitters with that 333 mg of caffeine. The other side effect is a thinner wallet with not much to show for it.
What is the difference between woke AF and Bucked Up?
The difference between Woke AF and Bucked Up mostly comes down to Woke AF being higher in caffeine (333 mg vs. 200 mg), beta-alanine (3,200 mg vs. 2,000 mg), and the pointless addition of synephrine and dendrobium.
How much caffeine is in woke AF?
The caffeine in Woke AF is 333 mg.
References
1. Aguiar, A. F., & Casonatto, J. (2022). Effects of citrulline malate supplementation on muscle strength in resistance-trained adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 19(6), 772–790. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2021.1939473
2. Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Hoffman, J. R., Wilborn, C. D., Sale, C., Kreider, R. B., Jäger, R., Earnest, C. P., Bannock, L., Campbell, B., Kalman, D., Ziegenfuss, T. N., & Antonio, J. (2015). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y
3. Guest, N.S., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Nelson, M. T., Grgic J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Jenkins N. D. M., Arent S. M., Antonio, J., Stout, J. R., Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Goldstein, E. R., Kalman, D. S., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
4. Warber, J. P., Patton, J. F., Tharion, W. J., Zeisel, S. H., Mello, R. P., Kemnitz, C. P., & Lieberman, H. R. (2000). The effects of choline supplementation on physical performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 10(2), 170–181. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.10.2.170
5. Kurtz, J. A., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Doyle, J. A., & Otis, J. S. (2021). Taurine in sports and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00438-0
6. Fayet-Moore, F., Wibisono, C., Carr, P., Duve, E., Petocz, P., Lancaster, G., McMillan, J., Marshall, S., & Blumfield, M. (2020). An analysis of the mineral composition of pink salt available in Australia. Foods, 9(10), 1490. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9101490
7. Zeng, Q., Ko, C., Siu, W., Li, K., Wong, C., Han, X., Yang, L., Lau, C., Hu, J., & Leung, P. (2018). Inhibitory effect of different Dendrobium species on LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages via suppression of MAPK pathways. Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines, 16(7), 481–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1875-5364(18)30083-9
8. Examine. Velvet antler. https://examine.com/supplements/velvet-antler/
9. Gutiérrez-Hellín, J., & Coso, J. (2016). Acute p-synephrine ingestion increases fat oxidation rate during exercise. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 82(2), 362–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.12952
10. Gutiérrez-Hellín, J., & Coso, J. (2018). Dose–response effects of p‐synephrine on fat oxidation rate during exercise of increasing intensity. Phytotherapy Research, 32, 370–374. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5937
11. Ratamess, N., Bush, J., Kang, J., Kraemer, W., Stohs, S., Nocera, V., Leise, M., Diamond, K., & Faigenbaum, A. (2015). The effects of supplementation with P-Synephrine alone and in combination with caffeine on resistance exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0096-5.
12. Examine. Bitter orange. https://examine.com/supplements/bitter-orange/
13. Zheng, Q., Zhuang, Z., Wang, Z. H., Deng, L. H., Jin, W. J., Huang, Z. J., Zheng, G. Q., & Wang, Y. (2020). Clinical and preclinical systematic review of astragalus membranaceus for viral myocarditis. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020, 1560353. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1560353
14. Zhou, R., Zhang, J., Zhang, W., Zhang, X., Zhang, H., Shi, X., Wang, B., Zhang, Q., & Zhang, H. (2024). Clinical efficacy and safety of Panax notoginseng saponins in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with blood hypercoagulability: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytomedicine, 125, 155244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155244
15. Janse van Rensburg, C., Erasmus, E., Loots, D. T., Oosthuizen, W., Jerling, J. C., Kruger, H. S., Louw, R., Brits, M., & van der Westhuizen, F. H. (2005). Rosa roxburghii supplementation in a controlled feeding study increases plasma antioxidant capacity and glutathione redox state. European Journal of Nutrition, 44(7), 452–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-005-0555-x