Ingredients
Taurine in Pre-Workout: What It Does (and What It Doesn't)
Taurine is not a stimulant. It is added to pre-workout mainly for endurance. A 2018 meta-analysis of 10 studies found that taurine improved endurance performance by a modest amount (Hedges' g of 0.40), using single doses of 1 to 6 grams. It does not give you the buzz that caffeine does, and the research I found is on endurance tests, not on lifting heavier. Safety data for typical intakes is reassuring. Treat taurine as a supporting ingredient, not the thing doing the heavy lifting.
Taurine is on almost every pre-workout label, usually right under caffeine, and almost nobody explains what it is doing there. I'm a powerlifter and I formulate a pre-workout gummy that includes taurine, so here is what the research actually supports, what it does not, and how much you need.
What is taurine?
Taurine is a compound your body already makes and that you also get from food, mostly meat and fish. It shows up in your muscles, heart, and brain. In supplements and energy drinks it is added as a powder, and it is not a stimulant. That is the first thing to know, because the "energy" in a pre-workout comes from caffeine, not taurine.
Does taurine improve performance?
The best summary I found is a 2018 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine by Waldron and colleagues. It pooled ten peer-reviewed studies on oral taurine and endurance exercise and found that taurine improved endurance performance with a Hedges' g of 0.40, a small to moderate effect. In the seven time-to-exhaustion trials, the effect was similar (0.43). The doses studied ranged from 1 to 6 grams, taken as a single dose or for up to two weeks.
Two details matter. First, the authors found no significant difference between a single dose and taking it for longer, and dose did not change the effect within that 1 to 6 gram range. Second, this is evidence about endurance tests. I did not find evidence in these sources that taurine builds strength or makes you lift more, so I won't claim it does.
Does taurine reduce caffeine jitters?
Maybe a little, but the evidence is thin. The International Society of Sports Nutrition's 2023 position stand on energy drinks notes there is limited evidence that taurine may reduce some of the cardiovascular symptoms linked to caffeine. "Limited" is the key word. I would not buy a pre-workout expecting taurine to cancel out too much caffeine. If you get jittery, the fix is a lower caffeine dose, covered in the pre-workout jitters guide.
Tastes like candy. Hits like pre-workout.
MAWL is dosed at 300 mg caffeine per serving, inside our full 5,450 mg clinical stack, so you know the exact number you're taking. Founding 1,000 get 50% off the first drop.
Join the waitlistHow much taurine do you need?
The studies in the meta-analysis used 1 to 6 grams. Pre-workout labels vary a lot, and a label that lists 1,000 mg (1 gram) is at the bottom of the studied range, not above it. That is not a problem, since the meta-analysis found no clear dose-response within the range, but it is worth knowing so you can read labels honestly. Check whether the number is printed or hidden in a blend.
Is taurine safe?
For typical intakes, the data is reassuring. In 2009, the European Food Safety Authority reviewed taurine as used in energy drinks and concluded that regular consumption at typical exposure levels was not of safety concern. It identified a no-observed-adverse-effect level of 1,000 mg per kg of bodyweight per day, which is far above the amounts in a pre-workout or energy drink. For a 60 kg high-level regular energy drink drinker (about 1.4 cans a day), EFSA calculated that the no-effect level was 43 times their taurine intake.
That is a safety finding about taurine itself. It does not make a pre-workout safe by default, since the caffeine in the same product is what most people react to. If you have a heart condition, take medication, or are pregnant or nursing, talk to a doctor before using any pre-workout.
Where MAWL fits
MAWL contains 1,000 mg of taurine per 12-gummy serving, next to 300 mg of caffeine, 3,200 mg of beta-alanine, and 200 mg of L-theanine, for 5,450 mg of actives plus 16 g of fast carbs. That puts taurine at the low end of the 1 to 6 gram range in the research, and I would rather say that plainly than call it more than it is. The label maximum is 16 gummies in 24 hours. You can see the full stack here, read how pre-workout compares to an energy drink, or see gummies vs. powder.
FAQ
What does taurine do in pre-workout?
Taurine is added to pre-workout mainly for endurance. A 2018 meta-analysis of 10 studies found a modest improvement in endurance performance with oral taurine doses of 1 to 6 grams. It is not a stimulant, so it does not provide the energy boost that caffeine does.
Is taurine a stimulant?
No. Taurine is a compound your body makes and that is found in meat and fish. The stimulant effect in a pre-workout comes from caffeine, not taurine.
How much taurine should be in a pre-workout?
The studies in the 2018 meta-analysis used 1 to 6 grams, and the authors found no clear difference in effect across that range. Pre-workout labels vary. Make sure the label prints the amount rather than hiding it in a proprietary blend.
Is taurine safe to take every day?
At typical intakes, the European Food Safety Authority concluded in 2009 that regular energy drink consumption was not of safety concern for taurine, with a no-observed-adverse-effect level of 1,000 mg per kg of bodyweight per day. Speak with a doctor first if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition.
Does taurine help with caffeine jitters?
The evidence is limited. The International Society of Sports Nutrition notes limited evidence that taurine may reduce some cardiovascular symptoms linked to caffeine, but it should not be relied on to offset a high caffeine dose. Lowering the caffeine dose is the more dependable fix.
Sources & further reading
- Waldron M, Tallent J, Patterson SD, Jeffries O. The effects of oral taurine dose and supplementation period on endurance exercise performance in humans: a meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2018;48(5):1247-1253. research.stmarys.ac.uk
- European Food Safety Authority. EFSA adopts opinion on two ingredients commonly used in some energy drinks. February 12, 2009. efsa.europa.eu
- Jagim AR, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: energy drinks and energy shots. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2171314. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9987737
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Statements about ingredients have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and this content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Pre-workout supplements contain caffeine and are not for children, those under 18, or people who are pregnant, nursing, or caffeine-sensitive. Talk to a doctor before starting any supplement.