If you are under 18, before taking a pre-workout, you should consult with both your doctor and your parents.
We get a lot of questions about pre-workout dosage, especially for teens. So let’s answer the question from a few angles.
How To Figure Out Your Pre-Workout Dosage
The first thing to know is that almost all pre-workout is designed for a 190-210 lbs adult male. For the sake of keeping things simple, let’s just say a 200lb adult male is the target dosage for pre-workout.
The best way to think about your correct dosage as a teen is to think about your bodyweight. If you weigh 100lbs, then you’d take half of the dose of a 200lb person.
The good news is that dosage doesn’t need to be spot on for pre-workout. Just close enough.
Here’s a breakdown of recommended teen dosage by weight:
| Your Weight | Dosage (in scoops) |
|---|---|
| 100-120lbs | 1/2 scoop |
| 120-140lbs | 1/2 – 2/3 scoop |
| 140-160lbs | 2/3 – 3/4 scoop |
| 160-180lbs | 3/4 – 1 scoop |
| 180-200lbs | 1 scoop |
| 200-220lbs | 1 – 1.25 scoops |
| 220+ lbs | 1.25 – 1.5 scoops |
Pre-Workout Tips For Teens
Here’s a list of things to think about when choosing a pre-workout.
- Do not use pre-workouts with undisclosed proprietary blends
- Choose pre-workouts with transparent ingredient labels
- Go with tried and true natural ingredients (caffeine, beta-alanine, creatine)
- Consider non-caffeinated (no-stim) pre-workouts if you have little experience with caffeine
- Start with a slightly lower dose to see how it effects you and then move up
Do Teen Girls and Teen Boys Need Different Pre-Workout Doses
Yes and no. Pre-workout works the same in teen boys and teen girls. However, since teen girls tend to have less muscle mass and total mass, the way it is processed can be different.
If you use our chart above that goes by weight, you should be good. In general, teen girls might want to go with slightly lower dosages than you see in the chart due to the fact that they tend to have less muscle mass.
Summary: A good pre-workout will use natural ingredients that are also found in common foods. Because of this, we believe teens can safely take and benefit from pre-workout after consulting with their doctors. By modifying doses based on body weight, teens can adjust dosages to fit their current state of development.
More PreWorkout Resources:
- Can Teens Take Creatine?
- The Ultimate Pre-Workout Guide For Beginners
- How Creatine Boosts Productivity in Kids & Adults
- Which Pre-Workout Supplements Are Good For Older People?
- Best Pre-Workout for Teenagers
