Per4m PRE and Per4m Energy are both full pre-workout formulas, but they are built differently. PRE has 300mg of caffeine per serving and 30 servings per 570g tub. Energy has 200mg of caffeine per serving and 60 servings per 390g tub. PRE is the higher-dose, more ingredient-heavy formula at £29.95 (about £1.00 a serving). Energy is the lower-caffeine, lower-cost option at £19.95 (about 33p a serving). Below is a side-by-side look at both labels, ingredient by ingredient, so you can pick the one that fits your caffeine tolerance and budget.
In this article
- What is the difference between Per4m PRE and Per4m Energy?
- How much caffeine is in each?
- How many servings do you get and what does each cost?
- What is in each formula, ingredient by ingredient?
- What flavours do they come in?
- Can you try them first? Trial sizes
- Which one suits you?
- FAQ
What is the difference between Per4m PRE and Per4m Energy?
The short version: PRE is the higher-dose formula and Energy is the lighter, higher-serving one. Both come in a range of sweet-shop style flavours and both are made by Per4m. T-Nutrition stocks and sells them, we do not make them.
Here is how the two labels compare. All figures are per serving and taken from Per4m's product information.
| Per serving | Per4m PRE | Per4m Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Tub size | 570g | 390g |
| Servings per tub | 30 (19g) | 60 (6.5g) |
| Caffeine | 300mg | 200mg |
| Citrulline | 8,000mg L-citrulline | 2,500mg citrulline DL-malate |
| Beta-alanine | 3,200mg | 1,600mg |
| Taurine | 2,000mg | 500mg |
| L-tyrosine | 1,000mg | 500mg |
| Theobromine | 100mg | 100mg |
| Price (live, full tub) | £29.95 | £19.95 |
| Approx. cost per serving | £1.00 | 33p |
Prices correct at the time of writing. Check the product page for the current price and flavours.
How much caffeine is in each?
PRE contains 300mg of caffeine per serving. Energy contains 200mg per serving. That 100mg gap is the biggest practical difference between them.
For context, the Food Standards Agency says up to 400mg of caffeine a day is unlikely to cause adverse effects in most adults, and recommends a limit of 200mg a day if you are pregnant. That total includes coffee, tea, energy drinks and other supplements, not just your pre-workout. One serving of PRE uses up 300mg of that 400mg on its own, so it leaves little room for anything else. One serving of Energy uses 200mg. You can read the guidance on the Food Standards Agency website.
Always follow the serving instructions and warnings printed on the tub. Both products are high-caffeine supplements and are not suitable for everyone, including children and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or sensitive to caffeine. If you are on medication or have a medical condition, speak to your doctor first. If you would rather avoid caffeine altogether, browse the Stim-Free Pre Workout collection instead.
How many servings do you get and what does each cost?
Energy gives you 60 servings from a 390g tub. PRE gives you 30 servings from a 570g tub. The reason is the serving size: Energy is 6.5g per serving and PRE is 19g.
At the current prices that works out at roughly 33p a serving for Energy (£19.95 for 60) and £1.00 a serving for PRE (£29.95 for 30). If you train most days and want a tub that lasts, Energy goes further. If you want the bigger ingredient doses on the PRE label, the price per serving reflects that.
What about double scooping Energy? The label serving for Energy is one scoop (6.5g). Some people use two scoops, which doubles every figure in the panel: 400mg of caffeine, 5,000mg of citrulline DL-malate, 3,200mg of beta-alanine, 1,000mg of taurine and 1,000mg of L-tyrosine. A tub then gives 30 servings at about 66p each, the same 30 servings as PRE. Two things to keep in mind. First, 400mg of caffeine is the whole of the Food Standards Agency's daily figure for adults, before any coffee, tea or energy drinks. Second, two scoops is not the serving printed on the label, so check the tub before you decide what is right for you.
390g tub, 6.5g servings, sweetened with sucralose.
What is in each formula, ingredient by ingredient?
Here is the full nutrition panel for both tubs side by side, with a plain description of what each ingredient is. We keep to factual descriptions, and only use the approved nutrient wording for vitamins and minerals, because supplement copy in the UK can only make claims that are authorised.
Energy (6.5g): 2,500mg L-citrulline DL-malate 2:1 (about 1.67g citrulline and 833mg malic acid)
An amino acid found naturally in watermelon. The body converts citrulline to arginine, which it uses to make nitric oxide. In Energy it is bonded to malic acid, the acid found in apples, in a 2:1 ratio.
Energy (6.5g): 1,600mg
An amino acid. The body uses beta-alanine to make carnosine, a compound found in muscle. Some people notice a tingling feeling on the skin (paraesthesia) after taking it, which is a known effect of beta-alanine.
Energy (6.5g): 500mg
An amino acid-like compound found naturally in the body and in foods such as meat and fish. It is classed as an osmolyte, a compound involved in the fluid balance of cells.
Energy (6.5g): 500mg
An amino acid the body makes from phenylalanine. It is also found in protein foods. Unlike caffeine, it is not a stimulant.
Energy (6.5g): 200mg
A stimulant found naturally in coffee, tea and cacao. Here it is caffeine anhydrous, the dry powder form.
Energy (6.5g): 100mg
A compound found naturally in cacao, chemically related to caffeine.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
A source of choline, a nutrient found in foods such as eggs. CDP stands for cytidine diphosphate. It is also known as citicoline.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
A plant extract made from juniper berries.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
Magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine. Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal muscle function and to electrolyte balance.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
Ordinary salt. Sodium is an electrolyte.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
A plant extract from the bitter orange (Citrus aurantium).
Energy (6.5g): Not included
An amino acid found naturally in tea leaves.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
Unrefined rock salt, mainly sodium chloride with trace minerals.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
A branded blend of astragalus and panax notoginseng root extracts.
Energy (6.5g): 25mg (156% RI)
A form of niacin. Niacin contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
Energy (6.5g): Not included
A form of vitamin B12. B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
Energy (6.5g): 100mg
An extract from the seed of the African mango (Irvingia gabonensis). 4:1 means the extract is concentrated from roughly four parts of raw material.
Energy (6.5g): 25mg
An extract of the seeds of Aframomum melegueta, a West African spice related to ginger.
Energy (6.5g): 2.5mg
A branded black pepper extract. Its main compound is piperine.
Per serving. PRE panel based on Pink Lemonade flavour and Energy panel based on Blue Raspberry flavour. RI means reference intake for an average adult.
Other ingredients in Energy: maltodextrin, flavourings, silicon dioxide (an anti-caking agent), sucralose (sweetener) and Brilliant Blue FCF (colour, in Blue Raspberry). Colours and flavourings vary by flavour, so check the tub for the one you buy.
How the two formulas overlap
Both contain caffeine, citrulline, beta-alanine, taurine, L-tyrosine, theobromine and niacin. PRE has the larger amount of each shared ingredient (theobromine is the same at 100mg), and adds CDP choline, juniper berry, magnesium bisglycinate, sodium chloride, bitter orange, L-theanine, pink Himalayan salt, AstraGin and vitamin B12. Energy adds African mango, grains of paradise and BioPerine.
What flavours do PRE and Energy come in?
Both come in a wide range of sweet-shop style flavours: 14 for PRE and 11 for Energy, with seven in common.
Flavours in both:
- Blackberry
- Blue Raspberry
- Cherry Fizz
- Cola Bottle
- Fizzy Bubblegum Bottles
- Gummy Worms
- Lemon Sherbet Fizz (PRE) and Lemon Sherbet (Energy)
PRE only: Berry Blast, Orange and Mango, Passion Fruit, Pink Lemonade, Rainbow Candy, Strawberry Lime and Watermelon Lemonade.
Energy only: Peach Sweets, Pineapple Rings, Raspberry Cherry and Strawberry Blackcurrant.
Flavour ranges change over time, so pick your flavour on the product page for the current list: Per4m PRE and Per4m Energy.
Can you try them first? Trial sizes
Yes. If you would rather test a flavour before committing to a full tub, both products come in small trial sizes:
- Per4m PRE, 5 servings: £3.95, in Berry Blast, Cherry Fizz, Cola Bottle, Passion Fruit and Watermelon Lemonade.
- Per4m Energy, 10 servings (65g): £4.95, in Blue Raspberry, Cherry Fizz and Fizzy Bubblegum Bottles.
It is an inexpensive way to compare the taste and the caffeine amount for yourself. Trial size ranges differ from the full tubs, so check the product page for what is listed today.
Which one suits you?
This comes down to caffeine tolerance, budget and how you like to take your pre-workout, not a claim about results.
Per4m PRE may suit you if:
- You are used to caffeine and are comfortable with 300mg in one serving.
- You want the larger citrulline, beta-alanine and taurine amounts on the label.
- You prefer a single, fuller formula and do not mind paying around £1.00 a serving.
Per4m Energy may suit you if:
- You want a lower caffeine amount (200mg) per serving.
- You want a tub that lasts, with 60 servings at around 33p each.
- You are new to pre-workout and would rather start on a lower-dose label.
- You prefer a smaller 6.5g serving size.
If you are unsure, our teams in the Liverpool and Wirral stores are happy to talk you through both tubs.
570g tub, 19g servings, labelled sugar free.
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in Per4m PRE and Per4m Energy?
Per4m PRE contains 300mg of caffeine per serving. Per4m Energy contains 200mg per serving.
How many servings are in each tub?
PRE has 30 servings of 19g in a 570g tub. Energy has 60 servings of 6.5g in a 390g tub.
Can you double scoop Per4m Energy?
The label serving is one scoop (6.5g). Two scoops doubles every figure on the panel, including the caffeine, taking it to 400mg, and brings the cost to about 66p a serving for 30 servings per tub. That 400mg equals the Food Standards Agency's daily figure for adults on its own, so it is not something to do without thinking, and it is not the label serving.
Are there trial sizes of Per4m PRE and Energy?
Yes. PRE has a 5-serving trial size at £3.95 and Energy has a 10-serving (65g) trial size at £4.95, in selected flavours. See the product pages for the current options.
Which is cheaper per serving?
Energy. At the current prices it works out at about 33p a serving (£19.95 for 60), compared with about £1.00 a serving for PRE (£29.95 for 30).
Can I take PRE and Energy together?
We would not suggest it. One serving of each adds up to 500mg of caffeine, which is above the 400mg a day the Food Standards Agency says is unlikely to cause adverse effects in most adults. Stick to the serving on the label and count caffeine from all your drinks and supplements.
What flavours do Per4m PRE and Energy come in?
PRE comes in 14 flavours and Energy in 11. Seven are in both, including Fizzy Bubblegum Bottles, Cherry Fizz, Cola Bottle, Blue Raspberry and Gummy Worms. Each product page lists its full range.
Are Per4m PRE and Energy sugar free?
The PRE tub is labelled sugar free. Energy is sweetened with sucralose and also contains maltodextrin, so check the Energy label if sugar content matters to you.
Where can I buy them in the UK?
Both are available on t-nutrition.com with free delivery over £35, or you can collect in store at Liverpool or Wirral. See the full Pre Workout Supplements range or the Per4m collection.
Ready to pick your Per4m pre-workout?
Compare both tubs and choose your flavour on the product pages.
Shop Pre Workout →Free delivery on orders over £35, or collect in store at Liverpool or Wirral.