Greenwhey Pre-Workout in Paris: Kyowa® citrulline and CarnoSyn® beta-alanine

Many pre-workouts list fifteen to twenty ingredients on the label. The list looks impressive. But when you look at the quantities, several actives can be present in amounts too small to do much, sometimes grouped under a “proprietary blend” label that means the breakdown does not have to be shown.

Here there are only four ingredients, all at full dose: 8 g of Kyowa® L-citrulline, 3 g of CarnoSyn® beta-alanine, 3 g of malic acid and 150 mg of natural caffeine, in a 15 g serving. Every quantity is listed. It is a more transparent approach, and a more effective one.

The corollary is a large serving size: 15 g of powder, compared with 5 to 8 g for many other formulas. That is to be expected, as you need that volume to fit in 8 g of citrulline.

L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid that acts as a precursor to arginine, which is itself a precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is involved in vasodilation: blood vessels widen and blood flow to the working muscle increases. This is what produces the “pump” sensation people look for in training.

The counter-intuitive point is that citrulline raises plasma arginine more effectively than arginine itself. Taken orally, arginine is largely broken down in the gut and liver before it reaches the bloodstream. Citrulline escapes this breakdown and is converted into arginine by the kidneys. Hence its value.

As for the dose, 8 g is a generous amount: research places the effective threshold at around 6 to 8 g, and many products settle for 3 to 4 g. This is pure Kyowa Quality® citrulline, produced by fermentation, not 2:1 citrulline malate, where the stated weight includes the malic acid. The distinction matters: 8 g of citrulline malate represents only 5.3 g of actual citrulline.

Beta-alanine is the limiting factor in the synthesis of carnosine, a dipeptide that accumulates in muscle and acts as a buffer against acidification during exercise. It is precisely during long sets and intense efforts of 1 to 4 minutes that it is useful.

Unlike caffeine, beta-alanine does not work on a one-off basis. Muscle carnosine builds up gradually over several weeks of regular use. Taking a beta-alanine pre-workout every now and then does not achieve much on that particular front: consistency is what counts.

A word on the tingling sensation, because it always surprises people the first time. Beta-alanine causes paraesthesia, a pins-and-needles feeling on the face, neck and forearms, which appears 15 to 20 minutes after taking it and lasts around thirty minutes. It is harmless and has no consequences, but it is better to be forewarned. The CarnoSyn® form is patented and subject to documented quality monitoring.

150 mg of natural caffeine per serving, the equivalent of one to two espressos. It is a moderate, deliberately sensible dose: some pre-workouts go up to 300 or 400 mg, which can bring on palpitations, jitteriness and, above all, poorer sleep.

EFSA sets 400 mg as the daily intake beyond which adults should be cautious. At 150 mg per serving, there is still room for your morning coffee — but remember to count all your sources over the day.

Malic acid, at 3 g per serving, plays a dual role. It is involved in the Krebs cycle, the central pathway of cellular energy production, and it provides the acidity that gives structure to the lemon and mint flavour. It also gives the whole drink its freshness, blending with the naturally tangy and rather pleasant taste of citrulline.

Mix 15 g into 250 ml of water, 20 to 30 minutes before training. Caffeine reaches its peak plasma level in 30 to 45 minutes, and citrulline works within the same window. Taking the product just before you start therefore makes little sense.

The 300 g pouch provides 20 servings. There is deliberately no plastic measuring scoop: the packaging is designed to be recyclable, and a kitchen scale does the job more precisely.

For adults only. It contains caffeine and is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children or teenagers. If you are sensitive to caffeine, or have high blood pressure or heart problems, ask your doctor for advice. Do not exceed the recommended dose and avoid taking it late in the day.

Let us answer frankly, even if it means selling less: no, it is not an essential product. A pre-workout does not build muscle, does not replace sleep or diet, and is in no way required to make progress. People who train well without one rarely feel the need for it.

It does, however, have real value in two cases. In heavy or long sessions when motivation is lacking, the caffeine makes a concrete difference to the quality of the work. And in high-volume training, citrulline and beta-alanine bring a working comfort that many people clearly feel.

The classic trap is caffeine tolerance. If you take it at every session for months, the effect wears off. Save it for the sessions that really count. We are happy to talk it through with you in Paris 12th before you invest.

Is the tingling normal?

Yes, entirely. It comes from the beta-alanine; the effect is harmless and passes in about thirty minutes. If the sensation bothers you, start with half a serving.

Can I take it in the evening?

It is not recommended. 150 mg of caffeine takes several hours to be eliminated and impairs sleep quality, even in people who think they are immune to it.

Can it be combined with whey?

Yes: pre-workout before the session, whey afterwards. The two uses are complementary and do not interact.

Why is there no creatine in it?

Because there is no benefit in taking creatine before training rather than at any other time. It works by saturating the muscles over time. Putting it in a pre-workout is a marketing argument, not a physiological one.