How much caffeine is in Gold Standard Pre-Workout?

One scoop of Gold Standard Pre-Workout has 175 mg of caffeine.

That's about 2 cups of brewed coffee, and 44% of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults.

Source: optimumnutrition.com · checked 10 Nov 2026

When did you have it?

Had at 3 pm, about 61 mg is still in you at an 11 pm bedtime. That might affect your sleep.

Bedtime

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Latest time to drink it

For an 11 pm bedtime, most people should finish one scoop of Gold Standard Pre-Workout by about 1:35 pm. The table works it out for other bedtimes and for how sensitive you are: it is the latest time to start one so that the caffeine left stays under the line all night.

Bedtime	Very sensitive under 25 mg	Average under 50 mg	Not very sensitive under 100 mg
9 pm	6:35 am	11:35 am	4:35 pm
10 pm	7:35 am	12:35 pm	5:35 pm
11 pm	8:35 am	1:35 pm	6:35 pm
Midnight	9:35 am	2:35 pm	7:35 pm
1 am	10:35 am	3:35 pm	8:35 pm

For one scoop of Gold Standard Pre-Workout, average clearance (half-life 5 h), 8 hours of sleep. "Any time" means even one at bedtime stays under the line.

How long it lasts

The caffeine from one scoop of Gold Standard Pre-Workout peaks in your blood about 70 minutes after you start it, at roughly 149 mg. Half of it is gone in about 5 hours for an average adult; that ranges from roughly 3 to 7 hours, and longer in pregnancy or with some medicines.

Time after	3 hours	6 hours	9 hours	12 hours
Still in you	121 mg	80 mg	53 mg	35 mg

So one had at 3 pm leaves about 61 mg at 11 pm. How long caffeine lasts explains the curve.

How it compares

Gold Standard Pre-Workout is stronger than 55% of the 34 supplements and medicines we track, by caffeine per serving.

To reach 400 mg in a day you would need about 2½ of these.

Less caffeine

C4 Ripped 150 mg, 1 scoop
Goody's Hangover Powder 150 mg, 1 powder packet
Goody's Mental Alert Powder 150 mg, 1 powder pack

More caffeine

Mr. Hyde Pre-Workout 190 mg, 1 scoop, Infinite
1st Phorm Project-1 Pre-Workout 200 mg, 1 serving
C4 Original Pre-Workout 200 mg, 1 scoop

FAQ

Is Gold Standard Pre-Workout high in caffeine?

Yes. One scoop of Gold Standard Pre-Workout has 175 mg, which is 1.8 times an 8 fl oz cup of brewed coffee (95 mg).

Can I drink Gold Standard Pre-Workout at night?

Not if you want to sleep well. Had at 7 pm, it leaves about 106 mg in an average adult at an 11 pm bedtime, above the 50 mg most people sleep fine with. The latest time for an 11 pm bedtime is about 1:35 pm.

How long does the caffeine in Gold Standard Pre-Workout last?

It peaks about 70 minutes after you start it. Of the 175 mg, about 80 mg is still in you 6 hours later and 35 mg after 12 hours, for an average adult with a 5-hour half-life.

Does Gold Standard Pre-Workout have more caffeine than a cup of coffee?

Yes. One scoop of Gold Standard Pre-Workout has 175 mg; an 8 fl oz cup of coffee has 95 mg.

Method and limits

The caffeine figure comes from optimumnutrition.com; recipes, brewing and batches vary, so a real serving can differ. The curves use a standard one-compartment model with an average 5-hour half-life and a sleep-friendly line of 50 mg; your own body may clear caffeine faster or slower. How it works has the details.

These are estimates for information, not medical advice.