Single-ingredient staples such as citrulline, beta-alanine, glutamine, HMB, NAC, tyrosine and taurine, mostly from Nutricost and NutraBio. Order online or grab them in store. We only carry the absolute best single-ingredient supplements, every product hand-selected for its exact ingredients, potency and quality standards.
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Single-ingredient supplements are one compound per tub or bottle: L-citrulline, beta-alanine, taurine, L-tyrosine, HMB, glycine, carnitine, caffeine and more. You know exactly what you are taking, there is no blend, and the cost per gram is usually the lowest in the store.
People use them to build their own pre-workout, to add more of one ingredient to a formula they already like, or to fill a gap in their routine. This guide covers the single ingredients we carry most, the doses the research has used, what the evidence says, and how to stack them safely.
We only carry the absolute best single-ingredient supplements. Every product in this section was hand-selected by our team for its exact ingredients, potency and overall quality standards.
| Ingredient | What it is built for | What the research used |
|---|---|---|
| Beta-alanine | Raises muscle carnosine, which buffers acid during hard efforts of about 1 to 4 minutes | 4 to 6 g a day in doses of 2 g or less, for at least 2 weeks (ISSN). Harmless tingling is common |
| L-citrulline and citrulline malate | Pump and blood flow support; your body turns citrulline into arginine | Many studies used 8 g of citrulline malate about an hour before training. Results are mixed (NIH) |
| HMB | Supports recovery by limiting exercise-related muscle breakdown | 3 g a day split into three 1 g doses, for at least 2 weeks (ISSN) |
| Caffeine | Energy, focus and less perceived effort in training | 3 to 6 mg per kg of body weight, 15 to 60 minutes before exercise. Stay under 400 mg a day from all sources (FDA) |
| Taurine | An amino acid found in many energy drinks and pre-workouts | Sold in 2 g scoops; follow your label |
| L-tyrosine | An amino acid your body uses to make dopamine and norepinephrine; common in focus formulas | Sold in 1 g scoops; follow your label |
| Alpha-GPC | A form of choline, found in many focus and pre-workout formulas | Adults need 425 to 550 mg of choline a day from all sources; the upper limit is 3,500 mg (NIH) |
| L-leucine | An essential amino acid that helps signal muscle protein synthesis | The ISSN suggests each protein meal carry 700 to 3,000 mg of leucine |
| Glycine | An amino acid used in many sleep and recovery formulas | The glycine sleep formulas we carry use 3 g, the size of one Nutricost scoop |
They are not the same gram for gram. Citrulline malate pairs citrulline with malic acid, and the NIH notes that plain citrulline malate is about 57% citrulline by weight. A 2:1 citrulline malate like Nutricost Citrulline Malate is two parts citrulline to one part malate. Pure L-citrulline is 100% citrulline, so a smaller scoop goes further.
Citrulline is often chosen over arginine because more of it is absorbed from the gut, and the NIH says the research does not support arginine on its own for strength or performance. The honest summary for both: results are mixed, the research mostly used citrulline malate, and many people take it for the pump they feel in the gym.
Read your pre-workout label first. Many pre-workouts already include citrulline, beta-alanine and caffeine. A single ingredient works best to fill a gap, such as adding beta-alanine to a pre-workout that has none, or L-citrulline to a stim-free formula that is light on it.
One Nutricost caffeine capsule is 200 mg, about two cups of coffee. Add up your pre-workout, energy drinks and coffee and stay under the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for healthy adults. Keep caffeine away from bedtime.
Beta-alanine and HMB work by building up over weeks, so take them every day, not just on training days. Citrulline and caffeine are taken before a session.
Every product here is for healthy adults 18 and older. Talk to your doctor first if you are pregnant or nursing, take any medicine, or have a health condition. Ask your doctor before using tyrosine or arginine if you take medicine for mood or blood pressure.
Pre-workout ingredients first, then recovery, focus and sleep. Doses are per serving from each label. Every product shown is in stock.
Pure beta-alanine to build carnosine for hard sets and intervals.
Pure L-citrulline base with no malate, for pump support before training.
2:1 citrulline malate, the form used in most citrulline research.
Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate powder for pump-focused stacks.
Plain caffeine in a capsule, so you control the dose.
Unflavored taurine that mixes into water or your pre-workout.
Calcium HMB capsules for recovery support during hard training blocks.
Instantized leucine to top up a lower-protein meal or shake.
Beverly's blend of four carnitine forms in one tablet serving.
Pure L-tyrosine, a building block of focus formulas.
A capsule source of choline for focus stacks.
Pure glycine, a common sleep and recovery formula ingredient.
Amounts are per serving from the brand's label at the time we wrote this guide; formulas change, so check the label on your bottle or tub. Prices and stock update live.
They do a different job. A pre-workout is convenient and often well dosed. Single ingredients let you choose each dose, skip what you do not want, such as caffeine, and usually cost less per gram. Many people use both: a pre-workout they like plus one ingredient it is light on.
The ISSN suggests 4 to 6 g a day, split into doses of 2 g or less, for at least 2 to 4 weeks. Splitting the dose also cuts down the harmless tingling beta-alanine can cause. Take it every day, since it works by building up in your muscles.
Gram for gram, L-citrulline gives you more citrulline, because citrulline malate is part malic acid. Most of the research used citrulline malate. Either works in a stack; just compare the citrulline you actually get per scoop.
Your body turns citrulline into arginine, and more citrulline is absorbed from the gut than arginine. That is why many pump formulas use citrulline. The NIH notes that arginine on its own has little research support for strength or performance.
Yes, many people mix citrulline, beta-alanine and taurine in one shaker. Count your caffeine across everything you take, follow each label, and check with your doctor first if you take any medicine.
Not sure which one fits? Stop by any of our nine stores in Kentucky and Southern Indiana and ask the team, or order online with free shipping over $100.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
