Raw Nutrition CBUM Essential Pre Workout

What is Raw Nutrition's CBUM Essential Pre Workout?

It is a powdered pre-workout booster to be mixed with liquid, dosed at one scoop of about 17 g. It carries the initials of Chris Bumstead, the athlete associated with the American brand Raw Nutrition, whose range we stock in the Raw Nutrition section.

Its distinguishing feature has less to do with its ingredient list — a conventional one — than with the way that list is published: every active is quantified individually. No "proprietary blend", no aggregate total to hide behind. You know exactly what the scoop contains, and that is still far from the norm on this shelf.

The formula combines four families. Pump actives, with 4 g of L-citrulline and 1 g of betaine. A muscle buffering active, 3.2 g of beta-alanine. Stimulation and focus actives, 200 mg of anhydrous caffeine and 1 g of L-tyrosine. And a hydration base, 1 g of taurine and 500 mg of Himalayan pink salt, rounded off with 2.4 µg of vitamin B12. This product contains no creatine, which places it in our pre workout without creatine section. The flavours stocked: Blue Raspberry, Peche Mango, Watermelon, Fruit Burst, Orange and Citrus Grapefruit.

What does a 17 g serving contain?

Add it up: 10.9 g of declared actives in a 17 g serving. The rest is citric acid, malic acid, flavourings, sucralose and anti-caking agents. A ratio of two thirds actives is respectable — and it is a calculation you simply cannot carry out on a proprietary-blend product.

4 g of citrulline is a full dose. Plenty of boosters advertise it and put in one gram, which means nothing. On this count, the product is serious. The same goes for the 3.2 g of beta-alanine: that is the amount found in formulas that actually dose it, rather than the usual decorative pinch.

The 200 mg of caffeine deserves a sentence of its own, because it is a deliberate choice. The equivalent of two espressos, where some "extreme" formulas climb to 350 or 400 mg. That dose leaves you room for a coffee during the day without going past the EFSA benchmarks, which set 200 mg in a single dose and 400 mg per day as not raising safety concerns in healthy adults. It is a strong product, not a brutal one.

One essential regulatory clarification, and it applies to almost the whole list: citrulline, beta-alanine, tyrosine, taurine and betaine have no authorised health claim in Europe. So we describe doses, not promised effects. The only usable claim here is the one for vitamin B12, at 100 % of the NRV: vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Finally, the net weight of the tub does not appear in the data supplied to us: we cannot work out the number of servings. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 17 g.

How do you take Essential Pre Workout?

Dose: 1 scoop of about 17 g. Liquid: 200 to 400 ml of cool water. Timing: 20 to 30 minutes before the warm-up. Frequency: training days only, 2 scoops a day at most. Duration: a 2-week break every 8 to 10 weeks of use.

Always start with a single scoop, even if you are used to boosters. Two reasons: tolerance to 200 mg of caffeine varies a great deal from person to person, and the 3.2 g of beta-alanine cause a tingling that takes you by surprise the first time. Experienced users can go up to two scoops in 400 to 500 ml of water, but that means 400 mg of caffeine — the daily ceiling, with nothing else alongside it.

Shake vigorously, ideally in a shaker with a ball: the powder dissolves well in cold water but remains acidic and concentrated. Drink it straight away. For a morning session, the manufacturer advises taking it on an empty stomach with an extra glass of water; for an afternoon workout, leave at least three hours after your last main meal.

The most useful rule is the one about frequency: training days only. Taking a booster every day, rest days included, is the surest way to build up a tolerance and feel nothing at all after a month. The two-week break every eight to ten weeks serves the same purpose. And never take it after 16:00: caffeine has a half-life of several hours, and shortened sleep costs more than a good session brings in.

Who is this booster for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults over 18 who train during the day and want a product that is well dosed but readable. It suits someone who wants verifiable figures rather than an aggressive formula name.

The manufacturer does not recommend it for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for people sensitive to caffeine, and asks that it not be consumed after 16:00. If you are on any medical treatment, consult a doctor before use.

Two normal effects to know about before you meet them. The skin tingling — face, neck, forearms — comes from the beta-alanine, appears 15 to 20 minutes after taking it and fades within half an hour. It is harmless. Caffeine, for its part, can cause jitteriness, tremors or palpitations if you are not used to it or if you stack it with a coffee.

On allergens: the product is made in a facility that handles MILK, SOYA, EGGS and GLUTEN. The manufacturer states that it is suitable for vegetarians but not suitable for vegans — check this point if your diet requires it.

What not to expect from it: it contains no creatine, so it does not replace your creatine monohydrate, which remains the best-documented supplement for strength. It does not make you lose weight. And it will not make up for a four-hour night: a booster masks fatigue, it does not remove it.

Essential Pre Workout or citrulline on its own?

This is the honest comparison to make, because many experienced athletes end up building their own pre-workout rather than buying a ready-made formula.

Citrulline on its own is the better choice in three cases. If you want to control each component: 6 or 8 g of citrulline instead of 4, without touching the rest. If you train in the evening and want no caffeine at all — you can then pair it with a product from our caffeine-free booster section. And if you tolerate beta-alanine poorly, since the tingling puts some people off. A pure powder generally costs less per gram of active.

The complete formula is the better choice everywhere else, for a plain and decisive reason: it is prepared in one go. Measuring out four different powders every session evening is something nobody keeps up for long. It also has the merit of offering coherent doses — 4 g of citrulline and 3.2 g of beta-alanine are quantities you would have chosen yourself — and a decent taste, which pure powders do not have. If you are starting out, take the formula; if you are experienced and watchful about the price per gram, build your own.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine, and can you take two servings?

200 mg per scoop, the equivalent of two espressos. The manufacturer caps it at two scoops a day, that is 400 mg — the daily total that EFSA considers as not raising safety concerns in healthy adults, but only if you drink nothing else containing caffeine. In practice, one scoop is enough for the vast majority of people.

Why the tingling after taking it?

It is the beta-alanine, at 3.2 g per serving: a known effect called paraesthesia, which affects the face, the neck and the forearms 15 to 20 minutes after taking it. It is harmless and it lessens with habit. If the sensation really bothers you, mix it into 400 ml rather than 200 and drink more slowly.

Does this booster contain creatine?

No, none at all. It is a formulation choice, and it is rather good news: creatine is taken every day, rest days included, whereas a booster is only taken on training days. The two are therefore easier to manage separately — take your creatine on its own, at whatever time suits you.

What is Himalayan pink salt doing in the formula?

It provides sodium, at a level of 0.2 g of salt per serving. Sodium is one of the electrolytes lost through sweat, and its presence in a pre-workout is consistent with an intense session. Let us be clear that no health claim is authorised for pink salt as such, and that its mineral composition is in no way exceptional compared with ordinary salt.

Can you take it on an empty stomach in the morning?

Yes, that is what the manufacturer recommends for morning sessions, with an extra glass of water. At 10 kcal, the drink breaks practically nothing. Just be aware that 200 mg of caffeine on an empty stomach hits harder — if you feel nauseous, take it after a few mouthfuls of food.

How many servings are there in a tub?

The net weight of the packaging does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot calculate it without risk of error. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 17 g, the weight of one scoop.

Is it suitable for vegans?

No. The manufacturer explicitly states that the product is suitable for vegetarians but not for vegans. It is also made in a facility that handles milk, soya, eggs and gluten: in case of severe allergy to any of them, abstain.

Where to buy Raw Nutrition CBUM Essential Pre Workout?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe.

A booster is chosen first and foremost on its label, and that is an exercise we are happy to go through with you at the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier: take this tub, take the one next to it, and look for the "citrulline" line. When one shows 4,000 mg and the other a global blend with no detail, the comparison is over before it has begun. The rest of the amino acids can be found in the taurine section and in our sports nutrition range.