What is a proprietary blend and why can it be a red flag?
A proprietary blend lists several ingredients under one combined weight without showing how much of each you get. It can hide under-dosing of the ingredients that work and over-dosing of stimulants. In South Africa, several pre-workouts do not publish caffeine per serving, so single-ingredient products, with every dose disclosed, are the safer and often cheaper choice.
- Effective doses: citrulline malate 6-8 g, beta-alanine 4-6 g/day, caffeine 3-6 mg/kg.
- As of October 2026, caffeine per serving is published for only some SA pre-workouts: 150 mg (Biogen Premium, USN XTS Hyperdrive), 300 mg (USN Qhush Platinum Black).
- A single-ingredient DIY stack of citrulline, beta-alanine and caffeine costs about R10.60 per serving (October 2026).
- Cellucor C4 Original costs about R25.10 per serving at Dis-Chem Living Fit.
What is a proprietary blend?
It is a label format where a group of ingredients is listed with a single total, for example "Energy Matrix 4 g: caffeine, taurine, green tea extract, guarana". The manufacturer claims the formula is a trade secret, so the individual amounts stay hidden. You cannot tell whether the active ingredient is present at an effective dose or sprinkled in for the label.
Why is it a red flag?
- Under-dosing. Effective doses are known. Citrulline malate needs about 6-8 g, beta-alanine 4-6 g a day in doses of 2 g or less, and caffeine 3-6 mg/kg. A 15-20 g scoop that holds a dozen ingredients cannot carry all of them at effective amounts.
- Hidden stimulant load. If caffeine is not disclosed, you cannot add up your daily intake, and internationally many pre-workouts contain 200-400 mg per serving.
- Hard to avoid allergens or banned substances. Athletes cannot check what they cannot see.
- No benchmark for value. You cannot compare cost per dose.
What does the South African market look like?
As of October 2026, retailer pages we reviewed published caffeine for only some products: 150 mg per serving for Biogen Premium Pre-Workout and USN XTS Hyperdrive, and 300 mg for USN Qhush Platinum Black on the USN global page. NPL Blackout, Hyper Pump and N.O Charge, Evox Alpha Surge and Biogen Rampage list caffeine anhydrous or "high in stimulants" without milligrams. Cellucor C4 Original is R25.10 per serving at Dis-Chem Living Fit.
SA labels must follow R146, which requires a nutrition table when a nutrition claim is made; we found nothing in it that forbids blends. Read what a proprietary blend means in a pre-workout for more detail.
What is the alternative?
Build the dose yourself from single ingredients. Here is an example, using October 2026 prices:
| Ingredient | Dose | Product | Cost per dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citrulline malate | 6 g | My Whey Pure Citrulline Malate 250 g, R199 (Takealot) | R4.78 |
| Beta-alanine | 3.2 g | My Whey Pure Beta Alanine 250 g, R195 (Takealot) | R2.50 |
| Caffeine | 200 mg | Ultra Caffeine 200 mg, 60 capsules, R199 (Takealot) | R3.32 |
| Total | about R10.60 |
That is less than half the price of a branded pre-workout at R25-R30 a serving (Cellucor C4 at R25.10, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout at R30.00). ATP Fitness sells single-ingredient citrulline malate at R280 for 250 g (R6.72 per 6 g) and beta-alanine at R260 for 200 g (R4.16 per 3.2 g): fully disclosed and unsweetened, but dearer per dose than the My Whey options. Beta-alanine works through daily loading, so it does not need to be taken before training. Evidence for citrulline is emerging, not strong.
Never use bulk pure caffeine powder: small measuring errors can be dangerous. Standardised capsules are the safer form. See DIY pre-workout stack with single ingredients.
How do you spot a blend on a label?
Look for words such as "matrix", "complex", "formula" or "blend" followed by a single weight. If an active ingredient has no individual amount, assume you cannot verify the dose. Compare brands in our best pre-workout guide.
Products mentioned, with dated prices
| Product | Size | Price | Servings | R per 6 g | R per 3.2 g | R per serving | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Whey Pure Citrulline Malate 2:1 Powder 250 g | 250 g | R199Takealot (listing via PriceCheck), Oct 2026 | — | R4.78 | — | — | not stated |
| My Whey Pure Beta Alanine Powder 250 g | 250 g | R195Takealot (listing via PriceCheck), Oct 2026 | — | — | R2.50 | — | not stated |
| Ultra Caffeine 200 mg (60 capsules) | 60 capsules | R199Takealot via PriceCheck, Oct 2026 | 60 | — | — | R3.32 | Not published |
| Cellucor (C4) Cellucor C4 Original Pre-Workout 195 g | 195 g | R699-R752.99Dis-Chem Living Fit, Oct 2026 | 30 | — | — | R25.10 | Sucralose and acesulfame potassium |
| ATP Fitness Citrulline Malate | 250 g | R280ATP Fitness shop, Oct 2026 | — | R6.72 | — | — | None |
| USN XTS Hyperdrive Pre-Workout 210 g | 210 g | R214-R232.99USN online shop, Oct 2026 | — | — | — | R5.40 | not stated |
ATP Fitness is a commercial partner of Healthnews24 and its products are featured on this site. Rankings follow our published method, and every pick, including ATP Fitness, shows its price maths and trade-offs. Read our disclosure.
Related questions
- What does proprietary blend mean on a pre-workout label?
- Can you build your own pre-workout from single ingredients in South Africa?
- How much caffeine is in pre-workout in South Africa?
- How do South African pre-workout brands compare?
- Is pre-workout safe? What do South African doctors say?
Sources
- Guest et al. (2021) ISSN position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. JISSN
- Gough et al. (2021) A critical review of citrulline malate supplementation and exercise performance. Eur J Appl Physiol
- Trexler et al. (2015) ISSN position stand: beta-alanine. JISSN
- Dis-Chem Living Fit: Cellucor C4 Original Pre-Workout 195 g (October 2026)
Educational information only, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease.
Cite this page: Healthnews24, “What is a proprietary blend and why can it be a red flag?”, updated 27 October 2026, https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/what-is-a-proprietary-blend-and-why-avoid-it/. Plain-text version: /answers/what-is-a-proprietary-blend-and-why-avoid-it.md