VMI Sports Launches Creatine Pre-Workout and Creatine +Hydration for America's 250th Anniversary

Stim or no stim? VMI Sports just launched both. A three-source caffeine Creatine Pre-Workout and a stim-free Creatine +Hydration, each with a full 5g creatine, all in Patriot Pop for America's 250th.

VMI Sports is marking America's 250th birthday with two simultaneous product launches. Both the Creatine Pre-Workout and Creatine +Hydration hit shelves today (June 26, 2026) in a Patriot Pop flavor timed for Independence Day. Each tub carries a 250th Anniversary badge, a nod to the historic milestone from a brand that puts "VMI Sports is a USA Company" right on the label. Additional flavors for both products arrive in July.

The two products fill different training roles, and both have exciting new novel ingredients we're excited to see in the wild.

Creatine Pre-Workout is a stimulant-driven, full-stack pre-workout delivering approximately 300mg total caffeine from three complementary caffeine sources, a 5g full-dose creatine monohydrate, pump support from HydroNox™ L-Citrulline HCl, and cognitive support from VitaCholine® Choline Bitartrate.

Creatine +Hydration goes the stim-free route: 5g of Pürest Creatine™ (NNB Nutrition's ultra-high-purity creatine monohydrate) combined with a TRAACS®-chelated mineral and electrolyte matrix built around Aquamin® sea minerals. Use them together for a creatine, pump, and hydration stack, or run Creatine +Hydration on its own as a daily creatine and recovery drink.

VMI Sports president Tom Reilly broke down the brand's philosophy and what's coming next on Episode #205 of the PricePlow Podcast, and it's well worth the listen if you want the full context. If you're already familiar with KXR Stacked, VMI's pump-focused ergogenic pre-workout, these two new launches round out the lineup with a creatine-anchored angle covering both stim and stim-free training needs.

VMI Sports Creatine Pre-Workout Ingredients

The full recommended dose is 2 scoops (20.2g), which yields 15 servings per container.

At that dose, the caffeine blend totals approximately 300mg: 100mg from caffeine anhydrous, ~50mg from 100mg caffeine citrate (50% caffeine yield), and ~146mg from 200mg Infinergy™ Di-Caffeine Malate (~73% caffeine yield) -- VMI confirms "approximately 300mg of Total Caffeine per 2 servings" directly on the label. If you're new to the formula or sensitive to stimulants, start with 1 scoop in 8-12 oz of water to assess tolerance.

• Creatine Monohydrate - 5g

  Creatine monohydrate is the most researched ergogenic in sports nutrition, with decades of human trials consistently backing its core benefits. It works by expanding phosphocreatine stores in skeletal muscle, which accelerates ATP resynthesis during high-intensity exercise, translating to measurable improvements in strength, power output, and training volume. The standard effective dose is 3-5g daily, and VMI hits the top of that range at a full 5g per 2-scoop serving.

  Consistent daily use over several weeks progressively saturates muscle phosphocreatine stores, with benefits accumulating over time rather than appearing acutely. Don't necessarily expect a pre-workout surge from creatine, instead expect better workouts week after week.

• Beta Alanine - 3.2g

  Beta alanine is the rate-limiting precursor to carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine), a dipeptide stored in high concentrations in skeletal muscle. Carnosine acts as an intracellular pH buffer, neutralizing the hydrogen ions that accumulate during anaerobic glycolysis and cause the "burn" that limits high-intensity efforts.

  Research consistently shows that 3.2 to 6.4g daily over several weeks elevates muscle carnosine concentrations, with the clearest performance benefits in exercise lasting roughly 1-4 minutes. The 3.2g dose here lands at the established lower end of the clinical loading range. One thing to expect: the tingling (paresthesia) shortly after taking it is normal, harmless, and dose-dependent. It's not a side effect, it's the beta alanine working.

• L-Citrulline Hydrochloride (HydroNox™) - 2g

  

  HydroNox™ is a trademarked form of L-Citrulline Hydrochloride, a stabilized and hygroscopy-resistant version of citrulline that delivers a higher proportion of active citrulline per gram than citrulline malate. In the body, citrulline is converted to L-arginine in the kidneys, which serves as the substrate for nitric oxide (NO) production via nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Increased NO leads to vasodilation and greater blood flow to working muscles... aka the pump effect. Citrulline HCl's improved molecular stability and mixability make it a practical formulation choice. At 2g, it's a modest pump contribution on its own, but its synergy with Agmass® agmatine at 1g compounds the effect through complementary pathways.

• Betaine Anhydrous - 2g

  Betaine (also known as trimethylglycine) plays two roles in a performance formula:

  1. it's an organic osmolyte that supports intracellular hydration under metabolic stress, and
  2. it's a methyl donor that supports the methionine cycle and downstream creatine synthesis.

  Human trials show that chronic 2-2.5g daily dosing can support lower-body strength, training volume, and body composition -- a 2024 meta-analysis of 17 RCTs found a significant pooled effect on maximal muscular strength favoring betaine over placebo, particularly for lower-body measures. The methyl donation also contributes a homocysteine-lowering effect that doesn't get discussed much in a pre-workout context. At 2g, VMI lands squarely in the dose range used most often in research

• L-Tyrosine - 1.5g

  L-Tyrosine is the direct dietary precursor to the catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Under physical or cognitive stress, catecholamine demand can outpace endogenous synthesis, and tyrosine availability becomes limiting. Supplemental tyrosine is most relevant when training under stress, such as sleep deprivation, high heat, or back-to-back sessions where mental drive starts to slip. At 1.5g, this is a well-dosed standalone amount. Paired with the three-source caffeine blend in this formula, the tyrosine supports a more sustained focus arc by replenishing the catecholamine substrate that stimulant use can deplete over an extended session.

• L-Taurine - 1.5g

  

  Taurine is a sulfur-containing β-amino acid found at high concentrations in skeletal muscle, heart, and brain tissue. Its key roles in an exercise context include osmoregulation (supporting intracellular fluid balance), calcium handling in muscle fibers (which influences contractile force), and mitochondrial antioxidant support.

  A 2025 meta-analysis across 23 RCTs found acute taurine supplementation produced small-to-moderate improvements in exercise performance, with benefits most apparent in aerobic endurance and strength/power tasks, optimally taken roughly one hour before exercise.

  Taurine also pairs well with caffeine: research suggests the combination supports reaction time and anaerobic power better than either alone, which is relevant here given the ~300mg caffeine blend.

• Agmatine Sulfate (Agmass®) - 1g

  Agmass® is a trademarked form of Agmatine Sulfate. Agmatine is a decarboxylation product of L-arginine that modulates multiple receptor systems, including NMDA, imidazoline, and alpha-2 adrenergic receptors. In a pump formula, its most relevant mechanism is inhibition of arginase, the enzyme that degrades L-arginine before it can be converted to nitric oxide. By slowing arginase activity, agmatine sustains arginine availability and extends NO-driven vasodilation.

  Agamatine also has documented neuromodulatory effects, with it influencing neurotransmitter activity in ways that support mood and engagement during training. At 1g alongside the 2g citrulline HCl, the two ingredients work through complementary NO-pathway mechanisms for a more complete pump effect.

• Choline Bitartrate (VitaCholine®) - 500mg

  VitaCholine® is Balchem Corporation's trademarked form of Choline Bitartrate, delivering approximately 200mg of elemental choline per 2-scoop serving -- the 36% Daily Value declared on the label. Choline's mechanism in a pre-workout context centers on acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis: ACh is the neurotransmitter responsible for neuromuscular junction signaling and is integral to the mind-muscle connection.

  

  VMI Sports Protolyte isn't just another whey isolate. 24g protein with TRAACS chelated minerals that actually absorb, digestive enzymes to prevent bloat, and flavors with real freeze-dried ingredients. They've been ahead of the curve since 2019.

  During intense, sustained training, cholinergic demand can outpace synthesis, and plasma choline concentrations are documented to decline during prolonged high-effort exercise. A human placebo-controlled trial found that 2g choline bitartrate improved visuomotor precision and increased central cholinergic engagement roughly 70 minutes post-ingestion. VitaCholine's premium sourcing also brings consistent potency and low hygroscopicity.

• Theobromine - 200mg

  Theobromine is a methylxanthine alkaloid found naturally in cacao. It's structurally similar to caffeine but with a milder, longer-lasting stimulant profile.

  Like caffeine, it inhibits phosphodiesterase and blocks adenosine receptors, but it crosses the blood-brain barrier less readily and carries a longer half-life of roughly 7-12 hours. In practice, this produces a smoother, more sustained energy contribution without the sharp peak-and-crash that standalone caffeine can cause. It also has mild vasodilatory properties. At 200mg alongside the three caffeine sources in this formula, theobromine rounds out the stimulant complex by extending the energy duration and softening the tail-end drop.

• Dicaffeine Malate (Infinergy™) - 200mg

  Infinergy™ is Creative Compounds' trademarked Di-Caffeine Malate, a compound where two caffeine molecules are bonded to malic acid via a salt linkage. The malate bond slows gastrointestinal absorption, producing a more gradual release and attenuating the sharp post-dose energy dropoff associated with fast-absorbing caffeine sources. At 200mg of Infinergy, the effective caffeine contribution is approximately 146mg (~73% yield by weight). In this formula, Infinergy works in concert with the fast-onset caffeine citrate and the baseline caffeine anhydrous for a multi-phase stimulant profile. The malic acid component also participates in the citric acid cycle, offering a secondary metabolic support during exercise.

• Caffeine Citrate - 100mg

  

  Caffeine Citrate is allegedly the fastest-acting caffeine form in this blend. The citrate salt dissociates readily, achieving fast peak plasma levels, making it the onset driver in the three-source caffeine system. At 100mg caffeine citrate, the effective caffeine dose is approximately 50mg (50% yield by weight). In clinical use, caffeine citrate is administered when rapid neurological effect is the goal, and its role here is to provide the immediate energy strike while Infinergy's slower release sustains the output over the session.

• Caffeine Anhydrous - 100mg

  Caffeine Anhydrous is the purified, water-free form of caffeine and the foundational stimulant backbone of the blend. It blocks adenosine receptors in the central nervous system, reducing perceived fatigue and supporting alertness, focus, and exercise performance across a well-established dose-response range. At 100mg, it contributes directly to the ~300mg total caffeine per 2-scoop serving. For a 175-lb (79kg) athlete, 300mg total puts you at roughly 3.8mg/kg -- in the range consistently associated with meaningful performance and energy effects in the research. If you're smaller or caffeine-sensitive, start with 1 scoop and assess before going to the full dose.

• Black Pepper Extract (Piper nigrum) (fruit) (MAX Catalyst™) - 2mg

  MAX Catalyst™ is a patented and trademarked piperine extract, using a plasma-enhancement technology designed to amplify the bioavailability of co-administered ingredients. Piperine works primarily by inhibiting cytochrome P450 enzymes and P-glycoprotein in the GI tract, slowing the first-pass metabolism that would otherwise break down active compounds before they reach circulation.

  The classic piperine study showed 20mg co-administered with curcumin increased curcumin's bioavailability by 2,000% in humans, illustrating how significantly piperine can alter absorption dynamics, but of course, not every ingredient works that well. At 2mg, MAX Catalyst isn't a standalone ingredient, it's the capstone of the formula that helps everything else work more efficiently.

Patriot Pop launches today. PEZ Lemon, Strawberry Slush, and Tropical Mango arrive in July 2026. The full flavor list will be below:

VMI Sports Creatine +Hydration Ingredients

For sessions when you want creatine without the stimulants, or as a daily creatine-and-recovery routine on rest days, Creatine +Hydration takes a different approach. It's stim-free, and it brings premium ingredient quality throughout: Pürest Creatine™ as the anchor, paired with TRAACS®-chelated minerals and Aquamin® sea minerals for a multi-source electrolyte matrix designed for absorption.

Each single scoop (9.1g) delivers 5g of Pürest Creatine™, the ultra-high-purity creatine monohydrate from NNB Nutrition that we covered in depth when NNB launched it in 2025, along with 1g L-Taurine, 100mg Coconut Water Concentrate, and a Hydration Mineral / Electrolyte Complex combining TRAACS®-chelated potassium, magnesium, and calcium with Aquamin® sea minerals and pink Himalayan salt. Thirty servings per container, zero stimulants.

• Pürest Creatine™ Creatine Monohydrate - 5g

  Already discussed above, creatine monohydrate is the most extensively researched ergogenic supplement in sports nutrition, with decades of human trials consistently showing improvements in strength, power output, lean muscle, and recovery.

  What sets this product's creatine apart is the source: Pürest Creatine™ from NNB Nutrition. When NNB launched it in 2025, the story was about purity at the molecular level -- a creatine monohydrate that achieves lower impurity levels than standard "99.9% pure" sources. Most consumers don't know that "99.9% pure" is a marketing floor, not a precision standard. NNB developed Pürest Creatine™ to push below that floor, targeting trace impurities like dihydrotriazine, creatinine (the breakdown byproduct), and dicyandiamide that accumulate in standard manufacturing processes.

  The product is so clean, the world's leading testing labs had to re-create testing standards for it, because their own testing methods weren't suitable for such a low level of creatinine byproduct.

  The real-world result is a cleaner, more consistent creatine source with better mixability and reduced batch-to-batch variance. For a daily-use supplement where consistency matters more than novelty, that sourcing decision is meaningful.

• L-Taurine - 1g

  

  Also discussed above, taurine is a conditionally essential sulfur-containing β-amino acid found in high concentrations in skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue. In a creatine and hydration formula, its most relevant roles are osmoregulation and intracellular fluid balance -- taurine acts as an organic osmolyte that helps cells maintain volume under metabolic stress. It also supports calcium handling in muscle fibers, which influences contractile strength during training. A 2025 meta-analysis across 23 RCTs found acute taurine supplementation produced small-to-moderate performance improvements across aerobic endurance and strength tasks. At 1g here, it rounds out the hydration support alongside the electrolyte complex.

• Coconut Water Concentrate (Cocos nucifera) - 100mg

  Coconut Water Concentrate is a naturally derived electrolyte source, best known for its potassium content. Fresh coconut water provides roughly 600mg potassium per 8oz serving, but this concentrated powder form delivers a smaller contribution to the overall electrolyte profile. Beyond potassium, coconut water contributes trace magnesium, sodium, and calcium, alongside naturally occurring amino acids and cytokinins. At 100mg concentrate here, it's a nice addition to the TRAACS and Aquamin mineral complex rather than a primary electrolyte source, but it adds a natural-origin layer to the potassium contribution and fits VMI's quality-ingredient standard for this formula.

• Hydration Mineral / Electrolyte Complex

  The following ingredients form VMI's Hydration Mineral / Electrolyte Complex, delivering the calcium (39mg, 3% DV), magnesium (28mg, 7% DV), chloride (145mg, 6% DV), sodium (98mg, 4% DV), and potassium (78mg, 2% DV) declared at the top of the supplement facts panel.

  • Potassium Glycinate Complex TRAACS® - 400mg

    

    VMI Sports KXR Stacked brings pumps, focus, and 200mg caffeine with MAX Catalyst absorption. Is this the smarter pre-workout you've been missing?

    TRAACS® is Albion Minerals' patented amino acid chelation technology, in which a mineral ion is bonded to amino acid ligands that stabilize it during GI transit, reduce competition with other minerals for absorption, and bypass the pH-dependent ionization that limits inorganic mineral salts. Potassium Glycinate Complex TRAACS® delivers chelated potassium glycinate, contributing to the 78mg of elemental potassium declared on the label (along with the coconut water concentrate). Potassium is essential for fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contraction -- deficiencies contribute to cramping and impaired performance. You'll also recognize TRAACS chelates from VMI's Protolyte protein, reflecting a consistent quality-ingredient commitment across the brand's lineup.

  • Pink Himalayan Salt - 251mg

    Pink Himalayan Salt provides the sodium (98mg, 4% DV) and chloride (145mg, 6% DV) declared at the top of the supplement facts panel. Sodium and chloride are the primary extracellular electrolytes governing fluid balance: sodium draws water into the bloodstream and maintains the electrochemical gradient needed for muscle contraction and nerve impulse propagation, while chloride pairs with sodium to maintain osmotic pressure. For a hydration supplement, sodium is the most critical electrolyte for fluid retention... it's the one that makes water follow. Pink Himalayan salt brings trace mineral content alongside the electrolytes, though the amounts at this dose are minor contributors.

  • Aquamin® S Sea Minerals (Lithothamnium sp.) (whole plant) -- 250mg

    Aquamin® S is Marigot Ltd's trademarked marine-derived mineral complex, extracted from red algae (Lithothamnium sp.) harvested sustainably off the Icelandic coast. What distinguishes this from synthetic calcium carbonate or calcium citrate isn't just the calcium content (contributing to the 39mg, 3% DV on the label), it's the naturally-occurring trace mineral matrix that comes with it. Aquamin delivers over 70 co-occurring trace minerals in their natural proportions from the algal structure, including magnesium, zinc, and selenium. Synthetic calcium isolates deliver only the target mineral, missing the broader trace element context. For a formula built on ingredient quality, Aquamin is a logical choice.

  • Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate TRAACS® -- 100mg

    

    Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate TRAACS® is the first of two chelated magnesium forms in the complex, using Albion's glycinate amino acid chelation. Magnesium bisglycinate is well-regarded for superior GI tolerability compared to magnesium oxide or citrate, and its chelated structure facilitates uptake via dipeptide transporters in the small intestine (a pathway not shared with calcium or other divalent minerals, reducing competitive absorption inhibition). Magnesium participates in over 300 enzymatic reactions, including ATP synthesis, protein synthesis, and muscle relaxation. This form and the lysinate glycinate chelate below together deliver 28mg elemental magnesium (7% DV) in highly bioavailable forms.

  • Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate Chelate TRAACS® -- 100mg

    Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate Chelate TRAACS® is the second chelated magnesium form in the complex, using a lysinate-glycinate dual-amino-acid chelation. The different amino acid carriers compared to the bisglycinate form above may offer slightly different absorption kinetics and transport pathways, supporting a more complete uptake profile.

    Together, both TRAACS magnesium forms deliver the 28mg elemental magnesium (7% DV) declared on the label. For athletes with moderate-to-high training loads, marginal magnesium status is too common. It's a widely under-consumed mineral, and a bioavailable chelated form is a more reliable tool for replenishment than the oxide forms frequently used in lower-cost products.

  • Calcium Bisglycinate Chelate TRAACS® -- 50mg

    Calcium Bisglycinate Chelate TRAACS® is Albion's chelated calcium glycinate form, working alongside Aquamin® to deliver the 39mg elemental calcium (3% DV) declared on the label. Calcium bisglycinate is well-tolerated and highly soluble, avoiding the GI discomfort calcium carbonate can cause at higher doses. Beyond skeletal health, calcium plays a direct role in muscle contraction: it's the signal that triggers actomyosin cross-bridge formation at the sarcoplasmic reticulum, making it functionally relevant during exercise. The TRAACS chelation improves absorption reliability compared to standard calcium carbonate, which requires acidic gastric conditions to dissolve.

  As a small bonus, all of these glycine-based chelated minerals will also provide a dash of glycine as well, which has its own osmotic properties!

Patriot Pop launches today. PEZ Lemon and Tropical Mango arrive in July 2026. The full list will be shown below:

How to Use

Creatine Pre-Workout Powered by HydroNox™: Start with 1 scoop mixed in 8-12 oz of water 15-20 minutes before training to assess your tolerance. Once you're comfortable, move to the full 2-scoop dose. Avoid taking it close to bedtime due to the stimulant content. VMI recommends cycling off after 8 consecutive weeks of use.

Creatine +Hydration: Mix 1 scoop in 8-12 oz of water or your preferred beverage, daily. Ideally before or after your workout; on rest days, take it anytime with plenty of fluids.

Stacks Well With

• VMI Sports Protolyte: VMI's 100% whey isolate protein powder, also built with TRAACS® chelated minerals, pairs naturally with both new products as a post-workout protein complement. This was a product well before its time, and it's still incredible.
• VMI Sports Aminogex Ultra: Aminogex adds a full amino acid and BCAA profile to round out a complete performance and recovery stack with either or both new products.

Conclusion: Stim or No Stim, VMI Covered Both

Tom Reilly, president of VMI Sports, walks through a decade of building a bootstrapped supplement brand -- from Lone Star Distribution house brand to grocery chains, the PEZ collab, and two mystery canned beverages on the horizon, on Episode #205 of the PricePlow Podcast.

VMI Sports is closing out the first half of 2026 with a well-timed pair of launches, and according to Tom Reilly, there's a lot more coming, possibly even beverages.

Patriot Pop in time for the Fourth of July, the 250th Anniversary badge on each tub, and a "USA Company" callout on the label, all with their excellent branding, is what we've come to expect from the northeastern titans.

The pre-workout brings a layered caffeine system (~300mg total from three sources with different onset profiles), a pump-and-ergogenic stack built on HydroNox™, Agmass®, and VitaCholine®, and MAX Catalyst™ to tie bioavailability together. The stim-free Creatine +Hydration anchors on Pürest Creatine™ from NNB Nutrition and layers in TRAACS®-chelated minerals alongside Aquamin® sea minerals for a serious electrolyte profile.

These are great ingredient choices, and athletes who want quality creatine loading, with or without stimulants, have a clear option from VMI in each product.

PricePlow will track prices and availability for both products as they roll out. Sign up for VMI Sports alerts below to stay ahead of the PEZ Lemon, Strawberry Slush (Pre-Workout only), and Tropical Mango drops coming in July.