Formula breakdown

The Genius Behind CBUM Thuper Pump

CBUM Thuper Pump puts creatine, beta-alanine, citrulline and betaine into one caffeine-free scoop, so you can keep a pre-training drink without adding to your daily caffeine. Whether the premium is worth it depends on what you already take.

CBUM Thuper Pump$97.95

By NZ Supps Team 12 min read

CBUM Thuper Pump Blue Raspberry tub on a kitchen bench beside a shaker in evening light

Plenty of pre-workout habits are really caffeine habits. A coffee at breakfast, a can mid-afternoon, then a stim pre before a 6 pm session. CBUM Thuper Pump is for the lifter who wants to keep the scoop and the ritual before training, and leave out that extra hit of caffeine.

It won't give you a caffeine lift, and nothing on the label says it will. What you pay for is creatine, beta-alanine and citrulline at research-style amounts, plus betaine and four smaller add-ons with thinner evidence. Whether that premium is worth it depends on what you already take.

Why a pump formula with no caffeine makes sense

Caffeine works. The International Society of Sports Nutrition puts the useful range at about 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight, roughly an hour before exercise.17 The catch is everything else you drank that day, and when you train. In one sleep study, 400 mg of caffeine taken six hours before bed still cut total sleep by more than an hour.18

RAW Nutrition describes Thuper Pump as a stimulant-free option for "late workouts, stacking, or stim-sensitive athletes".2 The tub reads "Pump Non-Stim", and the Supplement Facts panel lists no caffeine or other stimulant.1

Coming off a stim pre, the first few sessions may feel flatter. Creatine and citrulline don't do caffeine's job, and nothing in this tub replaces that feeling. What you keep is a deliberate pre-training drink that doesn't add to your daily caffeine total.

What is in one scoop

All three flavours we stock list identical actives. Sour Watermelon's scoop is 29 g (80 calories); the other two are 28.5 g (70 calories). Each tub holds 20 scoops.1 The ratings below describe research on each ingredient. No published trial has tested Thuper Pump itself.

CBUM Thuper Pump, per scoop (Supplement Facts panels, all three stocked flavours)
Ingredient Per serve What it is there for Evidence
L-Citrulline 8 g Raises blood arginine for nitric oxide; aimed at blood flow and reps that session Emerging6,7,8
Beta-alanine 6.4 g Builds muscle carnosine over weeks for hard efforts of about 30 seconds to 10 minutes Strong3,4
Creatine monohydrate 5 g Tops up muscle creatine for strength and training volume with consistent use Strong19
Betaine anhydrous 1.85 g Studied with daily use for strength and power Emerging10
Betaine nitrate (NO3-T) 1 g A nitrate source; part betaine, part nitrate, and the label doesn't give the split Emerging11,12
Alpha-GPC 300 mg A choline source sold for focus and power Emerging13
Pine bark (Pinus pinaster) extract 200 mg Sold for circulation Brand positioning, not independently tested14
CitraPeak glucosyl-hesperidin 200 mg Citrus flavonoid sold for blood flow Brand positioning, not independently tested15
Huperzine (Huperzia serrata) extract 100 mcg Sold for focus Brand positioning, not independently tested16

Each scoop also carries 500 mg of sodium from pink salt, worth knowing if you've been told to watch your salt.1

What each part does, and when you would notice it

The pump: citrulline and betaine nitrate (that session)

Citrulline raises blood arginine more reliably than arginine itself, and the body uses arginine to make nitric oxide.9 Across eight studies, 6 to 8 g of citrulline malate 40 to 60 minutes before lifting added about three reps per workout, a small effect.7 Thuper Pump's 8 g of plain L-citrulline is more citrulline than that, but more isn't proven better: a 2025 trial of 5.3 g, in either form, found no gain in strength, power or reps,8 and a major review calls the blood-flow evidence scarce and inconsistent.6

Nitrate looks similar. Across 34 studies it had a trivial effect on strength and a small one on muscular endurance.11 Most trials used beetroot juice or sodium nitrate, with blood nitrite peaking two to three hours later,12 while the label says 30 minutes before training.1

If you feel anything on the day, it comes from this group. Studies measure reps, not the full feeling of a pump, so treat a good pump as a bonus.

Hard sets: beta-alanine (weeks of use, plus a tingle today)

Beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine, which buffers acid during hard efforts. The ISSN position stand describes 4 to 6 g a day for at least two to four weeks, with the clearest benefits in efforts of one to four minutes.3 Across 40 trials the overall effect was small, and larger in capacity tests lasting 30 seconds to 10 minutes.4 One scoop won't change today's session. If you only use it on training days, three or four scoops a week is 19 to 26 g, below the 28 to 42 g a week of daily protocols, so expect a slower build.

The tingle you will feel. A scoop has more beta-alanine than any tub in our guide to pre-workout tingles. Pins and needles were the only side effect reported across 101 human studies.5 The ISSN says it generally fades within 60 to 90 minutes and gets stronger with bigger doses.3 It comes from beta-alanine itself, so a formula without niacin still tingles. A half scoop means less tingle, and half of everything else.

Strength: creatine and betaine (consistent daily use)

Creatine monohydrate has the strongest evidence in the tub. Around 3 to 5 g a day fills muscle stores over three to four weeks and adds to the strength and lean mass you gain from training.19 You won't feel it on the day, and timing matters less than taking it daily.20

Betaine is less certain. A 2024 analysis of 17 studies found daily betaine for at least a week improved maximal strength, mostly lower body, with wide uncertainty.10 Those trials used daily intake, not a scoop on training days only.

The add-ons: alpha-GPC, pine bark, CitraPeak and huperzine (sold as same-day effects)

Here the evidence gets thin, and the studies that exist used daily intake over one to eight weeks, not a single scoop. In a seven-day trial, 250 mg a day of alpha-GPC showed the largest changes in jump velocity and power of the groups tested, with no differences in strength or reaction time.13 Pine bark sports data come mainly from one registry study of the branded extract Pycnogenol over several weeks,14 and this label doesn't name its extract. The human hesperidin trial we found used a different form at 500 mg a day for eight weeks, in cyclists.15

Huperzine needs a plain warning. The label gives the extract's weight, not its huperzine A content. The US Department of Defense's supplement safety service reports no reliable evidence that huperzine A improves thinking in healthy people, and lists side effects including a slower heart rate, nausea and dizziness.16 If you take prescription medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist first.

CBUM Thuper Pump Champion Mentality tub on a garage gym floor next to a shaker
Champion Mentality carries the same active amounts as the other two flavours, and no caffeine.

What the premium buys

You could buy creatine, beta-alanine and citrulline separately and mix your own. Thuper Pump sells the combination in one flavoured scoop, with creatine, beta-alanine and citrulline at or above the amounts the main studies used. By weight, most of each scoop is citrulline, beta-alanine and creatine, the three best-researched actives in it.1

The value case is strongest if you don't already own those tubs, train four or more days a week, and like having one drink to make. It's weakest if you already take creatine daily and mainly want the caffeine-free part. Then you're paying again for what you own, plus add-ons with little evidence behind them.

CBUM Thuper Pump3 flavours available · $97.95

The fair objections

Am I doubling up on creatine?

If you already take 5 g a day, a scoop adds another 5 g on training days. That isn't a safety problem,19 but you're paying twice. On Thuper Pump days, skip your separate creatine, and keep taking it on rest days. Our creatine timing guide explains why consistency beats timing.

Can I stack it with my usual pre-workout?

RAW positions it for stacking,2 but read the other label first. Many stim pres also contain beta-alanine, creatine or citrulline, so stacking can push beta-alanine well past 6.4 g at once.

Is it tested for banned substances?

You may see Thuper Pump described as Informed Sport certified. When we checked the register on 23 September 2026, it was not among RAW Nutrition's certified products.21 If you're drug tested, choose a product certified under your programme and check the batch. Even certification lowers contamination risk rather than removing it.22

CBUM Thuper Pump3 flavours available · $97.95

Who Thuper Pump suits

  • Evening lifters who want a pre-training drink with no caffeine in it.
  • People who already get their caffeine from coffee or energy drinks and want to cap the daily total without dropping the routine.
  • Bodybuilding-style trainers doing higher-rep work who value the pump and are happy to get creatine and beta-alanine in the same scoop.
  • Anyone training four or more days a week who doesn't yet own creatine or beta-alanine and would rather buy one tub than three.

When another option makes more sense

  • You want only what the evidence backs most. Daily plain creatine, such as MusclePharm Creatine Essentials, covers the best-researched ingredient in a much simpler tub.
  • You dislike the tingle. Our stim-free pump guide covers options with less beta-alanine or none.
  • You compete in tested sport. Our sport-tested pre-workout guide shows how to check an exact product and batch.
  • You want the caffeine lift. That's a stim pre's job, so browse the pre-workout range and check each label's caffeine per scoop.
  • You take medication, are pregnant, or have a heart or blood pressure condition. Talk to your doctor first, given the huperzine and the 500 mg of sodium.

Thuper Pump, Essential Performance or Essential Tingle-Free?

These three do different jobs, and most people only need one. Pick by caffeine first, then by what you already take. If you are choosing between Essential and Charged, our guide compares the two caffeine levels.

Per-scoop figures from each product's Supplement Facts panel, checked 23 September 2026.
Compared Thuper Pump Essential Performance Essential Tingle-Free
Main job Caffeine-free pump formula: citrulline and betaine nitrate for the session, plus creatine and beta-alanine that work with steady use Caffeine-free training formula: citrulline for the session, plus creatine and beta-alanine that build up with regular use Caffeinated pre-workout without beta-alanine, so no beta-alanine tingle
Serving 1 scoop (28.5 to 29 g depending on flavour), 20 serves per tub 1 scoop (24.4 g or 24.7 g on the two flavours with confirmed labels), 25 serves per tub 1 scoop (10.5 g), 30 serves per tub
Caffeine and stimulants None listed None listed 200 mg natural caffeine (from Coffea arabica), no other stimulants listed
Key actives per scoop 8 g L-citrulline, 6.4 g beta-alanine, 5 g creatine monohydrate, 1.85 g betaine, 1 g betaine nitrate, 300 mg alpha-GPC, 200 mg pine bark extract, 200 mg CitraPeak, 100 mcg huperzine extract 6 g L-citrulline, 5 g creatine monohydrate, 3.2 g beta-alanine, 2.5 g betaine, 2 g L-tyrosine 4 g L-citrulline, 2 g L-tyrosine, 1 g taurine, 300 mg alpha-GPC, no beta-alanine
Timing No caffeine to count towards a bedtime cut-off. Expect a strong tingle from 6.4 g beta-alanine. Creatine and beta-alanine need weeks of steady intake No caffeine to count towards a bedtime cut-off. Creatine and beta-alanine need steady, ideally daily, intake Count it towards your daily caffeine. Best early in the day (Health NZ suggests your last coffee by early afternoon)
Informed Sport register Not listed (checked 23 September 2026) Listed. Tested athletes should check their own batch Listed. Tested athletes should check their own batch
Best fit Evening lifters, or anyone capping caffeine, who wants creatine and beta-alanine in one scoop and doesn't mind a strong tingle People avoiding extra caffeine who train four or more days a week and would take creatine anyway Morning or midday trainers who want caffeine but dislike the beta-alanine tingle

No single product here suits everyone, and stacking them isn't necessary. Combining them mostly doubles up on citrulline, and Thuper Pump with Essential Performance would add 10 g of creatine and 9.6 g of beta-alanine in one sitting. No certification removes doping risk entirely.

Thuper Pump FAQ

Does CBUM Thuper Pump contain caffeine?

No. The Supplement Facts panel lists no caffeine or other stimulant, and the tub is labelled "Pump Non-Stim". It contains alpha-GPC and huperzine extract, which are sold for focus, but neither is caffeine.

Will Thuper Pump make me tingle?

Most likely. Each scoop has 6.4 g of beta-alanine, which commonly causes a harmless pins-and-needles feeling that generally fades within 60 to 90 minutes.

When should I take Thuper Pump?

The label says one scoop in 8 to 12 fl oz (about 240 to 350 ml) of water, 30 minutes before training. Most citrulline studies dosed 40 to 60 minutes before exercise, so drinking it on the way to the gym is reasonable.

Is Thuper Pump Informed Sport certified?

It was not listed on the Informed Sport register when we checked on 23 September 2026. If you are drug tested, choose a product certified under your programme and check the batch.

How long does a tub of Thuper Pump last?

Each tub has 20 scoops. At one scoop per session, four sessions a week gives you five weeks.

The verdict

Thuper Pump answers one specific problem well: keeping a pre-training routine without adding caffeine. Creatine, beta-alanine and citrulline are generously dosed, the add-ons are mostly unproven, and the biggest benefits need weeks of steady use. If that trade suits your training, pick the flavour you'll look forward to.

CBUM Thuper Pump3 flavours available · $97.95

Sources

  1. RAW Sport Supplement Company. CBUM Thuper Pump Supplement Facts panels: Blue Raspberry, Sour Watermelon and Champion Mentality (20 servings). Product label images, checked 23 September 2026.
  2. RAW Nutrition. Thuper Pump product page. getrawnutrition.com, accessed 23 September 2026. https://getrawnutrition.com/products/thuper-pump
  3. Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y
  4. Saunders B, Elliott-Sale K, Artioli GG, et al. Beta-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(8):658-669. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096396
  5. Dolan E, Swinton PA, Painelli VS, et al. A systematic risk assessment and meta-analysis on the use of oral beta-alanine supplementation. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(3):452-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmy115
  6. Gonzalez AM, Trexler ET. Effects of citrulline supplementation on exercise performance in humans: a review of the current literature. J Strength Cond Res. 2020;34(5):1480-1495. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003426
  7. Vårvik FT, Bjørnsen T, Gonzalez AM. Acute effect of citrulline malate on repetition performance during strength training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2021;31(4):350-358. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0295
  8. Martín-Olmedo JJ, Miras-Moreno S, Cuadra-Montes K, et al. Malate or not? Acute effects of L-citrulline versus citrulline malate on neuromuscular performance in young, trained adults. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2025;35(2):89-98. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2024-0006
  9. Schwedhelm E, Maas R, Freese R, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolism. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;65(1):51-59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02990.x
  10. Zawieja E, Machek S, Zanchi NE, et al. Effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2024;42(22):2131-2144. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2423578
  11. Alvares TS, Oliveira GV, Volino-Souza M, et al. Effect of dietary nitrate ingestion on muscular performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(19):5284-5306. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1884040
  12. Jones AM, Thompson C, Wylie LJ, Vanhatalo A. Dietary nitrate and physical performance. Annu Rev Nutr. 2018;38:303-328. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-082117-051622
  13. Marcus L, Soileau J, Judge LW, Bellar D. Evaluation of the effects of two doses of alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine on physical and psychomotor performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0196-5
  14. Vinciguerra G, Belcaro G, Bonanni E, et al. Evaluation of the effects of supplementation with Pycnogenol on fitness in normal subjects with the Army Physical Fitness Test and in performances of athletes in the 100-minute triathlon. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2013;53(6):644-654. PMID: 24247188
  15. Martínez-Noguera FJ, Marín-Pagán C, Carlos-Vivas J, Alcaraz PE. Effects of 8 weeks of 2S-hesperidin supplementation on performance in amateur cyclists. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3911. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12123911
  16. Operation Supplement Safety (US Department of Defense). Huperzine A: dietary supplements for brain health. Updated 18 January 2024. https://www.opss.org/article/huperzine-dietary-supplements-brain-health
  17. Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
  18. Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(11):1195-1200. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.3170
  19. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
  20. Candow DG, Forbes SC, Roberts MD, et al. Creatine O'Clock: does timing of ingestion really influence muscle mass and performance? Front Sports Act Living. 2022;4:893714. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.893714
  21. Informed Sport. Raw Nutrition: certified products. sport.wetestyoutrust.com, checked 23 September 2026. https://sport.wetestyoutrust.com/supplement-search/brand/raw-nutrition
  22. Maughan RJ, Burke LM, Dvorak J, et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(7):439-455. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099027
CBUM Thuper Pump$97.95