Sicario Non Stim is Xtremis Cartel's caffeine-free pre-workout, built around a big citrulline and nitrate pump dose with a tyrosine focus stack on top. We went through every ingredient and dose to work out what it will actually do for you, not just what the label promises.

Sicario Review: The Quick Verdict

Overall score at one scoop: 6.1/10

Overall score at two scoops: 7.8/10

Sicario is a pump-first formula with a strong citrulline and nitrate base. One scoop is only half the dose the brand designed it around, and the second scoop is where the focus and strength scores jump. It has no caffeine or stimulants, so it won't give you any buzz.

Honest take: you'll like it if you want big pumps without stimulants, or you train late. Skip it if you want energy, or if you need to watch your sodium.

Sicario at a Glance

What Is Sicario?

Sicario is a stimulant-free pre-workout powder with a 17.8g scoop. The label allows 1 to 2 scoops, and the brand's headline doses (like 10g of citrulline) are for two scoops. Every ingredient is listed with its amount, with no hidden blends. It also adds pine bark extract (125mg), Capros amla fruit (125mg) and AstraGin (25mg) for absorption, plus B vitamins and vitamin C.

Sicario Energy: Will It Actually Wake You Up?

Energy score: 1.0/10

No. There's no caffeine or any other stimulant. The only energy comes from small contributions of:

• L-tyrosine (2500mg): a building block for focus chemicals, with a mild alerting effect for some people.
• Acetyl L-carnitine (750mg): a small cellular energy contribution.

Honest take: you'll feel pumped, not wired. If you want a buzz, take caffeine separately.

Sicario Focus: Will You Feel Locked In?

Focus score: 4.5/10 at one scoop, 7.0/10 at two

• L-tyrosine (2500mg): above the 2,000mg where benefits start, and the main focus ingredient.
• Acetyl L-carnitine (750mg): under the 2000mg used in research, so a modest contribution.
• Alpha-GPC (200mg actual): the label shows 400mg of 50% alpha-GPC, which is 200mg of the real thing, well under the 600mg used in research.
• Taurine (1000mg): half the 2000mg used for mood.
• DMAE (375mg): weak evidence at any dose, so don't count on it.

Honest take: decent focus for a stimulant-free formula, but without caffeine it's a gentle, steady focus, not a locked-in one. Two scoops makes it much stronger.

Sicario Pumps: Will You Look and Feel Bigger?

Pumps score: 7.4/10 at one scoop, 8.1/10 at two

This is Sicario's strength:

• L-citrulline (5000mg): already above the 4000mg used in pump research at one scoop.
• Nitrates (605mg from arginine nitrate and betaine nitrate): above the 500mg that research favors.
• Taurine (1000mg): a small supporting boost.

One scoop already gets the pump ingredients to a full dose, so the second scoop only adds a little here.

Honest take: a strong, noticeable pump at one scoop. The second scoop isn't needed for pumps.

Sicario Strength and Performance: Will You Lift More?

Strength and performance score: 6.2/10 at one scoop, 8.2/10 at two

• L-citrulline (5000mg): the biggest contributor, helping endurance in higher-rep sets.
• Nitrates (605mg): a full dose, helping time to exhaustion.
• Betaine (about 1,656mg from betaine anhydrous and betaine nitrate): under the 2,500mg that research favors.
• Beta-alanine (1600mg): a low dose at one scoop, well under the 3.2-4.5 g range. At two scoops it's 3200mg, at the low end of that range.
• Alpha-GPC (200mg): a small extra.

There's no creatine, which is the one big performance ingredient missing.

Honest take: good at one scoop, strong at two, when beta-alanine reaches a useful dose.

Sicario Two Scoops: Does Doubling Up Help?

Overall score at two scoops: 7.8/10

Yes, and the label allows it. Doubling the scoop doubles everything, and the scores change like this:

• Energy: 1.0 to 1.2
• Focus: 4.5 to 7.0
• Pumps: 7.4 to 8.1
• Strength & Performance: 6.2 to 8.2

The jump comes from focus and strength, not pumps. The cost is real:

• Half as many servings. A tub drops to 20 servings, which works out to $2.65 per dose.
• Double the sodium. You get 500mg instead of 250mg.
• Double the tingles and double the stomach load.

Honest take: one scoop is enough for pumps, but two scoops is where Sicario is a full pre-workout. Don't take more than two.

What Do Customers Say About Sicario?

Sicario gets strong feedback for its pumps and for being easy to take late in the day. Reviewers talk about "very tight pumps" and say it helps them "lift heavier." Night-shift and evening trainers say they can still sleep after.

However, customer feedback highlights two trade-offs worth knowing.

First, there's no buzz. People used to stimulants find it flat. One buyer who usually uses high-stim pre-workouts called it "not bad," and another wasn't sure a non-stim was right for them. If you want to feel wired, this isn't it.

Second, it's salty. One reviewer said it's "too salty" and gave them stomach upset. That matches the label, which has 250mg of sodium per scoop and double that at two.

One more thing worth knowing: every review we found is on Xtremis Cartel's own site or its retailer NutriCartel, and they're close to unanimous. On NutriCartel, 259 of 291 reviews are five-star and none are one-star, and many are short lines like "Best non stim." That reads like marketing, so don't treat it as proof.

Honest take: Sicario delivers big pumps without stimulants and is easy to take late. The complaints are about the lack of any buzz and the salt. If you want energy, add caffeine separately or pick a different pre-workout.

Customer feedback is subjective and may cover different flavors or formulations. Retailer reviews are separate from our ingredient-based formula score.

Sicario Side Effects

Tingles and pins and needles. Sicario contains 1600mg of beta-alanine per scoop, enough for most people to notice tingling across the face, neck and hands, starting around 15 minutes in and fading within the hour. It's harmless. At two scoops it's double.

Stomach upset. A full citrulline dose plus two nitrate salts is a lot for a sensitive stomach, especially at two scoops with 10g of citrulline. Mix it into plenty of water and start with one scoop.

Salt. One scoop has 250mg of sodium (500mg at two scoops). That's fine for most people, but it adds up if you watch your blood pressure.

Blood pressure. Nitrates widen blood vessels, so people with low blood pressure may feel lightheaded. Anyone on blood pressure medication should check with their doctor first.

Sleep. With no caffeine, sleep isn't the issue it is with other pre-workouts. Tyrosine can feel mildly alerting for some people, so test it before a late session.

Who should skip it. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, anyone under 18, and people taking blood pressure medication. The label also says to stop use two weeks before surgery and not to combine it with alcohol.

Should You Buy Sicario?

Choose Sicario if:

• You want big pumps without caffeine or other stimulants.
• You train in the evening or at night.
• You want to add your own caffeine and control the dose.
• You want every ingredient dose on the label.

Don't choose Sicario if:

• You want energy or a buzz from your pre-workout.
• You need to limit sodium. One scoop has 250mg.
• You want a full beta-alanine dose at one scoop. You only get there at two.

Beginners: start with one scoop. Training in the evening? Sicario is easy to fit in because it has no caffeine. Need creatine? There isn't any, so take it separately. Tested athlete? Sicario isn't listed as NSF Certified for Sport. Check with your sanctioning body, or look at C4 Sport.

Pre-Workouts Similar to Sicario

• Want a higher score? Bare Knuckle Stim Free scores 8.6/10 at $3.25 a serving. Read our Bare Knuckle Stim Free review.
• Want to pay less per serving than Sicario at two scoops? Genius Pre scores 7.4/10 at $2.00 a serving. Read our Genius Pre review.
• Want another stim-free option? NutraBio PRE Stim Free scores 6.8/10 at $2.50 a serving. Read our NutraBio PRE Stim Free review.

Sicario Quick Answers

Is Sicario a good pre-workout? Sicario is a good stimulant-free pre-workout that scores 6.1/10 at one scoop and 7.8/10 at two on our scale. It has strong pump ingredients and a decent focus stack, but no energy.

Does Sicario have caffeine? Sicario has no caffeine and no other stimulants. It's a stim-free pre-workout.

How many scoops of Sicario should I take? Sicario's label allows 1 to 2 scoops. One scoop already gives a full pump dose. Take two for better focus and a useful beta-alanine dose, and never take more than two.

Does Sicario give you energy? Sicario doesn't give you a stimulant buzz. It scores 1.0/10 for energy at one scoop, from small contributions of tyrosine and carnitine.

Does Sicario have creatine? Sicario has no creatine, so you'd need to take it separately.

Does Sicario have beta-alanine, and why do I tingle? Sicario contains 1600mg of beta-alanine per scoop and 3200mg at two, which is the low end of the 3.2-4.5 g range used in research. The tingling is a harmless pins-and-needles feeling that usually fades within the hour.

Does Sicario have citrulline? Sicario contains 5000mg of L-citrulline per scoop, above the 4000mg that research points to for the pump effect.

Does Sicario have electrolytes? Sicario contains 250mg of sodium and 385mg of chloride per scoop, with no potassium or magnesium. It isn't a full hydration formula.

Is Sicario good for beginners? Sicario is good for beginners because it has no stimulants. Start with one scoop with plenty of water.

Does Sicario taste good? Sicario tastes good to most reviewers, though flavor is subjective. One buyer called the taste "great," and another said it's "too salty." It comes in eight flavors, including Blue Cherry Slush and Sour Gummy Bear.

Is Sicario NSF certified? Sicario is not listed as NSF Certified for Sport, so tested athletes should check with their sanctioning body or look at C4 Sport.