A soldier asked me if they can take pre work out before a PT test. Can you do that?

Dude went into cardiac and died because of this taking his last chance APFT at an NCOES course, not worth the risk when the benefit is minimal really for just an APFT, preworkout is a gains over time supplement, so using it before an APFT without prior use is pointless, possibly dangerous and actually silly overall

I always had one banana and a bottle of water about 15 mins prior to PT formation. I scored 6 perfect 300's in a row. I did it naturally.

As a medic I would watch who decided to train for the apft by slamming 2 monsters before the run and then try to figure out where on the track they were going to crash like a B17 with no landing gear.

I once drank a 40 once of Colt 45 as a cherry in the 82nd before an APFT. Was told "helps you run, full of carbs". I passed the APFT. I wouldnt recommend Colt 45. That was a rough 2 mile rub

First, always care what your troops do or take. "Not caring" what they do to live the military life is a sure way to fail farther down the line. If you get used to operating under certain circumstances, when those controls are taken away, it becomes problematic to succeed. Also, from my understanding this particular supplement is for strength training, not cardio, so it will elevate BP and the heart rate will increase to a troublesome beat, already elevated levels in the mix, that could be tragic. The best way to prepare for PT is to PT regularly. Simple. Do you really want a group that can only put out max effort with a powdered drink? What happens when it is unattainable and the stakes are higher? As far as regulations go, no idea if this is covered or not, but where the Army doesn't address the situation, the command can establish a standard. Be aware of your people, leadership isn't about rank, it is about being a leader...

I'm not a Master Fitness Trainer nor a Nutritionist, but I will tell you that you should do what your body can handle. I take pre work out before I run long distance and it has zero effect on my body. However, I do believe like some have mentioned, that if you do not take pre work out on a regular basis, do not do it before a PT test. Try it out, and see how your body reacts to it. Then and only then will you know the answer to your question.

Of course, I do it all the time. "1MR" 30min. prior gets me going. It will take a lot for any commander to say you can't do it, due to proof. Since troops drink coffee in the AM.

If you do it on a regular basis and you can pass a UA, go for it. If you are a first timer, absolutely not.

Unless the regs explicitly say no OR the commander says no... then yes they can

I use to. You just have to be careful what you take. Some preworkout formulas will actually hamper performance in either the strength or running portion of the PT test. On top of that, certain preworkout formulas use ingredients that are prohibited in the Army (or have been banned themselves due to them being found to cause harm).