C4 Pre Workout Review

When it comes to pre-workout supplements, C4 by Cellucor is very well known and popular pre workout. Cellucor is one of the biggest and most well known names in the health and fitness supplement industry. The Original C4 was designed to enable users to get the most out training with incredible focus and energy. Lets take a look at C4 pre workout and give it a Power Supps review.

When you think of pre-workouts, C4 basically rolls of your tongue. With such a crowded pre workout category, it is important to know why C4 pre workout is so good. We will cover all things C4 Pre workout and take a good overall look at the product itself.

C4 Ingredient Profile

With the tagline of providing “explosive energy, heightened focus and an overwhelming urge to tackle any challenge” would surely mean that the ingredient profile of Cellucor’s C4 would somewhat live up to it’s expectations. The ingredients and dosages in C4 pre workout are somewhat catered to the lower stimulant user. This means if you have a high tolerance to caffeine you may want to take 2 scoops. (Do not stress, this is very common).

Cellucor C4 – Vitamin Profile

Cellucor C4 actually boasts an ingredient list with quite a few vitamins:

• Vitamin C – 250mg
• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) – 30mg
• Vitamin B6 – 500mcg
• Folic acid – 250mcg
• Vitamin B12 – 35mcg

Although the vitamins included are in quite modest quantities, they do still serve a purpose in the formula itself.

Vitamin C is an excellent tool for combatting oxidative stress and is vital for cell recovery. The neat inclusion of Vitamin C here too is that it can aid in boosting energy and enhance recovery due to it’s anti-inflammatory properties.

If focus and brain function is what you’re after then the inclusion of Niacin or Vitamin B3 is for that exact purpose. B6 also helps here too but also has the extra bonus of mood regulation and reducing inflammation.

The original formula of Cellucor C4 also contains Folate. Folate helps the body make new red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body, aka, bring on the epic workouts! Vitamin B12 as Methylcobalamin is also included in C4 for another added energy and mood booster. B12 is an essential vitamin which means that your body is unable to produce it, so supplementing can have some pretty neat benefits in terms of fatigue reduction and mood.

Cellucor C4 – Core Ingredients

Now that’s just a little insight into the vitamin complex in the C4 pre-workout proprietary blend. Next however, we will take a dive into the main ingredients (or the nitty gritty) including the explosive energy blend which gives Cellucor C4 it’s reputation of being a number one top selling pre-workout:

• CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine – 1.6 grams
• Creatine Nitrate (NO3-T) – 1 gram
• Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG) – 1 gram

CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine

CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine is a patented form of Beta-Alanine which aids in enhancing muscle protein synthesis, improves strength together with increasing focus and energy.

Beta-Alanine is a popular bodybuilding supplement that has numerous advantages for the user. It can help you experience less overall fatigue when you are working and exercising.

Another advantage to the inclusion of Beta-Alanine in the C4 formula is that it acts as an intramuscular buffering agent and lessens the effect of lactic acid during intense training sessions.

Creatine Nitrate (NO3-T®)

Creatine Nitrate is the water soluble version of creatine monohydrate due to the binding of creatine to a nitrate rather than a monohydrate. Binding to nitrates is believed to give an additional boost to the working properties of the supplement. In the case of Creatine, this means increased training abilities, strength, performance and power.

Creatine is one of the most widely researched supplements and a natural way to increase muscle mass. With it’s role in enhancing phosphocreatine in the muscles, more ATP can be produced. This is essentially your energy source for those intense lifting sessions.

Creatine is ideal for helping you to perform a greater work volume during your training sessions. It will only aid in long-term muscle growth together with increasing the cell volume.

Cellucor have been smart here and included NO3-T® which ticks all the boxes in terms of performance enhancing advantages.

Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG)

Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate or AAKG is not one of the more well known ingredients in the original C4 formula. To put it simply it is essentially a type of L-arginine and is used to aid in protein synthesis, enhance blood flow to the muscle tissue by increasing nitric oxide allowing you to perform more intense and longer workouts.

In addition to acting as an energy booster, AAKG is also known as a supplement for weight management. It does this by increasing insulin activity and enabling your body metabolise fats much more effectively.

Cellucor C4 – Explosive Energy Blend

Lastly let’s touch on Cellucor’s C4 Explosive Energy Blend. There’s 425mg of Cellucor’s signature proprietary blend in the original C4 formula. Like we have done above, we will go through and break down the blend for you so you can see exactly what is in each scoop.

• N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine
• Caffeine Anhydrous – 150mg
• Velvet Bean Seed Extract
• Theacrine

N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine

N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine the more bioavailable form of the amino acid L-tyrosine. It is super handy for regulating mood together with improving alertness and enhancing attention and focus. It’s purpose in the C4 formula is essentially to enhance overall performance.

Caffeine

In the wold of pre-workouts, C4 is relatively mild when it comes to the caffeine dosage. At 150mg you will still have all the advantages that caffeine has to offer like alertness and focus.

The caffeine delivers explosive energy in a such a dose that will not cause an excessive crash. This is a distinct advantage that Cellucor’s C4 has to offer and that the millions using the product love.

Velvet Bean or Macuna Pruriens

Velvet Bean is a good source of L-DOPA and has a number of potential benefits. It has been shown to improve endurance and energy, aid a healthy nervous system together with improving libido and reproductive health. Another advantage to the inclusion of Velvet Bean in the Original C4 formula is to heighten mental focus. A much needed tool during intense workout sessions when laser focus is required to perform at your best.

Theacrine as TeaCrine

This ingredient is a natural chemical that has effects similar to caffeine. It may improve both physical and mental performance. Theacrine has also been shown to stimulate the central nervous system, but it doesn’t appear to have an affect on blood pressure like caffeine does.

C4 Effectiveness and Key Benefits

In terms of the effectiveness of C4 as a pre-workout it does claim to give you more energy and focus. We can confirm this is very true! Caffeine, Creatine Nitrate and Beta Alanine are the superstars when it comes to the frontrunners in the formula with dosages in alignment to what studies deem largely effective.

The inclusion of creatine will help to improve overall performance, especially for intense lifting style sessions. While caffeine and Beta-Alanine will assist in increasing alertness and can both can greatly increase power output and overall athletic performance. 

You might find also that taking one of the Pre Workout supplements such as the original C4 can also help you have extreme mental focus, more motivation and an improved mood.

How Does It Taste And What Are The Best C4 Flavours?

When it comes to flavour, C4 have a whopping 9 to choose from. There is bound to be something to suit any palate.

If flavour is your priority then some clear favourites flavour wise are Pink Lemonade and Watermelon.

If you’re looking for something a little different to try then Cherry Limeade, Fruit Punch, Green Apple, Icy Blue Raspberry, Orange, Pink Lemonade, Strawberry Margarita Watermelon are all appealing and easy to drink.

Basically, no matter what flavour you choose, C4 delivers.

Does C4 Pre-workout Have Any Side-effects?

Reputation wise, C4 is pretty good in this regard to side effects. Side-effects in general are not uncommon when it comes to pre-workout formulas. But as always it is recommended that you seek medical advice before commencing with any supplement. Especially if you are taking any over the counter medication or medication in general.

As C4 contains caffeine, there is a possibility that you may feel a little jittery if you are caffeine sensitive. Such other side effects of too much caffeine can be an increased heart rate, nausea, headaches and anxiety. C4 is actually relatively low in caffeine so generally seems to sit pretty well with most.

If you do happen to feel a harmless tingling sensation, that is due to the beta-alanine which some people don’t seem to mind whereas others do. Overall however, C4 as a whole appears to be tolerated by most healthy adults with little to no side-effects at all.

Pros and Cons Of C4 Pre-workout

In comparison to most pre workouts C4 is relatively tame on the stimulant side of things as we have mentioned and for some this could potentially be a minor downfall. If the stimulant dosage is a little too low for your liking then two scoops will add a bit more pep in your step, alternatively stepping up to C4 Ultimate might just be your ideal fit.

Other than the lower level of caffeine, C4 is a relatively inexpensive yet high-quality pre workout with notable ingredients that are well studied for both performance enhancing and aid in mental focus together with mood boosting properties.

Our Final Thoughts

Whether you are at the beginning of your fitness journey or somewhat of a more seasoned lifter then C4 is suitable for everyone. Cellucor have created a comprehensive formula with an impressive list of fairly well dosed ingredients to both enhance performance and improve focus and mood.

C4 original pre-workout contains B Vitamins, Vitamin C and folate in addition to the core ingredients and the explosive energy blend in flavours that do not disappoint.

Caffeine wise, C4 is on the more intermediate side which can be beneficial if high stimulant pre workouts are not your thing. If however you love the feel of what higher stimulant products deliver then an additional scoop of C4 original will enhance the effects and create something more effectively dosed for your liking.