Tag Archives: Cellucor C4

What is Cellucor C4 Ripped?

Cellucor C4 Ripped is a popular upgrade to the traditional C4 formula that focuses more on leaning out and getting shredded than its predecessor. Packed with a thermogenic punch for metabolic boosting, C4 Ripped is effective as an all-around pre-workout with a fat burning boost. However, when it comes to all-out energy, C4 Ripped can't compare with C4 50X.

 

Highlights:

• C4 Ripped can be broken down into two categories: energy boosting and fat burning. Its energy blend provides nearly 400 mg of the following: Caffeine Anhydrous, Velvet Bean, and N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine. These ingredients are an excellent line-up for when you need a big boost in your energy levels. (1-3).

 

• Despite the energy boosting line-up, C4 50X is going to be the better pick for energy. It provides you with 200 mg of caffeine per serving from THREE different caffeine types including Anhydrous, XCelicor, and TeaCor. Compare that to the 150 mg of caffeine found in C4 Ripped. (1-4)

 

• C4 Ripped also contains a thermogenic (fat burning) blend that features scientifically proven ingredients including L-Carnitine, Green Tea Extract, and Capsicum. This is where C4 Ripped shines as the thermogenic compounds help to promote weight loss and fat burning. C4 50X contains no thermogenic compounds as it is strictly an energy-focused blend. (1-2, 5-6)

 

Why You Should Use Cellucor C4 Ripped

While not as powerful of a pre-workout as C4 50X, C4 Ripped is going to be the ideal choice for when your focus is a boost in energy AND you also want to support lean gains or begin a cutting phase. It packs an industry standard blend of energy boosting ingredients but the real strength of C4 Ripped is in the thermogenic compounds that trigger a higher level of fat burning.

 

Things to Watch Out for With Cellucor C4 Ripped

C4 Ripped is definitely an improvement over the traditional C4 formula; however, using C4 Ripped is going to depend heavily on what your personal fitness goals are AND your tolerance to thermogenic compounds.

If your primary goal is to skyrocket energy levels and you need a higher dose of caffeine to do that, then C4 Ripped may not be your best option. Instead, you'd want to choose C4 50X.

If, however, you want to focus on fat loss, then C4 Ripped has your back. It provides an excellent fat burning blend WHILE boosting energy levels to a level that is considered normal when compared to products across the industry.

 

What is Cellucor C4 50X?

Another upgrade to the C4 series, Cellucor C4 50X is every bit as powerful as the name suggests. It still holds the foundation of the original formula; however, what sets it apart is the increase in energy boosting ingredients across the board.

 

Highlights:

• C4 50X is solely focused on your energy levels and it makes this abundantly clear by offering you 200 mg of caffeine per serving from THREE different caffeine types including Anhydrous, XCelicor, and TeaCor. These three forms of caffeine have been shown to be effective at amplifying energy levels for an extended period of time. Best of all, there is no crash.

 

• C4 50X also contains a variety of proven pre-workout ingredients including Beta Alanine, Creatine, and Arginine. All of these ingredients may be able to promote performance and results. What's more, they are dosed appropriately, according to previous studies and research. In other words, you are getting the dosages that are most likely to provide the best results. (1-4)

 

Why You Should Use Cellucor C4 50X

Cellucor C4 50X is made exclusively to ensure you have an incredible workout. If you are someone who has built up a tolerance to caffeine or you just want to ensure you can crush your workout after a long day then C4 50X is for you.

50X doesn't feature the weight loss compounds like C4 Ripped; however, it isn't marketed as a weight loss supplement. If you want a boost in your fat loss and you're not too worried about energy levels, then C4 Ripped is the better pick.

 

Things to Watch Out for With Cellucor C4 50x

Celucor C4 50x contains 200mg of caffeine per serving along with several other pre-workout ingredients. If you have a caffeine sensitivity, then C4 50X may be too much to handle. We'd recommend trying a less aggressive pre-workout such as C4 Ripped or you can simply halve the dose.

 

References

1. Spradley BD, Crowley KR, Tai C-Y, et al. Ingesting a pre-workout supplement containing caffeine, B-vitamins, amino acids, creatine, and beta-alanine before exercise delays fatigue while improving reaction time and muscular endurance. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2012;9:28. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-9-28.

2. Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Lejeune MP, Kovacs EM. Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation. Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204.

3. F. L. Dodd, D. O. Kennedy, L. M. Riby, and C. F. Haskell-Ramsay. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of caffeine and L-theanine both alone and in combination on cerebral blood flow, cognition and mood. Psychopharmacology. 2015; 232(14): 2563–2576. Published online 2015 Mar 13.

4. Kuhman, Daniel J., Keanan J. Joyner, and Richard J. Bloomer. 'Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women.' Nutrients 7.11 (2015): 9618–9632. PMC. Web. 2 Aug. 2017.

5. Brandsch C, Eder K. Effect of L-carnitine on weight loss and body composition of rats fed a hypocaloric diet. Ann Nutr Metab. 2002;46(5):205-10.

6. Lejeune MP, Kovacs EM, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Effect of capsaicin on substrate oxidation and weight maintenance after modest body-weight loss in human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2003 Sep;90(3):651-59.

Pre-workouts are the staple of the fitness world, right alongside protein, and the best companies understand that means more than just throwing some caffeine in a brightly coloured powder. Let's take a look at two of the biggest names in the pre-workout world, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout and Cellucor C4, to see which one should be sitting on your shelf.

 

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout

Where can I buy it?

• Click here to buy Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout.

 

Pros of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout

Optimum Nutrition rarely disappoints and their Gold Standard Pre-Workout is no exception. Gold Standard is a perfect blend of energy boosters and nootropics to help get you in the zone before a workout.

 

Sure, it contains caffeine but it doesn't overdo it like some of those over-the-top pre-workouts. At 175 mg per serving, that's a nice and steady kick that's backed up by a number of other ingredients including Beta Alanine, Gingseng, and N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine. Gold Standard is free of controversial stimulants like Yohimbe and instead focuses on a level-headed way to boost your energy levels. (1)

 

Cons of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout

Gold Standard's pros may be its cons, depending on who you are. For the supplement newbie or those sensitive to energy boosters, Gold Standard is going to be the perfect pre-workout. For those who have taxed and maxed out their adrenal systems, Gold Standard may not even get you to baseline.

 

 

Cellucor C4

Where can I buy it?

• Click here to buy Cellucor C4.

 

Pros of Cellucor C4

Cellucor C4: Is there anyone who doesn't know the name of this pre-workout? C4 has been around the block time and again. In fact, Cellucor has released a series of C4 spin-off products including C4 Ripped and C4 Extreme. Today, let's focus on the classic formula.

 

As far as energy goes, C4 can't be beat. We love the combination of Velvet Bean with Caffeine and Theacrine. Studies show that when you mix Caffeine with Theacrine, you can avoid the classic jitters and instead focus on the energy boosting. What's a workout without a pump? C4 has long been one of the best nitric oxide blends featuring Creatine Nitrate and AAK (Arginine Alpha Ketoglutarate), which are two of the most used N.O. boosters on the market. (1-3)

 

Cons of Cellucor C4

We love C4; however, what we don't like is mystery. That's what you get with C4's proprietary blend, which makes it impossible to know exactly how much of each ingredient you are getting in the energy blend. With that said, seeing as how C4 is still a fan favourite, it's a safe bet that you are getting a high enough dose of the energy boosting formula to crush your workout.

 

Conclusion

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout and Cellucor C4 are both amazing products and they are giants in the industry for a reason. Both offers formulas that kickstart energy levels, support performance, and enhance any workout. The deal breaker is going to be how much of a caffeine tolerance you have. If you need several cups of coffee just to get you started in the morning, we would recommend C4. If you've never experimented with pre-workouts before, go with Gold Standard.

 

References

1. Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Lejeune MP, Kovacs EM. Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation. Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204.

2. Daniel J. Kuhman, Keanan J. Joyner, and Richard J. Bloomer. Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women. Nutrients. 2015 Nov; 7(11): 9618–9632.

3. Elfego Galvan, Dillon K. Walker, Sunday Y. Smbo, Ryan Dalton, Kyle Levers, Abigail O'Connor, Chelsea Goodenough, Nicholas D. Barringer, Mike Greenwood, Christopher Rasmussen, Stephen B. Smith, Steven E. Riechman, James D. Fluckey, Peter S. Murano, Conrad P. Earnest and Richard B. Kreider. Acute and chronic safety and efficacy of dose dependent creatine nitrate supplementation and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition201613:12. DOI: 10.1186/s12970-016-0124-0.

With pre-workouts leading the way in the supplement industry, some of you may be surprised to learn that the term 'pre-workout' encompasses more than just a simple caffeine product. Pre-workout is used to describe any supplement that is taken before your workout to improve your overall performance and results. Energy boosting pre-workouts are just one facet of a huge category.

 

Cellucor is one of the top contenders in the pre-workout industry as it has several pre-workout products, all of which promise to boost your workout in different ways. Today, let's take a look at two extremely popular pre-workouts from the brand, Cellucor CN3 and Cellucor C4, to see which one is worth buying.

 

Cellucor CN3

Where can I buy it?

• Click here to buy Cellucor CN3.

 

Pros of Cellucor CN3

Cellucor CN3 is commonly referred to as a N.O. Booster. Nitric Oxide boosters are used to promote blood flow and oxygen uptake into muscle tissue. Benefits from this may include better performance and strength as tissue is able to capitalize on the increased nutrient delivery and blood flow. When you use an N.O. booster, you may experience 'the pump.' This is when blood swells in the muscle being worked. It's a feeling that most serious lifters strive to accomplish each workout.

 

Cellucor CN3 contains Creatine Nitrate, the result of bonding nitrate with creatine monohydrate. Studies show that using 3 grams of Creatine Nitrate each day is safe, well tolerated by most, and may result in boosting your performance. Subjects saw a significant improvement in their bench press results, suggesting that Creatine Nitrate may also increase strength levels as well. This is very important if your goals include strength gains and lean muscle mass. (1, 2)

 

Cons of Cellucor CN3

There are no downsides to using Cellucor CN3. The only two ingredients are Creatine Nitrate and Vitamin C. Most importantly, the Creatine Nitrate has been dosed at 3 grams per serving, which was the ideal range as shown in the studies. This is a solid pre-workout product.

 

Cellucor C4

Where can I buy it?

• Click here to buy Cellucor C4.

 

Pros of Cellucor C4

Cellucor C4 has been around the pre-workout circuit for a long time. As one of the pioneers of next level pre-workouts, C4 has gained a massive following and it's not hard to see why. It contains a variety of energy boosters such as Caffeine Anhydrous, Velvet Bean, and Theacrine but it also has a nitric oxide boosting blend featuring Creatine Nitrate and AAK (Arginine Alpha Ketoglutarate).

 

The energy boosting formula contains caffeine and theacrine, which is an amazing blend. Studies show that pairing these two together results in higher energy levels without the anxiousness associated with caffeine use. Also, the use of Beta Alanine may be a great way to boost strength and performance. (2-4)

 

Cons of Cellucor C4

While it does have Creatine Nitrate (the main ingredient in CN3), it is only dosed at one gram, making it essentially ineffective compared to the proper dose of 3 grams. This can be remedied by pairing up C4 with CN3, as I talk about below. (1)

 

The only other issue we have with C4 is the use of the proprietary blend, which makes it impossible to know exactly how much of each ingredient you are getting in the energy blend. Still, this isn't a huge issue because you can assess your tolerance with C4 using a single serving, making it obvious that the dose is high enough to work.

 

Conclusion

Cellucor CN3 and Cellucor C4 are both fantastic products in the same category but they couldn't be further apart in terms of functionality. CN3 is a nitric oxide booster that may be able to increase strength levels, overall performance, and that pump you feel during the workout. Cellucor C4, on the other hand, is used to increase energy, boost focus, and promote performance. If you're serious about your workouts, then ideally you should be getting both of these products as they may have a significant impact on your gains.

 

References

1. Elfego Galvan, Dillon K. Walker, Sunday Y. Simbo, Ryan Dalton, Kyle Levers, Abigail O'Connor, Chelsea Goodenough, Nicholas D. Barringer, Mike Greenwood, Christopher Rasmussen, Stephen B. Smith, Steven E. Riechman, James D. Fluckey, Peter S. Murano, Conrad P. Earnest and Richard B. Kreider. Acute and chronic safety and efficacy of dose dependent creatine nitrate supplementation and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition201613:12. DOI: 10.1186/s12970-016-0124-0.

2. Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Lejeune MP, Kovacs EM. Body weight loss and weight maintenance in relation to habitual caffeine intake and green tea supplementation. Obes Res. 2005 Jul;13(7):1195-204.

3. Daniel J. Kuhman, Keanan J. Joyner, and Richard J. Bloomer. Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women. Nutrients. 2015 Nov; 7(11): 9618–9632.

4. Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of ?-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012 Jul;43(1):25-37. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

In the supplement market, there are great pre-workouts and there are the best pre-workouts. If you've been using supplements for a while, German American Training and Cellucor are no stranger to your ear. These two giants have two of the best-selling products but are Nitraflex and C4 really all they're cracked up to be? Let's review these two supplements to see which one is worth picking up.

 

GAT Nitraflex

Where can I buy it?

• Here's where you can buy GAT Nitraflex.

 

Pros of GAT Nitraflex

Right away, you can see that GAT's Nitraflex is geared towards a male audience and this has everything to do with the fact that there is a testosterone support agent inside of this pre-workout. I'll speak more on that below.

 

As to the pre-workout itself, Nitraflex hosts an impressive combination of ingredients that combine stimulants and nootropics, or 'brain boosting' compounds. Ingredients of note are the following:

Raulwolfia

• Similar to Yohimbe in structure and function
• Supports weight loss
• May trigger boost in norepinephrine (energy) without an increase in blood pressure (1)

Caffeine

• Famous stimulant
• May significantly boost your energy levels
• May increase mental focus and alertness (2)

DMAE Bitartrate

• May be beneficial for neuromuscular health
• May boost focus and memory
• May prevent feeling of anxiousness, which is common feeling with stimulants (3)

 

Cons of GAT Nitraflex

There are two concerns with Nitraflex that I have: First, GAT uses a proprietary blend. This is frustrating because you don't know exactly how much of a certain ingredient you're getting in this blend. With the blend being 7.2 grams, you have to wonder just how effective the pre-workout can be. For example, elite pre-workouts use 2 to 3 grams of Beta Alanine alone. With that said, this is an impressive line-up and at 7 grams, there should be a decent amount of everything in there. As always you can double the dose.

The only other issue we have is with marketing. By adding the unproven testosterone booster into the pre-workout, GAT is losing out on a potential female market. I'd say ditch the unproven t-booster and market to everyone.

 

Cellucor C4

 

Where can I buy it?

• Here's where you can buy Cellucor C4.

 

Pros of Cellucor C4

C4 by Cellucor has been dominating the pre-workout market for a long time. User reviews report that C4 gives them the energy they need without the crash that comes with caffeine-dominant supplements. This may be directly related to the use of Theacrine, which is considered a softer cousin of caffeine. One study revealed that taking a mixture of both caffeine and Theacrine resulted in an increase in cognitive function and energy without the rise in blood pressure associated with other stimulants. (4)

Cellucor C4 is also backed by Beta Alanine, Arginine Alpha Ketoglutarate, and Creatine Nitrate. Again, you're looking a solid line-up of ingredients that have all been the subject of research, study, and fanfare.

 

Cons of Cellucor C4

Like GAT, Cellucor uses a proprietary blend when it matters most. They do reveal that C4 only has 150 mg of caffeine per serving but you're left in the dark with the other 275 mg of the blend. With that said Cellucor does provide the information for most of the other ingredients, which is helpful. As I mentioned above, you could double the dose, if need be, but I feel as if one serving will be plenty considering ingredients like Beta Alanine are dosed appropriately.

 

Conclusion

You have two industry giants with two amazing products. It's impossible to choose between them because both have so much to offer. Despite relying on proprietary blends, GAT and Cellucor are providing products that are sure to get you through your workouts. I really like the addition of Theacrine in C4 but I'm also a huge fan of the Raulwolfia in Nitraflex. I'd suggest buying both and see which one is better for your body type.

 

References

1. Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Alpha Blockers." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

2. Costill DL, Dalsky GP, Fink WJ. Effects of caffeine ingestion on metabolism and exercise performance. Medicine and Science in Sports [1978, 10(3):155-158]

3. Caille E.-J. Study concerning the bisorcate demanol effects upon quantified EEG, cortical vigilance and mood. Comparative double-blind, cross-over balanced design versus pirisudanol. Psychol Med. 1986;18:2069-2086.

4. Daniel J. Kuhman, Keanan J. Joyner, and Richard J. Bloomer. Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women. Nutrients. 2015 Nov; 7(11): 9618–9632.

Although the term 'pre-workout' includes any type of supplement that will provide an energy boosting effect, veterans in the industry know that not all pre-workouts are made the same. A low quality pre-workout supplement may give you a small initial boost but then have you crash later. Compare that to heavy hitting, Ephedra-based pre-workouts and you'd be amazed at the difference. Some pre-workouts are so extreme, they come with very explicit warnings. The latter is what we are dealing with today.

 

Two of the industry's biggest names, C4 and Pro Supps, both have some of the most extreme pre-workout supplements ever created. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of both to see which one is worth buying.

 

Cellucor C4

 

Where can I buy it?

• Buy Cellucor C4

 

Cellucor is a company with a long standing history in the industry. It's produced some of the best supplements with an emphasis on the pre-workout category. C4 has been a fan favorite for years and with good reason: it works. Even with the recipe changes over the years, C4 is still one of the best-selling pre-workouts industry-wide.

 

C4's claim to fame with energy boosting has to do with its Explosive Energy Blend, which consists of caffeine, L-Tyrosine, and, most importantly, TeaCor™ Tetramethyluric Acid (explained below). On top of this, you're getting several ingredients that have been shown to support muscle building.

 

Pros:

• Muscle building blend of Beta Alanine, Creatine Nitrate, Arginine AKG.
• Contains TeaCor™, which has been a recent addition to many pre-workout supplements because of the intense energy and metal focus it provides.

 

Cons:

• Artificial sweeteners, coloring, and preservatives.
• The energy blend may be too much for some. Although it's not as extreme as Mr. Hyde (more on that below), it still can pose problems for those with a caffeine sensitivity. Start with a lower dose and work your way up.

 

 

Pro Supps Mr. Hyde

 

Where can I buy it?

• Buy Pro Supps Mr. Hyde

 

Pro Supps is a newer supplement company but one that didn't take long to make waves. Offering a unique line of extreme supplement, one of the best-selling supplements from the company is, without a doubt, the pre-workout, Mr. Hyde.

 

Mr. Hyde is every bit of extreme as the literary character. It offers a complex caffeine matrix, featuring three types of caffeine as well as a number of super thermogenics. These thermogenics include Yohimbe and Rauwolfia Vomitoria Root. What's more, Mr. Hyde has your muscles covered with a unique blend of ingredients to support NO production and pumps.

 

Pros:

• Pre-workout lean muscle mass support with Beta Alanine, Agmatine Sulfate, and L-Citrulline Aspartate.
• Packed with thermogenics to support fat loss.
• Guaranteed to provide extremely high energy that doesn't result in crashing.

 

Cons:

• Artificial sweeteners, coloring, and preservatives.
• Caffeine content may be too high for some. There are many stories in forums about how Mr. Hyde can cause dizziness, nausea, and headaches. Its caffeine matrix has over 400 mg of caffeine for ONE scoop. If you want to try Mr. Hyde, start with half or a quarter scoop.

 

Conclusion

 

While both of these pre-workouts are extreme, they each have a lot to offer. Both C4 and Mr. Hyde contain muscle supporting ingredients although Mr. Hyde offers more and at a greater dosage. Price wise, they are interchangeable. It really comes down to preference and tolerance. C4 is extreme but it doesn't have the insane caffeine and intensity matrix that Mr. Hyde offers. Try each and see how you do.