Which pre-workout should you choose for your next strength training program? With so many options, it can be a difficult question to answer. But I’ve tested many pre-workouts over the years, and in this review, my team and I will look to see if C4 Ultimate is good and if it has what it takes to give you a boost when hitting the gym.
Is C4 Ultimate Good?
C4 Ultimate is a good quality supplement with numerous ingredients proven to boost energy levels, increase endurance, combat muscular fatigue, and improve overall gym performance.
It contains proven ingredients that will help you perform at your best in the gym and allow for maximum muscle gains.
How Does C4 Ultimate Work?
Once mixed with 10-12 ounces of water and consumed 20-30 minutes before exercise, you will soon feel its effects kick in.
Benefits of C4 Ultimate include:
- An increase in energy: more energy means you will be able to perform more reps. And with this increased volume, it can lead to more strength and muscle gains.
- Better muscular endurance: is important for those who perform sports as it allows you to perform at a high level for longer.
- Combat muscular fatigue: you won’t quit your workout early due to a lactic acid build-up.
- Massive pumps: allow blood and nutrients to reach your muscles and kick-start in your recovery post-workout.
Pros of C4 Ultimate
From our tests, we can say that this product has many pros, including:
- Good quality ingredients: will ensure you can perform to your best ability
- Effective results: more reps over time will result in better muscle and strength gains
- Mixes well: no one wants a clumpy drink
- Good value for money: you don’t want to waste your hard-earned money on a product that does not work
Cons of C4 Ultimate
There are a couple of issues:
- Not the best-tasting pre-workout: if the drink tastes bad, you will probably avoid drinking it.
- Nothing to aid the absorption of ingredients: poor absorption means that the ingredients may take a while to work, or offer limited benefits.
C4 Ultimate Ingredients
The best way to check the accuracy of any claimed benefits is to look more closely at the ingredients used:
C4 Super Citrulline Pump Matrix
This matrix is a mixture of three ingredients: l-citrulline, citrulline nitrate, and citrulline malate.
Each ingredient can increase circulation, vasodilation, and those pumps you experience when lifting weights.
When you experience increased circulation, more blood and nutrients will be delivered to your muscles, ensuring you can perform better when working out.
While l-citrulline is effective, both the nitrate and malate varieties are superior and are absorbed more effectively.
CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is an effective endurance booster that reduces the effects of lactic acid during exercise.
It can help:
- Reduce muscular fatigue
- Increase power and strength
Creatine
This supplement contains two different varieties of creatine: CON-CRET (creatine HCI) and creatine nitrate.
Creatine is a powerful ingredient that promotes a range of benefits, including:
- Improved exercise performance
- Helps with recovery after exercise
- Boost muscle mass
- Increases anabolic hormones
- Reduces dehydration and muscle cramps
There are 2 grams of creatine in each serving, which is a little on the lower side. You should consume 3-5 grams daily for best results. However, creatine won’t be the reason to buy this supplement. It is just a bonus.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid that can improve endurance and performance. There is also research that suggests that it can help with mental focus and cognition.
This amino acid can help with water-based pumps. It would help if you drank plenty of water to experience these effects.
Caffeine Anhydrous
Caffeine is a well-known stimulant that you will find in most pre-workout supplements. It can provide numerous benefits, including:
- Energy boost
- Improved performance
- Better focus and mood
This product contains 300 mg in each serving, on the recommended scale’s upper end. With this in mind, you should be cautious if you have little experience with high caffeine doses.
AlphaSize
AlphaSize is a choline compound created to promote the release of neurotransmitters that improve your mind-to-muscle connection.
This ingredient can help:
- Maintain healthy body composition
- Retain lean muscle mass
- Boost strength
- Reduce fat mass
Theacrine
Theacrine is an alkaloid created by synthesizing caffeine found in plants. This particular ingredient works similarly to caffeine, so it will help boost your energy levels.
Toothed Clubmoss
Often called huperzine, this is a plant native to Eastern Asia. This nootropic can help:
- Increase motivation and focus
- Enhance cognitive function
Rauwolfia Vomitoria Root Bark Extract
This ingredient is traditionally used in African medicine, where it is used to treat mental disorders. It is an effective mood enhancer that may help reduce your sensitivity to pain.
While these ingredients are impressive, there are a few things we would have liked to have seen. For instance, no ingredient present will help absorb these ingredients, such as black pepper.
Due to the caffeine content found in this product, you should avoid it if you are under the age of 18 or if you are pregnant or nursing.
Caffeine can cause side effects such as:
- Jitters
- Insomnia
- Stomach upset
- Raised heart rate
If you are sensitive to caffeine, start with a smaller dosage until you become more tolerant of this ingredient.
This supplement also contains beta-alanine, which can cause skin tingling. Although this effect can be alarming, it is nothing to worry about and will soon go away.
Taste and Mixability of C4 Ultimate
Unfortunately, the taste of this pre-workout is what lets it down. We have tasted much nicer pre-workouts. There was a slightly artificial flavor that did not sit right with me.
As for mixability, in our tests, we found that this pre-workout mixed well, and there was no clumping or much residue left after the mixture was consumed.
Stacking Pre-Workout With Protein Powder
Stacking protein powder with your pre-workout is a great way to absorb protein quickly. Your body can then use this protein to repair the damaged muscle fibers torn during your workout.
Related Questions
What Is C4 Ultimate Good For?
C4 Ultimate is good for fuelling your workout, providing intense muscle pumps with a strength increase and improved focus. There is concern about the efficiency of absorption, so if this is a concern for you there are better options on the market.
Is C4 Ultimate Strong?
Yes, C4 Ultimate is strong with it’s high caffeine content. It is the strongest pre-workout available in the C4 line manufactured by Cellucor.
Is C4 Ultimate Good for Beginners?
Beginners can use C4 Ultimate, although you may want to take half the recommended dosage until you can build up a tolerance to its ingredients. If you have a caffeine sensitivity, you should avoid this product.
Conclusion
C4 Ultimate is a good quality product that contains many beneficial ingredients. I have no doubt that using this supplement will aid your training. The only disappointing aspect was the taste, which I did not like.
Regardless, it is undoubtedly one of the better options available in the Cellucor range and comes highly recommended.
