4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout [Are They Any Good?]
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4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout
Todays 4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout comparison is a clash of two big brands.
It’s always an interesting battle when the big guns are in town, and that’s just what we are after today.
The product that can safely give us the gains we desire, as well as some other traits, is going to succeed.
Which one can give us what we want though? Both products need to provide the following:
- Increased energy
- Enhanced focus
- Greater muscle pumps
- Big gains!
Anything less than this and they will be missing something.
Let’s start by getting to know them a little.
4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout: Who Makes These Products?
Roar Ambition
The team behind 4 Gauge is this UK based company.
They make everything to the approval of the FDA and GMP and there are a tonne of 4 Gauge before and after profiles online. Clearly, people are pleased with their results.
We like that they review and amend their ingredient profiles regularly. This means that the customer is getting the best possible version at all times.
Roar Ambition ship directly from both the UK and USA and you get a tracking number as well. They also give their customers a big money back guarantee, making purchasing risk free.
If you like endorsements then theirs are impressive. UFC fighter Diego Sanchez puts his name to their fat burner, Instant Knockout. Also, they have former Mr. Universe Robby Robinson putting his name to their T Booster TestoFuel.
Cellucor
This is the US-based team behind our second product today.
Their motto is Better is Never Enough. Good to see a bit of confidence from them. We like that they also have a money back guarantee and Cellucor is a brand under the company Nutrabolt who are based in Texas.
This product has some typical usage directions, but they also advise that it could cause a ’harmless tingling sensation, which is attributed to Beta-alanine’ – but more on that later!
They do have sponsored athletes, but they aren’t the level of names of Roar Ambition. They have Crossfit athletes and personal trainers. For a lot of people, these won’t be household names but we like that they are getting behind them.
Cellucor products include the likes of fat burners and creatine related post workout supplements.
They’ve been around for a long and are now one of the bigger brands in the industry.
By going down the Amazon route of selling they might shift a lot of products, but this isn’t an approach everyone favors. A lot of companies prefer not to list on there because of the abundance of low-quality products that appear.
4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Ingredients
Now we can really set these two apart.
The early signs are good for 4 Gauge – no proprietary blends. Unfortunately, Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout has included one that includes half of their ingredients. This means not all of their dosages are revealed.
Still, there is a lot to go on.
Mutual Ingredients
Citrulline
Up there with the best pre-workout ingredients going.
A great start because it has been shown to work at increasing blood flow. This is going to get you the big gains you want. The nitric oxide levels that Citrulline increase means you can achieve those big pumps as well.
It is derived from watermelons and turns into Arginine in the body. This helps with creatine synthesis, both products already contain Creatine making this a useful top up.
The 6 g included in both products is a very big and beneficial dosage.
Creatine
Another great ingredient.
Both products have started well and Examine.com tells us that Creatine is often used by athletes to increase power output and lean mass.
With the backing of a lot of studies, it is widely believed to be a very safe and effective ingredient.
It aids your physical performance and the muscles specifically. By providing more strength it is a great ingredient for a pre-workout and can even make sure you recover faster post workout. By getting Creatine into your body pre-workout, it can start the recovery process early.
There are studies that show how Creatine can benefit the body at any time. One study tells of how supplementing Creatine during arm flexor strength training was found to lead to greater increases in arm flexor muscle strength, upper arm muscle area, and fat-free mass than strength training alone.
The dosage of 1.5 g is another good one from Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout, as is the 1 g in 4 Gauge.
Caffeine Anhydrous
One of the most common pre-workout ingredients going.
It is a reliable source of energy which is what you need when you enter the gym.
By increasing alertness and focus it is a great ingredient for this type of supplement.
The anhydrous side refers to the fact that it is a powdered form that is easily absorbed by the body and works fast.
It is an ingredient found in everything from fat burners to nootropics so you can see how popular it is.
Even though it is in their proprietary blend, Cellucor tells us that there is 300 mg per serving. This is a bit on the high side in one go so look out for headaches, jitters, insomnia and more.
4 Gauge have included an effective and safe 150 mg.
Individual Ingredients
4 Gauge
Rhodiola
A good ingredient and this Scandinavian herb is widely associated with being able to raise spirits.
Rhodiola is a useful ingredient for a pre-workout because it can keep your mind sharp. The increased focus will be very welcome for a lot of people as there are so many distractions in the gym.
This isn’t going to actually get you pumped on its own, but it might help to get you in the right frame of mind.
L-Theanine
Another very clever ingredient.
Any product that uses stimulants needs to contain ingredients that help the body to stay calm.
L-Theanine makes sure that you stay in control even when the likes of Caffeine do their thing. Found in Green Tea Leaves it even makes sure that the positive effects of Caffeine last longer.
The Caffeine content isn’t even that high in 4 Gauge, it is just useful to know that these ingredients have been included as well. The 200 mg in 4 Gauge is everything you need.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
An ingredient that has a lot to offer.
L-Carnitine increases energy levels and also aids fat burning. It is an ingredient that will help you get the most out of your time in the gym, and get you shredded.
The 500 mg dosage is a very effective one.
Red Beet
Red Beet is useful for enhancing blood flow.
This is the sort of ingredient you want to see in your pre-workout because it increases plasma nitrate levels which gives the user more stamina. It remains a natural and safe way of doing this.
The added blood flow is going to be of most benefit for your muscle pumps – bigger gains are what you are after.
At 300 mg, you are getting a good amount as well.
Coconut Water Powder
When you can up your performance in the gym, you are going to need to stay hydrated. That’s exactly what this ingredient offers.
Coconut Water is known for being full of electrolytes which are what the body needs to keep fluid levels topped up.
The 300 mg dosage is another optimal one.
Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout
Beta-Alanine
Not a great ingredient in our eyes.
To start, WebMD say that Beta-Alanine is a nonessential amino acid that is produced by the body. The potential side effects are mild in effect but are still inconvenient.
Cellucor even tells you that this ingredient can cause paresthesia, this will put some people off. It is basically a tingling sensation of the skin. It may pass within a couple of hours but the benefits don’t really make it worthwhile.
This is because it doesn’t get a lot of support.
Beta-Alanine is mostly thought to be able to fight fatigue but as we mentioned, not a lot of people get behind this.
At 3.2 g, there is plenty of it which can mean you experience paresthesia. Anything dosage more than 800 mg is often considered to be able to do this.
Betaine Anhydrous
Derived from beets and is something found naturally in the body.
It increases protein synthesis, for this reason, it is good for strength and muscle growth.
There are better ingredients for the above that are more effective but the 1.5 g should be useful.
Nitrosigine Arginine
This is the patented version that is thought to be good for a pre-workout because it is a nitric oxide booster.
This is beneficial for blood flow to the muscles as well as the big muscle pumps and gains. Nitrosigine Arginine also removes toxins from the body that start to gather during intense workouts which makes it even better.
At 1.5 g it is another good dosage.
Taurine
A lot of people mistakenly think that Taurine is a stimulant. This is because it is found in energy drinks.
The reason it is included is to counter to negative traits of the stimulants. It helps the user to stay calm and makes sure the positive elements of the likes of Caffeine can still get to work.
Taurine can increase blood flow and also works as an antioxidant.
Because of its calming effects, it is found in nootropics. The problem is there aren’t a lot of human trials to support its potential.
Animal studies have shown some promise but we need more than that.
The dosage of 1 g is a good one though.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
A good ingredient to include, but once again, its main benefits are linked to the stimulants.
It helps you to keep calm during stressful situations and has also been found to boost focus.
The proprietary blend stops us from knowing how useful this good ingredient can be.
Velvet Bean
Often known as Mucuna Pruriens the benefits are only really for those looking for a T booster.
It is thought to be able to raise T levels up to a normal level, but not beyond that.
Velvet Bean stimulates the luteinizing hormone which helps to create and release more testosterone but you need a fair dosage for it to work.
It’s not exactly what we are after anyway.
Theacrine
Another stimulant like ingredient.
The energy boost is going to be useful but we already have a lot of Caffeine.
With no dosage, you don’t know if you are really getting the right amount- or even too much!
Alpha GPC
Another ingredient that could be out of place.
Mostly found in nootropics, it is included to give you increased focus. It is thought to be good for helping you to make a split decision sand stave off cognitive decline.
Zembrin
This is basically a branded form of Kanna.
Examine.com say that it is a herb that is traditionally chewed before stressful endeavors.
They also tell us that it may play a role in reducing state anxiety although further evidence is required.
An understudied ingredient is never a good thing.
Rauwolfia Vomitoria Root
Not exactly a common ingredient and one we don’t really like to see in any supplement.
Rauwolfia Vomitoria is thought to be able to prevent the body from storing as much fat but there isn’t a great deal of backing for this.
It is similar in structure to Yohimbine which has been found to cause some serious side effects.
Examine.com advises that it might be more potent than Yohimbine but limited evidence exists.
Also, WebMD say that Canada has actually banned supplements containing Rauwolfia Vomitoria because it contains high levels of chemicals that are prescription drugs.
Huperzine A
The last ingredient.
Huperzine A has links to enhancing cognitive capabilities and help the user to concentrate in the gym.
A better end than the previous few ingredients but even still, we don’t have the dosage so can’t see how good it can be.
4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Side Effects
The easy place to start is with 4 Gauge.
Their list of natural ingredients at sensible but effective dosages means it is going to really work, but also be safe.
The same cannot be said for Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout though. They include Beta-Alanine which has been found to cause paresthesia.
Then there is the Caffeine content. It should be ok but 300 mg can be a lot all at once. Also, consider Rauwolfia Vomitoria, banned in Canada and likened to Yohimbine.
To top it all off, the proprietary blend stops you from knowing if some of the ingredients have been dosed too high.
4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Pros and Cons
4 Gauge Pros
Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Pros
4 Gauge Cons
Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Cons
4 Gauge vs Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout Conclusion
Winner: 4 Gauge
Read our full 4 Gauge Review
Buy 4 Gauge from www.4gauge.com
(Clean Lean Machine Tip: Buy 3 bottles and get a 4th bottle FREE whilst the offer is still available!)
An easy one today.
4 Gauge just contains too many of the best pre-workout ingredients at optimal dosages.
There is no filler. We say this because Cellucor C4 Ultimate Pre Workout also has a lot of good in there, they just didn’t maintain their momentum after their good start.
If you want a product that is really going to give you the benefits you want, then 4 Gauge is the answer.
Buy 4 Gauge from www.4gauge.com
Professional b-boy (breakdancer) and all-round health, fitness, weightlifting, calisthenics, climbing and movement addict since childhood! Raised by health and nutrition obsessed parents, he’s keen to research and question everything. Oliver absolutely loves learning, optimizing and improving himself and his performance and has a passion for helping others to achieve the same!
