In the supplement world, only one company has the balls to call themselves “Gold Standard”, and that is none other than Optimum Nutrition. Optimum Nutrition has the kind of reputation that has earned them the right to bare the title of Gold Standard.
I have here with me a can of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout. I like the look, the feel, and the gold finish. It’s definitely a can you would keep as a collector’s item of sorts.
But, I’m not here to review how pretty a piece of can is. No, we’re here to see if Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout is really worth its weight in gold.
Is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout really as good as it sounds? Read my Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout review to find out!
About Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout
Optimum Nutrition (often referred to as ON) is a reputable supplement company, known for producing only high quality supplements for every gym rat in the world. They got protein isolates, fat burners, post workouts, and even plant-based supplements! On top of that, they also sell merch and gym accessories. Quite the fitness mogul if you ask me.
- Transparent blend. Only top brands do this nowadays.
- Short formula. No fancy extras or exotics, just functional ingredients.
- Cheap: $30 a can, bro.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: nutrition label
Other Ingredients: Natural & Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Silicon Dioxide, Calcium Silicate, Caffeine (from Tea and/or Coffee Bean), Gum Blend (Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan), Sucralose, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Acesulfame Potassium, FD&C Blue #1.
BULKING or CUTTING? We teamed up with the number one bodybuilding supplement brand on the market to help you take your results to the next level. A free custom supplement plan designed to enhance your results.
Directions: Mix each scoop with 6-8 oz of water and consume 20-30 minutes before training. Start with 1 scoop or less to assess your tolerance. DO NOT EXCEED 2 SCOOPS PER DAY.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: ingredients list
I’m liking how my Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review looks so far. Zero prop blends, familiar ingredients, and dosaging that actually works. The people behind Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout definitely know how to please bloggers like me.
Vitamins
Nothing out of the ordinary here. We have your basic additions, but we want to point out that cyanocobalamin for B12 ain’t the best form. Methylcobalamin is what you want for maximum bioavailability. Won’t matter, though. If you eat a lot of meat, there’s a good chance you won’t need B12 supplementation. Now let’s move on to the nitty-gritty!
Muscle Matrix
This seems to be Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout’s muscle growth blend.
My Top Recommended Supplements
- Creatine Monohydrate. We have this in the most premium brand Creapure, guaranteeing pure creatine as well as enhanced absorption. We all know what creatine can do for performance, but it’s better as a post-workout muscle growth enhancer. One good scoop gives you three whole grams which, if I may say so myself, is impressive.
- This is a brand of an herbal mix that works like black pepper extract in that it improves absorption. I still prefer black pepper (especially the brand BioPerine) because it has an added fat burning perk to it.
Performance Composite
This is where you get your “oomph” from for each lift.
- Citrulline Malate. The best pump-enhancing ingredient in the market, citrulline ramps up nitric oxide production which results to vasodilation aka better circulation especially of nitric oxide. More NO means more power! It’s just 1.5 g, but we think it’s still good enough for lifting purposes.
- Beta-alanine. This comes in the form of a premium brand of CarnoSyn. CarnoSyn guarantees maximum beta alanine absorption and reduced itching – the side effect everyone expects from this fatigue-busting, performance enhancing The dosage is 1.5 g again, but the synergy between beta alanine and citrulline has potential.
Energy & Focus Complex
- Acetyl L-Carnitine. The best form of carnitine for brain-boosting effects. It also doubles as a fat burner not unlike our friend L-Carnitine. Dosage is good enough for the brain benefits.
- N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine. This form of tyrosine offers a lot of anti-stress benefits, because we all know a good workout is stressful from start to finish. Dosing is a bit on the weak side, though.
- We have 175 mg of our favorite stimulant caffeine. Weak for a lot of hardcore lifters, good enough for newbies. Doubling the dose, as Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout recommends, spikes this to 350 mg!
- Citrus Bioflavonoids. This ingredient is cited for muscle recovery and some antioxidant activity. You know, basic flavonoid stuff.
Writer’s note: Although it’s unnecessary, let me just point out the glaring fact that Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout has quite a block of text for their Other Ingredients list.
You’ve seen me rant about other ingredients in other supplements, but the fact that a premium company like Optimum Nutrition couldn’t find it in themselves to reduce the fluff. I know some of these ingredients contribute to the good taste, but do we really need that many extra ingredients in a supplement that will likely only stay in my mouth for like 2-3 seconds?
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review vs C4 Pre Workout
Some customers draw comparisons between Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout and C4 Pre workout. I guess it has to do with having similar formula structures. I’ve done a C4 Pre Workout review before and I thought I gave it a fair shake, giving it an “okay” rating.
I don’t know why people think they’re the same; they only really share three key ingredients, and I’m pretty sure C4 Pre Workout is dosed weaker than what I’ve seen from Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout.
Even if you doubled the scoop on C4 pre workout, it would still be generally weaker than Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout.
You would only really go for C4 pre workout if you’re after mad pumps and performance. However, I’m more biased towards supplements that offer more bang for my buck, so my official vote in this argument is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: formula analysis
My Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review looks to be ending on a positive note judging from the formula, dosing, and potential synergy of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout.
We have the likes of creatine, citrulline, and beta-alanine for a powerful performance boost. Creatine improves overall strength, citrulline releases a wave of pump-boosting nitric oxide in the bloodstream, and beta-alanine supports creatine, but also helps delay muscle fatigue. A combined dosage of 6 g plus 25 mg of AstraGIN for an absorption boost makes this quite a terrible combination.
Now imagine that whirlwind of ingredients and effects times two. That’s what you’ll get if you take the 2-scoop recommendation, bro. The 2-scoop serving also enhances Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout’s nootropic side, making you have laser-focus on your training and totally ignoring the hot blue-eyed blonde sporting skin-tight leggings next to you. (Sike! Made you look!)
While it is tempting to 2-scoop on the get-go, I do have to remind you that Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout has caffeine and doubling the serving effectively ramps up the energy as well as the potential side effects of this stimulant.
Are you serious about FINALLY losing that stubborn belly fat? Then this is for you. Powerful fat burner that helps you supercharge your metabolism for fast results.
The way I see it, you have two options in using Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout:
- Use the single-serving and just drink an extra cup of coffee plus a good workout for the needed energy.
- Go for 2-scoops and embrace the suck that comes after.
However you want to do it, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout is a great pre workout to bring with you.
Legal muscle-building supplement that's designed to mimic the effects of dianabol without all side effects.
So, does Insane Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout work?
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout checks the boxes for all your basic training needs and more. You can lift harder and longer as well as have a mentally easier time training.
They also recommend Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout for “Anytime Energy.” While I don’t mind chugging down a glass or two to start my day, I don’t think I know anyone who drinks Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout outside the gym.
Does Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout have a lot of caffeine?
The one-scoop serving has a modest amount of caffeine at 175 mg, but the 2-scoop serving at 350 mg is too much for me.
So, is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout any good or just hype?
Oh, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout is definitely worth the hype. Optimum Nutrition is not the type of company that plays around with supplements, so any hype is often justified.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: benefits for muscle
You got a great dose of creatine mixed in, unless your nutrition is bad, I don’t see how this product won’t help you get massive gains.
Who is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review made for?
It’s made for customers who buy based on brand reputation and clinically-dosed ingredients, and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout checks both boxes. At the very least, it’s like one box and a half, bro.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: side effects
CarnoSyn is known to reduce the itching, but you might still feel something. Doesn’t matter, it won’t last long anyway. For caffeine, you either get jitters and sweats or you don’t. It’s all a matter of how you take Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: pros and cons
Pros
- Simple and clean. Short formula, but functional.
- No prop blends.
- Each ingredient complement’s the other.
- Good dosing. It’s not super-good, but good enough.
- 2-scoop potential. It’s a challenge if not anything else.
- Attractive price tag. No need to purge your bank account.
Cons
- Side effects. Going 2-scoop might give you a headache.
- No anti-caffeine. Theanine would’ve been nice.
- Other ingredients. Might want to tone it down a bit.
- Needs more pump. Just two more grams of citrulline would’ve made this perfect.
Pricing info
- 1 Can (30 servings): $29.99
- 1 Can (60 servings): $52.99
- Available online and in retail stores
- Flavors: Blueberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Green Apple, Pineapple, Strawberry Lime, and Watermelon
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout Review: summary
I think it’s fair to say Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout has earned the title of Gold Standard. I actually understand why many of my friends fawn over this pre workout.
Effective dosing, potential synergy, muscle, lift, and focus benefits, plus that premium-feel that only a brand like Optimum Nutrition can give, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout is a sight for sore eyes in an industry filled with scammers and fake claims.
The fact that it’s a simple and transparent formula makes Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout really stackable. Imagine adding a few grams citrulline and an extra scoop of creatine. Powerful, bro.
The only thing I don’t like about Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout is the absence of something like Theanine. Even an extra 100-200 mg of theanine would’ve been nice if only to counteract some side effects of caffeine.
If you can solve the caffeine problem (hint: just add theanine), I don’t see why you shouldn’t give Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout a try.
