Anybody have feedback regarding c4 supplements?

[Ns1]

My more casual workout friends all swear by this C4 supplement. What say you ATOT? Worthwhile, or snake oil?

http://www.gnc.com/Cellucor-C4/prod...8629015?productId=59942976&flavourID=53538166

 

[cbrunny]

looks like electrolytes, caffiene, and creatine. Not a lifter so no idea if this is actually helpful but I'd wager a tenner that you could have the same effect by chugging a coffee 30 mins before a workout too.

 

[deadlyapp]

C4 was the first pre-workout I tried using and I was relatively unimpressed by it. The marketing behind cellucor is top notch though so it gets pushed pretty hard.

The ones I've been most happy with were Dr. Hyde and GAT Nitraflex. I've also tried the Optimum Nutrition Platinum, the Arnold Iron Pump, and MP Assault.

To answer your question though, a preworkout is usually designed to do a few things:
1. Energy boost (caffeine typically with some other things mixed in)
2. Blood Flow (NO blends to improve vascularity and blood flow)
3. Strength (creatine blends)

There is no doubt that creatine is the single most useful thing out of all of the above, but most people recommend it post-workout, and the creatine in the preworkouts is usually not enough anyways (5g recommended). Energy you can get through a caffeine pill or another source. Vascularity, while impressive looking during your workout, is questionably useful from what I've read.

I'm about to cycle off pre-workout for a month (I've been constant with different preworkouts for quite a few months now) and then may look into blending my own using pure caffeine, beta alanine, BCAAs, etc. after some of my own research.

 

[edro]

I've used C4 a handful of times. It definitely gives you a boost, but I'm sure some of that is placebo.
The beta alanine is interesting the first time. It makes your skin tingle; you feel magical
It starts 5min after you drink it and wears off in about 10min.
They are pretty tasty. It's just like drinking koolaid, except it doesn't mix real well with cold water, so you get some very small white chunks.

You can get pre-workout free samples from GNC or other supplement stores.
Most also offer a $2-4 sample packet.
Try a few out for a week or so. Low risk.

My problem is I always forget to take them.
I have a stack of sample packets in my work desk and always forget to mix/drink them.

 

[SP33Demon]

There are really only a couple ingredients I look for in a pre-workout:
1) B Vitamins
2) Caffeine
3) Citrulline
4) Aminos and/or HMB (usually have to take them separate since most preworkouts won't have them)
5) Tyrosine
6) Taurine

ON's gold standard preworkout has 4/6 of these (vs 3 in C4 which is more per serving) so I take that a few times a week. The extra stuff is nice to have (like Vit D3, creatine, astra-gin blend, beta alanine) but not necessary for me. You just have to test the supplements individually and see what works for you and then look for a supp that can combine the most for the cheapest price.

C4 does have Mucuna in it which is unique and I think the limited research on it has been promising... but of course they don't tell you the exact amount because... proprietary blend. ugh. Better to just take it on its own so you can know and control the dose. Last, C4 also has Arginine that really does nothing for your workout according to studies. Citrulline (which is converted to Arginine) is superior in every way so it tells me that C4 didn't do their homework on recent studies.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I use it. Mostly because I wake up early in the morning to work out and it works pretty well to cut through the last of my drowsiness before I start. I don't really think it increases my performance by any significant amount. If I wanted to wake up a little bit earlier and brew some coffee before I started I probably wouldn't even need it, but I like sleeping too much for that. I wouldn't bother with it if I worked out in the afternoons though.

 

[BW86]

I used c4 for a little while but stopped since it was just too expensive for what was in it. I make my own now by getting the powder from BulkSupplements and weighing it myself. I forget the exact number but it comes out to around $0.60 a serving.

What I currently take:
6g L-Citrulline DL-Malate 2:1
5g Creatine
4g Beta-Alanine
2g Taurine
250mg Caffiene (pill)

 

[SNC]

I tried C4 one time and almost killed a guy on my way to the gym! I react very negatively to whatever is in that.

 

[Sixguns]

I used c4 for a little while but stopped since it was just too expensive for what was in it. I make my own now by getting the powder from BulkSupplements and weighing it myself. I forget the exact number but it comes out to around $0.60 a serving.

What I currently take:
6g L-Citrulline DL-Malate 2:1
5g Creatine
4g Beta-Alanine
2g Taurine
250mg Caffiene (pill)

I do that too! Almost the same stack also

 

[Ns1]

so y'all are saying a C4 could theoretically eliminate the need for my 32oz coffee in the morning, if I could change my schedule to workout in the morning?

I wonder if this would work for cycling?

 

[QueBert]

C4's good but nothing great. If you have a Nutrishop around you, go in and ask for a sample of N'Sane. If you like the energy you get from coffee. Try PepTest Bulk from M.A.N. Sports. FOUR HUNDRED Mg's of caffeine per scoop. Also has a few caffeine like stimulants in it. I got the Sour Batch flavor, tastes spot on if Sour Patch Kids had a drink. Or go to a 7-11 and get a bottle of VPX Redline, ONLY drink half. Nothing really gives me energy, a bottle of Redline and I'm flying.