4 Gauge Pre-Workout Reviews, Ingredients, Pros & Cons - How To Best Use This Supplement
4 Gauge was created to be the most potent natural supplement for physical and mental performance.
If you have trouble staying motivated at the gym, this could be the supplement for you.
As well as the usual benefits of a pre-workout like improved muscle growth, increased strength and endurance, this supplement really pushes you mentally to achieve your goals.
In this 4 Gauge review, we’ll take a look at just how it achieves this.
General Info - 4 Gauge
Created by Roar Ambition, these guys are known for including 100% natural and rigorously tested ingredients in their pre workouts and other supplements.
As well as the 4 Gauge pre-workout, they offer a range of products including fat burners for slimming down and testosterone builders for bulking up.
Their products are developed for fitness enthusiasts who, of course, are only looking for the most effective and safest ingredients. Based in England, their team of nutritional experts, scientists and athletes work to produce high-quality, clinically researched products.
If that isn’t enough, they also package some of their products in funky containers in the shape of fists or shotgun shells in the case of 4 Gauge.
4 Gauge Overview
This pre-workout is an impressive 4 in 1 formula that aims to build muscle, increase focus, extend stamina and provide an incredible muscle pump all in one product.
In comparison to other pre-workouts on the market, such as Pre JYM, 4 Gauge doesn’t contain as much caffeine. This means that mental focus in increased with non-stimulant based ingredients, as well as a small hit of caffeine, to keep you focused for longer and avoid a crash.
With the help of clinically tested ingredients, 4 Gauge promises faster progress in improving your muscle growth, strength and endurance and overall body goals. As well as improving your physique, you’ll see a difference in your workouts as you will be able to lift more and feel more energized throughout.
I know that for me, having the right mindset is an important part of any good workout. Without the mental focus and positive attitude, you need to hit your goals, you won’t experience the same power in your reps.
This is why it is so beneficial to take a pre-workout that values the importance of natural products and knows what to include and in what quantities to induce mental clarity.
Main Features
- Improves strength, power and endurance
- Aids muscle growth
- Improves mental focus
- Natural ingredients
- Clinically tested
Nutritional Profile & Ingredients
There are a number of key ingredients that we will look at in more detail in this 4 Gauge review.
Some of the stand out ingredients in this formula include L-Citrulline Dl-Malate (6000mg), Caffeine (150mg) and L-theanine (200mg), rhodiola rosea (100mg), and red beet (300mg).
The manufacturers are dedicated to using all-natural products and no proprietary blends so you know exactly what you are getting and in what quantities.
Containing 150mg of caffeine, which is equal to just over one cup of coffee per serving, this formula is lower in stimulants than other pre-workouts which can contain up to twice as much.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, this is a great option as the energy boost isn’t too overpowering. Combining caffeine with L-theanine is also a clever way to improve mental focus.
An interesting addition to the mix is red beet, or beta vulgaris, which we haven’t seen in many other pre-workouts. This natural nitric oxide booster enhances performance by increasing plasma nitrate.
It has been found to improve anaerobic performance, which will speed you up, and also improve your endurance, which will keep you going.
All the ingredients, as listed on the label, can be found below:
Benefits & Effectiveness
As mentioned, this formula contains a few interesting additions to the usual pre-workout mix as well as standard supplements which are integral to a good pre-workout.
For this 4 Gauge review, we’ve taken a closer look at the ingredients and the benefits they offer as well as how effective the dosages really are.
L-Citrulline Dl-Malate (6000mg)
This non-essential amino acid is important for blood and heart health and has also been found to aid your immune system. L-Citrulline Dl-Malate boosts nitric oxide production which improves blood flow.
In this pre-workout, the L-Citrulline Dl-Malate comes from watermelon extract, an entirely natural source. With blood circulating more efficiently, endurance will be boosted throughout your workout as sources of energy are continuously delivered to your muscles in the blood.
The 6000mg dosage per serving is also the optimum amount, and you won’t find this quantity in every pre-workout.
Caffeine Anhydrous (150mg)
Caffeine anhydrous is a concentrated version of caffeine which is much more powerful but with less of the negative side effects such as headaches and jitters. With half as much as some other pre-workouts, 4 Gauge doesn’t over emphasize stimulants.
This amount is ideal for anyone who is sensitive to caffeine as it is equal to just over one cup of coffee and will give you a noticeable boost without the risk of crashing later.
Caffeine slows glycogen depletion which means you will feel more energized for longer. It also enhances the strength of your muscle contractions for a more effective workout.
But then since we're talking about caffeine, it all depends how much or how less you'd like to consume. That said, I've got Jekyll & Hyde here to check which one is just right for you based on its caffeine potency.
L-Theanine (200mg)
The perfect companion for caffeine, L-theanine is an amino acid found primarily in tea leaves. With caffeine alone, you might start to feel jittery or lose your buzz after an hour resulting in a crash.
This is where L-theanine can help.
It energizes the body and relaxes the mind to avoid that jittery feeling and make sure that your pump doesn’t affect your endurance.
By relaxing your mind, it also helps you to focus on your workout and stay motivated, providing some of that incredible mental focus that 4 Gauge is praised for. With 200mg, when a lot of pre-workouts miss out this important ingredient entirely, this is a generous amount per serving.
Rhodiola Rosea (100mg)
Further improving your mood and focus, Rhodiola Rosea is a traditional Chinese medicine and Scandinavian herb which promotes cognition. This means that you’ll feel more clarity and focus during your workout.
It will also improve your mood which helps you to stay motivated.
This impressive herb has been found to combat both mental fatigue and depression. This is how 4 Gauge really targets your mental well-being and makes sure that you are not just physically ready for a tough gym session but also mentally prepared.
Creatine Monohydrate (1000mg)
As well as building muscle, Creatine Monohydrate has some interesting mental benefits. It improves your mental focus, as if you needed more ingredients for mental well-being in this formula.
Furthermore, it improves hydration and reduces fatigue which will aid endurance.
With 1000mg, this is a decent serving but it could contain more. The lower dosage might be because 4 Gauge hasn’t included creatine for its muscle building benefits but instead for its effectiveness when it comes to mental focus so it doesn’t need to add so much.
This is great for building lean muscle but if you are focusing on bulking, you might want to double up on servings to get a greater portion of creatine.
And if you're into gaining muscle mass, I'd recommend you check this pre-workout article review we have compiled for more info and resources.
Red Beet Root Extract (300mg)
Another naturally sourced ingredient, Red Beet Root Extract is full of essential vitamins and antioxidants which will give you long lasting energy instead of that immediate pump. With long term energy and an overall feeling of health, your body is sure to keep working at optimum level throughout your workout.
It increases endurance by increasing the amount of plasma nitrate in the blood and contributing to the increase in nitric oxide.
Combined with the improved blood flow you get from citrulline malate, this natural extract helps deliver more energy to the muscles for improved endurance.
Coconut Water Powder (300mg)
For better hydration, 4 Gauge also includes coconut water which has been found to have numerous health benefits. It contains electrolytes, vitamins C and D3 and can even help you burn fat with the help of the zinc and magnesium it contains.
By the way, let me mention here that coconut water is also good for cleansing and it is a good thing to practice that once in a while.
This is a great addition to the formula for superior hydration so you can take your pre-workout to the gym with you and use it to recharge during your workout.
Flavour, Mixability and Consistency
If you usually find the taste of pre-workout a little strong, this is a great option as it isn’t over sugary and doesn’t leave a strong aftertaste.
However, 4 Gauge doesn’t come in a variety of flavours like other pre-workouts. It contains all-natural flavours, monk fruit extract for sweetness, and is just 5 calories per serving thanks to the natural sweeteners.
You won’t get any chocolatey or super sweet options with this pre-workout, just their tried and tested Fruit Blast flavour. They do this because they found after rigorous testing this was by far the best flavour for their pre-workout so they thought they would save you the disappointment of picking a subpar flavour.
It also mixes well if you combine a two-scoop serving with 300-350ml of a drink of your choice, such as water or juice. It doesn’t leave a grainy taste or unmixed powder at the bottom which is not what you want to see with any high-quality pre-workout.
You can also double up on servings and take 4 scoops if you feel you need the extra kick and this is still completely safe.
4 Gauge Side Effects
The greatest benefit of only including natural ingredients is the significant reduction in side effects. You are much less likely to experience side effects associated with pre-workout with this all-natural product, unless you are sensitive or allergic to a specific ingredient.
As all the ingredients are stated on the label, and in this review, you can easily check them before buying.
With the help of L-theanine and the lower dosage of caffeine, you are also less likely to experience the jitters or headaches associated with consuming a lot of caffeine and will feel more clarity and higher focus.
The only thing I would be wary of is the sugar alcohols like Xylitol and Erythritol which are included in small amounts for the taste. If taken in large quantities, these sugar alcohols can give you some negative side effects such as digestive problems.
SUMMARY
Overall, this is a well-tested and clinically safe product that you can even take in double dosages without adverse side effects.
Price and Buying Options
This might be a bit of a let down but 4 Gauge is exclusively available on the official 4 Gauge website here. But getting your pre-workout straight from the supplier is a much safer option than buying it from other sellers on the internet.
You can also return unopened items if you change your mind. You will also need PayPal or Amazon Pay to complete your order.
If you are completely sold on this product, the best buying option is three 20 serving containers for $135 USD and you get the 4th container free! This means that each serving will work out to $1.69 USD, which is pretty reasonable as long as you’re willing to make the investment.
If you just buy 2 containers the price will be $90 USD which works out to $2.25 USD per serving and for one container it is $45 USD which comes out to the same price per serving.
4 Gauge is admittedly a little more pricey than other pre-workouts on the market but keep in mind you’re paying for a top-notch mix of ingredients.
Alternatives
Of course, with this premium price tag, you might be thinking about the other options out there for the best pre-workout supplement. In this review, we’ve come up with a few alternatives so you can compare price and quality and decide whether you think 4 Gauge is worth your hard-earned cash.
Cellucor C4
One of the cheaper pre-workout options around, which is still popular and doesn’t skip out too much on important ingredients, is C4. This pre-workout is available on Amazon for about $30 USD per 30-serving container, which works out to $1 USD per serving.
But for this lower price, you won’t be getting high-quality ingredients at optimum levels. Instead, you’ll get an ‘energy blend’ containing most of what you would be looking for in a pre-workout but certainly not everything. Also, it is a proprietary blend meaning the exact ingredient quantities aren’t disclosed.
Pre JYM
We compared 4 Gauge to Pre JYM earlier in this review, mainly to show the difference in caffeine content.
Pre JYM is a similar product with all-natural ingredients but one essential difference, a load more of caffeine.
On the upper end of caffeine dosages per serving, Pre JYM contains a whopping 300mg which is sure to get you buzzing as it is equivalent to more than 3 cups of coffee. I don’t know if any of you have taken three cups of coffee consecutively but if you have, I’m sure you felt it.
Of course, if you are sensitive to caffeine this might not be the product for you and at nearly $48 USD for a 30-serving container, it works out to a similar price to 4 Gauge at $1.60 USD per serving.
Beyond Raw LIT Pre-Workout
Our last all-natural alternative is Beyond Raw. With this pre-workout you can get a 30-serving container for just under $40 USD which works out to $1.32 USD per serving, slightly cheaper than 4 Gauge.
You will also get total transparency on ingredients and slightly less caffeine than Pre JYM but still more than 4 Gauge with 250mg per serving.
It does contain artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, meaning it is not quite as all natural as we would hope, but this is to give sweetness to the range of flavours, something which is missing from 4 Gauge’s profile. Of course if you want 100% natural, stick with 4 Gauge.
4 Gauge Pros and Cons
Pros:
Cons:
Should You Get 4 Gauge?
As you can see, the downsides of 4 Gauge are pretty minor when we weigh them up against the many benefits. In this 4 Gauge pre-workout review, we have thoroughly delved into the formula and found that the clever combination of ingredients really delivers.
Compared to other products on the market, 4 Gauge really stands out but also boasts the highest price tag, even when you get a whole container free.
If you are serious about improving your workout, whether you want greater focus, improved strength and endurance or to gain muscle mass, this pre-workout is an investment well worth making.
Check out 4 Gauge for yourself to take your workouts to a whole new level.
Last Updated on July 12, 2020
