The Pre-Workout by MyProtein Review

MyProtein is the Internet big box store for supplements. They have a range of products called MyPro, but it is the in-house formulations. This isn’t the first version of their pre-workout, but it is a very good formulation featuring many patented ingredients like teacrine, bioperine, and astragin.

I recommend this product for beginners and those looking for a good daily driver that doesn’t use too many stimulants. It delivered a very good performance, and the flavors were great. 

Thank you, MyProtein, for sending this full product for review! 

Where to Buy The Pre-Workout

You can buy The MyProtein Pre-Workout from the following retailer:

• MyProtein
  • MYPLIFTVAULT = 35% off + free shipping in US

Experience

After 10 minutes following ingestion, I got an unexpected, quick burst of energy. A niacin sensation across my brow line and around my neck occurred 15 minutes later. The transition provided a little more energy before my face tingled completely. After 25 minutes, the sensational paraesthesia effects lit up my face and the top of my head. 

The beta-alanine was very potent and delivered focus, endurance, and stamina, as well as a slight thermogenic effect. At the typical, 45-minute mark when all the ingredients work together most, I experienced energy and intensity comparable to illicit pre-workouts at 7.5/10. 

These effects were the most noticeable throughout the workout, with good muscle fullness for the pump and medium vascularity later in my training. I completed workouts faster than expected, unaware of the passing time. The long-lasting energy was enough to get me through my workouts and into my day without causing a crash later. 

Side Effects

I didn’t experience any negative effects while using this product. 

Flavor

The “original strawberry” sent for review, was very tasty, similar to strawberries and cream. The flavor was about an 8/10 regarding desirability, as it is very sweet. The suggested amount of water is 8-16 ounces with one scoop, and I enjoyed it most at two servings with around 16 ounces of water.

I was also sent several sample packets of the additional flavors: pineapple mango, blueberry pomegranate, sour watermelon, screamin sour cherry, green apple, and caribbean punch. I had a few of these flavors as taste tests, and you won’t be disappointed with any flavor you pick. They have limited edition flavors like Mike and Ikes, which are also delicious.

Dose/Scoop Size

The serving size is 15.6 grams per scoop, but the formulation is best with the two-scoop dosage of 31.2 grams. Based on the effectiveness of this product, I would say it is safe to scoop two flat-level servings without a scale, but accurate dosing would demand one. 

I used the full two-serving dose with each usage, which was adequate enough for review purposes. MyProtein provides a 30-serving tub, but it is more of a two-scoop formula. If you compared this product serving usage with others in the 40/20 serving range, this is still a better value, even at the two-serving dosage. The mixability was good, with a small amount of sediment toward the end of the cup, but a swirl and swallow took care of it.

Ingredients

This product has many basic ingredients, which are standard and clinically based. It was not an uncommon practice many years ago for everything to be 30 servings, requiring two servings to get clinical efficiency in dosing. If you are new to pre-workout with a lower stimulant tolerance, you could get by with just one serving. 

However, you need two servings to meet the clinical dosages for most ingredients or efficiency. The teacrine helps bridge the gap if you need more than 300 mg of caffeine, which I found mildly effective. With the 4 grams of beta-alanine you get from two servings, it does help drive the intensity. Occasional use of low-stimulant products controls tolerance from illicit stimulant usage. Below is the breakdown for the two serving amounts.

Niacin (Niacinamide) – 30 mg

Niacin, also known as vitamin B-3, has a wide array of benefits ranging from increasing HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) concentrations, reducing LDL cholesterol concentrations, and reducing the concentration of triglycerides.

Some research shows niacin can increase blood flow through various mechanisms. The research is limited and conflicted, so niacin is rarely included in pre-workouts.

Niacin also helps your body produce optimal amounts of ATP, the energy source for muscle contraction. Thus, ensuring you have enough Niacin is a worthwhile endeavor for a pre-workout supplement.

30 mg of niacin is a slightly higher dose. It is twice the recommended daily dosage for men (16 mg per day) and women (14 mg per day), but you should also be able to get this from a healthy diet. Good sources of niacin include fish, beef, chicken, turkey, mushrooms, and brown rice.

Vitamin B12 – 50 mcg

Vitamin B12 assists in the production of red blood cells. It helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscle, boosting energy levels and muscle growth.

Sodium – 120 mg

Salt helps retain water, enabling you to achieve a swole look during your workout.

120 mg is a low dosage for this ingredient; however, it is diet dependent as not everyone will need higher amounts (for comparison, FSU Dyehard has 300 mg, and Hooligan Bare Knuckle has 250 mg).

It also contains essential electrolytes! More info can be found at Supplements in Review.

Choline Bitartrate – 400 mg

Choline is a focus ingredient and chlorogenic source. Compared with alpha gpc, choline bitartrate may be less effective as a nootropic.

Dosages usually range between 500 and 2,000 mg, so the 400 mg included is on the lower end, but users may still experience the benefits of choline. Since NALT is included in this product, the synergistic effect of this ingredient will amplify each other.

L-Citrulline – 8 g

L-citrulline is one of the most common pre-workout ingredients. Extensive evidence supports its ability to increase nitric oxide production, power output, pumps, blood flow, and endurance. It is typical for this ingredient to contain malic acid mixed in a 2:1 ratio per the clinical studies. Malic acid has some benefits similar to beta-alanine. These ingredients aren’t in a chemical bond, and some products may list malic acid as a separate ingredient, as it is here in the other ingredients section. 

You want four to six grams of pure l-citrulline for proper clinical dosage, which we have 8 grams in two servings. If the ratio is on the label as 2:1, an 8-gram dose would contain close to 5.28 grams. Per the clinical trials, daily supplementation is required to obtain the full benefits.

Betaine Anhydrous – 5 g

Betaine is included to help increase your power output. However, research needs to be more consistent around this claim. The typical range for betaine is between 1.5 g and 5 g, but generally, 2.5 grams is on the high end for what is in the market. Per the clinical trials, daily supplementation is required to obtain the full benefits.

Creatine Monohydrate – 4 g

While creatine will improve strength levels when supplemented daily, doses must be within the three to five-gram range. We have an efficient dosage for this double serving, a bit lower than the five gram daily dose you need, but it may promote muscle hydration during training.

Beta Alanine – 4 g

Beta-alanine has been shown to support muscular endurance and act as a lactic acid buffer. Depending on the source of this ingredient, you may feel the paresthesias tingling effect. This feeling is often desirable in the sports community, as it makes you feel the intensity after ingestion. This may be negated by diet and intake of beta-alanine. 

Beta-alanine requires regular intake to be effective, akin to creatine. Daily beta-alanine supplementation is recommended to become effective, with a three to five weeks loading period. The recommended daily dosage for beta-alanine is three to four grams, putting this right at the clinical dose.

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine – 1.5 g

While L-Tyrosine is an excellent ingredient for enhancing focus and reducing stress, NALT (N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine) is less bioavailable than pure L-Tyrosine. Going with L-Tyrosine in a future version, alongside Alpha GPC instead of Choline Bitartrate, would be very interesting.

Examine claims of “limited practical evidence on NALT as an alternative to L-Tyrosine.”

NALT at 1500 mg is really good for this form, as the usual dose is between one and two grams.

Theacrine – 100 mg

Teacrine, the patented form of theacrine, is often taken to help minimize the negative effects of caffeine, similar to l-tyrosine. 

Per this study, teacrine increased the running time-to-exhaustion, giving you more endurance, no increased heart rate, and even reduced reaction time, increasing your focus. A 100 mg yield is the effective dose, but we are unsure if the 100 mg here is the yield or before the yield of 40% (which would make it a yield of just 40 mg).

Caffeine Anhydrous – 300 mg

Caffeine anhydrous is the standard form of caffeine, known for increasing energy, alertness, motivation, and mood. The caffeine content varies for each product. The 350-450 range is the typical dosage for sports supplements, and some products may contain other forms.

Less is more, as your dependency will lead to diminishing returns as you increase your intake. The overall combinations of many factors, such as sleep, when you take caffeine, diet, and nutrition, affect how much you will need.

AstraGin – 50 mg

Like Bioperine (a black pepper extract), AstraGin increases the bioavailability of nutritional supplements. In other words, it helps your body absorb more of the ingredients in the product, which helps the effectiveness of the ingredients. As the serving size increases, so does the need for a digestion aid.

Bioperine – 5 mg

Black pepper extract, or bioperine, is a patented ingredient that increases the bioavailability of nutritional supplements. In other words, it helps your body absorb more of the ingredients in the product, which helps the effectiveness of the ingredients. As the serving size increases, so does the need for a digestion aid. Typically, you only find it dosed at 5 mg; we are given that amount at the two serving sizes.