Two types of people emerge when it’s time to hit the gym: those who need pre-workout and those who don’t. If you’re in the latter camp, more power to you. If not, you likely live and die by pre-workouts.
While many people firmly protest against pre-workout supplements, most assume all pre-workouts contain unnecessary and harmful ingredients. Sure, many do, but quality energy sources exist in the right supplement.
One of the biggest consumer mistakes when shopping for pre-workout is focusing entirely on company claims and “guarantees.” We understand how tempting these are, but you must examine the ingredient label to know what you’re buying. Otherwise, those claims become nothing more than empty promises, and guarantees turn into broken vows.
Another challenge? The market overflows with pre-workout options! There’s Ghost Legend, 4 Gauge, Total War, and today’s focus – SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout from Alpha Lion. Let’s determine if SUPERHUMAN suits your needs in this comprehensive review.
What Is SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout?
As the name suggests, SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout targets seasoned athletes rather than beginners seeking a mild energy boost. It’s crafted for heavy lifters and fitness enthusiasts constantly pushing their limits.
SUPERHUMAN comes from Alpha Lion, a company producing diverse protein, fat-burning, muscle-building, recovery, and pre-workout supplements. They also sell apparel to round out their brand, but their supplements truly capture attention.
Co-founders Troy Adashun and Jordan Fares have spent virtually their entire lives in the fitness industry. Despite living over 3,400 miles apart and meeting only occasionally in person, they created Alpha Lion and have been running (and lifting) with it ever since.
Alpha Lion’s Claims About SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout
Every supplement comes with claims and guarantees, though each should aim to become reality for consumers.
We’ll evaluate whether SUPERHUMAN meets their self-imposed standards when examining ingredients, but first, let’s review their claims:
- Increase your strength and endurance when working out
- Set your muscle up for extreme growth opportunity
- Channel your deep focus and concentration
- Provides a clean source of energy without a crash
- Specific ingredients added to increase nutrient absorption
- All of this packed into an updated formula for 2020
Clearly, this pre-workout aims to deliver comprehensive benefits your body needs for maximum workout efficiency.
The Five Pillars Of SUPERHUMAN
Alpha Lion emphasizes how SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout max-doses five quality pre-workout pillars. They’re remarkably transparent about their product’s potency and blunt about their reasoning.
Here are their referenced five pillars:
- Energy & Focus Without Crash. By utilizing dicaffeine malate, caffeine anhydrous, and L-theanine, SUPERHUMAN effectively minimizes crash experienced with most pre-workouts.
- SuperHuman Strength & Endurance. Beta Alanine and Betaine Anhydrous combine to help your body power through challenging sets.
- Skin-Tearing Pumps. If you don’t look like you just finished working out, that workout was wasted. The S7 blend, Nitrosigine, and L-Citrulline enhance vasodilation and nitric oxide production.
- Maximum Performance. SUPERHUMAN promises their supplement delivers your best workout ever — repeating that experience every gym session.
- Improved Nutrient Absorption. BioPerine and Astragin ensure your body properly and effectively utilizes consumed nutrients.
SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout considers everything when formulating their blend. While many supplement companies sell pump-enhancers and other products individually, Alpha Lion provides an all-in-one pre-workout solution.
They give back, too?!
Here’s an impressive company detail. They partner with Vitamin Angels, a non-profit charity providing life-saving vitamins to mothers and children under five. This organization regularly rescues individuals from malnutrition, contributing to global health.
With every order under $99, Alpha Lion pledges to provide a year-supply of vitamins to a child in need through Vitamin Angels. For orders above $99, Alpha Lion provides a year-supply of vitamins to two children in need.
Seeing supplement companies give back is always refreshing, and Alpha Lion does so significantly. Kudos to their entire team!
SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout Ingredients
Now that we’ve examined the company behind the product, let’s scrutinize the product’s ingredients!
This is where all claims and guarantees face scrutiny. Ideally, these ingredients will deliver the listed benefits without harming consumers.
SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout organizes ingredients into five distinct blends — mirroring the five pillars detailed above. Here’s each blend breakdown:
- Energy & Focus Matrix: Caffeine Anhydrous, Infinergy Dicaffeine Malate, N-Methyl-Tyramine HCl, and Theobromine
- Pump & Performance Matrix: L-Citrulline Malate, L-Taurine, Nitrosigine, S7 Blend
- Strength Matrix: Beta Alanine, Betaine Anhydrous
- Anti-Crash Matrix: L-Theanine
- Absorption Matrix: Astragin and BioPerine
SUPERHUMAN also contains sodium, Vitamin B12, and Niacin. Let’s examine each ingredient closely.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential for daily bodily function. It handles DNA production, protects nerve and blood cells from damage, and prevents megaloblastic anemia — known for causing fatigue and weakness. Many believe it directly affects energy production, but more research is needed. Although you need only 2.4mcg of Vitamin B12 daily, most supplements provide up to 500mg with no evidence of significant benefits at such doses.
Recommended Intake: 2.4mcg per day
Niacin
Niacin, commonly called Vitamin B3, is vital for bodily function. Nearly every body part uses Niacin somehow. It contributes to DNA production, cellular metabolism, cell signaling, and provides antioxidant properties. Being water-soluble, your body excretes excess amounts consumed daily.
Recommended Intake: 16mg per day (14mg for women)
Caffeine Anhydrous
Caffeine Anhydrous, or dehydrated caffeine, is simply caffeine minus water. This results in higher concentrated caffeine content per mg, making it more potent than typical caffeine. Remember, consuming more than 400mg of any caffeine form (including combinations) can be dangerous. Since Caffeine Anhydrous is more concentrated, exercise extra caution.
Recommended Intake: No more than 400mg per day of any caffeine form
Dicaffeine Malate
Dicaffeine Malate is SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout’s second caffeine form. It consists of two caffeine molecules attached to one malic acid molecule, known for giving foods their tart taste. In supplements, it allegedly helps the body absorb caffeine, combat fatigue, and promote energy production.
Recommended Intake: No more than 400mg per day of any caffeine form
N-Methyl-Tyramine HCl
N-Methyl-Tyramine HCl is SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout’s first problematic ingredient for many users. While it can benefit workouts, the World Anti-Doping Agency currently bans it from competitive sports. Additionally, the FDA is examining the product before marking it safe or unsafe. With SUPERHUMAN’s other included ingredients, this one seems unnecessary.
Recommended Intake: I wouldn’t recommend this ingredient; no known guidelines exist
Theobromine
You’ve likely never heard of Theobromine, but you know its source — the cacao plant and chocolate. It acts as a stimulant while providing relaxing effects when consumed. It promotes alertness, higher concentration levels, and heart health. In higher doses, it can also promote urination.
Recommended Intake: 250-500mg per day
L-Citrulline Malate
Commonly found in watermelon, L-Citrulline is an amino acid your body produces naturally. Unlike most amino acids, it won’t participate in protein breakdown. Instead, it aids body detoxification and widens blood vessels. With enhanced vasodilation and elevated nitric oxide levels, your body experiences improved blood flow and circulation — meaning superior pumps.
Recommended Intake: No more than 8,000mg per day
L-Taurine
L-Taurine resembles L-Citrulline as an amino acid uninvolved in protein breakdown. It’s considered conditionally essential, meaning your body produces it naturally while you obtain it through diet. It’s crucial for cellular hydration, maintaining electrolyte balance, forming bile salts, regulating minerals, supporting the central nervous system, and boosting immune function.
Recommended Intake: 1,000mg-2,000mg per day
Nitrosigine
Nitrosigine targets nitric oxide levels while promoting healthy blood flow. Some studies show it outperforms L-Citrulline and L-Taurine. The FDA recognizes it as safe for general use. It reportedly works within 15 minutes, making it an excellent pre-workout addition. Beyond pumps, studies demonstrate it increases focus and energy production.
Recommended Intake: No more than 1,250mg per day
S7 Blend
The S7 Blend combines several extracts and ingredients designed to maximize nitric oxide production while working alongside Nitrosigine, L-Citrulline, and L-Taurine to deliver impressive pumps that make any lifter proud. The blend includes Green Coffee Bean Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric Extract, Tart Cherry, Blueberry, Kale, and Broccoli.
Recommended Intake: 50-150mg per day
Beta Alanine
Beta Alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid. Being non-essential, we don’t need to consume it through food. Like other SUPERHUMAN amino acids, it won’t break down protein. Instead, it aids carnosine production with histidine’s help. Carnosine prevents lactic acid buildup during exercise, allowing you to train harder and longer than usual.
Recommended Intake: 2,000mg-3,000mg per day
Betaine Anhydrous
For an ingredient that exemplifies SUPERHUMAN perfectly, it’s Betaine Anhydrous. Regarding workouts, it allegedly improves strength and body composition. Unfortunately, it only benefits regular trainers (sorry, beginners!). Betaine Anhydrous typically treats elevated blood homocysteine levels, which could cause blood clots.
Recommended Intake: 2,000-3,000mg per day
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is fascinating. It’s an amino acid analogue of both L-glutamate and L-glutamine, known for providing calm, relaxing effects without promoting drowsiness or fatigue. Overwhelming evidence supports L-Theanine and Caffeine combinations, proving they work better together than individually.
Recommended Intake: 100-200mg per day
Astragin
Astragin plays an essential role in creating healthy, productive gut environments for daily nutrient consumption. This matters for supplement users because it increases nutrient absorption. It affects various nutrients, including amino acids, CBD, and Omegas. It also reduces intestinal inflammation and protects gut lining.
Recommended Intake: 50mg per day
BioPerine
Similar to Astragin, BioPerine is renowned for increasing and improving nutrient absorption. It’s been recognized as a powerful supplement ingredient for over 20 years. Extracted from black pepper, it’s standardized to 95% Piperine. Most studies show it increases bioavailability by up to 30%.
Recommended Intake: 5mg per day
SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout Dosage, Packaging, & Pricing
SUPERHUMAN’s packaging unmistakably screams pre-workout. The black tub, massive gold block lettering, lion imprints covering the container, and gold top clearly target male consumers. It’s an intimidating, striking product.
While SUPERHUMAN contains some ingredients requiring caution, Alpha Lion excellently displays exact ingredient amounts per scoop.
This transparency is crucial for ingredients like caffeine anhydrous and dicaffeine malate, which could be dangerous in excessive doses.
Here’s the nutritional breakdown per ingredient:
- Sodium – 50mg
- Vitamin B12 – 250mcg
- Niacin – 12.5mg
- Caffeine Anhydrous – 150mg
- Dicaffeine Malate – 50mg
- N-Methyl-Tyramine HCl – 37.5mg
- Theobromine – 50mg
- L-Citrulline Malate – 3500mg
- L-Taurine – 500mg
- Nitrosigine – 375mg
- S7 Blend – 50mg
- Beta Alanine – 1600mg
- Betaine Anhydrous – 1250mg
- L-Theanine – 175mg
- Astragin – 25mg
- BioPerine – 2.5mg
Each tub provides 42 scoops — nearly six weeks when taking one daily scoop (highly recommended). A tub costs $43, making each scoop $1.00.
SUPERHUMAN offers several flavors: Hulk Juice (Sour Gummy Bear), Unicorn Juice (Rainbow Sherbert), Orange Gainsicle (Orange Creamsicle), Kandy Kryptonite (Cotton Candy), and Krueger Kiwiberry (Kiwi Blueberry). You save 25% by purchasing one of each flavor.
Pros vs. Cons
Every supplement offers advantages and benefits, especially pre-workouts. SUPERHUMAN would have numerous “cons” if rated for workout beginners while offering plenty of pros for lifelong fitness enthusiasts.
Let’s examine this product’s pros and cons to ensure it reaches appropriate users.
Pros
- Dicaffeine Malate reduces caffeine crash many experience
- Astragin and BioPerine enhance bodily nutrient absorption
- S7 blend and Nitrosigine increase nitric oxide levels by up to 260%
- Your body converts L-Citrulline into L-Arginine (increasing blood flow) and nitric oxide
- One scoop provides ample energy boost
- Definitely improves energy, focus, strength, and maximizes pumps
- Unique flavors add enjoyment
- One scoop daily provides 42 servings per tub
- $1 per scoop is reasonable considering what you receive
- Extremely transparent about their product, clearly stating it’s designed for advanced athletes
Cons
- N-Methyl-Tyramine HCl is sport-banned and lacks substantial scientific evidence
- The FDA is still determining if N-Methyltyramine HCL should be permitted in dietary supplements
- Exercise caution with caffeine anhydrous — one scoop is sufficient, two scoops pushes limits
SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout Claims vs. Reality
Earlier, we outlined Alpha Lion’s various claims, essentially boiling down to SUPERHUMAN providing consumers five quality pre-workout pillars: Energy & Focus, Strength & Endurance, Maximum Performance, Nutrient Absorption, and Massive Pumps.
After reviewing ingredients, you’ll undoubtedly achieve all five pillars. They emphasize their max-dosed ingredients, so you can imagine the “superhuman” sensation from this pre-workout.
They also excel at organizing each ingredient into matrices, allowing consumers to easily understand ingredient effects on the body. Their designations prove fairly accurate.
I’d note that their website doesn’t mention N-Methyltyramine HCl being banned. This would be valuable information, though understandably absent from their marketing strategy.
Final Verdict For SUPERHUMAN Pre-Workout
Overall, this is a solid pre-workout for lifters seeking more from their current supplement. It’s an all-in-one solution targeting energy levels, concentration, workout performance, pump enhancement, and caffeine crash limitation.
N-Methyltyramine use concerns athletes, but the FDA might rule favorably and deem it safe. Additionally, exercise caution with caffeine levels. L-Theanine addition reduces crash, potentially encouraging overconsumption.
General rule: never exceed 400mg daily caffeine in any form. Since SUPERHUMAN contains 150mg Caffeine Anhydrous and 50mg Dicaffeine Malate, one scoop provides half that limit.
Taking one scoop daily should deliver an exceptional workout with minimal concern.
