{"id":605333586226,"title":"Ghost Pre-Workout Review: The Unhealthiest Pre-Workout?","created_at":"2023-04-25T23:53:21-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Ghost Pre-Workout Review: The Unhealthiest Pre-Workout?\",\n \"keywords\": \"ghost lifestyle, ghost pre workout, ghost pre workout review, ghost pre workout reviews, ghost legend pre workout, is ghost pre workout good, ghost pre workout caffeine, ghost pre-workout, pre workout ghost, ghost legend pre workout review, ghost pre workout ingredients, ghost pump pre workout\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in Ghost Pre-Workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether it's likely to be effective for improving energy and workout performance or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ghost-pre-workout-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Pre-Workout_Thumbnail.png?v=1682481451\",\n\"width\": \"3072\",\n\"height\": \"3072\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8571142\/\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/total-war-preworkout-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4595023\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21437603\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5737830\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4595381\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/alani-nu-pre-workout-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28832835\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-energy-drink-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23026007\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/search?search=ghost%20pre-workout\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ghost-greens-review\",\n\"https:\/\/truthinadvertising.org\/articles\/ghosted-by-energy-drink-company-tina-alerts-regulators\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15982990\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Legend All Out\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"beta-alanine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"taurine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"stimulant\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial flavors\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"sucralose\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial food dye\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Keefrica\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"GNC\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"The Vitamin Shoppe\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Ghost Lifestyle\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Truth in Advertising\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-04-26\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Pre-Workout_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1682480999\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eG\u003c\/span\u003ehost is a popular supplement brand that sells a pre-workout called “Legend All Out.” The brand describes this supplement as their “hardest hitting pre to date” and states in the use instructions that it’s “only intended for healthy adults,” which suggests that it’s highly stimulatory and may be unsafe for those in poor health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut does Ghost Pre-Workout contain ingredients shown in medical studies to improve power and energy, or is it a waste of money? Does it contain any unhealthy additives? What retailer sells Ghost Pre-Workout for the best price? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Ghost Pre-Workout?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Ghost Pre-Workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective, and whether it contains questionable additives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement contains a large number of active ingredients, so we’ll break our ingredient analysis into three sections: “Ghost Legend” blend (the pump ingredients), “Ghost Smart Energy” blend (the stimulant ingredients) and inactive ingredients (the additives).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll also provide a cost breakdown featuring which retailer sells Ghost Pre-Workout for the best price, and highlight real, unsponsored user reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGhost Legend Blend – Ingredient Analysis \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Legend_Blend_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1682481015\" alt=\"Ghost Legend Blend ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Ghost Legend Blend for the “Sour Patch Kids” flavor of this pre-workout are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSeveral of these ingredients have research backing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-citrulline\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is included at a 4,000 milligram (mg) dose. This amino acid is a nitric oxide precursor, meaning it can widen blood vessels and improve athletic endurance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8571142\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEuropean Journal of Applied Physiology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that citrulline increases muscular endurance, but \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003edescribes the minimum effective dose as 8,000 mg, or 200% of the amount in Ghost Pre-Workout.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBeta-alanine is clinically shown to improve power during exercise, and as we referenced in our review of another pre-workout supplement containing this ingredient called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/total-war-preworkout-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTotal War Pre Workout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, the minimum effective dose appears to be 1,000 mg.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Pre-Workout provides 3,200 mg so we’ll consider this an effective dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNitrosigine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a highly effective pre-workout ingredient and not one we’ve come across in many pre-workout reviews published to Illuminate Health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2015 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4595023\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e tested the effects of Nitrosigine at the exact same dose as in Ghost Pre-Workout, and the study authors concluded the following: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“daily doses of [Nitrosigine] prior to workout significantly increased pre-workout energy levels, increased muscle pump immediately following a workout, and decreased biomarkers of muscle damage immediately after a workout and during recovery.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’re unable to identify any clinical backing for the remaining two active ingredients at their stated dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGhost Smart Energy Blend – Ingredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Smart_Energy_Blend_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1682481038\" alt=\"Ghost Smart Energy Blend ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in Ghost Smart Energy blend are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-tyrosine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is frequently included in pre-workout supplements but we don’t understand why.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe only \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21437603\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e we can find showing it to be effective in isolation used a dose of 150 mg per kilogram (kg) body weight, or a dose of 13,500 mg for a 90 kg man. That’s over 10x the dose as exists in Ghost Pre-Workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTaurine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another amino acid. We can’t find any clinical backing for it, and a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5737830\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBirth Defects Research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal found that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eit may harm the adolescent brain when combined with caffeine (which is also in this supplement).\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlpha-GPC\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown in a 2015 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4595381\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to not only improve athletic performance but also mood, and the dose used was less than that in Ghost Pre-Workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is included at a dose of 250 mg, equivalent to around 2.5 cups of coffee. As we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/alani-nu-pre-workout-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAlani Nu Pre Workout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, caffeine is clinically shown to improve both physical power and muscular endurance during exercise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheobromine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a mild stimulant derived from coffee that may improve energy, but we can’t find any evidence it improves exercise performance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe can’t find any clinical evidence for the remaining two active ingredients at their stated doses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eInactive Ingredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Inactive_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1682481066\" alt=\"Ghost inactive ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe inactive ingredients in Ghost Pre-Workout are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement contains a number of inactive ingredients that we consider questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eArtificial flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e have no nutritional value and were shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28832835\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrazilian Journal of Biology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to be toxic to rodents.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e can cause inflammation throughout the body according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eToxicology Reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSucralose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eacesulfame potassium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are artificial sweeteners, the former of which was shown to negatively affect insulin function in healthy adults in a clinical trial, as we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-energy-drink-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGorilla Mind Energy Drink\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (another supplement containing this ingredient).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFD\u0026amp;C Red #40\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an artificial food dye that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emay be contaminated with carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e according to a 2012 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23026007\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClearly Ghost Pre-Workout contains some effectively dosed active ingredients and some questionable inactive ingredients. But how do real users rate its taste and effects? We’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Ghost Pre-Workout User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “Keefrica” has a review of Ghost Pre-Workout after trying the supplement for 30 days:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AuiXL95Ly3c\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA fitness influencer named Brett Westover gave each of the different sections in Ghost Pre-Workout a rating out of 10 and shared his thoughts on whether the supplement is worth the money in a TikTok video:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@brettwestover\/video\/6955640028676558086\" data-video-id=\"6955640028676558086\" style=\"max-width: 325px; min-width: 325px;\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"@brettwestover\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@brettwestover?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e@brettwestover\u003c\/a\u003e Answer to @evkwrestling GHOST PRE-WORKOUT \u003ca title=\"fitness\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fitness?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#fitness\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"workout\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/workout?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#workout\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"preworkout\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/preworkout?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#preworkout\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca title=\"supplements\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/supplements?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e#supplements\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca target=\"_blank\" title=\"♬ Up Beat (Married Life) - Kenyi\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Up-Beat-Married-Life-6831843160709138433?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e♬ Up Beat (Married Life) - Kenyi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere to Buy Ghost Pre-Workout for the Best Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Pre-Workout is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalmart: price varies (third-party sellers)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand website: $54.99 (plus shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGNC: $44.99 (plus shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Vitamin Shoppe: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$44.99 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/search?search=ghost%20pre-workout\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$44.99 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3mZXI8O\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink to official Amazon listing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon and The Vitamin Shoppe currently have the best prices, around 25% off from the brand’s website when considering shipping (the shipping fee for the test address in the U.S. we input was $7.99).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy Was Ghost Sued?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn 2022, Ghost Lifestyle (the manufacturer of Ghost Pre-Workout) was sued by a plaintiff in California who alleges that the brand was engaging in false advertising.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ghost-greens-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Greens reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe plaintiff alleges that the supplement contains an undisclosed ingredient called malic acid, which may be unhealthy to consumers.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAt the time of publishing this article, the lawsuit appears to be ongoing so there is no way to determine whether or not these claims are true, but this should be proven in court if it reaches that stage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is no mention of this ingredient being included in Ghost Pre-Workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLater in 2022 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/truthinadvertising.org\/articles\/ghosted-by-energy-drink-company-tina-alerts-regulators\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eanother complaint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was levied against Ghost Lifestyle. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs documented in the above-linked article published on Truth in Advertising, two organizations submitted a notice to regulators asserting that Ghost is engaged in deceptive marketing practices targeting children.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSpecifically, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe complaint alleges that the brand is “failing to adequately disclose that its products are only intended for healthy adults and may be harmful to children): from its officially licensed candy flavors like Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish and Warheads that mimic the taste and packaging of candy brands popular among children”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile none of these claims have been proven in court, we do consider these facts to be a red flag about the brand as a whole.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal Customers Review Ghost Pre-Workout\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Pre-Workout has been reviewed over 1,700 times on Amazon, with an average review rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “L. Davis” who gives the supplement a 4-star rating and claims it tastes good and improves energy with minimal side effects:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“My experience may not be your experience. However \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ethis taste good, no bitter after taste. No jitters just energy! I was waiting for a crash and I had none. I felt the energy calming down gently and normalizing after a good 30-40mins into working out.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e I did have a bit of a sour stomach but nothing extreme like in the past also I took it on an empty stomach.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “DAISY G.” who gives the supplement a 1-star rating and claims it causes side effects:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I took a chance on this given all of the positive reviews about it…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eI worked out yesterday and today and I still have chest pain. I didn’t get a good nights sleep because it definitely wired me up. This feeling is like no other I do not wish this on anyone. I regret buying this\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, but much more - taking it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Pre-Workout Picks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Pre-Workout_Image.png?v=1672460783\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe pre-workout supplement we recommend is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=1150909\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=78253\u0026amp;urllink=nakednutrition%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2Fpre%2Dworkout%2Dpowder\u0026amp;afftrack=\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNaked Energy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by Naked Nutrition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLike Ghost Pre-Workout, it provides an effective dose of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebeta alanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for power and stamina improvements.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe main difference is that it’s entirely free of questionable additive ingredients like artificial sweeteners and artificial colors. There are no inactive ingredients in this formulation at all, which makes it the healthiest pre-workout formulation on the market in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInterested consumers can check out Naked Energy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=1150909\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=78253\u0026amp;urllink=nakednutrition%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2Fpre%2Dworkout%2Dpowder\u0026amp;afftrack=\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to its product page on the official brand website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePanax ginseng\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is clinically shown to reduce mental fatigue (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15982990\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003esource\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) and reduce physical fatigue (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003esource\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e). It’s one of the most popular herbal supplements in the world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIlluminate Labs sells a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePanax Ginseng extract supplement\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for only \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$15\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e on a subscription basis which is highly potent (minimum 8% ginsenosides) and is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy and purity. Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to the product page on our website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros and Cons of Ghost Pre-Workout\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of Ghost Pre-Workout in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMany effectively-dosed active ingredients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould cause pump\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould improve power\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould improve endurance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMostly positive online customer reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains artificial color\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains artificial sweeteners\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains artificial flavor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains citric acid\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExpensive per-serving\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand website charges for shipping\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDoesn’t appear clinically tested\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Pre-Workout contains a number of effective active ingredients. From a potency and efficacy perspective, this is one of the better pre-workouts we’ve analyzed on Illuminate Health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe believe this supplement is likely to improve performance in the gym, because it contains research-backed ingredients for pump, power and endurance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, we consider Ghost Pre-Workout to be one of the unhealthiest pre-workouts we’ve analyzed because of its inactive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement contains artificial flavors, artificial color and artificial sweeteners, all of which have questionable effects on human health based on clinical studies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Pre-Workout also contains the combination of taurine and caffeine which may be harmful to adolescents according to at least one clinical trial.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Lifestyle, the manufacturer of Ghost Pre-Workout, was sued in 2022 and also received a formal complaint that same year in regard to its advertising practices.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing Ghost Pre-Workout, Amazon and The Vitamin Shoppe currently have the best prices.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-04-25T23:55:15-04:00","updated_at":"2023-04-26T00:04:06-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Ghost Pre-Workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether it's likely to be effective for improving energy and workout performance or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients.","template_suffix":"","handle":"ghost-pre-workout-review","tags":"_related:pre-workout"}

Ghost Pre-Workout Review: The Unhealthiest Pre-Workout?

Ghost Pre-Workout Review: The Unhealthiest Pre-Workout?


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Ghost is a popular supplement brand that sells a pre-workout called “Legend All Out.” The brand describes this supplement as their “hardest hitting pre to date” and states in the use instructions that it’s “only intended for healthy adults,” which suggests that it’s highly stimulatory and may be unsafe for those in poor health.

But does Ghost Pre-Workout contain ingredients shown in medical studies to improve power and energy, or is it a waste of money? Does it contain any unhealthy additives? What retailer sells Ghost Pre-Workout for the best price? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Ghost Pre-Workout?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Ghost Pre-Workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective, and whether it contains questionable additives.

This supplement contains a large number of active ingredients, so we’ll break our ingredient analysis into three sections: “Ghost Legend” blend (the pump ingredients), “Ghost Smart Energy” blend (the stimulant ingredients) and inactive ingredients (the additives).

We’ll also provide a cost breakdown featuring which retailer sells Ghost Pre-Workout for the best price, and highlight real, unsponsored user reviews.

Ghost Legend Blend – Ingredient Analysis 

Ghost Legend Blend ingredients

The ingredients in Ghost Legend Blend for the “Sour Patch Kids” flavor of this pre-workout are shown above.

Several of these ingredients have research backing.

L-citrulline is included at a 4,000 milligram (mg) dose. This amino acid is a nitric oxide precursor, meaning it can widen blood vessels and improve athletic endurance.

A medical review published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that citrulline increases muscular endurance, but describes the minimum effective dose as 8,000 mg, or 200% of the amount in Ghost Pre-Workout.

Beta-alanine is clinically shown to improve power during exercise, and as we referenced in our review of another pre-workout supplement containing this ingredient called Total War Pre Workout, the minimum effective dose appears to be 1,000 mg.

Ghost Pre-Workout provides 3,200 mg so we’ll consider this an effective dose.

Nitrosigine is a highly effective pre-workout ingredient and not one we’ve come across in many pre-workout reviews published to Illuminate Health.

A 2015 clinical trial tested the effects of Nitrosigine at the exact same dose as in Ghost Pre-Workout, and the study authors concluded the following: 

“daily doses of [Nitrosigine] prior to workout significantly increased pre-workout energy levels, increased muscle pump immediately following a workout, and decreased biomarkers of muscle damage immediately after a workout and during recovery.”

We’re unable to identify any clinical backing for the remaining two active ingredients at their stated dose.

Ghost Smart Energy Blend – Ingredient Analysis

Ghost Smart Energy Blend ingredients

The ingredients in Ghost Smart Energy blend are shown above.

L-tyrosine is frequently included in pre-workout supplements but we don’t understand why.

The only clinical trial we can find showing it to be effective in isolation used a dose of 150 mg per kilogram (kg) body weight, or a dose of 13,500 mg for a 90 kg man. That’s over 10x the dose as exists in Ghost Pre-Workout.

Taurine is another amino acid. We can’t find any clinical backing for it, and a medical review published in the Birth Defects Research journal found that it may harm the adolescent brain when combined with caffeine (which is also in this supplement).

Alpha-GPC was shown in a 2015 clinical trial to not only improve athletic performance but also mood, and the dose used was less than that in Ghost Pre-Workout.

Caffeine is included at a dose of 250 mg, equivalent to around 2.5 cups of coffee. As we documented in our review of Alani Nu Pre Workout, caffeine is clinically shown to improve both physical power and muscular endurance during exercise.

Theobromine is a mild stimulant derived from coffee that may improve energy, but we can’t find any evidence it improves exercise performance.

We can’t find any clinical evidence for the remaining two active ingredients at their stated doses.

Inactive Ingredient Analysis

Ghost inactive ingredients

The inactive ingredients in Ghost Pre-Workout are shown above.

This supplement contains a number of inactive ingredients that we consider questionable from a health perspective.

Artificial flavors have no nutritional value and were shown in a clinical trial published in the Brazilian Journal of Biology to be toxic to rodents.

Citric acid can cause inflammation throughout the body according to a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal.

Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are artificial sweeteners, the former of which was shown to negatively affect insulin function in healthy adults in a clinical trial, as we documented in our review of Gorilla Mind Energy Drink (another supplement containing this ingredient).

FD&C Red #40 is an artificial food dye that may be contaminated with carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) according to a 2012 medical review.

Clearly Ghost Pre-Workout contains some effectively dosed active ingredients and some questionable inactive ingredients. But how do real users rate its taste and effects? We’ll review in the next section.

Real, Unsponsored Ghost Pre-Workout User Reviews

A YouTube creator named “Keefrica” has a review of Ghost Pre-Workout after trying the supplement for 30 days:

A fitness influencer named Brett Westover gave each of the different sections in Ghost Pre-Workout a rating out of 10 and shared his thoughts on whether the supplement is worth the money in a TikTok video:

@brettwestover Answer to @evkwrestling GHOST PRE-WORKOUT #fitness #workout #preworkout #supplements ♬ Up Beat (Married Life) - Kenyi

Where to Buy Ghost Pre-Workout for the Best Price

Ghost Pre-Workout is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article:

Walmart: price varies (third-party sellers)

Brand website: $54.99 (plus shipping)

GNC: $44.99 (plus shipping)

The Vitamin Shoppe: $44.99 (free shippinglink)

Amazon: $44.99 (free shippinglink to official Amazon listing)

Amazon and The Vitamin Shoppe currently have the best prices, around 25% off from the brand’s website when considering shipping (the shipping fee for the test address in the U.S. we input was $7.99).

Why Was Ghost Sued?

In 2022, Ghost Lifestyle (the manufacturer of Ghost Pre-Workout) was sued by a plaintiff in California who alleges that the brand was engaging in false advertising.

As we documented in our Ghost Greens reviews article, the plaintiff alleges that the supplement contains an undisclosed ingredient called malic acid, which may be unhealthy to consumers.

At the time of publishing this article, the lawsuit appears to be ongoing so there is no way to determine whether or not these claims are true, but this should be proven in court if it reaches that stage.

There is no mention of this ingredient being included in Ghost Pre-Workout.

Later in 2022 another complaint was levied against Ghost Lifestyle. 

As documented in the above-linked article published on Truth in Advertising, two organizations submitted a notice to regulators asserting that Ghost is engaged in deceptive marketing practices targeting children.

Specifically, the complaint alleges that the brand is “failing to adequately disclose that its products are only intended for healthy adults and may be harmful to children): from its officially licensed candy flavors like Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish and Warheads that mimic the taste and packaging of candy brands popular among children”

While none of these claims have been proven in court, we do consider these facts to be a red flag about the brand as a whole.

Real Customers Review Ghost Pre-Workout

Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.

Ghost Pre-Workout has been reviewed over 1,700 times on Amazon, with an average review rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “L. Davis” who gives the supplement a 4-star rating and claims it tastes good and improves energy with minimal side effects:

“My experience may not be your experience. However this taste good, no bitter after taste. No jitters just energy! I was waiting for a crash and I had none. I felt the energy calming down gently and normalizing after a good 30-40mins into working out. I did have a bit of a sour stomach but nothing extreme like in the past also I took it on an empty stomach.”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “DAISY G.” who gives the supplement a 1-star rating and claims it causes side effects:

“I took a chance on this given all of the positive reviews about it…I worked out yesterday and today and I still have chest pain. I didn’t get a good nights sleep because it definitely wired me up. This feeling is like no other I do not wish this on anyone. I regret buying this, but much more - taking it.”

Our Clean Pre-Workout Picks

The pre-workout supplement we recommend is Naked Energy by Naked Nutrition.

Like Ghost Pre-Workout, it provides an effective dose of beta alanine and caffeine for power and stamina improvements.

The main difference is that it’s entirely free of questionable additive ingredients like artificial sweeteners and artificial colors. There are no inactive ingredients in this formulation at all, which makes it the healthiest pre-workout formulation on the market in our opinion.

Interested consumers can check out Naked Energy at this link to its product page on the official brand website.

Panax ginseng is clinically shown to reduce mental fatigue (source) and reduce physical fatigue (source). It’s one of the most popular herbal supplements in the world.

Illuminate Labs sells a Panax Ginseng extract supplement for only $15 on a subscription basis which is highly potent (minimum 8% ginsenosides) and is third-party tested to ensure label accuracy and purity. Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract at this link to the product page on our website.

Pros and Cons of Ghost Pre-Workout

Here are the pros and cons of Ghost Pre-Workout in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Many effectively-dosed active ingredients
  • Should cause pump
  • Should improve power
  • Should improve endurance
  • Mostly positive online customer reviews

Cons:

  • Contains artificial color
  • Contains artificial sweeteners
  • Contains artificial flavor
  • Contains citric acid
  • Expensive per-serving
  • Brand website charges for shipping
  • Doesn’t appear clinically tested
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Conclusion

Ghost Pre-Workout contains a number of effective active ingredients. From a potency and efficacy perspective, this is one of the better pre-workouts we’ve analyzed on Illuminate Health.

We believe this supplement is likely to improve performance in the gym, because it contains research-backed ingredients for pump, power and endurance.

However, we consider Ghost Pre-Workout to be one of the unhealthiest pre-workouts we’ve analyzed because of its inactive ingredients.

This supplement contains artificial flavors, artificial color and artificial sweeteners, all of which have questionable effects on human health based on clinical studies.

Ghost Pre-Workout also contains the combination of taurine and caffeine which may be harmful to adolescents according to at least one clinical trial.

Ghost Lifestyle, the manufacturer of Ghost Pre-Workout, was sued in 2022 and also received a formal complaint that same year in regard to its advertising practices.

For consumers intent on purchasing Ghost Pre-Workout, Amazon and The Vitamin Shoppe currently have the best prices.




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