Ryse is a popular sports nutrition brand that’s available both in-stores and online. The brand describes their pre-workout supplement as “loaded with 12 ingredients, 5 clinically-studied trademarks and a delicious blast of flavor.”
But does Ryse contain ingredients proven to be effective for energy and strength? Does it have any unhealthy ingredients? What was our Product Tester's experience purchasing and trying Ryse Pre-Workout? And is Ryse better or worse than popular pre-workouts like Alpha Lion?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Ryse Pre-Workout to give our take on whether or not it’s likely to be effective for improving performance in the gym, and whether or not it’s healthy.
We’ll also share our Product Tester's honest experience using the supplement for a month, feature a video discussing OD'ing on pre-workouts, and compare Ryse to other popular pre-workouts to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Contains many active ingredients for increasing energy & power
- Contains inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Ryse Pre-Workout
Active Ingredient Analysis
The active ingredients in Ryse Godzilla Pre-Workout are shown below:
From an efficacy perspective, this is an impressive pre-workout formulation.
L-citrulline is included at a dose of 11 grams (g) in two scoops, and this is one of the few pre-workouts we’ve analyzed that provides an effective dose of this amino acid.
A medical review published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that the minimum effective dose of l-citrulline for increasing exercise endurance is 8 g.
Beta alanine is clinically shown to increase power at a lower dose than exists in Ryse Pre-Workout, as we documented in our Mr Hyde pre workout review article.
Betaine was shown to increase sprint duration by around 20% at a dose of 5 g, as documented in a 2010 clinical trial.
Ryse Godzilla Pre-Workout provides exactly 5 g of betaine in two scoops.
Creatine was described as a supplement that “increases muscle performance” in a 2013 medical review, and is effectively dosed in this pre-workout.
Citicoline is a nootropic ingredient, and is clinically shown to increase norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain, which should cause improved motivation and focus.
Caffeine and theobromine are stimulants, and the former can improve exercise performance (both aerobic and anaerobic) according to a meta-study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Pink himalayan sea salt is used as a natural sodium source. Ingesting sodium before working out was shown in a 2015 clinical trial to improve hydration status and exercise performance in the heat.
Overall, we consider Ryse Godzilla Pre-Workout very likely to enhance exercise performance and focus while in the gym. This is the only pre-workout supplement we’ve reviewed to date where we think every active ingredient is effectively dosed.
However, our overall stance on the supplement depends heavily on its inactive ingredients, which we sourced from Amazon and which will be discussed in the next section of this article.
Inactive Ingredient Analysis
The inactive ingredients in Ryse Godzilla Pre-Workout are shown below:
There are four ingredients in this list that we consider to be questionable from a health perspective.
Natural flavor is a broad categorization and at least one medical review suggests that some flavoring additives may have toxic effects, as we documented in our Alani Nu pre workout reviews article.
Artificial flavor is another broad descriptor, and some artificial flavoring agents have been clinically shown to be toxic to animals.
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that decreased insulin sensitivity by around 18% in a 2018 clinical trial. Insulin sensitivity affects blood sugar levels.
Acesulfame potassium is another artificial sweetener that was shown to have negative impacts on gut function and body weight in a clinical trial published in the PLOS One journal.
We do not currently recommend Ryse Pre-Workout due to the inclusion of these additive ingredients.
We Tested Ryse Pre-Workout
One of our Product Testers named Joshua Martinez tried Ryse Pre-Workout for 30 days. Here's his experience:
The jug for this preworkout is HUGE. I have tried dozens of different brands and types of workout supplements but this one is by far the largest for a preworkout supplement. It’s so big that I accidentally knocked the whole thing over when first opening it.
For those with tight spaces, be aware that this will take up a good portion of any cabinet.
I tested the Monsterberry Lime flavor which is specific to this brand. Even though it had such a unique flavor name, it tasted similar to lemonade, and I enjoyed the flavor.
This preworkout pleasantly surprised me with how the combination of ingredients made me feel while working out. It had me laser-focused and just jittery enough to keep me pumped throughout the whole workout.
I didn't experience any side effects at all.
I would 100% purchase this product again, but I would try the passion pineapple flavor instead.
Overall, I rate Ryse Pre-Workout 8/10.
Can You OD on Pre-Workout?
A YouTube video from the popular “chubbyemu” channel (whose owner is a clinical pharmacist) documents a case of a consumer who used 35 g of caffeine and experienced a medical emergency.
We’re not suggesting this is at all likely with use of Ryse as recommended, we’re simply highlighting this video as it’s related, informative and engaging:
Ryse vs. Popular Pre-Workouts
Here's how Ryse Pre-Workout compares to other popular pre-workout supplements in terms of potential effectiveness and healthiness, in our opinion:
Alpha Lion
Contains artificial flavors which are clinically shown (in some cases) to be toxic.
Also contains two different artificial sweeteners.
Winner: Ryse Pre-Workout
Ghost Pre-Workout
This brand significantly improved the healthiness of their formulation recently, removing artificial colors and artificial flavors, as we documented in our Ghost Pre Workout review article.
This formulation is now healthier than Ryse, as it only contains one artificial sweetener.
Winner: Ghost Pre-Workout
Mr. Hyde
Mr. Hyde Pre-Workout contains artificial flavors and two artificial sweeteners, making it less healthy than Ryse.
Winner: Ryse Pre-Workout
Our Clean Pre-Workout Picks
Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract is our top pre-workout supplement.
Panax ginseng extract increases muscle recruitment (source) and reduces physical fatigue (source), and our supplement is third-party tested to ensure its purity and potency.
Pique Breakfast Black Tea Sticks is our top whole food energy pick.
Black tea consumption is "associated with rapid increases in alertness and information processing capacity" (source), and Pique's tea is organic and comes in convenient stick packs that can be mixed into water.
Both of the products mentioned in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Ryse Pre-Workout Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highly potent formulation
- All active ingredients effectively-dosed
- Should enhance pump
- Should enhance focus
- Should increase energy
- Contains an electrolyte
- Mostly positive online customer reviews
Cons:
- Brand fails to clearly publish inactive ingredients on website product page
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains artificial sweeteners
- Brand website charges for shipping
- Caffeine dose in two scoops may cause jitters
- Doesn’t appear clinically tested
