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 are these ingredients actually shown in medical studies to be effective for energy and strength, or are these just marketing claims? Does the brand use any questionable additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe the effects of Ryse pre-workout? And which retailer sells this supplement for the best price?
In this article we’ll investigate all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Ryse Pre-Workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether or not it’s likely to be effective, and whether or not it’s healthy.
We’ll feature unsponsored customer reviews, and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Ryse for the best price.
Active Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Ryse Godzilla Pre-Workout are shown above.
The brand fails to publish the inactive ingredients on their website product page at the time of publishing this article, which is a consumer safety issue and is entirely unacceptable.
Inactive ingredients are compounds like flavoring additives, sweeteners and thickeners that some consumers may be allergic or sensitive to. Every consumer deserves to know the ingredients in their supplements, and we urge Ryse to publish this information on their product page.
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 every active ingredient is effectively dosed in our opinion.
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 above.
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 Tried Ryse Pre-Workout Ourselves
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:
Where to Get the Best Price
Ryse Pre-Workout is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown for a one-time purchase of the Godzilla version at the time of publishing this article:
Walmart: $56.99 (free shipping, third-party seller, link)
Brand website: $56.99 (plus shipping, link)
Amazon: $55.49 (free shipping, third-party seller, link to Amazon listing)
Ryse Pre-Workout is currently around 10% cheaper on Amazon than the brand’s website, but the listing is published by a third-party seller so it may be safer to purchase directly from the manufacturer.
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 entirely free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Customers Rate Ryse
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.
Ryse Godzilla Pre-Workout has been reviewed over 650 times on Amazon, with an average customer review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Joseph Terry” who gives the supplement a 5/5 star rating and likes its taste and effects:
“I’d say this is really good pre workout if your just starting out or even if your an experienced lifter just bc it’s so like perfectly balanced, also I’m able to dry scoop it so the flavor is good”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Dylan Evans” who gives the supplement a 1/5 star rating and claims that it caused digestive distress:
“I've always had issues with my stomach but absolutely nothing has ever made me this miserable. The first day I took it right off the bat I noticed diarrhea. After time that went away but I was left with bloating and gas. The random stomach grumbling is nonstop, frequent and literally doesn't end, even hours after I took it.”
Ryse currently has an average customer review rating of 1.6 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, but the company responds to the majority of customer complaints which is a sign of a high-quality brand.
Ryse Pre-Workout has an average review rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google.
Ryse Pre-Workout Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Ryse Pre-Workout in our opinion:
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
