{"id":604563898674,"title":"Alpha Lion Review: The Strongest Pre-Workout?","created_at":"2022-12-30T23:25:22-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Alpha Lion Review: The Strongest Pre-Workout?\",\n \"keywords\": \"alpha lion, alpha lion review, alpha lion reviews, alpha lion pre workout, alpha lion superhuman, alpha lion supplements, alpha lion pre workout review, alpha lion pre, alpha lion preworkout, alpha lion pump\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews the ingredients in Alpha Lion's most popular pre-workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether it's likely to improve workouts or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable inactive ingredients.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/alpha-lion-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\/Alpha_Lion_Thumbnail.png?v=1672461153\",\n\"width\": \"2734\",\n\"height\": \"2734\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31977835\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.futureceuticals.com\/s7\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32833890\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/best-pre-workout\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25797188\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/10.1089\/jmf.2021.0016\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/arbonne-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23026007\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/full-send-supplements-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5464538\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28832835\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"l-citrulline\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"beta alanine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial colors\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial sweetener\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-12-30\",\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 alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Alpha_Lion_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1672460539\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eA\u003c\/span\u003elpha Lion is a popular pre-workout brand that describes their products as “Motivation Juice” that is “Backed by Research for Maximum Effectiveness.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut does Alpha Lion pre-workout contain research-backed ingredients for improving athletic performance or are these just marketing claims? Does the product contain any unhealthy ingredients? Are pre-workouts safe? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Alpha Lion 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 review the ingredients in Alpha Lion Superhuman Pre-Workout which is the brand’s most popular pre-workout supplement. We’ll give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective or if it’s a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll also explain our thoughts on whether pre-workouts are safe to use regularly, and share real, unsponsored user reviews of this Alpha Lion Pre-Workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement contains a large number of ingredients, so we’ll break our ingredient analysis into four sections based on the Supplement Facts label: Pump Matrix, Strength Matrix, Energy Matrix and inactive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis – Pump Matrix\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Alpha Lion Superhuman Pump Matrix ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Alpha_Lion_Pre_Workout_Pump_Matrix_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1672460653\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-citrulline\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is the first active ingredient in this formulation, and is an amino acid that’s an effective ergogenic (exercise-enhancing) compound. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31977835\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on citrulline and exercise performance, published in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that this amino acid enhances both performance and recovery. The 4,000 milligram (mg) dose in one scoop of Alpha Lion Pre-Workout is an effective dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eS7\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a blend of plant-based ingredients, and its manufacturer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.futureceuticals.com\/s7\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclaims\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e it can increase nitric oxide by 230%. However, we cannot identify any clinical studies in scientific or medical journals proving these claims, and the above-linked page states to “contact us” for clinical trial results.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-taurine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e (another amino acid) and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eblack pepper extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are the two remaining active ingredients in this blend, and we can’t find any medical research suggesting their efficacy for a pre-workout formulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis - Strength Matrix\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Alpha Lion Superhuman Strength Matrix ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Alpha_Lion_Pre_Workout_Strength_Matrix_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1672460683\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Strength Matrix contains two well-studied ingredients for workout performance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeta alanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was shown in a 2022 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32833890\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to prevent fatigue and improve power in sprinters at a 1.2 gram (g) daily dose, which is less than the amount in half a scoop of this pre-workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBetaine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is clinically proven to increase power during exercise as we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/best-pre-workout\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ebest pre workout for men\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we consider the Strength Matrix to be a well-formulated blend with two effectively dosed ingredients for improving workout performance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis - Energy Matrix\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Alpha Lion Superhuman Energy Matrix ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Alpha_Lion_Pre_Workout_Energy_Matrix_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1672460710\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eL-tyrosine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another amino acid. A 2015 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25797188\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that tyrosine may improve cognition and stress response, but the dose used in all of the 15 clinical trials examined was higher than the dose in Alpha Lion Pre-Workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSantEnergy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a trademarked herbal extract derived from the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEriodictyon californicum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e plant. Early \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.liebertpub.com\/doi\/10.1089\/jmf.2021.0016\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eresearch\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e suggests this ingredient may be effective for weight loss, but we cannot identify any clinical studies finding it to improve subjective energy levels.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe remaining ingredients in this blend are different types of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and as we referenced in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/arbonne-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArbonne reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article, caffeine can improve both physical and mental performance during exercise, and is one of the most well-studied ingredients for energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’s worth noting that one full scoop of Alpha Lion Pre-Workout contains 325 mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to over three cups of coffee. This dose is effective for energy and should be tolerable for healthy people, but it’s high enough to cause side effects like anxiety in those who are sensitive to caffeine.\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 style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Alpha Lion Superhuman inactive ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Alpha_Lion_Pre_Workout_Inactive_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1672460740\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis pre-workout supplement contains several inactive ingredients we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFD\u0026amp;C Blue 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eFD\u0026amp;C Yellow 5\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are artificial colors, and a \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 on artificial colors found some of them to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and genotoxic (DNA-damaging). They have no nutritive value so it seems logical to avoid them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSucralose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an artificial sweetener that’s been shown in medical research to cause negative changes to insulin function in healthy young adults, as we referenced in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/full-send-supplements-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFull Send Supplements reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article, on another workout supplement that contains this ingredient.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAcesulfame potassium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another artificial sweetener that was shown in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5464538\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eanimal studies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to have negative effects on the gut microbiome.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eArtificial flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e 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 to have toxic effects on animals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Take – Is Alpha Lion Worth It?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend Alpha Lion Pre-Workout due to all of the questionable additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe formulation is actually impressive from an efficacy perspective. There are ingredients proven to optimize exercise performance and mental focus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe believe that pre-workouts can be safe to use on a regular basis, but it depends on the ingredients in the pre-workout.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e We certainly wouldn’t recommend consuming artificial flavors and artificial sweeteners on a daily basis, and for some consumers the caffeine dose in a full scoop of Alpha Lion may be too high, but we don’t have issues with the supplement category itself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Alpha Lion Pre-Workout User Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok user named Victor Rodriguez reviewed Alpha Lion Pre-Workout:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote style=\"max-width: 375px; min-width: 325px;\" data-video-id=\"7122928915366071595\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@vjrod\/video\/7122928915366071595\" class=\"tiktok-embed\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@vjrod?refer=embed\" title=\"@vjrod\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e@vjrod\u003c\/a\u003e Replying to @jtanarchy93 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Betty-Get-Money-7115090671437875201?refer=embed\" title=\"♬ Betty (Get Money) - Yung Gravy\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e♬ Betty (Get Money) - Yung Gravy\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\u003eReal Alpha Lion Customer Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Superhuman pre-workout has been reviewed over 2,000 times on Amazon, which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion. The average review rating is 4.3 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 “rbaraan” who claims the supplement caused power gains:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I've seen all the hype on the internet regarding this stuff, so I thought I'd give it a try. In the beginning I experience some slight jitters, which is actually what I like. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThroughout my workout, the pump was pretty intense for a good hour! And it helped me to push weight that I haven't lifted in a while.”\u003c\/b\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 “Sedric” who claims the taste is poor:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“As a long time Alpha Lion supporter of 3 years I was appalled, this use to be my favorite flavor as of recently you can really taste and see the difference in the product!!! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe pre workout bubbles up and the taste is horrific!!! It tastes completely different from the the original gainsicle flavor. Not sure what was changed in the ingredients I don’t recommend this flavor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e especially for the price!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Pre-Workout Pick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Pre-Workout_Image.png?v=1672460783\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe pre-workout supplement we recommend is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=1150909\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=78253\u0026amp;urllink=nakednutrition%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2Fpre%2Dworkout%2Dpowder\u0026amp;afftrack=\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNaked Energy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e by Naked Nutrition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLike Alpha Lion, it provides an effective dose of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ebeta alanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e for power and stamina improvements.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\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 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAlpha Lion Superhuman Pre-Workout costs $42.49 and contains 21 servings, which equals a cost-per-serving of $2.02. Naked Energy costs $44.99 and contains 50 servings, which equals a cost-per-serving of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$0.90\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInterested consumers can check out Naked Energy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=1150909\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=78253\u0026amp;urllink=nakednutrition%2Ecom%2Fproducts%2Fpre%2Dworkout%2Dpowder\u0026amp;afftrack=\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to its product page on the official brand website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider Alpha Lion’s Superhuman pre-workout to be likely effective for improving workout performance, given that it contains several research-backed ingredients at effective doses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t recommend the supplement overall due to the inclusion of additive ingredients like artificial sweeteners, and because we think the caffeine dose per serving is relatively high.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOnline reviews of this supplement are relatively favorable, and we think it’s a good thing that Alpha Lion supplements list the individual dose of each ingredient for transparency, but we believe there are healthier options on the market than this product.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-12-30T23:36:37-05:00","updated_at":"2023-08-12T13:02:41-04:00","summary_html":"We review the ingredients in Alpha Lion's most popular pre-workout based on medical studies to give our take on whether it's likely to improve workouts or if it's a waste of money. We highlight some questionable inactive ingredients.","template_suffix":"","handle":"alpha-lion-review","tags":"_related:pre-workout"}

Alpha Lion Review: The Strongest Pre-Workout?

Alpha Lion Review: The Strongest Pre-Workout?


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Alpha Lion is a popular pre-workout brand that describes their products as “Motivation Juice” that is “Backed by Research for Maximum Effectiveness.” 

But does Alpha Lion pre-workout contain research-backed ingredients for improving athletic performance or are these just marketing claims? Does the product contain any unhealthy ingredients? Are pre-workouts safe? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Alpha Lion pre-workout?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Alpha Lion Superhuman Pre-Workout which is the brand’s most popular pre-workout supplement. We’ll give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective or if it’s a waste of money.

We’ll also explain our thoughts on whether pre-workouts are safe to use regularly, and share real, unsponsored user reviews of this Alpha Lion Pre-Workout.

This supplement contains a large number of ingredients, so we’ll break our ingredient analysis into four sections based on the Supplement Facts label: Pump Matrix, Strength Matrix, Energy Matrix and inactive ingredients.

Ingredient Analysis – Pump Matrix

Alpha Lion Superhuman Pump Matrix ingredients

L-citrulline is the first active ingredient in this formulation, and is an amino acid that’s an effective ergogenic (exercise-enhancing) compound. 

A medical review on citrulline and exercise performance, published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that this amino acid enhances both performance and recovery. The 4,000 milligram (mg) dose in one scoop of Alpha Lion Pre-Workout is an effective dose.

S7 is a blend of plant-based ingredients, and its manufacturer claims it can increase nitric oxide by 230%. However, we cannot identify any clinical studies in scientific or medical journals proving these claims, and the above-linked page states to “contact us” for clinical trial results.

L-taurine (another amino acid) and black pepper extract are the two remaining active ingredients in this blend, and we can’t find any medical research suggesting their efficacy for a pre-workout formulation.

Ingredient Analysis - Strength Matrix

Alpha Lion Superhuman Strength Matrix ingredients

The Strength Matrix contains two well-studied ingredients for workout performance.

Beta alanine was shown in a 2022 clinical trial to prevent fatigue and improve power in sprinters at a 1.2 gram (g) daily dose, which is less than the amount in half a scoop of this pre-workout.

Betaine is clinically proven to increase power during exercise as we documented in our best pre workout for men article.

Overall we consider the Strength Matrix to be a well-formulated blend with two effectively dosed ingredients for improving workout performance.

Ingredient Analysis - Energy Matrix

Alpha Lion Superhuman Energy Matrix ingredients

L-tyrosine is another amino acid. A 2015 meta-review found that tyrosine may improve cognition and stress response, but the dose used in all of the 15 clinical trials examined was higher than the dose in Alpha Lion Pre-Workout.

SantEnergy is a trademarked herbal extract derived from the Eriodictyon californicum plant. Early research suggests this ingredient may be effective for weight loss, but we cannot identify any clinical studies finding it to improve subjective energy levels.

The remaining ingredients in this blend are different types of caffeine, and as we referenced in our Arbonne reviews article, caffeine can improve both physical and mental performance during exercise, and is one of the most well-studied ingredients for energy.

It’s worth noting that one full scoop of Alpha Lion Pre-Workout contains 325 mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to over three cups of coffee. This dose is effective for energy and should be tolerable for healthy people, but it’s high enough to cause side effects like anxiety in those who are sensitive to caffeine.

Inactive Ingredient Analysis

Alpha Lion Superhuman inactive ingredients

This pre-workout supplement contains several inactive ingredients we recommend avoiding.

FD&C Blue 1 and FD&C Yellow 5 are artificial colors, and a medical review on artificial colors found some of them to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and genotoxic (DNA-damaging). They have no nutritive value so it seems logical to avoid them.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that’s been shown in medical research to cause negative changes to insulin function in healthy young adults, as we referenced in our Full Send Supplements reviews article, on another workout supplement that contains this ingredient.

Acesulfame potassium is another artificial sweetener that was shown in animal studies to have negative effects on the gut microbiome.

Artificial flavors were shown in a clinical trial to have toxic effects on animals.

Our Take – Is Alpha Lion Worth It?

We do not recommend Alpha Lion Pre-Workout due to all of the questionable additive ingredients.

The formulation is actually impressive from an efficacy perspective. There are ingredients proven to optimize exercise performance and mental focus.

We believe that pre-workouts can be safe to use on a regular basis, but it depends on the ingredients in the pre-workout. We certainly wouldn’t recommend consuming artificial flavors and artificial sweeteners on a daily basis, and for some consumers the caffeine dose in a full scoop of Alpha Lion may be too high, but we don’t have issues with the supplement category itself.

Real, Unsponsored Alpha Lion Pre-Workout User Review

A TikTok user named Victor Rodriguez reviewed Alpha Lion Pre-Workout:

@vjrod Replying to @jtanarchy93 ♬ Betty (Get Money) - Yung Gravy

Real Alpha Lion Customer Reviews

The Superhuman pre-workout has been reviewed over 2,000 times on Amazon, which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion. The average review rating is 4.3 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “rbaraan” who claims the supplement caused power gains:

“I've seen all the hype on the internet regarding this stuff, so I thought I'd give it a try. In the beginning I experience some slight jitters, which is actually what I like. Throughout my workout, the pump was pretty intense for a good hour! And it helped me to push weight that I haven't lifted in a while.”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Sedric” who claims the taste is poor:

“As a long time Alpha Lion supporter of 3 years I was appalled, this use to be my favorite flavor as of recently you can really taste and see the difference in the product!!! The pre workout bubbles up and the taste is horrific!!! It tastes completely different from the the original gainsicle flavor. Not sure what was changed in the ingredients I don’t recommend this flavor especially for the price!”

Our Clean Pre-Workout Pick

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

Like Alpha Lion, 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.

Alpha Lion Superhuman Pre-Workout costs $42.49 and contains 21 servings, which equals a cost-per-serving of $2.02. Naked Energy costs $44.99 and contains 50 servings, which equals a cost-per-serving of $0.90.

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

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Conclusion

We consider Alpha Lion’s Superhuman pre-workout to be likely effective for improving workout performance, given that it contains several research-backed ingredients at effective doses.

We don’t recommend the supplement overall due to the inclusion of additive ingredients like artificial sweeteners, and because we think the caffeine dose per serving is relatively high.

Online reviews of this supplement are relatively favorable, and we think it’s a good thing that Alpha Lion supplements list the individual dose of each ingredient for transparency, but we believe there are healthier options on the market than this product.