{"id":605180789042,"title":"Total War Preworkout Review: Is It Strong Enough?","created_at":"2023-04-03T22:55:28-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Total War Preworkout Review: Is It Strong Enough?\",\n \"keywords\": \"total war, total war review, total war reviews, total war preworkout, total war preworkout review, total war preworkout reviews, total war pre-workout, is total war pre workout good, total war pre workout caffeine, total war pre workout ingredients, pre workout total war, is total war a good pre workout\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in Total War Preworkout based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective or if it's a waste of money. We explain why the founders of Total War's manufacturer were recently arrested.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/total-war-preworkout-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\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"http:\/\/djmazzoni.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\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\/Total_War_Pre_Workout_Thumbnail.png?v=1680577092\",\n\"width\": \"4096\",\n\"height\": \"4096\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8571142\/\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/bucked-up-pre-workout-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34291426\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30535090\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28832835\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.naturalproductsinsider.com\/regulatory\/redcon1-founder-enters-plea-agreement-blackstone-labs-case\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/mr-hyde-pre-workout-review\",\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\": \"REDCON1\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"citrulline malate\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"beta-alanine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"caffeine\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"sucralose\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Garage Gym Homie\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"More Plates More Dates\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Insider\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Department of Justice\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"The Vitamin Shoppe\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-04-03\",\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\/Total_War_Pre_Workout_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized_6241c927-4f5b-426d-89c5-5804299b35e7.png?v=1680576765\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eT\u003c\/span\u003eotal War is a pre-workout sold by a brand called REDCON1. The brand claims that this product “packs a powerful combination of endurance, pump, energy and focus factors” and that it contains clinically researched ingredients at efficacious doses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut does Total War actually contain research-backed ingredient doses or are these just marketing claims? Does the supplement contain any questionable additives? Why was the founder of the manufacturer of Total War recently arrested? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Total War?\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 Total War based on medical studies to 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 provide a cost comparison featuring the retailer selling Total War for the best price, and share real, unsponsored Total War user reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe'll also explain why the founders of REDCON1 were recently arrested.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient 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\/Total_War_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1680576779\" alt=\"Total War Preworkout 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 Total War are shown above, and the product does contain some research-backed ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCitrulline malate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a “pump” ingredient because it can improve blood flow, which has downstream effects on exercise endurance. A 2021 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8571142\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that citrulline malate supplementation at a similar dose to that in Total War increased energy production (measured by ATP synthesis) by 34%.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeta-alanine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is clinically shown to increase power, as we documented in our review of another supplement containing this ingredient called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/bucked-up-pre-workout-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBucked Up Pre-Workout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. The minimum effective dose appears to be 1 gram (g), while Total War contains 3.2 g.\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 320 milligrams (mg) total. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34291426\/\"\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;\"\u003eSports Medicine\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal found that caffeine supplementation improves physical and mental performance during exercise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’re unable to identify any other active ingredients in this formulation proven to enhance exercise performance, nor does the brand cite any on their product page.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile there are three ingredients in Total War that we consider effectively dosed ergogenics (exercise-enhancers), there are also several questionable additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSucralose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an artificial sweetener which was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30535090\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to decrease insulin sensitivity in otherwise healthy adults, which suggests it may harm metabolism.\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 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28832835\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eanimal studies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e have shown them to be toxic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNatural flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are a healthier option than artificial flavors in our opinion, but a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3620743\/\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/a\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEnvironmental Health Perspectives\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal suggests that some natural flavoring ingredients and their metabolites may be toxic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we consider Total War likely to improve workout performance and reduce fatigue, but we do not recommend this product due to the inclusion of the additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how do real users rate and describe the effects of Total War? We’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Total War User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA popular fitness influencer named “Garage Gym Homie” reviewed the “Black Ops” version of Total War unfavorably:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DzQEwj-yT_A\" 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;\"\u003eAnother popular fitness influencer named Derek with a channel called “More Plates More Dates” has a video “scientifically dismantling” the top five pre-workouts on Amazon, of which Total War is one. We’ve timestamped the below video to his analysis of Total War:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KDJdBbTZBPo?start=2150\" 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\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eREDCON1 Founders Arrested on Conspiracy Charges\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eREDCON1 is the manufacturer of Total War, as referenced in the intro to this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTwo men by the name of Phillip Braun and Aaron Singerman, who founded REDCON1, were arrested on federal conspiracy charges and face up to 13 years in prison, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.naturalproductsinsider.com\/regulatory\/redcon1-founder-enters-plea-agreement-blackstone-labs-case\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eaccording to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Natural Products Insider.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe above-linked article details that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe founders of the company were charged by the Department of Justice with introduction of unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis suggests that the founders were planning to implement drug ingredients into their supplements, which is a major red flag about the brand as a whole in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWill Total War Cause Side Effects?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSince pre-workouts as a supplement category tend to be more likely to cause side effects than the average supplement (given their stimulatory nature), consumers are often curious about whether Total War will cause side effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement doesn’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s impossible to say for certain whether or not it causes side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe caffeine dose is relatively high (more than three standard cups of coffee). This suggests that Total War may cause anxiety and jitters in those who are sensitive to stimulants.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis is a high enough caffeine dose to raise blood pressure, so we’d recommend that anyone with high blood pressure speak with their doctor prior to taking this supplement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeta-alanine is clinically shown to cause an uncomfortable tingling sensation in some individuals\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, as we documented in our review of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/mr-hyde-pre-workout-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHyde Pre Workout\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;\"\u003eOverall, we do not consider Total War likely to cause side effects in the average, healthy adult, but it may cause side effects in stimulant-sensitive individuals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere to Buy Total War for the Best Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTotal War 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;\"\u003eThe Vitamin Shoppe: $44.99 (free shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand website: $42.99 (plus shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalmart: $39.99 (free shipping)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$34.99 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e depending on plan – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3K5SX56\"\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;\"\u003eTotal War is currently 22% cheaper on Amazon than on the brand’s website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal Customers Review Total War\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;\"\u003eTotal War has been reviewed over 22,000 times on Amazon with an average review rating of 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 “Luis c.” who claims that the supplement is a good option for the price:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Very good taste . Solid formula , all in all good base pre workout . Dollar and change per serving can’t beat that with the quality . Always look to try new preworkouts but always find myself coming back to this one”\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 “Angelina” who claims the product tastes bad and caused side effects:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“When i first tried it i was like Okayy.. not that bad.. i can get used to this. WRONG a week later i was absolutely sick of how this taste! Even thinking about it gets me nauseous. I tried to thug it out because i need prework out but MAN this taste SO BAD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and i still have a whole tub left. It does give you energy though but i don’t feel as if though it’s a lot”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eREDCON1 has an average rating of 2.89 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/us\/fl\/boca-raton\/profile\/vitamins-and-supplements\/redcon1-llc-0633-90350796\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003epage\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is actually a positive score for that site.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe brand responds to the majority of customer complaints offering resolution, which is a good sign.\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 Bucked Up, 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 Total War\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of Total War Preworkout in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003ePros:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEffective dose of stimulant ingredients\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 reduce fatigue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCheap on Amazon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFounder of manufacturer arrested on unapproved drug charges\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHigh caffeine dose may cause anxiety in some individuals\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains artificial sweetener\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains artificial flavors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains natural flavors\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;\"\u003eTotal War Preworkout is likely to improve power and reduce fatigue at the gym based on our analysis of its active ingredients. The supplement provides an effective caffeine dose as well as an effective dose of beta-alanine and citrulline malate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement may be inadvisable for anxious or sensitive individuals, or those with high blood pressure, due to the relatively high caffeine dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe founders of the manufacturer of Total War were recently charged with conspiracy to introduce drug ingredients to interstate commerce, which is highly concerning in our opinion and may suggest that avoiding this brand entirely is the safest option.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not consider Total War likely to cause side effects in the average consumer based on its ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing Total War, Amazon currently has the best price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-04-03T23:03:19-04:00","updated_at":"2023-04-06T21:26:32-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in Total War Preworkout based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective or if it's a waste of money. We explain why the founders of Total War's manufacturer  were recently arrested.","template_suffix":"","handle":"total-war-preworkout-review","tags":"_related:pre-workout"}

Total War Preworkout Review: Is It Strong Enough?

Total War Preworkout Review: Is It Strong Enough?


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Total War is a pre-workout sold by a brand called REDCON1. The brand claims that this product “packs a powerful combination of endurance, pump, energy and focus factors” and that it contains clinically researched ingredients at efficacious doses.

But does Total War actually contain research-backed ingredient doses or are these just marketing claims? Does the supplement contain any questionable additives? Why was the founder of the manufacturer of Total War recently arrested? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Total War?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Total War based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective or if it’s a waste of money.

We’ll also provide a cost comparison featuring the retailer selling Total War for the best price, and share real, unsponsored Total War user reviews.

We'll also explain why the founders of REDCON1 were recently arrested.

Ingredient Analysis

Total War Preworkout ingredients

The ingredients in Total War are shown above, and the product does contain some research-backed ingredients.

Citrulline malate is a “pump” ingredient because it can improve blood flow, which has downstream effects on exercise endurance. A 2021 meta-study found that citrulline malate supplementation at a similar dose to that in Total War increased energy production (measured by ATP synthesis) by 34%.

Beta-alanine is clinically shown to increase power, as we documented in our review of another supplement containing this ingredient called Bucked Up Pre-Workout. The minimum effective dose appears to be 1 gram (g), while Total War contains 3.2 g.

Caffeine is included at a dose of 320 milligrams (mg) total. A medical review published in the Sports Medicine journal found that caffeine supplementation improves physical and mental performance during exercise.

We’re unable to identify any other active ingredients in this formulation proven to enhance exercise performance, nor does the brand cite any on their product page.

While there are three ingredients in Total War that we consider effectively dosed ergogenics (exercise-enhancers), there are also several questionable additive ingredients.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener which was shown in a clinical trial published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition to decrease insulin sensitivity in otherwise healthy adults, which suggests it may harm metabolism.

Artificial flavors have no nutritional value, and animal studies have shown them to be toxic.

Natural flavors are a healthier option than artificial flavors in our opinion, but a medical review published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal suggests that some natural flavoring ingredients and their metabolites may be toxic.

Overall, we consider Total War likely to improve workout performance and reduce fatigue, but we do not recommend this product due to the inclusion of the additive ingredients.

But how do real users rate and describe the effects of Total War? We’ll review in the next section.

Real, Unsponsored Total War User Reviews

A popular fitness influencer named “Garage Gym Homie” reviewed the “Black Ops” version of Total War unfavorably:

Another popular fitness influencer named Derek with a channel called “More Plates More Dates” has a video “scientifically dismantling” the top five pre-workouts on Amazon, of which Total War is one. We’ve timestamped the below video to his analysis of Total War:

REDCON1 Founders Arrested on Conspiracy Charges

REDCON1 is the manufacturer of Total War, as referenced in the intro to this article.

Two men by the name of Phillip Braun and Aaron Singerman, who founded REDCON1, were arrested on federal conspiracy charges and face up to 13 years in prison, according to Natural Products Insider.

The above-linked article details that the founders of the company were charged by the Department of Justice with introduction of unapproved new drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead.

This suggests that the founders were planning to implement drug ingredients into their supplements, which is a major red flag about the brand as a whole in our opinion.

Will Total War Cause Side Effects?

Since pre-workouts as a supplement category tend to be more likely to cause side effects than the average supplement (given their stimulatory nature), consumers are often curious about whether Total War will cause side effects.

This supplement doesn’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s impossible to say for certain whether or not it causes side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.

The caffeine dose is relatively high (more than three standard cups of coffee). This suggests that Total War may cause anxiety and jitters in those who are sensitive to stimulants.

This is a high enough caffeine dose to raise blood pressure, so we’d recommend that anyone with high blood pressure speak with their doctor prior to taking this supplement.

Beta-alanine is clinically shown to cause an uncomfortable tingling sensation in some individuals, as we documented in our review of Hyde Pre Workout.

Overall, we do not consider Total War likely to cause side effects in the average, healthy adult, but it may cause side effects in stimulant-sensitive individuals.

Where to Buy Total War for the Best Price

Total War is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown at the time of publishing this article:

The Vitamin Shoppe: $44.99 (free shipping)

Brand website: $42.99 (plus shipping)

Walmart: $39.99 (free shipping)

Amazon: $34.99 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)

Total War is currently 22% cheaper on Amazon than on the brand’s website.

Real Customers Review Total War

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

Total War has been reviewed over 22,000 times on Amazon with an average review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Luis c.” who claims that the supplement is a good option for the price:

“Very good taste . Solid formula , all in all good base pre workout . Dollar and change per serving can’t beat that with the quality . Always look to try new preworkouts but always find myself coming back to this one”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Angelina” who claims the product tastes bad and caused side effects:

“When i first tried it i was like Okayy.. not that bad.. i can get used to this. WRONG a week later i was absolutely sick of how this taste! Even thinking about it gets me nauseous. I tried to thug it out because i need prework out but MAN this taste SO BAD and i still have a whole tub left. It does give you energy though but i don’t feel as if though it’s a lot”

REDCON1 has an average rating of 2.89 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) page, which is actually a positive score for that site.

The brand responds to the majority of customer complaints offering resolution, which is a good sign.

Our Clean Pre-Workout Picks

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

Like Bucked Up, 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 Total War

Here are the pros and cons of Total War Preworkout in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Effective dose of stimulant ingredients
  • Should improve power
  • Should reduce fatigue
  • Cheap on Amazon

Cons:

  • Founder of manufacturer arrested on unapproved drug charges
  • High caffeine dose may cause anxiety in some individuals
  • Contains artificial sweetener
  • Contains artificial flavors
  • Contains natural flavors
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Conclusion

Total War Preworkout is likely to improve power and reduce fatigue at the gym based on our analysis of its active ingredients. The supplement provides an effective caffeine dose as well as an effective dose of beta-alanine and citrulline malate.

This supplement may be inadvisable for anxious or sensitive individuals, or those with high blood pressure, due to the relatively high caffeine dose.

The founders of the manufacturer of Total War were recently charged with conspiracy to introduce drug ingredients to interstate commerce, which is highly concerning in our opinion and may suggest that avoiding this brand entirely is the safest option.

We do not consider Total War likely to cause side effects in the average consumer based on its ingredients.

For consumers intent on purchasing Total War, Amazon currently has the best price.




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