Pre-workout is one of the most popular supplements in the weight training industry and has been around for nearly 40 years. (1) Looking at today’s market, you will see a variety of products that are loaded with amino acids, as well as creatine and vitamins. Not all pre-workouts are the same, and some of these products can contain chemicals that will cause you to crash after the burst of energy — we like to stick to pre-workouts that don’t have this effect. Now you may ask, can pre-workout be an effective addition to my supplement regimen?
If you want a pre-workout with natural ingredients as well as added vitamins, Ignite could be a great option for you. Xwerks Ignite is a “natural energy and focus blend.” It’s also gluten-free and loaded with ingredients like citrulline and beta-alanine that can help stimulate muscle growth and repair, and boost endurance. With the inclusion of DMAE and tyrosine, this product can also help with overall brain health, promoting memory and concentration while relieving stress and anxiety.
If you are new to pre-workout or looking to swap out your current one, Ignite is designed to help prioritize energy, focus, and endurance without the dreaded crash that pre-workouts may cause. While the price is higher than many of its competitors, it’s a great blend of natural ingredients for those who are looking for a pre-workout that includes potentially energy-boosting ingredients as well as added vitamins that can boost your output and endurance.
Main Takeaways
- Xerks Ignite contains vitamins B6 and B12, which can help enable protein metabolism and growth while also maintaining normal energy levels.
- The formula is designed to potentially help provide an increase in endurance and energy without jitters — it contains citrulline, beta-alanine, and caffeine (in a reasonable dose rather than an overload that many more dangerous pre-workouts provide).
- This pre-workout comes in four flavors with a formula that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free.
XWERKS Ignite contains ingredients that help both strength and endurance athletes before a training session. We also love that you can choose from four different flavors.
Xwerks Ignite Pre-Workout Highlights
Xwerks Ignite’s natural ingredients can combine to make a clean product that can help provide athletes with sustainable energy without the crash. Along with the main pre-workout players (citrulline, beta-alanine, and tyrosine) Ignite’s magnesium lactate can also help provide the fuel your body needs to get through a tough workout. With this lactic fuel, you’re less likely to feel the burning sensation we typically feel when we start working our muscles. (2)
Ignite comes in four different flavors: Green Apple, Orange, Blue Raspberry and Watermelon. However, you’re going to want to make sure the higher price tag is worth it to you — you’re definitely paying for the well-formulated, targeted, and properly dosed blend of ingredients here.
Who Should Buy Xwerks Ignite
- Athletes looking for that extra boost of energy in the gym without the crash will appreciate that this product doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals or over-do the caffeine — it only contains 150mg, which is about one cup of coffee’s worth.
- People who have struggled with digestive issues from other pre-workout brands. The black pepper extract in this supplement should help with absorption.
- Anyone who is looking to avoid sugar, dairy, or gluten — Ignite is free of all three.
Who Shouldn’t Buy Xwerks Ignite
- People who are looking for a cheaper option. This product is pricier due to its high quality dosages and compatible ingredients.
- Those who have to avoid caffeine all together. There is 150mg found in this product, the same as a cup of coffee.
Price and Buying Options
Xwerks Ignite comes in a 10.9oz container with 30 servings for $49.00 — that’s about $1.63 per serving, which is on the higher end of the market. You also have the option to subscribe for a repeat shipment, which can save you 5 percent per purchase.
Xwerks Ignite Pre-Workout Overall
This formula hits all the marks when it comes to potentially increasing your energy and focus throughout your workout, and comes in four flavors for a bit of variety. Xwerks formula includes citrulline to help fight off fatigue, beta-alanine that can help with endurance, and caffeine to potentially boost your energy. In addition, this formula contains tyrosine and DMAE to help with focus and mental performance during workouts, as well as black pepper extract that can help with absorption.
Formulation
Xwerks Ignite boasts a blend of ingredients focused on energy, focus, and endurance, as well as added vitamins, which many less expensive pre-workouts do not include. It does contain a more average dose of caffeine than some other brands on the market (these may include two-three cups of coffee’s worth of caffeine vs. Ignite’s one cup), but that may be a welcome perk to some. These are all the ingredients you can expect to find in Ignite — all of which are dosed at average or above average amounts of what you’ll find across the market.
Caffeine
Ignite contains 150mg of caffeine, which is similar to a large cup of coffee. Caffeine can potentially cause jitters, so be cautious if you are sensitive — or especially if you’re allergic. However, if consumed properly, caffeine can provide a powerful energy boost, which can help increase cardiovascular performance.
Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12
This formula contains 20mg of vitamin B6, which can help promote both protein metabolism and growth. There is also 3,000mcg of vitamin B12, which can help maintain normal energy levels while also aiding in mental alertness.
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola can help enhance physical performance by reducing fatigue. The 500mg packed into this pre-workout is a solid dose that can help you better recover from intense exercise, fighting off exhaustion (3)
DMAE
The 200mg of DMAE can help improve memory as well as concentration, and it can even act as an antioxidant. Often considered a great supplement to help with cognitive function as you age, DMAE can also help boost memory for anyone during a long workout. This amino acid is produced in the body, but it’s also found in fatty fish such as salmon — and in this pre-workout. (4)
L-Tyrosine
Ignite contains two grams of tyrosine, an amino acid which can be converted in the brain to adrenaline and dopamine. This may help in relieving stress as well as anxiety throughout strenuous workouts. The benefits of tyrosine may also lead to an increased workout intensity and prevention of overtraining.
Beta-alanine
Suggested to enhance muscular endurance, the 1.5g of beta-alanine in Ignite could help you hit an extra set at the gym. (5) Beta-alanine can elevate levels of carnosine, which is key in improving performance in high-intensity exercise, like sprinting. Carnosine is a protein building block found in many elite sprinters.
Magnesium Lactate
The 35mg of magnesium lactate found in this pre-workout can help provide your muscles with the fuel needed before your workout even begins. It can help your body switch from lactate production to lactate consumption, which can lead to an increase in your work capacity. In other words, the lactic acid that athletes may fear, is actually not the bad guy at all — it’s fuel for your muscles as they’re working.
L-Citrulline Malate
Ignite consists of three grams of citrulline — this may lead to a reduction in both fatigue and muscle soreness, while also increasing your blood flow. Found in watermelon and certain meats, citrulline is also naturally produced in the body, and known to help produce nitric acid, which can help with blood flow, thereby increasing your endurance and reducing your fatigue. (6)
Flavorings
Like most pre-workouts, Ignite uses artificial flavors to supplement their natural flavoring in their pre-workout. One of these artificial ingredients is 150mg of sucralose, a zero calorie artificial sweetener that is made from sugar. (7) Silica is the last added ingredient, there are several water soluble forms of silica that are referred to as silicic acid, and are found in surface and well water. (8) In addition to these flavorings, you’ll also find natural flavorings to create the Green Apple, Orange, Blue Raspberry, and Watermelon varieties.
Blends
The ingredients in Ignite are grouped into three different categories based on how they could potentially affect the body — these alleged benefits include energy, focus, and endurance.
Energy: This blend contains the 150mg of caffeine, as well as the 20mg of vitamin B6 and 3,000mcg of vitamin 12, which are all ideal for a potential boost in energy.
Focus: This blend contains 500mg of rhodiola rosea, 200mg of DMAE, and two grams of l-tyrosine that all may help with cognitive function, focus, and mental clarity.
Endurance: Consisting of 1.5 grams of beta-alanine, 35mg of magnesium lactate, as well as three grams of l-citrulline malate, this blend is the one that can help with your power output and endurance during exercise.
What To Consider Before Buying Xwerks Ignite Pre-Workout
Xwerks Ignite pre-workout is likely one of the more expensive brands of pre-workout you’ll find on the market. This is not necessarily a bad thing though — often the brands you find at higher price points have more effective dosing, added vitamins, and helpful ingredients for absorption. However, there are a few things to consider before deciding if Ignite is right for you.
Ingredients
When choosing a pre-workout, you’ll want to make sure your blend includes the specific ingredients you’re looking for. Some people may be looking for a stim-free pre-workout, while others may want a pre-workout with high doses of caffeine — Ignite isn’t the right dose for either of those scenarios as it boasts just an average amount of caffeine that equates to about one cup of coffee.
In addition to the caffeine dosage, you’ll want to consider what other pre-workout ingredients you want in your formula. Pre-workout ingredient lists are notoriously robust. Do you want a blend that contains creatine? Or would you rather one that just contains citrulline and beta-alanine? If your answer is the latter, this blend could be right for you.
However, this blend doesn’t contain creatine — which many pre-workouts do — so if that’s something you’re specifically looking for in a pre-workout, it’s best to opt for another brand. When it comes to pre-workout, make sure you’re checking the ingredients list for your must-haves before buying.
Flavors
Taste is a big deal when it comes to consistency, and it’s no different with pre-workout. Luckily, Ignite features four different flavors: Green Apple, Orange, Blue Raspberry and Watermelon. While these flavors are objectively tasty, if those four flavors aren’t ones you’re fond of, that’s an important consideration to make before buying this product. However, if your only concern is bitterness, with 150mg of sucralose, you don’t have to worry about this pre-workout being bitter.
Price
If you are worried about your budget, this pre-workout might not be for you. At $50 a tub, this product is one of the more expensive products on the market — it costs about $1.63 per serving when you can find pre-workouts that cost less than $1 per serving. There are definitely more affordable pre-workouts out there, but those products might not include the vitamins and minerals, or the well-formulated dosages and compatible blends that this product offers.
Final Word
In the world of pre-workout, your main focus should be on the ingredients list. Since most pre-workouts contain a similar array of ingredients — from energy-boosting to focus-enhancing — you’ll want to make sure the formula you’re considering contains the specific ingredients you want if you are looking to make the cost worth your while. For example, this product contains a solid dose of citrulline and beta-alanine, but it does not contain creatine. If creatine is something you’re specifically looking for, this won’t be a great option for you.
This particular product puts a strong emphasis on mental boosts as well as physical ones. DMAE and Tyrosine can help with memory, focus, and mental clarity during hard workouts — something that’s often overlooked to get a bigger dose of energy-boosting ingredients. With four different flavors, you have a good chance of finding one that suits your taste buds. And while $50 for 30 servings may seem a bit pricey, Ignite can be a great option for those who want both energy-boosting and focus-enhancing ingredients in their blend, along with an added dose of vitamins to boot.
FAQs
Is Xwerks pre-workout safe?
Generally, yes — the ingredients in this product are scientifically backed. However, this product does contain caffeine, which may not be ideal for someone who is allergic or sensitive to it. When buying any product, be sure to read all of the ingredients before making your purchase.
Is Xwerks Ignite worth its price tag?
There may not be enough evidence to prove that Ignite is the superior product out there, but we believe it competes with the best of the best. Whether or not it’s worth its price tag will depend on the ingredients and flavor you’re looking for. If this product has the specific blend you need, then the $50 will be worth it.
What are other alternatives to Xwerks Ignite?
If you are not comfortable with trying pre-workout, you can always drink a cup or two of black coffee before hitting the gym. The caffeine in coffee may provide the same burst of energy as pre-workout, but you will miss out on helpful ingredients such as tyrosine, beta-alanine, and citrulline.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Ephedra. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ephedra.
- Morris DM;Shafer RS;Fairbrother KR;Woodall. (2011, August 21). Effects of lactate consumption on blood bicarbonate levels and performance during high-intensity exercise. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21813914/.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020, October). Rhodiola. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/rhodiola.
- Malanga G, Aguiar MB, Martinez HD, Puntarulo S. New insights on dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) features as a free radical scavenger. Drug Metab Lett. 2012 Mar;6(1):54-9. doi: 10.2174/187231212800229282. PMID: 22300295.
- Maté-Muñoz, J.L., Lougedo, J.H., Garnacho-Castaño, M.V. et al. Effects of β-alanine supplementation during a 5-week strength training program: a randomized, controlled study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 15, 19 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0224-0
- Allerton, T. D., Proctor, D. N., Stephens, J. M., Dugas, T. R., Spielmann, G., & Irving, B. A. (2018, July 19). L-citrulline supplementation: Impact on cardiometabolic health. Nutrients. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073798/.
- Gilmerm. (2021, August 2). Is sucralose bad for you? the truth about splenda. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-sucralose-splenda-bad-for-you/.
- Martin KR. The chemistry of silica and its potential health benefits. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007 Mar-Apr;11(2):94-7. PMID: 17435951.
