Gold Standard Pre Workout vs C4 Sport
Gold Standard Pre Workout by Optimum Nutrition or C4 Sport by Cellucor? We take a look at both of these popular pre workout supplements
Gold Standard Pre Workout or C4? In this comparison article, we’re going to take a detailed look at both of these popular pre workout supplements to see the main similarities and differences between them.
Gold Standard Pre Workout is made by Optimum Nutrition, while C4 is made by Cellucor. They are both popular products and they are both pre workouts designed to be consumed before training to help you get the most out of your exercise sessions.
The purpose of this comparison article is for us to take an in-depth look at both of these pre workout supplements to see what the main differences between them are.
We’re also going to look at the similarities, too, and focus on the important facts such as the ingredients, the doses, the directions and the price.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. Our articles and the products featured in them are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Always speak with a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, and/or taking any supplements.
So, with the introductions out of the way, let’s start taking a closer look at both the Gold Standard Pre Workout and C4.
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Company and Product Background
You probably already know that Optimum Nutrition and Cellucor are two of the biggest names in the health and fitness supplements industry.
They both have a wide range of products within their brands, and Gold Standard Pre Workout and C4 are two of their main pre workout supplement offerings.
Before we get cracking, it’s important to note that there are a number of slightly different versions of both of these supplements, so that means it’s important to carefully check the label of any product you end up buying.
For the purpose of this article, we’re going to be comparing the Gold Standard Pre Workout with C4 Sport. This article is based on the US formulations of both of these supplements, so they may differ from what’s available in other countries.
With that all explained and out of the way, let’s now focus on the main facts about both Gold Standard Pre Workout and C4 Sport.
Gold Standard Pre Workout
Where to buy: www.amazon.com
• Made by Optimum Nutrition
• Contains both Caffeine and Creatine
• Uses Vitamins and Minerals
• Multiple flavours
• 30 servings per tub
• Sold on Amazon and by other retailers
• Popular brand
C4 Sport
Where to buy: www.amazon.com
• Made by Cellucor
• Contains both Caffeine and Creatine
• Uses Vitamins and Minerals
• Multiple flavours
• 30 servings per tub
• Sold on Amazon and by other retailers
• Popular brand
As you can see for yourself, both of these supplements have plenty in common.
Both Gold Standard Pre Workout and C4 Sport are made by popular brands. They are both powder-form pre workout supplements that are designed to be mixed with water and consumed as a drink before starting your exercise session.
Both of the supplements also contain Caffeine and Creatine in their ingredients formulas. These two inclusions are some of the most popular pre workout supplement ingredients.
Each of the supplements also contains its own unique selection of Vitamins and Minerals.
There are some differences when it comes to the ingredients and the doses used by both supplements, and we’ll cover those in a bit more detail in the next section.
All in all, these two supplements have plenty in common. They are both made by popular brands and both contain some of the ingredients you’d expect to find in leading pre workout supplements.
Let’s now take a look at the ingredients of both supplements in a bit more detail.
The Ingredients
Let’s begin this part by looking at the ingredients labels of both products. The labels below were shown on Amazon.com at the time of writing – but be aware that formulas and ingredients may change from time to time.
These are the US formulas of both products, so bear in mind that they ingredients lists may be different depending on which country you live in.
Gold Standard Pre Workout (US Formula):
The Gold Standard Pre Workout ingredients formula (US version)
C4 Sport (US Formula):
The C4 Sport ingredients formula (US version)
As you can no doubt see for yourself, both of these supplements have some similarities and some differences when it comes to their ingredients formulas.
The first thing to point out is that both supplements contain Caffeine in their formulas. You probably already know all about Caffeine, as it’s one of the most popular stimulants on the planet.
The dose of Caffeine per serving varies slightly between the two supplements. Gold Standard Pre Workout uses 175mg per serving, while C4 Sport contains 135mg per serving.
To put these amounts into context, you’d expect to find around 100mg of Caffeine in a regular cup of coffee.
Both of these supplements also use Creatine as one of their main ingredients. Gold Standard Pre Workout uses 3g of Creatine per serving, while the Creatine dose in C4 Sport is part of an overall ‘blend’ which is 4.9g (so we don’t know the exact amount of Creatine used here).
Both of these supplements also contain some vitamins and minerals. They both use Vitamin B6 in their formulas, while Gold Standard Pre Workout also uses a dose of Vitamin D.
Both C4 and Gold Standard Pre Workout also use Beta-Alanine as an ingredient in their formulas.
There are also some ingredients that each supplement uses that are not found in the other. These include Niacin, Vitamin B12, Taurine and L-Citrulline.
All in all, these two supplements do have some crossover when it comes to the ingredients in their formulas, but there are some differences too.
Directions
Each tub of these two popular pre workouts contains 30 servings, which is pretty standard for supplements in this category.
At the time of writing, the directions for both products were pretty similar. You were advised to mix one scoop into a glass of water and consume the drink around 20 to 30 minutes before starting your training session.
It’s important that you carefully read the directions on the label of any product you purchase to make sure that you are following them correctly.
Side Effects
As we mentioned above, we think it’s always best to speak to your doctor before thinking about taking a new supplement for the first time.
It’s also really important that you carefully read all of the warnings and the directions shown on the label before taking a new supplement.
Both of these supplements contain Caffeine, and you are probably already familiar with the side effects of the over-consumption of Caffeine.
Because of the Caffeine content in both of these supplement’s it’s probably a good idea not to take either of them within six hours of when you plan to go to sleep.
There is also a warning on both labels of these products saying that you may experience a tingling sensation, which is attributed to the Beta-Alanine.
You should not take either of these supplements if you’re under the age of 18, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
You should also not take these supplements before first speaking to your doctor if you have an underlying medical condition or are taking any prescription medications.
If you are sensitive to stimulants such as Caffeine, it may be a good idea to avoid taking either of these two supplements.
Price And Where To Buy
Both of these supplements are available to buy on Amazon in the US at the time of writing, as well as from other online stores.
The prices below were correct at the time of writing, and shown on Amazon.com.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout (30-Serving Tub): $32.99
Cellucor C4 Sport (30-Serving Tub): $24.99
As you can see for yourself, these two pre workout supplements have similar price points.
Conclusion – Our Final Thoughts
That brings us to the end of our detailed look at both the Gold Standard Pre Workout and C4 Sport.
We’ve walked you through the main things you need to know about these two popular pre workout supplements, including their ingredients formulas, the directions and the prices.
All in all, these are two pretty similar supplements, although there are some subtle differences in their ingredients formulas.
