Cellular is one of the biggest suppliers of supplements for athletes and gym-goers. They have a huge range of products including pre-workout supplements, weight management pills, fat burners and protein powders.
The Original C4 supplement is a well-known and established pre-workout but their C4 Sport pre-workout is a little newer. Many people are confused about the differences between this and their classic popular pre-workout.
In this review, I will explain the purpose of this supplement and my experience in using it.
Why Does C4 Sport Exist?
Should you buy C4 Sport or Original? This is a question that most people will have.
Aside from the commercial reasons of having a product with a different name to diversify their market and capitalize on the success of C4 Original. But there is one big reason why some may choose C4 Sport and that is because it is Certified For Sport.
NSF Certified For Sport
NSF is an organization that is popular in Europe and the United States. It is a non-profit organization whose purpose, in this case, is to advise and promote the responsible use of sports supplements.
Supplements that are Certified For Sport have been tested for safety and quality
As part of the rigorous testing, they are checked for banned substances as well as contaminants such as heavy metals. This gives consumers more peace of mind that their supplement meets their safety standards
C4 Sport has been awarded certification by NSF. This means that it is a good choice for professional athletes and those who might be concerned about the quality of supplements. C4 Original does not have this certification but the manufacturer claim to perform additional stability testing on their raw ingredients.
Key Ingredients
Caffeine
C4 Sport contains 135mg of caffeine per serving making it a slightly lower amount than other pre-workout supplements. This is a similar amount of caffeine that is in a medium-sized cup of coffee. Note that it also contains less than the popular C4 original which contains 150mg as part of its Explosive Energy Blend.
Creatine
It contains a higher than normal amount of creatine monohydrate at 2.5g. If you’ve used creatine in the past, you will know that you should load up on it. This means taking a certain amount daily to build up the creatine levels in your body.
So while this extra creatine might offer a boost in the gym, for the best results you would need to take it every day or use a separate creatine supplement daily.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine delays the build-up of lactic acid. So this is one of the key ingredients responsible for pushing out a few more reps in a workout.
Beta-alanaine is also useful in a pre-workout as amino acids uptake is increased as blood flow increases during exercise.
C4 Sport has 1.6g of CarnoSyn beta-alanine. This is an average amount that you can expect to find in a pre-workout supplement. The Original C4 contains the same amount of beta-alanine and we worked that The Curse pre-workout also contains about the same amount.
Vitamin B
B6 and B12 are vitamins that contribute to energy levels. They also help in reducing tiredness and fatigue. The amounts of vitamin B that are included are nothing to rave about.
This might provide a small benefit if you have low levels in your body. But most gym-goers will be taking multivitamins daily, so it is almost redundant.
Consumption & Servings
It is only available in a single size of 30 servings compared to the Original which is available in 30 and 60 servings sizes. The directions say to use mix a single scoop of 200-250mg with water.
The directions state to not exceed the recommended daily serving for individuals who are looking to maximize their benefits. I recommend not taking it near bedtime sure to the caffeine content.
I had a few questions regarding the product for this review and Cellucor customer service was pretty helpful and responsive with their answers.
My Experience
I took C4 Sport before many of my heavy lifting sessions 3 times per week. Here is what I experienced:
Taste
I managed to try out all 3 of the available flavors which were:
- Watermelon
- Blue Raspberry
- Fruit Punch
The supplement was mixed easily in a shaker. I like to keep my pre-workout drinks short and strong but the powder mixed just fine in just 200ml of water.
Blue Raspberry was by far my favorite. It is your standard ‘blue’ drink flavor but not overly sweet. My 2nd favorite was the Fruit Punch and my least favorite is the Watermelon flavor which tasted a little too artificial for me.
If you have an issue with sweeteners, you may want to drink it with plenty of water and more than is recommended. However, none of the flavors had the bad aftertaste that you sometimes get with supplements containing artificial sweeteners.
Performance
I took C4 Sport before a heavy weightlifting session and it took around 20 minutes to begin feeling the effects. I felt an increase in mental focus and overall energy by the time is started weight training. I also got a tingly feeling and itching sensation from the added beta-alanine.
Having tried many pre-workouts in the past, I have a lot to compare against. This supplement has slightly less of a kick than others do but it lasts for longer. I would describe it as ‘cleaner’. It lasted throughout my workout while the effects of some other pre-workouts I have used tended to fizzle out about three-quarters of the way through my workout. If you are looking for a pre-workout that lasts even longer, take a look at my C4 Ultimate review.
I also noticed nice muscle pumps. On the days I took it, I managed to push out a couple more reps and I did not feel fatigued toward the end of my workout.
Cellucor C4 Sport is a solid supplement for those looking for a boost of energy with a manageable dose of caffeine, without the jitters or crash afterward
I felt less of a jittery high and more of a smoother energized feel. I often feel tired later in the day when the effects of my pre-workout have worn off. But the comedown that I usually get from pre-workouts was also lesser with C4 Sport.
I believe that C4 Sport would be useful in helping most people push themselves when training hard towards a fitness goal.
Verdict
In my opinion, while C4 sport is weaker than other pre-workouts and doesn’t provide mind-blowing effects, it certainly has its place. It is nice to know that the supplement has been vetted by an organization that ensures that it is free of banned substances and contaminants.
So I recommend C4 Sport for beginners to the world of pre-workouts and anyone who might be concerned with the quality of ingredients in their supplements. I also recommend it for athletes who don’t want the risk of being tested positive from any potentially banned substances.
I still think that C4 Original is a better option for most fitness enthusiasts. But if you are looking for a pre-workout with less of an energy boost and a more clean, smooth feeling then I recommend C4 Sport.
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