Mesomorph Pre-Workout Review(2021) – Is it Banned?

This Mesomorph pre-workout review cuts through this marketing bullshit to give you the scientifically researched information you need to choose the right pre-workout supplement for you!

Mesomorph from APS (Advanced Sports Bioscience) is a pre-workout supplement designed to use before workouts to increase energy, performance and endurance. Mesomorph pre-workout contains several ingredients in the form of proprietary blends which do not disclose exact doses of ingredients. Therefore it’s hard to determine if ingredients are optimally dosed or not. The formula contains ingredients such as beta-alanine, citrulline malate and potentially harmful stimulants prohibited by many sports organizations. Treat this pre-workout with caution.

The vast majority of pre-workout products on the market contain active ingredients that benefit your physiological performance. Many of them, however, do not contain these compounds in quantities even close to optimum levels.

The main aim of this Mesomorph pre-workout review, among others, is to take a closer look at exactly which ingredients feature and whether they are indeed included in effective dosages!

The old Mesomorph formula (why was it banned?)

The recall or banning of pre-workout supplements is not uncommon. We hope that statement really hits home. Unfortunately, it is NOT unusual for nutritional supplements sold willingly online to contain ingredients that may harm humans.

That is why doing your research and reading our pre-workout reviews is most definitely a good idea before you purchase any supplement product!

The original Mesomorph pre-workout formula was banned as a result of it containing a drug known as DMAA. The inclusion of this amphetamine like compound in dietary supplements is considered illegal by the FDA as it can have potentially serious implications for blood pressure and lead to cardiovascular problems.

The new Mesomorph formula

The most up-to-date Mesomorph pre-workout no longer contains this harmful chemical. In fact, this is the only major difference between the two products. Instead, DMAA has been replaced with some phenylethylamines, which also act upon your central nervous system as a stimulant.

Ingredients in Mesomorph pre-workout

Serving size: 1 Rounded Scoop (15.5g)	Amount Per Serving	%Daily Value
Synthenox-Carnosine/Nitric Oxide Complex (Beta-Alanine, L-Citrulline DL-Malate 2:1, Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate)	6,500mg	*
Mesoswell-Cell Volumizing ATP Matrix (Di-Creatine Malate, L-Taurine, Creatine Nitrate, Ascorbic Acid, Creatinol-O-Phosphate, Agmatine Sulfate)	4,500mg	*
Neuromorph-Neuro Energized Stimulant Matrix (Glucuronolactone, Methylxanthine Anhydrous, 2-Aminoisoheptane HCl, Geranium Extract (Stem & Leaves), Theobromine, Naringin (Fruit), Quebracho Blanco Extract (Bark))	1,860mg	*

Now we’ve cleared up why the original Mesomorph pre-workout formula was banned and the minor differences between the two products, it’s time to turn the attention of this Mesomorph pre-workout review to the active ingredients which make up the latest formula!

Proprietary blend?

First things first, does Mesomorph pre-workout contain any proprietary blends? For those unfamiliar with this term, a proprietary blend is a mixture of key ingredients where the total weight of the blend is provided but not the exact quantities of each ingredient!

Not very helpful when you are trying to keep track of exactly how much of everything you’re putting into your body, which, if you are really serious about making those gains in the gym, is of huge importance!

Unfortunately, this APS nutrition product isn’t made up of just one proprietary blend but THREE! Not a great start to this Mesomorph pre-workout review and something which makes it incredibly difficult for us to analyse whether the active ingredients listed are included at optimal dosages!

Synthenox-carnosine/ nitric oxide complex (6500 mg)

Now there’s a mouthful and a half! All you need to know about this blend is that it contains undisclosed doses of beta alanine, citrulline, and arginine totaling 6.5g.

In fairness, 2 of those active ingredients, in beta alanine and citrulline are very much worthwhile inclusions. Both have a wealth of scientific research to support their ergogenic benefits and can help to improve endurance and increase muscle pump respectively.

To achieve such feats, however, they must be dosed correctly. That means 4-6g for beta-alanine.^[1] And 6-8g of citrulline malate.^[2] As you can see quite clearly, there isn’t room in the 6.5 total complex weight for optimum doses of both of these ingredients. Other than that, we can’t really tell you much more as APS nutrition has decided against providing its consumers with any more detailed information.

As far as the inclusion of arginine goes, the dose is inconsequential! Supplemented orally, the vast majority of arginine is broken down in the liver before it has a chance to boost nitric oxide levels and improve blood flow. Citrulline supplementation is, in fact, far more effective at raising arginine blood levels than arginine itself.^[3]

Mesoswell-cell volumizing ATP matrix (4500 mg)

If you thought the first proprietary blend had a catchy name… 😉

Containing many different ingredients, we will focus on this blend’s inclusion of creatine (in two different forms) and l-taurine.

Creatine is THE most researched nutritional supplement on the market, with a wealth of evidence to support its use as a training aid. Providing an extra source of energy to your working muscles, it is capable of helping you to perform higher reps and sets in the gym and therefore accelerates your strength and lean muscle mass gains.^[4]

In order to be effective, however, it must be consumed at an optimal dose of 5g per day after an initial week long loading phase of 20g per day in order to saturate muscle stores.^[5] The fact that this particular proprietary blend only weighs 4.5g and contains 4 other ingredients in addition to creatine suggests with relative certainty that it doesn’t include an effective dose.

In fact, any pre-workout supplement which contains a serving of creatine should be viewed cautiously. There simply isn’t enough room in a multi-ingredient supplement for an effective dose. If you are serious about using creatine and benefiting properly from its ergogenic effects, then you should seek a pure creatine supplement instead!

There is limited if any scientific research suggests that l-taurine supplementation, at any dose, is beneficial to exercise performance.

Neuromorph-neuro energized stimulant matrix (1860 mg)

Just when you think the names of these blends can’t get any better…

Now this is where the fundamental difference between the original Mesomorph pre-workout, which was banned, and the new product which is currently available, becomes apparent. No more DMAA, and instead a number of other stimulatory ingredients including senegalia berlandieri and multiple phenylethylamines.

These ingredients aim to stimulate your central nervous system and improve focus and energy for your session. There is, however, little actual scientific evidence to support the benefit of these compounds for exercise performance. In fact, the amphetamine-like nature of many of them means they could be considered unsafe for several groups due to the potential side effects.

Given that you don’t know exactly how much of any of these potentially harmful ingredients you may be taking on board in one serving, this Mesomorph pre-workout review recommends proceeding with a high degree of caution.

If you want the stimulatory effects associated with most pre-workout products, but you don’t want to take the risk associated with these amphetamine-like compounds, your best bet is to look for products containing a decent dose of caffeine instead (around 250 mg). This is both an effective and well-researched ingredient that has been proven safe to consume at doses of up to 400 mg per day.

Pros and cons

Pros

Cons

Multiple flavor options.

It contains not one but three proprietary blends, which means you can only guess how much each ingredient is contained within each serving. Includes a serving of creatine, which is a sure-fire sign of underdosing. Unfortunately, there is no way you can include an optimum dose of creatine in a multi-ingredient product. There simply isn’t space. It contains some potentially harmful stimulant ingredients. Therefore, Mesomorph pre-workout should be treated with caution. It doesn’t contain caffeine! Beta-alanine and citrulline were included at suboptimal doses.

Pricing

At $34.95 on the supplement warehouse website, Mesomorph pre-workout comes in at around $1.40 per serving. That puts this supplement at the more expensive end of the pre-workout market.

Summary

There is no doubt that Mesomorph pre-workout contains some of the most impactful dietary supplement ingredients out there. Compounds such as beta-alanine, citrulline, and creatine can all have a significant impact on your exercise performance. They must, however, be dosed at the correct levels to do so.

And that is where our Mesomorph pre-workout review falls short.  All of the active ingredients are included in proprietary blends, which makes it impossible to determine exactly how much of each is contained within one serving. The fact that the total weight of all of these blends is lower than the optimal dose of each of the individual key ingredients simply fans the flames.

Add to that the use of some potentially harmful amphetamine-like ingredients at undisclosed doses, and we would advise you to steer clear of this APS Nutrition product altogether. It simply isn’t worth the risk!

FAQ

Does Mesomorph pre-workout have caffeine?

No, it doesn’t contain caffeine. Instead, it contains some amphetamine-like stimulants designed to achieve similar effects, including increased energy and focus.

Is Mesomorph banned?

The original Mesomorph pre-workout was banned due to its use of a chemical called DMAA, which has amphetamine-like properties.

The latest edition of Mesomorph does not contain DMAA, instead of using other stimulatory compounds such as Senegalia Berlandieri extract and phenylethylamines.

What are the side effects of DMAA?

DMAA (Dimethylamylamine) is thought to be unsafe! There are concerns that it can increase the risk of serious health issues such as rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Several reports of dangerous side effects, including stroke, a condition called lactic acidosis, heart attack, liver injury, and death in people who have taken DMAA.^[6]

Is Jack3D banned?

Yes. This product was banned in Britain for containing traces of DMAA, much like Mesomorph pre-workout.

Resources

^[1] Stellingwerff T, Anwander H, Egger A, Buehler T, Kreis R, Decombaz J, et al. Effect of two beta-alanine dosing protocols on muscle carnosine synthesis and washout. Amino Acids. 2012;42(6):2461–72. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-1054-4 and Harris RC, Jones GA, Kim HJ, Kim CK, Price KA, Wise JA. Changes in muscle carnosine of subjects with 4 weeks of supplementation with a controlled relase formulation of beta-alanine (CarnoSyn), and for 6 weeks post (Abstract) FASEB J. 2009;23:599.4.
^[2]Pérez-Guisado, J., & Jakeman, P. M. (2010). Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(5), 1215-1222.
^[3]https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/first-pass-effect
^[4] Kreider RB. Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003;244(1–2):89–94.
^[5] Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update- journal of international sports science and nutrition.
^[6] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1258/dimethylamylamine