Total War
$59.99 (50 servings)
Pros
- Good dose of Citrulline Malate and Beta-Alanine
- Many flavor options
- No proprietary blend
- Many proven ingredients
Cons
- Some ingredients lack scientific backing
- Association with banned ingredient DMHA in previous version of their supplements
This Total War pre-workout review aims to cut through the bullshit and give you everything you need to know about the latest Redcon1 produced supplement.
Total War is a pre-workout supplement from the company Redcon1. Total War contains 11-ingredients and has a 14.7-gram serving. The highlights from the Total War formula are the 6-gram dose of Citrulline Malate, 3.2-gram Beta-Alanine dosage, and high caffeine dose in the form of caffeine anhydrous and dicaffeine malate. The formula contains no proprietary blend so you know exactly how much of each ingredient you receive. The downsides to the formula are that the caffeine dose which is over 300-mg per serving could cause side effects.
Let’s find more about Total War Pre-Workout; that means no sales pitch, exaggerated benefits, or false claims, just the cold hard facts backed up by what the science tells us! There’s no doubt that the loose regulation of nutritional supplements makes it an absolute minefield when it comes to finding both effective and safe pre-workouts.
Product recalls and bans are commonplace in an industry where manufacturers seem unphased by creating formulas using synthetic compounds, which blur the lines between revolutionary and plain dangerous…
As a result, choosing the right pre-workout for you has never been harder. Our Total War review takes that hardship away in one easy to understand and comprehensive assessment of yet another ‘groundbreaking’ pre-workout. With a detailed look at which key ingredients are included and at what dosages, we can help you determine whether this product is worth parting with your hard earned cash or if it should be discarded onto the pre-workout scrapheap!
Was Total War pre-workout by Redcon1 banned?
Yes… no… sort of! The product per se wasn’t banned but one specific ingredient within it and used in a number of other pre-workouts at the time was. A chemical known commonly as DMHA (Methylhexanamine), which is very similar to DMAA (Dimethoxymethamphetamine) and has a similar effect on the central nervous system to amphetamines, was the major cause for concern.
Both of these drugs can have serious health implications including rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure and shortness of breath and should therefore be consumed with caution. As a result they have no place in over the counter supplement products like pre-workout.
The latest formula includes neither of these two offenders, but instead contains something known as Ampiberry. Sourced from the Juniperus Communis plant, we’ll discuss the efficacy of this ingredient a little later.
Ingredients in Total War pre-workout
| Serving size: 1 Scoop (14.7 grams) | Amount Per Serving | %Daily Value |
| Citrulline Malate 2:1 | 6g | * |
| Beta-Alanine | 3.2g | * |
| Agmatine Sulfate | 1g | * |
| Taurine | 1g | * |
| Caffeine Anhydrous | 250mg | * |
| Juniper Extract | 150mg | * |
| Di-Caffeine Malate | 100mg | * |
| Green Tea Extract | 45mg | * |
| Naringin | 25mg | * |
| BioPerine® | 10mg | * |
| Theobroma Cocoa Extract | 5mg | * |
Proprietary blend?
There are absolutely no proprietary blends on show in this Redcon1 inspired product which is a huge positive for our Total War pre-workout review.
Only ever included to hide suboptimal doses of key ingredients, proprietary blends are a absolute no no in our eyes and an easy way to rule out a pre-workout supplement when you’re doing your online research. Not that you need to scroll through page after page of ‘expert’ opinion now you’ve got us!
Citrulline malate (6g)
If you’re looking for insane muscle pumps from your pre-workout then citrulline is an ingredient you really need to keep an eye out for. By helping to boost your bodies production of something called nitric oxide, citrulline improves circulation and increases the levels of oxygen reaching your muscles during exercise.[1]
Not only does this mean a pretty aesthetic swell, it also helps you to fight fatigue during particularly intense lifting sessions!
Most studies have indicated that the dose of citrulline malate required to achieve these ergogenic benefits is between 6 and 8g per day.[2] That means, at 6g per serving, this Total War pre-workout gets the dosage spot on!
The inclusion of an optimal dose of any key ingredient in a mixed supplement should never be underestimated.This is a great start to our Redcon1 pre-workout review.
Beta alanine (3.2g)
Outside of creatine, beta alanine is THE most well researched an effective nutritional supplement as far as exercise performance goSo if. If you’re looking for a little help buffering that build up of lactic acid and the associated endurance boost that comes with that then look no further than this amino acid.
As with every active ingredient in pre-workout, and nutritional supplements more generally, it must be dosed at the correct levels in order to have the publicised benefits.
Unfortunately for Total War, the ergogenically effective dose of beta alanine is between 4-6g per day. That means its 3.2g dose comes up a little short of the lower end of this recommendation. Having said that, it’s not far off, and is a far superior quantity to most other pre-workout supplements which include beta alanine.
By no means a disaster, just a little frustrating given how close Total War comes to getting yet another key ingredient dosed at optimal levels!
Caffeine (250 mg)
Without doubt the safest and most well researched stimulant ingredient on the market. Forget about DMAA, DMHA and any other amphetamine like chemicals which blur the lines between effective supplement and dangerous drug. Caffeine, dosed correctly, can give you exceptional mental and physical focus all whilst boosting your metabolism and helping you to burn more fat when you train.[3]
250 mg is bang on our preferred dose so this is another huge positive for our Total War pre-workout review. Whilst you can safely dose caffeine up to 400 mg per day, this kind of quantity can cause a number of side effects including nausea, diarrhea and the jitters, particularly for those with low tolerance to caffeine.[4]
250 mg is plenty enough to give you the above benefits and hopefully without the negatives associated with really high doses.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Pricing
At $39.99 on the official Redcon1 website, Total War pre-workout comes in at $1.33 per serving. That kind of price puts this product at the more expensive end of the market. The inclusion of an optimal dose of citrulline malate and caffeine, and a more than respectable serving of beta alanine, means this product is probably worth the cost…
Summary
All in all, our Total War pre-workout review has to conclude that this Redcon1 produced supplement offers pretty good bang for its buck. With effective doses of citrulline malate, and caffeine and a solid dose of beta alanine, it should be an effective aid to your training regime.
With a ridiculous 17 flavours on offer there should also be a taste to meet the requirements of even the fussiest customers, which is certainly a factor not to be overlooked.
Despite the many positives though, we find it difficult to look past the brands previous association with a potentially dangerous and now illegal ingredient DMHA. Therefore, redcon1 products should probably be treated with a degree of caution!
FAQ
Total War pre-workout side effects
As with any pre-workout supplement, there is the potential for unwelcome side effects, mainly due to their high stimulant levels.
Beta alanine tends to cause a tingling sensation on the surface of the skin fairly soon after consumption, usually lasting less than 30 minutes. This is certainly not a harmful response and at least means you know you’re taking a legitimate dose of beta alanine and not something else.
The caffeine dose in this product is relatively moderate so the risk of experiencing any of the side effects associated with this ingredient are fairly low. If, however, you have a particularly low tolerance of caffeine then it may be a good idea to start with a half dose of Total War in order to test your resistance levels before increasing gradually to a full dose.
As far as Ampiberry is concerned, there is nowhere near enough research into it in order to determine potential side effects and what kind of doses may induce them.
Redcon1 Total War discontinued
The original Redcon1 Total War formula has indeed been discontinued as a result of the inclusion of a potentially harmful amphetamine like ingredient known as DMHA.
The brands new look formula no longer contains this controversial ingredient and therefore is very much available for purchase.
Resources
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124046306000531
[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] Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism- Obesity Reviews 2011
[4] Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism- Obesity Reviews 2011
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