I have researched and tested a wide variety of pre-workout supplements. Most of them fall short because the serving sizes are too tiny, which limits the number of components and doses in the formulation, and as a result, caffeine is the only thing that carries the pre-workout.
This has been completely turned upside down by Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout. They have packed nearly every proven performance-enhancing component at effective levels into a massive 30 g serving size and included some speculative substances for possible performance improvement without side effects.
I examined its primary components to prove that Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout is the greatest pre-workout supplement available.
Who Are Shifted?
The supplements were created by Dr. Adam Gonzalez, Chief Scientific Officer of Shifted Supplements, and were launched in 2022.
Shifted is a new supplement company that is gaining popularity. Dr. Adam Gonzalez, Shifted Supplements’ Chief Scientific Officer, methodically formulates their supplements launched in 2022.
He has a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology and has contributed to the scientific literature in his field of study. His goal was to develop the best fitness supplement products possible.
Shifted Supplements also contributes to the community by supporting groups that promote the health and well-being of poor and disabled children.
Shifted
Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout
High-stim pre-workout with large serving size to fit efficacious doses of performance-enhancing ingredients.
CHECK CURRENT DEALS
Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout Review
Ingredients
In my opinion, 95% of judging whether a pre-workout is good comes from the ingredients. Let’s start with the main efficacious ingredients:
| Ingredient | Dose |
| L-Citrulline | 8 g |
| Creatine Monohydrate | 5 g |
| Taurine | 3 g |
| Beta-Alanine | 2.5 g |
| Betaine Anhydrous | 2.5 g |
| L-Tyrosine | 2 g |
| Red Spinach Leaf Extract | 1 g |
| Beetroot Extract | 1 g |
| Alpha-GPC | 300 mg |
| Caffeine Blend | 300 mg |
| L-Theanine | 150 mg |
| ElevATP | 150 mg |
| Rhodiola Rosea | 100 mg |
What distinguishes this pre-workout is the effective dosage of each component, which is reflected in the massive 30 g dose size. You won’t find this in any other pre-workout.
L-Citrulline
A pre-workout rarely contains the maximal amount of L-citrulline and is frequently combined with malate.
While malate complements L-citrulline, pure L-citrulline provides the most significant benefit [1]. Doses should be between 6 and 8 g to have a beneficial effect in the pre-workout period, with the higher end being preferable for acute performance benefits [1][2].
When taken 60 minutes before exercise, 8 g of L-citrulline decreased muscular soreness, increased the number of reps to failure, and improved grip strength [1]. Even lesser dosages of 6 g over seven days extend the time to exhaustion during moderate-intensity cycling [2].
Furthermore, respondents reported decreased muscle weariness after exercise compared to a placebo [3]. But how can L-citrulline help you build endurance and get amazing pumps in the gym?
It works as a vasodilator by increasing nitric oxide levels. But there are other nitric oxide components besides L-citrulline, so why choose it? L-arginine is the other key component, although it hasn’t been utilized since NO Explode.
For a good reason, since L-arginine has poor gut absorption, which means you miss out on numerous nitric oxide benefits, such as lowering the requirement for oxygen and ATP during exercise and enhancing the efficiency of the muscle’s energy factories (mitochondria) in producing energy [1].
L-citrulline, a precursor to L-arginine, addresses this issue by converting to L-arginine in the kidneys, bypassing the gut. This increases L-arginine concentration, which converts to nitric oxide and improves blood flow for vicious pumps and endurance.
While you can acquire L-citrulline from natural sources like watermelon, you’d need a lot of it to reach an 8 g dose because there’s anything between 0.7 and 3.6 mg of L-citrulline per gram of fresh weight.
Creatine Monohydrate
While creatine does not deliver immediate performance improvements, it does have long-term effects. This implies you don’t need to take any more creatine on days when you use Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout. When you’re not exercising, you can take 5 g of creatine on its own.
How long does long-term creatine consumption last? To sustain creatine muscle saturation, the suggested dose varies between 3 and 5 g per day, with maximal saturation taking up to 28 days [4].
You can utilize a loading approach of 20 g per day for six days, but I believe it is unnecessary, and you would be better off creating the habit of taking it daily.
But how effective is creatine, and why is it used in pre-workouts? Long-term creatine supplementation paired with weight training results in an 8% gain in strength and 14% more reps performed at a given load than placebo [5].
Furthermore, higher intensities can be sustained for longer periods, as demonstrated by increased anaerobic power during a 30-second maximal cycling sprint [6].
The American College of Sports Medicine agrees, indicating that creatine supplementation can improve exercise performance involving short bursts of extremely strong activity, particularly during repeated bouts [7].
How does creatine work? Creatine is a chemical that is stored within muscles. This is why it’s important to saturate them with creatine. The creatine molecules bond to inorganic phosphate to form phosphocreatine (PCr).
PCr provides rapid energy to the muscles because it does not need to be produced through numerous metabolic processes. When your muscles contract, they consume adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which loses phosphate and becomes ADP.
PCr enhances high-intensity performance by rapidly converting ADP to ATP for immediate energy. Furthermore, PCr absorbs hydrogen ions, potentially postponing weariness [7].
However, whether muscle acidification is the primary cause of muscular tiredness is debatable, given much of the study was conducted in vitro in extremely cold settings.
Finally, creatine can improve the ability to restore glycogen for energy, making it an effective performance enhancer [8].
Taurine
This is the largest taurine dose I’ve seen in a pre-workout or energy drink. Taurine dosages normally range from 1 to 1.5 g per serving, however Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout has a staggering 3 g.
Does this imply improved performance throughout your next workout? Most probably. Research suggests that increasing taurine doses (up to 3.1 g) improves performance regardless of caffeine level [9].
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is responsible for the itching skin sensation after using pre-workout supplements that make you believe they are functioning. It is a harmless side effect when taken in excess of 800 mg since it enhances the production of carnosine [10].
The suggested dose is between 2.4 and 6.4 g, with Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout falling at the lower end of this range. But why don’t I worry about having such a modest dose? Two reasons:
Higher doses cause increased skin tingling.
It is not about a single acute dose but about accumulated doses.
When you are not using this pre-workout, it makes sense to supplement with pure beta-alanine, much like creatine.
What amount do you need to accumulate? According to research, accumulating 179 g of beta-alanine over 3-10 weeks improves endurance performance by 2.85%. The most beneficial benefits are seen during high-intensity exercise lasting 1-4 minutes [11].
Beta-alanine increases carnosine levels, which improves the ability to eliminate waste products from energy metabolism during high-intensity activities.
Betaine Anhydrous
Betaine anhydrous is a relatively recent component in pre-workout supplements. There isn’t much data to support it, although it may diminish AMPK involvement, increasing the anabolic environment after exercise [12].
The AMPK pathway is strongly regulated by the duration and intensity of endurance exercises, yet it inhibits the muscle-building process known as mTOR.
As a result, by downregulating AMPK, we can boost mTOR. The suggested dose is 1–6 g, with Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout delivering 2.5 g.
L-Tyrosine
L-tyrosine is a typical brain-boosting component used in pre-workout supplements. It is a precursor to dopamine, which can be decreased under stressful situations [13]. However, L-tyrosine requires large doses to be effective, ranging from 100 to 150 mg/kg of body weight (7-10 g for a 150-pound person).
When US Army men were placed in cold environments and imitated altitude for 4.5 hours a day, 50 mg/kg body weight of L-tyrosine reduced headache, distress, weariness, muscular discomfort, and sleepiness [13].
150 mg/kg body weight protects against memory loss, boosts mood after cold exposure, and enhances working memory during mild stress [14][15]. While L-tyrosine is under-dosed, squeezing the recommended 10+ g and all the other ingredients into a single serving is impossible.
Furthermore, no other pre-workout contains dosages this large.
Red Spinach Leaf Extract
This is another component with little research, but it appears promising. Taking 1 g for seven days and 1 hour before a 4 km bicycle time trial resulted in a faster time to complete power output and an average speed than placebo [16].
I enjoy using items like this that cause no damage but could have a great benefit!
Beetroot Extract
Want extra nitric oxide for your sick pumps? Because beets contain nitric oxide, beetroot extract could improve endurance performance [17][18].
Alpha-GPC
Alpha-GPC is another brain supplement that raises acetylcholine levels in the brain. It enhances cognitive function without being a stimulant [19].
Caffeine & L-Theanine
Why did I group these together? Caffeine and l-theanine have a synergistic effect, making this the most effective nootropic combo. Caffeine is a stimulant that improves attention and alertness while increasing mental performance.
L-theanine decreases tension and anxiety and has a soothing effect [20]. However, when taken together, improvements in reaction time, visual processing, working memory, enhanced alertness, decreased sleepiness, and mental exhaustion are observed [21].
Another advantage is that it reduces the jitters and anxiety associated with high caffeine dosages. Caffeine is the most effective performance booster in all pre-workouts.
It has been proven to boost power and sprint performance by 6.5%, lift more reps by 9.4%, increase endurance by 2.22%, and power output by 2.9% [22][23].
Caffeine is most effective when taken at a dose of 3 – 6 mg/kg body weight. This can be a lot of caffeine, therefore Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout has a whopping 300 mg per serving. If you are sensitive to caffeine, this is not the pre-workout for you.
ElevATP
This is another substance with less scientific support. However, it may have the potential for acute performance increases. A single dose has been demonstrated to raise blood ATP levels in healthy, fasting subjects [24].
ElevATP (150 mg, the same dose as Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout) given daily for 12 weeks enhanced muscle thickness compared to placebo [25]. Furthermore, a single 1.5 g dose caused individuals to take more steps during a resistant step test, travel farther, and burn more calories than the placebo [26].
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is a plant that may help with fatigue and cognition. 170 mg given for two weeks improves fatigue associated with working the night shift [27]. Mental advantages are often obtained at doses ranging from 150 to 300 mg therefore this is slightly underdosed.
Taste
You’d expect a dominant flavor with a scoop and a serving amount similar to that of protein powder. However, this is not the case. The berry flavor does not have the artificial taste that other pre-workouts do.
I have yet to sample the crushed grape or gummy blast flavors, but if the berry flavor is any indication, the other flavors will be excellent.
The other issue with other pre-workouts is that they are too sweet. The flavor of this one is sweet but not excessively so.
Mixability
Despite the big serving size, it mixes effortlessly. You don’t need to be concerned about the clumping that occurs with some pre-workouts. You can use your shaker or use a milk frother to combine it.
I tested it with a 2/3 glass of water, and it mixed nicely. Shifted recommends mixing with 8 – 12 oz of water, which is a solid suggestion based on my experience.
Price
Each tub contains 20 servings for $49.95. That is equivalent to $2.49 per serving. This is significantly more expensive per serving than alternative formulations. However, no other supplement of this type includes a 30 g serving size and more than ten components dosed for maximum efficacy.
Most pre-workouts have serving quantities of up to 15 grams. In the case of Shifted, just the first three ingredients would fit in such a small serving size. The benefit comes from not having to buy all these substances separately and becoming a bathroom chemist.
What’s The Difference Between Shifted Premium & Maximum Pre-Workout?
The Shifted Premium Pre-Workout is formulated with lower doses of the primary components. Specifically, 2 g less L-citrulline, which is still an effective amount, 3 g less creatine, 2 g less taurine, 500 mg less beta-alanine, and 50 mg less caffeine.
Why would you choose Premium over Maximum Pre-Workout? If 300 mg of caffeine is too much for you, a 250 mg dose may be more suitable. While you could use half a scoop of Maximum Pre-Workout, you’d get half the amount of other components.
The Shifted Premium Pre-Workout still provides enough amounts with a slightly lower caffeine content.
Summary
Most pre-workout supplements are glorified energy drinks. Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout mixes high-potency doses of various performance-enhancing substances, including caffeine, to boost your workouts.
Shifted
Shifted Maximum Pre-Workout
High-stim pre-workout with large serving size to fit efficacious doses of performance-enhancing ingredients.
CHECK CURRENT DEALSReferences
1. Gonzalez, A. M., & Trexler, E. T. (2020). Effects of citrulline supplementation on exercise performance in humans: A review of the current literature. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 34(5), 1480-1495.
2. Bailey, S. J., Blackwell, J. R., Lord, T., Vanhatalo, A., Winyard, P. G., & Jones, A. M. (2015). l-Citrulline supplementation improves O2 uptake kinetics and high-intensity exercise performance in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology.
3. Suzuki, T., Morita, M., Kobayashi, Y., & Kamimura, A. (2016). Oral L-citrulline supplementation enhances cycling time trial performance in healthy trained men: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled 2-way crossover study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13(1), 1-8.
4. Hultman, E., Soderlund, K., Timmons, J. A., Cederblad, G., & Greenhaff, P. L. (1996). Muscle creatine loading in men. Journal of applied physiology, 81(1), 232-237.
5. Rawson, E. S., & Volek, J. S. (2003). Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 17(4), 822-831.
6. Mielgo-Ayuso, J., Calleja-Gonzalez, J., Marqués-Jiménez, D., Caballero-García, A., Córdova, A., & Fernández-Lázaro, D. (2019). Effects of creatine supplementation on athletic performance in soccer players: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 11(4), 757.
7. Terjung, R. L., Clarkson, P., Eichner, E. R., Greenhaff, P. L., Hespel, P. J., Israel, R. G., … & Williams, M. H. (2000). American College of Sports Medicine roundtable. The physiological and health effects of oral creatine supplementation. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 32(3), 706-717.
8. LOON, L. J. V., Murphy, R., Oosterlaar, A. M., Cameron-Smith, D., Hargreaves, M., Wagenmakers, A. J., & Snow, R. (2004). Creatine supplementation increases glycogen storage but not GLUT-4 expression in human skeletal muscle. Clinical science, 106(1), 99-106.
9. Souza, D. B., Del Coso, J., Casonatto, J., & Polito, M. D. (2017). Acute effects of caffeine-containing energy drinks on physical performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Nutrition, 56(1), 13-27.
10. Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Hoffman, J. R., Wilborn, C. D., Sale, C., … & Antonio, J. (2015). International Society of sports nutrition position stand Beta-Alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1), 1-14.
11. Saunders, B., Elliott-Sale, K., Artioli, G. G., Swinton, P. A., Dolan, E., Roschel, H., … & Gualano, B. (2017). ?-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(8), 658-669.
12. Apicella, J. M., Lee, E. C., Bailey, B. L., Saenz, C., Anderson, J. M., Craig, S. A., … & Maresh, C. M. (2013). Betaine supplementation enhances anabolic endocrine and Akt signaling in response to acute bouts of exercise. European Journal of applied physiology, 113(3), 793-802.
13. Banderet, L. E., & Lieberman, H. R. (1989). Treatment with tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans. Brain research bulletin, 22(4), 759-762.
14. Shurtleff, D., Thomas, J. R., Schrot, J., Kowalski, K., & Harford, R. (1994). Tyrosine reverses a cold-induced working memory deficit in humans. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 47(4), 935-941.
15. Thomas, J. R., Lockwood, P. A., Singh, A., & Deuster, P. A. (1999). Tyrosine improves working memory in a multitasking environment. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 64(3), 495-500.
16. Gonzalez, A. M., Accetta, M. R., Spitz, R. W., Mangine, G. T., Ghigiarelli, J. J., & Sell, K. M. (2021). Red spinach extract supplementation improves cycle time trial performance in recreationally active men and women. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 35(9), 2541-2545.
17. Bailey, S. J., Winyard, P., Vanhatalo, A., Blackwell, J. R., DiMenna, F. J., Wilkerson, D. P., … & Jones, A. M. (2009). Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of applied physiology.
18. Babarykin, D., Smirnova, G., Pundinsh, I., Vasiljeva, S., Krumina, G., & Agejchenko, V. (2019). Red beet (Beta vulgaris) impacts on human health. Journal of biosciences and medicines, 7(3), 61-79.
19. Parker, A. G., Byars, A., Purpura, M., & Jäger, R. (2015). The effects of alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine, caffeine, or placebo on markers of mood, cognitive function, power, speed, and agility. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(sup1), P41.
20. Lu, K., Gray, M. A., Oliver, C., Liley, D. T., Harrison, B. J., Bartholomeusz, C. F., … & Nathan, P. J. (2004). The acute effects of L?theanine in comparison with alprazolam on anticipatory anxiety in humans. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 19(7), 457-465
21. Haskell, C. F., Kennedy, D. O., Milne, A. L., Wesnes, K. A., & Scholey, A. B. (2008). The effects of L-theanine, caffeine, and their combination on cognition and mood. Biological psychology, 77(2), 113-122.
22. Astorino, T. A., & Roberson, D. W. (2010). Efficacy of acute caffeine ingestion for short-term high-intensity exercise performance: a systematic review. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(1), 257-265.
23. Southward, K., Rutherfurd-Markwick, K. J., & Ali, A. (2018). The effect of acute caffeine ingestion on endurance performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 48(8), 1913-1928.
24. Reyes-Izquierdo, T., Shu, C., Argumedo, R., Nemzer, B., & Pietrzkowski, Z. (2014). The effect of elevATP™ on whole blood ATP levels: a single dose, crossover clinical study. J Aging Res Clin Practice, 3, 56-60.
25. Joy, J. M., Falcone, P. H., Vogel, R. M., Mosman, M. M., Kim, M. P., & Moon, J. R. (2015). Supplementation with a proprietary blend of ancient peat and apple extract may improve body composition without affecting hematology in resistance-trained men. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 40(11), 1171-1177.
26. Reyes-Izquierdo, T., Nemzer, B., Argumedo, R., Cervantes, M., & Pietrzkowski, Z. (2016). The Effect of ElevATP on Exercise Output: A Single Dose, Blinded, Three-Way Cross-Over Study. Current Trends in Nutraceuticals.
27. Darbinyan, V., Kteyan, A., Panossian, A., Gabrielian, E., Wikman, G., & Wagner, H. (2000). Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue—a double-blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine, 7(5), 365-371.
