Alpha-GPC is an emerging compound making its way into pre workout supplements and energy drinks. Its benefits cover both physical and mental performance, making it a promising addition to any product.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery as it pertains to innovation in pre workout supplements. When one company goes out on a limb with a new pre workout ingredient and experiences success, other companies will usually follow suit.
Adding a new ingredient to a pre workout requires confidence and the ability to tolerate risk. If a company has a good reputation and clout in the workout community, they could probably stick a product on the shelves that looks like everything else and still do well with it.
Putting something on the label that users aren’t familiar with is a risk. People may be hesitant to buy a product if they don’t recognize everything inside. But this is how the supplement industry advances and products get better.
Arginine was the main pump ingredient in pre workouts until citrulline came along. Research showed that citrulline was better for blood flow. Now, it’s actually rare to find plain old L-arginine in a pre workout.
A year or two back you may have looked at Alpha-GPC on a pre workout label and not known what it’s all about. This is different from the usual caffeine, citrulline, beta-alanine, and creatine conglomerate found in most formulations.
Alpha-GPC is a precursor to choline, which is critical for traits like mental focus, motivation, and memory. This ingredient falls into the newly popular ingredient category called nootropics.
Nootropics consist of any ingredient shown to improve cognitive performance. It should be noted that this is a relatively new class of supplement, and the long term effects of certain products may not be known at this point.
Unlike other forms of choline, Alpha-GPC has been shown to cross the blood brain barrier. This is a key element when looking at brain boosting supplements. While all this may sound unorthodox, it’s important to note that choline is naturally found in foods like eggs, meat, and nuts.
On the surface it may seem like Alpha-GPC is strictly for cognition, but research has shown a multitude of benefits for workout performance as well.
Alpha-GPC Benefits
There are two unofficial categories of pre workout supplements; performance based and stimulant based. Performance based pre workouts will still contain a stimulant like caffeine, but in a smaller amount. It will also have ingredients that increase strength and endurance, usually by way of increasing blood flow or decreasing time to exhaustion.
Stimulant based pre workouts are usually higher in caffeine and may contain a secondary stimulant like yohimbine. In addition, they will contain ingredients for mental focus like Tyrosine, Huperzine A, or Theobromine.
The interesting thing about Alpha-GPC is that it can fulfill both categories. While on the surface it seems like the benefits are solely focus-based due to its cognitive enhancing qualities, research shows that Alpha GPC supports strength and power output as well.
A study on college aged males showed an increase in isometric strength after supplementing with Alpha-GPC. The supplementation protocol was only 6 days, so it shows a relatively acute effect unlike an ingredient like creatine which takes weeks to build up in the body.
There is preliminary evidence that Alpha-GPC may increase growth hormone and fat burning, but more studies need to take place for more definitive proof.
Alpha-GPC works by increasing acetylcholine in the brain. This mechanism is what leads to both the mental and physical performance improvements since that chemical is involved in multiple processes in the body.
Many people don’t realize that muscle contraction starts with a signal from the brain. The more efficient and reliable the signal is, the better the contraction. This, in a sense, is why exercises become easier with repetition and consistency. The signal becomes stronger over time.
This concept is true for any skill, whether it’s throwing a football, swinging a golf club, or playing an instrument.
An efficacious dose for workout performance is 300-600mg of Alpha-GPC taken approximately one hour pre workout. It’s important to find a supplement with a proper dose, as anything less is unlikely to provide benefit.
Most supplement ingredients do not work linearly. In other words, taking half the recommended dose will not provide half the benefit, aside from something like caffeine. There is usually a threshold that is required to see results. Anything less will not work.
Given the wide array of benefits offered by Alpha-GPC, it has application across many populations. Basically, if you have any interest in improving performance, whether it’s mental or physical, Alpha-GPC may be something to add to your supplement stack.
Pre Workout Supplements Containing Alpha-GPC
The supplement recommendations below will contain Alpha-GPC in a reliable dose. Any supplement with Alpha-GPC as part of a proprietary blend will not be on the list, as it cannot be trusted to contain the proper amount.
Proprietary blends are a labeling tactic used to hide the actual amount of each supplement ingredient in a product. Companies typically use these blends to display ingredients but hide the actual amount, as it is usually not an efficacious dose.
After all, if you stand by your product, you would be proud to showcase that each ingredient is properly dosed.
Cutler Nutrition Prevail
Jay Cutler’s company has gone through a few rebrands throughout the years but he’s appeared to have found his stride now. He’s taken full control over his business and has come out with some quality products, while also establishing a presence on YouTube and social media. This is no surprise given all firsthand accounts of his work ethic.
The packaging design is much cleaner and the product formulations have improved dramatically.
Cutler’s pre workout Prevail contains 375mg of Alpha-GPC, falling right in the 300-600mg range outlined earlier.
Genius Pre Workout
As the name implies, the Genius brand goes all in on mental focus and clarity with their products. The pre workout not only contains a whopping 600mg of Alpha-GPC, but other nootropics like Rhodiola, Theobromine, Astralagus (ginseng), and Huperzine-A.
That’s not all it offers, however. Genius Pre contains 6g of Citrulline Malate for muscle pumps along with 2g of Beta Alanine and 2g of Betaine for muscular endurance. It’s a well-rounded formula that doesn’t get talked about enough when the discussion of best pre workout formulas comes about.
Reforged Synergy
Reforged Synergy offers a non-stimulant pre workout with 600mg of Alpha-GPC. It also contains 5g of creatine monohydrate and 2g of L-Carnitine L-Tartrate. I’ve gone on and on about the benefits of Carnitine on this site, but the one problem is that it is often underdosed in supplements. Two grams of Carnitine is more than enough to provide benefit.
An added bonus is the 300mg of ashwagandha. Ashwagandha has performance benefits but is best known for its ability to reduce stress.