Working out can get boring and tiring after the initial hype and motivation wear off. But to get in progressively better shape, you need to remain on the top of your game. An entire industry thrives on helping gym-goers achieve their fitness goals. But do pre-workout supplements have a monopoly on gym performance improvement?
The main difference between GFUEL and pre-workout supplements is that pre-workouts are better for a workout boost in the gym, while GFUEL is ideal for people who want a dose of energy while improving their focus. Pre-workout supplements are not as beneficial for gaming as GFUEL is for working out. But GFUEL doesn’t beat pre-workout at exercise performance enhancement.
In this article, we will look at how different aspects and ingredients of GFUEL compare to pre-workout to see in which context the two are interchangeable. You will also discover how to avoid the side effects of pre-workout and some natural alternatives to gym performance supplements. But first, let’s cover the differences at a glance.
| Feature | G FUEL | Pre-Workout Supplement Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout |
| Performance enhancement | Meant to improve mental involvement, reaction time, and alertness for gaming. | Meant to get a boost at the gym by leveraging a concoction of stimulants and recovery-enhancing supplements. |
| Price | $35.99 for 40 servings | $34.99 for 30 servings |
| Caffeine | 140 mg to 150 mg per serving | 175 mg per serving |
| Producer | Gamma Labs | Most workout supplement producers, including Optimum Nutrition |
| Intake timing | 15 minutes before gaming | 30-60 minutes before workout |
| Sugar | 0mg | 2mg |
| Key ingredients | Caffeine and Antioxidants | Caffeine, Creatine, and L-Arginine |
GFUEL vs. Pre-Workout Supplements (8 Categories)
Now, let’s look at the specific features and how both of these products perform. You will notice that neither product is inherently superior, so we recommend that you base your buying decision on the aspects that appeal to you the most.
Energy
Pre-workout gives you a larger dose of energy because of its higher caffeine-per-serving and sugar content. Since it is formulated for physical performance, it makes sense for pre-workout to come out on top.
GFUEL also gives you more energy than a cup of coffee in the morning, but it won’t make you as physically hyped up like a dose of pre-workout supplements.
Focus
GFUEL promotes focus better than pre-workout because of its physiological signature. The experience of drinking GFUEL leads the mind to settle into a focused state because GFUEL is usually consumed shortly before a period of intense focus.
Pre-workouts don’t have as much of an associative advantage when it comes to focusing, but the presence of caffeine (and sometimes alpha brain mental stimulants) can help you think more clearly while you work out.
Post-Consumption Side-Effects
GFUEL doesn’t have sugar, which means it doesn’t lead to a sugar crash. Most of the active contents of GFUEL are antioxidants, so side effects are minimal.
In contrast, pre-workout can have serious side effects depending on what you are allergic to. And in all cases, a caffeinated pre-workout leads to a sugar crash. Still, moderate consumption can prevent adverse effects.
Value for Money
When buying pre-workout, one gets better value for money ordering GFUEL than one does.
A GFUEL tub delivers more servings for the dollar than pre-workout supplements.
That said, pre-workout supplements can be pretty cheap as well. Because of a variety of competing brands, consumers get the benefit of competitive pricing. In most cases, these prices (despite being low) are higher than those of an average GFUEL tub.
Muscle Repair
Pre-workout supplements are far better at muscle repair because they are designed to promote recovery post-workout. The contrast between pre-workout and GFUEL is most evident because even the least efficient pre-workout supplements are better at muscle repair than the most active GFUEL products.
GFUEL is only tangentially associated with muscle repair because the caffeine crash it causes can result in peaceful sleep. Sleeping promotes recovery so that muscle fiber-regeneration can be a secondary effect of muscle repair.
Fat Burning
On average, GFUEL beats pre-workout in fat burning, which is ironic since GFUEL doesn’t even claim to belong in a gym. Zero sugar and plenty of caffeine lead to a very active metabolism. One still needs to exercise more and eat less to burn calories, but GFUEL helps.
Pre-workout supplements generally aren’t meant to burn fat. It is not scientifically possible to put on muscle while burning fat. The best one can do is maintain their fat ratio while slowly building muscle. Natural pre-workout supplements are used for this.
Long-Term Health
The long-term health effects of both products are debatable, but GFUEL seems to have fewer problematic ingredients.
Antioxidants don’t have as many side effects as the contents in a pre-workout mix. Caffeine has a well-defined consumption boundary, and GFUEL doesn’t exceed that.
Pre-workout isn’t risky to consume either, but there are side effects one has to be mindful of. Since it contains more caffeine than GFUEL and has sugar, drinking it can result in an insulin spike and a sugar crash. The long-term impact of excessive pre-workout consumption has yet to be investigated.
Performance Enhancement Units
Pre-workout delivers higher performance enhancement output than GFUEL, especially in the gym.
Given that caffeine is the only mind-stimulating substance in most GFUEL products, and pre-workout has more per serving, one can argue that pre-workout is better at helping gamers than GFUEL. However, consuming pre-workout if you don’t intend to pump is a recipe for weight gain.
GFUEL improves your performance while gaming and in the gym. However, it isn’t as effective at making you feel energetic as a pre-workout dose. But because it doesn’t contain sugar and features healthy antioxidants, it is better for gaming.
Can GFUEL be Used as a Pre-Workout Supplement?
GFUEL can be used as a pre-workout mix for people who find it hard to stay motivated or alert in the gym. The product features 150 mg of caffeine alongside supplements that enhance mental alertness and physical reaction time.
It is primarily marketed to competitive online gamers as a stimulant to boost their performance. The aspects of online gaming that translate to a physical workout can be boosted by drinking GFUEL.
Some of these aspects are:
- Freshness – Caffeine can override fatigue. Containing more caffeine than an espresso shot or energy drink, GFUEL can make you noticeably less drowsy in the gym or in your gaming chair.
- Attentiveness – GFUEL can allow you to be more attentive, thanks to a concoction of stimulating supplements and caffeine.
- Motivation – Whether you’ve just lost a game-winning streak and need the will to start a new session or are not feeling like meeting your PR in the gym, a dose of chilled GFUEL can reignite your passion.
- Score-topping placebo – While the actual ingredients of GFUEL have a material impact, its psychological effect is much stronger. If one believes one can do better in the gym or during a game because of a beverage, you will.
What Is GFUEL Best Known For?
GFUEL is known for its collaboration with YouTubers and Twitch streamers. The strategic sponsorship strategy is practical as the product is marketed toward competitive gamers.
It also contains features that set it apart from traditional energy drinks. These include:
- Higher caffeine dosage – most energy drinks contain 90 mg of caffeine per serving, while GFUEL contains 150 mg.
- Zero sugar – energy drinks are usually pumped with sugar to cause an instant sugar high. GFUEL, being marketed to sedentary performers, contains zero sugar, so it doesn’t cause weight gain.
- Vitamins and antioxidants – finally, GFUEL features long-term health-promoting supplements like vitamins and antioxidants, which is unconventional for beverages meant to boost short-term performance.
How to Avoid the Side Effects of Pre-workout Supplements?
To avoid the side effects of pre-workout supplements, you should consume pre-workout periodically when you need more energy and focus. Making pre-workout a part of your daily diet can have negative consequences.
Some of the side effects of regular pre-workout consumption include.
- Bloating – pre-workout can increase water retention, resulting in temporary bloating.
- Jitters – if you don’t keep track of your coffee intake, you can feel jittery after having a caffeinated pre-workout.
- Irritated stomach – For some people, the consumption of caffeine can upset an empty stomach.
- Headache – If you’re dehydrated, pre-workout can cause a series of headaches. These dehydration migraines are fixed by drinking water.
- Skin rashes – this is a side effect that happens when you have an allergic reaction to a specific pre-workout.
There are three ways to avoid side effects. Each approach has its advantages and drawbacks. You must opt for one that matches your preference, current lifestyle, and performance goals.
Let’s look at the different ways to avoid the disadvantages of regular pre-workout consumption.
Occasional Consumption
If the side effects of pre-workout are tied to overconsumption, then you should reduce the consumption frequency. You’re at risk of experiencing the adverse consequences of taking too much pre-workout if you exercise twice a day.
It is also possible to overconsume a specific ingredient or substance like caffeine from multiple sources. If you drink coffee or energy drinks, you may want to limit your pre-workout intake to the days you’re low on coffee.
Natural Alternatives
If most pre-workout supplements affect your health or even your wallet negatively, you should choose natural alternatives that give you the same boost and muscle recovery.
Since nothing in nature evolved to serve all the needs of a gym-goer, you’ll have to consume multiple products to get the same boost. Moreover, if a specific ingredient in pre-workout supplements is causing an allergic reaction, you’ll have to cut out even its natural alternative.
Healthy Pre-Workout
The third way to get rid of the side effects of pre-workout is to get healthier pre-workout supplements. One-size-fits-all pre-workout can be ill-fitting for your gym needs. If you can swap your current pre-workout with a healthier mix or individual muscle recovery supplements, you’ll have fewer side effects.
What Are Some Good Pre-Workout Supplements?
Our top picks are some of the best-selling pre-workout supplements on the market right now, so they’re doing something right. For the bottom 3 picks, we dug a bit deeper to find some more natural options.
- Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard – Optimum Nutrition is one of the most trusted names in nutritional supplements. Their pre-workout is a good choice for the Keto crowd and is one of the few to include vitamin D for immune support.
- NitroSurge Pre-Workout Supplement – Currently a top 3 best-selling pre-workout supplement on Amazon, NITROSURGE promises laser focus, endless energy, powerful pumps, and strength gains.
- Zhou Nutrition Lite Up – Not a fan of caffeine? Get this non-stimulant pre-workout that will help your body recover from heavy lifting without pumping you full of stimulants.
- Garden of Life Sport Organic Vegan Pre-Workout – For the vegan fitness enthusiast, this supplement mix is ideal as it is 100% meat-free and dairy-free. It contains 50% of the caffeine in regular pre-workout packages.
- Legion Pulse Pre Workout Supplement – This product is relatively healthier because it is naturally sweetened. It is also creatine-free.
What Are Some Good Natural Alternatives to Pre-workout Supplements?
Organic coffee, chicken breast, and fish are good natural alternatives to pre-workout supplements.
You should include them all in your daily diet to improve gym performance. Organic coffee is the only alternative that must be timed before the workout.
Organic Coffee (Caffeine)
Caffeine is the main ingredient of a pre-workout, and unless you get jittery from a glass of pre-workout, you should get almost equal caffeine from organic coffee.
One of our favorite pre-workout alternatives is AmazonFresh Organic Fair Trade Peru Ground Coffee. It takes 2.5 servings of AmazonFresh Coffee to deliver the same caffeine as a single serving of pre-workout. If the latter gives you the jitters, you can lower your caffeine intake by taking a single shot of organic espresso.
Fish (L-Arginine)
L-Arginine promotes muscle building in the presence of protein. Pre-workout is consumed with a whey protein shake and sometimes contains protein powder. Fish is a natural, low-calorie alternative that contains L-Arginine as well as plenty of protein. It is a must-consume product for non-vegan fitness enthusiasts, even if they take pre-workout supplements.
Chicken Breast (Creatine)
Creatine promotes recovery and is isolated and packaged as a solo pre-workout supplement. It is also included in the pre-workout mix. Since it is found naturally in the flesh, any edible meat is a source of creatine. But what you need is a good source of protein, like chicken, which is low in calories and high in protein.
Conclusion: Pre-Workout Supplements vs. GFUEL
GFUEL and pre-workout supplements have different uses despite both having caffeine. The two products are somewhat interchangeable but not equally swappable.
Pre-workout can improve your gaming performance more than GFUEL can improve your gym session. GFUEL is healthier than pre-workout, though.
But if health is your most significant concern, you should buy an all-natural pre-workout mix or invest in individual supplements while omitting the one you’re allergic to or wary of.
