Gorilla Mind and Cellucor are probably the two most popular supplement companies at my gym.
And when I was talking with a few professional bodybuilders about pre-workout supplements recently, we couldn’t come to an agreement on whether C4 or Gorilla Mode works better.
Most of the evidence I was getting was subjective and anecdotal, so our team at Total Shape decided to do some research and testing.
We teamed up with a dietitian and 11 clients to go through a four-week testing phase.
Here’s what we found.
Key Differences Between Gorilla Mode And C4
The main difference between Gorilla Mode and C4 is in the number of ingredients that have reliable scientific research behind them.
Both products have a few overlapping ingredients like L-tyrosine, creatine, and caffeine, but there’s also a significant difference in the dosage of these.
This was the first thing that my dietitian pointed out, especially the difference in the amount of creatine.
Gorilla Mode contains 2.5 g, while C4 only has 1 g per dose. And that could make a big difference in recorded performance levels during testing [1].
The other thing I would point out is that Gorilla Mode has a very clear nutritional label. C4 is a bit more deceptive as it hides some of the ingredient amounts behind a proprietary label.
It’s one of the things that always turns me off supplements, as it makes stacking that much more difficult.
Features Head to Head
We broke our research and testing down into five sections.
Ingredients
Both products contain a good dose of caffeine that can have a positive effect on training performance and fat burning [2].
“Overall, the research team found that taking a dose of caffeine 30 minutes before an aerobic workout increased fat oxidation during exercise regardless of the time of day.”
- Carolyn Crist, Journalist & Writer at WebMD.com
They also both contain creatine and L-tyrosine, but C4 contains less than half the amount of these ingredients. A study on L-tyrosine was particularly interesting as it highlighted that it could help with endurance and strength during training [3].
And that might be one of the explanations for our test results.
Effectiveness
To test how effective these products are, we first started by having everyone go through 10 days of training without any pre-workout to establish a baseline for sets, weights, and reps.
Then we got everyone to first use Gorilla Mode for a week and then C4 for another week.
The good news is that both products produced better results than the baseline.
But when we took a closer look at the exact weight loads and reps, we noticed that there was a noticeable and consistent performance increase with Gorilla Mode.
Supplement Form
Both products come in powder form, so we did a side-by-side test of how quickly the powder dissolves and how easy it is to mix it into water.
Because C4 has a smaller scoop size, the powder dissolved a few seconds faster. But there was so little in the difference that we can’t say that it’s an issue.
Both drinks also had no lumps and were easy to drink.
Flavor
Gorilla Mode stood out for me because it has twice as many flavor options. I like having that kind of choice as I tend to be picky, and I get bored with the same flavor all the time.
But C4 still has a great choice, and I must say that our testing team preferred some of the C4 flavors. This is despite the natural-tasting flavor options Gorilla Mode had.
Price
At first glance, it looks like C4 is a lot cheaper than Gorilla Mode.
But you have to consider that it also only contains 30 scoops while Gorilla Mode contains 40.
Also, the overall formula for Gorilla Mode is stronger and has more ingredients.
And once you factor in the bulk-order discount, it can work out a lot cheaper.
Unique Supplement Features
I already highlighted the shared ingredients above and our test results. Now it’s time to look for an explanation of what other ingredients might be contributing to the results.
Gorilla Mode
Here are the most interesting things from the Gorilla Mode label.
- L-Citrulline: Studies have shown that this amino acid can improve blood flow to muscles during exercise, and we noted a good improvement on pumps [4].
- Betaine: Scientists have linked betaine to an improvement in muscle function and strength, and that is probably another explanation why our Gorilla Mode test results were significantly better [5].
- GlycerPump: Clinical studies have shown that glycerol has a direct impact on muscle performance, especially when the body is under constant strain, like at the gym [6].
- Malic Acid: This is another positive ingredient that can trigger improvements in muscle strength and endurance, allowing you to do more reps [7].
Suited For Men and Women
Gorilla Mode
Get 10% off using coupon code: TOTALSHAPE
C4
Here are some of the ingredients in the C4 pre-workout that my dietitian pointed out.
- Beta-Alanine: Studies have shown that consistent supplementation of this amino acid improves performance levels, but those studies used significantly stronger doses [8].
- Theacrine: One extensive study showed that theacrine doesn't boost performance levels when taken as a pre-workout [9].
- Velvet Bean Extract: Scientists have revealed a link between this extract and growth hormone levels, but the company doesn’t publish the dosage, so we can’t determine if it’s actually effective [10].
- Arginine: An interesting and extensive study on trained athletes showed that arginine has a positive effect on muscle performance, but it’s worth noting that it achieved this with a stronger dose [11].
Suited For Men and Women
Which Pre-Workout Should You Consider?
Based on our testing, research and analysis with a dietitian, and feedback from clients, we have decided to advise our clients and readers to take Gorilla Mode instead of C4.
While both had positive results on exercise performance, Gorilla Mode was able to show higher levels of improvement.
Between the stronger dose of key ingredients and the scientifically-backed formula, you’ll get a lot more out of your training by choosing Gorilla Mode.
Order your first supply and see how much faster you can achieve your weight and lean muscle mass goals.
We Recommend
Gorilla Mode
- Contains nitric oxide for insane pumps
- Many positive comments about good endurance and energy boost
- High dose of caffeine may help with mental focus and fat burning
- Tastes good
- Get 10% off using code: TOTALSHAPE
- Does not list calorie count
About The Author
You May Also Like
