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Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train Pre-Workout Review

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After two weeks of testing Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train, the writing’s on the wall: It looks decent on paper, but it isn’t worth your dollar. 

Now, it’s actually an OK pre-workout in terms of boosting your energy and pump. But . . .

Intensive Pre-Training is supposed to be third-party tested but can’t provide any proof (see further in the review for the deets). Nor is it manufactured in a GMP-certified facility. 

These are both red flags for me when reviewing pre-workouts. There’s just too much shadiness in the pre-workout industry for me to take any supplement brand’s word for the quality.

With that out of the way, here is my suggestion for better alternatives to Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train.

Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train Pre-Workout Alternatives

Transparent Labs BULK

After reviewing 20+ pre-workouts, Transparent Labs BULK is my go-to recommendation. It’s third-party tested, GMP certified, and at $1.66 per serving ($1.49 if you subscribe), it’s cheaper than Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train. It’s a no-brainer.

You’ll get the same dose of L-citrulline and caffeine and 500 mg more of beta-alanine.

Read more about Transparent Labs BULK in my review.

Outwork Nutrition Pre-Workout

Outwork Nutrition Pre-Workout is a safer bet and a more transparent, trustworthy alternative to Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train. It’s third-party tested, GMP certified, and almost the same dose of L-citrulline. It does have 100 mg more of caffeine though, so if you’re sensitive to caffeine, you might want to skip this one. And although there are no subscription discounts, it’s still reasonably priced.

Learn more by reading my full review of Outwork Nutrition.

Or read all my pre-workout reviews.

Pre-workout can give you an extra 1% boost but won’t make up for a shitty diet and training. Taking a bunch of pre-workout without dialing in your diet and training is like stepping over $20 bills to pick up pennies. See how it works here.

If you don’t care about third-party testing, or just want to know why it matters so much, keep reading my Intensive Pre-Train review.

Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train Overview

Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train

Score:

5.2

/10

CLICK FOR BEST PRICE

Pros and Cons:

Pros
  • Good dose of L-citrulline
  • Enough caffeine for most
Cons
  • No proof of third-party testing
  • Not manufactured in GMP facility
  • Ridiculous price without a subscription
  • Snail pace postage to the US
  • Tastes like battery acid

Product Name

Score:

9.0

/10

CLICK FOR BEST PRICE

Pros and Cons:

Pros
  • Ingredients: 9
  • Price Per Serving:
  • How It Made Us Feel: 8.9
Cons
  • High caffeine (400mg)
  • Price Per Serving: 6
  • Third-party Tested: No
  • How It Made Us Feel: 8.9

Product Highlights

Ingredients

6

/10

Energy

8

/10

Pump

8

/10

Price per serving

 $2.38/$$2.02 

Taste

10

/10

Mixability

10

/10

Customer Experience

10

/10

Third-party tested/GMP certified

Yes/Yes

Because the Crazy Nutrition customer service, or website, couldn’t provide any proof of third-party testing, I am going to rate it lower than I would’ve had I seen some proof. If that proof comes to light, I am more than happy to review my scoring here. 

As I chatted to customer service about third-party testing and other such issues, I felt misled by the information they were feeding me. 

So I reframed my questions to get the actual answers:

Someone who’s not well-versed in all this might accept the first answer and leave the chat thinking all is swell. 

Best For

Those looking for a decent energy and pump boost. 

With 8,000 mg of citrulline malate (yielding 5,300 mg of L-citrulline) and 200 mg of caffeine, Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train pre-workout delivers enough of the two key ingredients to provide a reasonable, although not great, spike in energy and pump.

Not For

Anyone who values third-party testing and GMP certification. 

Crazy Nutrition cannot provide proof of third-party testing for Intensive Pre-Train, nor is the product manufactured in a GMP-certified facility. This lack of transparency is a deal-breaker for anyone who puts their health and performance first.

Budget-conscious buyers. 

At $2.16 per serving (or $1.51 with a subscription), Intensive Pre-Train is more expensive than the industry average of $1.50 per serving. Even with a reasonable subscription price, it’s not worth it without third-party testing and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification.

Anyone who needs their pre-workout quickly. 

Crazy Nutrition’s products are shipped from the UK (even though they manufacture in the US too), which means that unless you’re heavily invested in Intensity Pre-Train (why would you be?), you’re way better off getting your supplements somewhere closer.

Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train Pre-Workout Ingredients

[image showing the ingredient label]

Kudos to Crazy Nutrition for being able to cram in two pointless ingredients I am yet to see in my 20+ pre-workout reviews: iron and Vitamin B1. 

Yes, that’s sarcasm. In case you’re wondering.

Citrulline Malate 2:1

8,000 mg

Mix together L-citrulline and malic acid, and voila, you’ll end up with citrulline malate. There’s 5,300 mg of L-citrulline and 2,700 mg of malic acid in here which might give you a better pump and allow you to squeeze out another rep or two in the sets. 

Citrulline malate itself won’t make you stronger, but it can help you train a tad harder, which in turn makes you stronger. It can also reduce soreness post-workout, so you can feel a little bit better about getting down to the toilet the next day.[1]

4,000 mg is the minimum effective dose of L-citrulline, so Crazy Nutrition pre-workout delivers that and then some. 

That being said, I prefer at least 6,000 mg just to be sure.

Beta-Alanine

3,500 mg

You can thank beta-alanine for the tingles, aka paresthesia, that come with most pre-workouts. The tingles themselves tell you nothing about the effectiveness of beta-alanine. Rather, it’s a sign of an acute high dose.[2]

Although beta-alanine has been proven to improve muscular endurance in one-to-four-minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT), you don’t get those benefits until you reach the saturation point of 179,000 mg. 

In other words, you’d have to take 3,500 mg of beta-alanine every day for 51 days. Shiiiiiiiiiiiit.

Taurine

2,000 mg

Taurine supplementation may improve training performance and recovery, but the evidence isn’t anywhere near rock-solid on this one.[3] 

The dosage in these studies varies between 1 gram and 6 grams, so theoretically, 2,000 mg in Intensive Pre-Train could be enough to get some of those benefits. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If you have an exceptional training session after taking any pre-workout with taurine, it probably has nothing to do with taurine.

KSM-66® Ashwagandha

300 mg

Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb with some stress- and anxiety-relieving benefits. It also shows some potential in cardio and strength performance. But like with many herbs, the studies are inconsistent, so it’s tough to draw any solid conclusions here. 

There’s also some emerging evidence that ashwagandha could improve five or six other conditions. Whenever I see one ingredient that’s touted as the cure-all, my alarm bells go off. 

Too good to be true. 

But if some good-quality evidence comes out, I am happy to be proven wrong. 

Lastly, the evidence supporting performance improvements points to doses north of 600 mg. The 300 mg in Intensity Pre-Train is unlikely to do a whole lot for you.[4]

Caffeine Anhydrous

200 mg

Caffeine is a strong nervous system stimulant that can improve focus and energy for training.[5]

The 200 mg of caffeine in Intensity Pre-Train is likely to be enough for most lifters. But unless you’re sensitive to caffeine, it probably won’t be optimal on days when you’re going after your PR.

The recommended daily limit of caffeine is 400 mg, but this will obviously depend on your tolerance.

EnXtra®

100 mg

EnXtra is a proprietary extract derived from Alpinia galanga, a plant species in the ginger family. 

A study funded by the maker of EnXtra, Enovate Biolife, concluded that A. galanga improves mental alertness and, when combined with caffeine, hampers caffeine crash and improves concentration better than caffeine alone.[6]

All that sounds amazing, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the two key authors of this study both hold full-time positions within the company that makes EnXtra.[7]

On another note, 500 mg of A. galanga has the potential to engorge a sloppy Johnson when the struggle of drawing firm woodware is caused by anxiety and depression.[8] Not that the dose in here is going to be enough though.

Just for a mid-ingredient list drill-down note: You can skip the rest of the ingredients here knowing that they all serve zero purpose in your lifting aspiration.

Vitamin C 

80 mg

Utterly pointless. Yes, vitamin C plays a crucial role in all kinds of physiological functions in the human body. And there is evidence that supplementing vitamin C at around 2,000 mg can reduce the duration of common colds in athletes. It’s not effective for prevention though.[9]

But the 80 mg in here? Pointless.

Vitamin B6

5 mg

Vitamin B6 supplementation only makes sense if you’re deficient in it.[10] But if that’s the case, 5 mg in Intensity Pre-Train isn’t going to save you from your early demise.

Iron

2.8 mg

Unless you’re deficient in iron, supplementing does nothing for you. Worse, it might actually have a negative effect on your health.[11]

And even if you’re deficient in iron, the dosage in Intensity Pre-Train will only be enough if you’re under six months of age. In which case, well done for getting your lifting in between nap and boob time. 

Vitamin B3

2 mg

Vitamin B3, is an essential nutrient that offers various health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, skin health, brain function, digestive health, and potential diabetes management. But!

Ongoing niacin supplementation increases insulin resistance.[12] Unless you’re actively looking to get diabetes, I’d skip this one.

Also, the recommended daily allowance for niacin for adults ranges from 14 to 18 mg. Once again, the 2 mg you see here is pointless.

Vitamin B1 

1.1 mg

Unless you’re an alcoholic or a diabetic, you’re unlikely to be deficient in vitamin B1.[13] Supplementing will do nothing for you.

Vitamin B12

2.5 μg

Yes, if you’re old or a vegan or an old vegan, you’ll need to supplement vitamin B12.[14] But the amount in Intensity Pre-Train is good for nothing. 

Talk to your doctor, have your levels checked, and make an informed decision.

Piperine (Black Pepper Extract 95%)

10 mg

Piperine doesn’t do much on its own, but it can increase the absorption of other supplements. 

But nutrients whose absorption is enhanced by black pepper, such as curcumin (turmeric), typically need at least 20 mg of black pepper to improve the absorption. The 10 mg of piperine in here isn’t going to harm your training in any way, but it’s unlikely to do anything to improve it either.[15]

[table showing ingredients and minimum effective doses]

My Experience Using Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train Pre-Workout

​​Unlike 99% of the pre-workouts I review, I got this one for free from Crazy Nutrition. But that doesn’t mean I am going to pull any punches here. I tested Intensity Pre-Train for two weeks and took notes along the way. 

The energy and pump were noticeable but not exceptional. At this price point, I expect exceptional results. This wasn’t it.

As for the flavor, the Blue Raspberry was way too sour. I felt like I had to hold my teeth in from falling out. It also had an odd aftertaste that I’ve been trying to forget ever since the first sip. 

Also, the company must be using steamboats to ship the products from the UK because it took three weeks to arrive.

Price

[image of the serving size]

At $2.16 per serving, Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train is significantly more expensive than the industry average of $1.50. However, if you opt for a subscription, the price drops to $1.51 per serving, which is more in line with the average.

Crazy Nutrition has a 30-day return policy, but only if you return the products unopened. If you trust your product, why not offer a full refund on open products well?

This is shady af. 

Third-Party Tested and GMP certified

[screenshots of third-party test results]

Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train claims to use third-party testing, but it isn’t able to provide any proof of this. So take it as you may. 

Here’s the exchange I had with customer service, which wasn’t much of a trust builder either:

The company doesn’t use GMP-certified facilities. This means it could be processed with dirty equipment that also processed something you may not want in your body.

Energy

The energy boost from Intensive Pre-Train was OK, and I did get a noticeable increase in focus throughout the workout. But there’s room to improve here.

I didn’t get any jitters or crash with this, which is always nice. 

The beta-alanine tingles were there but not overwhelming. But 3,500 mg of it might be too much if you’re not used to taking beta-alanine.

Pump

The pump was noticeable, but far from great. I tend to do better with L-citrulline doses above 6,000 mg, though, so it wasn’t a surprise. 

If you live and die by the intense pump, look elsewhere.

Taste

[screenshot of flavors from the website]

Unlike most pre-workouts with about a dozen different flavors, Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train only comes in three flavors:

  • Fruit Punch
  • Blue Raspberry
  • Green Apple (caffeine-free)

I tried Blue Raspberry and it reminded me of my ex — way too sour. 

And the aftertaste was something to behold. 

I had to water it down with an extra 4 oz of water to force it down.

Mixability

[image of the pre-workout mixed up]

Like most pre-workout, Intensity Pre-Train mixes great. Smooth and clump-free. No complaints from me.

Customer Experience

The website is relatively easy to use but compared to other supplement companies comes across like it was made by one of the owners tinkering in the basement. 

And don’t get me started on Crazy Nutrition’s snail-space shipping. Three weeks to get the thing shipped from the UK is unreasonable in 2024.

Then again, unless you live in Europe or the UK, why are you buying a pre-workout from so far away when there are better ones made closer to home? 

How I Tested Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train

I test each supplement across eight categories, pouring over studies and combining them with personal feedback.

When I conduct tests and write my pre-workout reviews, my commitment is to the truth, even if it ruffles a few feathers. There are no hidden agendas, no fluff — just rigorous research.

1. Ingredients

I care mostly about two ingredients in pre-workout supplements: caffeine and L-citrulline. Then there are two that might be worth your dollars: beta-alanine and electrolytes. But those two are far from mandatory.

Once I know a pre-workout has the two ingredients I care about, I check that the dosage of both ingredients is where it should be to provide the stimulation I need. 

Besides those two, most other ingredients serve a different purpose: marketing. The fewer ingredients I see on the label, the better. 

You can read more about the ingredients I look for on my how I test ingredients page. 

2. Price per serving

I care whether a single serving will give me enough of the two ingredients above for the needed stimulus. Ultimately, I want the best bang for the buck per serving. 

Often, the key ingredients are about the same in most pre-workout supplements. It’s the proprietary blends and trademarked ingredients that raise the price. Both of which rarely contribute to the quality or effectiveness of the supplement. 

Another reason why fewer ingredients are better is that it keeps the cost down.

You can read more about how price factors into my scoring system here.

3. Third-party testing and Good Manufacturing Practice certification

When a supplement company wants third-party testing and certification, it pays an outside organization to test for ingredient potency and accuracy.

Getting certified means an independent organization has reviewed the product and determined it follows safety, quality, and performance standards.

The absence of third-party testing doesn’t immediately mean a poor product. But knowing the dishonest bullshitting going on in the supplement industry, third-party testing gives me peace of mind knowing a product is safe and has — and does — what it says on the box. 

GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certification means the manufacturing facilities comply with the rigorous quality standards of regulatory authorities. It covers the entire manufacturing process, including sourcing of raw materials, production processes, packaging, and labeling. 

These guidelines set the minimum requirements that manufacturers must meet to confirm its products are consistently high quality.

In short, third-party testing is about the product, and GMP compliance covers the manufacturing.

Read more about third-party testing and GMP compliance here.

4. Energy

Out of all the effects I look for in a pre-workout, this is the one I care about the most. I want to feel psyched and focused for my strength training. And I want to finish without getting the dreaded post-workout caffeine crash.

You can read more about how the energy factors into my scoring system here.

5. Pump

The second most important thing I need from a pre-workout is the pump. The product must have enough L-citrulline (4,000 mg) to increase the blood flow into the muscles I’m working. In most cases, anything less than 6,000 mg, and I’d rather spend my money elsewhere.

Read more about what I look for when scoring the pump.

6. Taste

Let’s face it: Making a decent-tasting pre-workout shouldn’t be that difficult. Yes, a pre-workout with high-quality ingredients in high doses often tastes worse because it’s hard to mask the flavor of the ingredients, but anything less than 8/10 is only acceptable if the product is otherwise exceptional. 

Then again, taste is subjective, so don’t get too hung up on this.

You can read more about how taste factors into my scoring system here.

7. Mixability

I need a pre-workout that’s easy to mix in a shaker. That means no powder clumps! I expect something smooth and grit-free that doesn’t get stuck on the side of the shaker. Most pre-workouts add silicon dioxide and calcium silicate as anti-caking agents, so look for that if you’re as annoyed by clumps as I am.

Read more about how mixability factors into my scoring system.

8. Customer experience

In this testing stage, I find and navigate the website, complete the ordering process, and accept delivery, evaluating each company every step of the way. I also review customer service in cases where I have problems with the order. I have high expectations for customer service and will harshly judge brands with missing links in their customer experience.

You can learn more about how customer service factors into my scoring system here.

Conclusion

After thoroughly testing and reviewing Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train, it’s clear that this pre-workout supplement falls short where it matters the most. 

While I did get a decent energy boost and pump, thanks to decent doses of L-citrulline and caffeine, the lack of transparency regarding third-party testing and GMP-certified manufacturing leaves me feeling uneasy.

The high price point without a subscription makes Intensive Pre-Train easy to ignore. And although I don’t put too much weight on the flavor, this shit tastes nasty and needs some serious diluting to make it palatable. 

To top it off, the excruciatingly slow shipping from the UK to the US is baffling. 

I honestly cannot recommend Crazy Nutrition Intensive Pre-Train to anyone.

Save yourself the trouble and opt for a pre-workout that puts your health and performance first. Alternatives like Transparent Labs BULK or Outwork Nutrition Pre-Workout give way more bang for your buck. 

These products offer similar or better ingredients, are third-party tested and GMP-certified, and you can actually receive both within four or five days. 

FAQs

What are the ingredients in the Crazy Nutrition Pre-Train?

The ingredients in Crazy Nutrition Pre-Train are vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, vitamin B3, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, citrulline malate, beta-alanine, taurine, ksm-66®, caffeine, EnXtra®, piperine.

Which pre-workout is the best?

Based on my research, Transparent Labs BULK is the best pre-workout for most people. It’s third-party tested and has good dosing of all key ingredients.

Does pre-workout actually work?

Yes, pre-workout can work provided it has at least the minimum effective dose of L-citrulline (4,000 mg) and caffeine (200 mg for most people). Pre-workout won’t turn you into a superhuman, but it can help you push a bit harder in training.

References

1. Aguiar, A. F., & Casonatto, J. (2022). Effects of citrulline malate supplementation on muscle strength in resistance-trained adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 19(6), 772–790. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2021.1939473

2. Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Hoffman, J. R., Wilborn, C. D., Sale, C., Kreider, R. B., Jäger, R., Earnest, C. P., Bannock, L., Campbell, B., Kalman, D., Ziegenfuss, T. N., & Antonio, J. (2015). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y

3. Kurtz, J. A., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Doyle, J. A., & Otis, J. S. (2021). Taurine in sports and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00438-0

4. Examine. Ashwagandha. https://examine.com/supplements/ashwagandha/

5. Guest, N.S., VanDusseldorp, T.A., Nelson, M.T. et al. (2021). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18, 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4

6. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2017.1342576

7. Srivastava, S., Mennemeier, M., & Pimple, S. (2017). Effect of Alpinia galanga on mental alertness and sustained attention with or without caffeine: A randomized placebo-controlled study. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 36(8), 631–639. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2017.1342576

8. Akbarzadeh, F., Eslamzadeh, M., Behravan, G., Ebrahimi, A., Emami, S. A., Gilan, A., & Hoseinian, N. S. (2023). Assessing the effect of Alpinia galanga extract on the treatment of SSRI-induced erectile dysfunction: A randomized triple-blind clinical trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1105828

9. Hemilä, H., & Chalker, E. (2013). Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4

10. Examine. Pyridoxine Vitamin B6. https://examine.com/supplements/vitamin-b6/

11. Examine. Iron. https://examine.com/supplements/iron/

12. Examine. Vitamin B3. https://examine.com/supplements/vitamin-b3/

13. Examine. Vitamin B1. https://examine.com/supplements/vitamin-b1/

14. Examine. Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12). https://examine.com/supplements/vitamin-b12/
15. Examine. Black pepper. https://examine.com/supplements/black-pepper/

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