Magnum Nutraceuticals Pre-FO Review

If you’re unfamiliar with Magnum Nutraceuticals, it’s time to familiarize yourself with one of the leading supplement companies to come out of Canada. Magnum Nutraceuticals has been around since 2005 and their supplement line can be found in over 40 different countries worldwide. For those of us who are familiar with Magnum, you’ll remember some of their most popular products like Thrust, their all-natural testosterone booster, Opus, their intra-workout powerhouse, or Quattro, their delicious protein isolate powder. Those are just a few of the many amazing products on their line, but today we are focusing on their new pre-workout, Pre-FO.

One thing that is of the utmost importance to mention is that Magnum Nutraceuticals commissions only CGMP (Certified Good Manufacturing Practices) and Site Licensed Manufacturing Facilities to produce the highest quality products. The facilities are also Government audited to ensure that label claims are 100% true, putting quality and the consumer first.

But now on to the new pre-workout!

Pre-FO was designed to provide long lasting energy, strength gains, focus enhancement, and most importantly, an insane pump and vasodilation experience. In each 5.2g scoop they combine the perfect amounts of nootropic ingredients, pump agents, and jitter free energy ingredients to ensure a you are getting a pre-workout experience unlike any other, regardless of what you are training for.

Magnum Nutraceuticals is out to prove the old adage that BIG performance can come in a small package.

Let’s get into our thoughts on Magnum Nutraceuticals brand new pre-workout, Pre-FO.

Mixability:

We were able to try Pre-FO a couple different ways to test out its mixability. Like always, we started with the recommended dosage of one scoop (5.2g) in 8 oz. of water, before moving to 2 scoops in about 16oz of water. With the “recommended” amount of water and one scoop, this stuff dissolved almost instantly, and we mean INSTANTLY. 2 to 3 shakes of your shaker and it is completely dissolved. To test out how well it dissolved, we even took a scoop and tried to mix it up in roughly 4-6oz of water and of course, it mixed perfectly. Albeit, the flavor was a bit stronger, the product mixes with no trouble. Even during the workout, if not consumed immediately, Pre-FO stayed dissolved with no residue or powder floating to the bottom of the shaker cup. Most notably, when drinking this product there is never any grit or residue in your mouth either, even when mixed with a small amount of water. We have rarely tried a pre-workout that has mixed this well and can safely put Pre-FO in an elite class. Magnum has been known for creating some products in the past that mix better than you’d expect and this one is no different.

Flavor:

We had the opportunity to try the Candy Cola Bottles flavor of Pre-FO and it certainly did not disappoint. The flavor, while certainly unique, is refreshing, delicious, and spot on with what they are going for. The cola flavor really shines through regardless of how much water you are mixing it with; a true testament to how impressive their flavoring department is. The flavor tastes very similar to the cola flavored “bottle caps” candy with its own unique twist. The important thing is that there is no fake or chemical flavor even though they do use artificial flavoring. If you were a fan of the old bottle caps candy or have tried gummy cola bottles, this will certainly have you taking a nostalgic stroll down memory lane.

This product is tasty enough that you will NEVER get sick of it or have to cycle through other pre-workouts, because this flavor will never get old. Magnum Nutraceuticals didn’t just make one flavor of this killer new pre-workout though; they made 3! Although we only had the opportunity to try the Candy Cola Bottles, Magnum also produced a “Strawberry Marshmallow Candy”, as well as a “Candy Keys” flavor; both unique and delicious sounding. We are certain that the new flavor varieties that Magnum is offering are going to be a game changer for future products.

Ingredients:

Citrulline Malate 2:1 (6g per 2 scoops): It wouldn’t be a true pump product if it didn’t include Citrulline Malate, right? In the body, citrulline converts to arginine, which then can be converted to nitric oxide, a vasodilator. So why not just supplement with arginine and take out the middle man? The reason is because oral consumption of arginine doesn’t absorb well in the body, whereas oral citrulline consumption is much better. Combining the vasodilation properties from citrulline with the endurance potentiating capability of malate is the main theory as to why this compound works so well when it comes to increased performance. Studies have suggested increases in power, grip strength, and total repetitions performed after ingesting citrulline malate, as well as a decrease in perceived exertion. Citrulline really shines in its potential to help decrease muscle soreness and improved recovery as a direct effect of increased vasodilation. Citrulline will work for you long after your workout is over which is why we love it so much!

​Acetyl-L-Carnitine (500mg): A modified amino acid, Acetyl-L-Carnitine has shown potential to decrease certain progressions of aging, increase alertness, and increase mobility of fat. Simply put, carnitine binds with a fatty acid molecule in the cell and brings that fatty acid into the mitochondria. Now that fat is in the mitochondria, it can be oxidized and used for energy. This increases the potential to use more fat as energy, consequently helping spare muscle glycogen. ALCAR is also used as an ingredient to help produce acetylcholine and dopamine. As you may know, both of these hormones play a huge role in feeling happy and alert, focused, and energetic. You will see many fat burners using Acetyl-L-Carnitine as a fat mobilizer and although that isn’t its main purpose in Pre-FO, it certainly is a positive benefit in addition to the increased alertness and mental clarity.

Agmatine Sulphate (500 mg): Derived from L-arginine, Agmatine Sulphate is stored in the neurons and is known to be a neurotransmitter. It has potential to help regulate nitic oxide and has been known as a “pump agent” in many supplements, but many do not know its nootropic properties. Agmatine has the ability to aid in improving memory, attention, and increase serotonin, which is also known as “the happy hormone”. Studies have even suggested a very strong correlation between agmatine use and decreased depression! Combine this with agmatine’s ability to act as an adaptogen and reduce mental stress and pain reduction, and you are looking at one amazing ingredient in Pre-FO.

​French Pine Bark Extract (400 mg): Taking a page out of the all-natural playbook, French Pine Bark has a TON of antioxidant properties. These powerful antioxidants exude antibacterial, antiviral, anticarcinogenic, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic properties. Not only this, but French Pine Bark has also been shown to lower glucose levels in the blood stream and help to shuttle nutrients into muscles. This little-known fact provides KILLER pumps and is a big reason why we experienced such great pumps with Pre-FO. In terms of exercise, supplementation has been suggested to increase endurance performance by increasing blood NAD+ levels which slows the aging process of cells and also contributes to the transfer of energy from fatty acids to glucose in the mitochondria. Basically, it is helping to transfer energy into your cells. Another study also found it to decrease muscular pain and cramping, and inflammation. These are just a few of the reasons why French Pine Bark may be the most important ingredient in Pre-FO!

​Bacopa Monnieri Extract (250 mg): An herb, Bacopa Monnieri is also known as water hyssop and is used regularly in traditional Indian medicine. All of the benefits appear to be cognitive, as studies have suggested decreases in anxiety and increases in memory. Bacopa Monnieri has also been shown to aid in attention, focus, increasing memory functioning, and most importantly, being able to speed up mental processing and the mind and muscle connection. IF you struggle to sometimes “feel” a muscle you are working, Bacopa is an ingredient that helps you to visualize and feel that mind to muscle connection.

Theanine (200 mg): Another non-essential amino acid, theanine is found in green tea leaves. Taken alone, studies have found it to have a calming or relaxing affect, something most people don’t look for in a pre-workout. Taken with caffeine, theanine has been shown to increase cognitive speed and accuracy more than caffeine alone. This synergistic effect means that you can get the increased alertness from caffeine without feeling easily distracted. It also helps to provide a heightened nootropic experience when combined with ingredients like caffeine, agmatine, and Bacopa Monnieri. Now you’ll be able to put all your focus and attention on the task at hand.

Caffeine (400mg): Two different forms of this commonly used ingredient are found in PRE-FO. To make it short and sweet, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It has been shown to increase muscle power, vertical jump height, mood, and alertness. It has also been shown to decrease sprinting, endurance running, and Wingate times and RPE. Half of the caffeine in PRE-FO is caffeine anhydrous (200mg), the form that is used in most sports performance studies. The other form is di-caffeine malate (200mg), which is relatively new to the exercise world and more research is needed. Di-caffeine malate offers the benefit of possibly alleviating the digestive distress that some people get when taking caffeine which means if you have issues with needing to use the restroom with your pre-workout, Di-caffeine malate may be your solution.

Bitter Orange Extract (60 mg): More commonly known as Synephrine, bitter orange extract has many positive user reports, as well as scientific backed reports. First, synephrine has been shown to increase blood flow, both in and out of workouts. While not backed by many studies, users of synephrine also report a thermogenic effect and increased sweating. While this doesn’t happen with everyone, we recommend you do drink some extra water when consuming anything with synephrine in it. Studies suggest that it can improve exercise performance, repetitions performed, and increased endurance during workouts. Being concerned with the synergistic effect from caffeine, it should be noted that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has banned this substance from use by their athletes, so we advise you make sure you find out form your organization if synephrine is legal to use.

If you’re looking for a more natural pre workout, then PRE-FO has you covered. The natural extracts it has contain antioxidant and mood-altering properties, and the entire mixture is free of any artificial dyes or coloring. Taking this pre-workout won’t give you that uncontrolled jittery feeling that you may get from other supplements, rather, a more focused and heightened workout. Despite the sugary candy flavors, the actual pre-workout is sugar free and offers flavors that you don’t really see from other companies, offering a nice change from the traditional fruit punch.

Our thoughts:

We used Pre-Fo for some hybrid workouts that incorporate Olympic and powerlifting along with bodybuilding accessory work. These workouts are long, 2+ hours in length, moving heavy weights for many sets, and typically tons of compound lifts; not to mention the isolation work for those “mirror muscles” and all the stretching, rolling, and mobility work that comes after the workout.

Pre-FO shined like very few supplements can during these long workouts. It would be one thing to say that we felt more energized throughout the workouts but we didn’t just feel energized. As the workouts went on, Pre-FO decreased rest times significantly; even through 10 sets of squats, rack pulls, board presses, tons of accessories and so on. It seemed like our energy INCREASED as the workout went on while our rest time decreased.

The clean energy from Pre-FO lasts even after your workout, but even those that workout at night (like us) shouldn’t experience sleeplessness from it.

Next, it’s a must to comment on the focus and tunnel vision that comes with Pre-FO. We all know that as our workouts go on, we tend to lose focus, get tired, maybe check our phone a few too many times, as that’s just human nature. One thing that Pre-FO really helped us with was staying focused, having that heightened sense of wellbeing, and staying motivated and concentrated through the workout. The nootropic effects were much more profound than expected; especially when Pre-FO isn’t marketed as a “nootropic pre-workout”. The focus is especially important when you are performing movements that require a sharp mind-muscle connection, or careful attention to technique. Pre-FO helped us to get through those end-of-the-workout movements that are so often overlooked.

Another aspect we did notice was the thermogenic effect, most likely from the Bitter Orange Extract and caffeine combo. While not necessarily a pro or con, the thermogenic features in Pre-FO are evident and we did experience a bit more sweating than usual during these longer workouts. Certainly not an issue.

Last, but certainly not least, we feel the most powerful aspect of Pre-FO during these types of workouts was its ergogenic aid with regards to explosive movements. While using Pre-FO, we felt more explosive on some of our heavier compound movement. Benching, Squatting, Cleans, Jerks, Snatches, you name it, movements were snappier, crisper, and more forceful. This product had a profound effect on power output for all exercises as well, not just the large compound movements. Couple that benefit with the improved mind-to-muscle connection from this pre-workout, and you have quite the “stack” put together all in one product!

Cost:

Right now, on Magnum Nutraceuticals website Pre-FO is running for 54.99 for 50 servings. However; we were able to get a discount code to get you 20% off your entire purchase! If you use MAH20 at checkout, you’ll receive 20% off of your entire order, bringing the price down to about $44 for 50 servings.

Taking a look at everything you are receiving in the product, spending under $1 per serving is a STEAL!

While some users may venture to the extreme side and use 2 scoops, we here at Modern Athletic Health are loving all the effects with just 1 scoop. The discount code makes Pre-FO extremely affordable especially when you look at how long a tub will last. 50 servings or about a 2-month supply for under $44? Count us in.

We are very excited for the opportunity to review more great products from Magnum Nutraceuticals soon! Make sure you’re signed up for our emails and following Modern Athletic Health on Facebook and Instagram!