Written byVidur Saini
Last Updated onJuly 1st, 2022
If you’re a fitness aficionado and spend (read: waste) a chunk of your time every day on fitness Instagram, you probably have come across the Ghost brand. The “lifestyle sports nutrition brand” has some of the most eye-catching product designs and promotional content.
Ghost Legend pre-workout is the brand’s flagship product, but is it enough to make you hit the buy button? In this article, we’ll go over every possible thing you need to know to make an informed buying decision.
Pros and Cons of Ghost Legend Pre-Workout
Below are the benefits and disadvantages of using the Ghost Legend pre-workout supplement:
Pros
- Comes with a transparent label and does not hide its ingredients behind a proprietary blend.
- Delivers a large dose of beta-alanine and l-citrulline for sustained energy.
- Contains ingredients for better muscle pumps and improved focus.
- Delicious flavors.
Cons
- Moderate caffeine dose.
- Relatively expensive.
- The beta-alanine dose can be a little too high for beginners.
Ghost Legend
Ghost Legend
Ghost Legend pre-workout is gaining popularity amongst lifters for its transparent ingredient label and energy, focus, and pump boosting formula. The delicious flavors and effectiveness of this supp will make you fall in love with it.
What is Ghost Legend Pre-Workout?
Ghost Legend is one of the most popular pre-workout supplements on the market. Ghost has established itself as a lifestyle brand and has the likes of bodybuilders, gamers, and commercial pilots as its ambassadors.
It doesn’t end here. Ghost probably has one of the most interesting product ranges in the business. They have partnered with several brands like Sonic®, Sour Patch Kids®, Bubblicious®, Warheads®, and Swedish Fish® for their flavor assortments.
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The original Ghost Legend formula hit the market in 2016, and its second iteration, V2 SZN, was launched in 2021. The revamped formula adjusted, added, and removed some ingredients, making the supp much more potent and effectively dosed than the first rendition.
The original formula was only 12 grams per serving, whereas the new formula delivers 16 grams (or 16.5 grams, depending on the flavor) of ingredients per serving.
Ghost Legend pre-workout supplement strives to deliver more energy, focus, and pumps during your workout, enhancing your performance and results in the gym.
Evaluation of Ingredients
Ghost Legend pre-workout comes with a fully transparent ingredient list. Each 16.5-gram scoop contains five calories and a gram of carbohydrate.
The formula consists of two blends — Ghost Legend® and Ghost® Smart Energy. Let’s dive into the two blends and their ingredients in detail:
Ghost Legend®
Ghost Legend® is primarily an endurance, stamina, and muscle pump boosting blend and contains ingredients like l-citrulline, beta-alanine, Nitrosigine®, and Senactiv®.
L-Citrulline (4,000 mg)
The formula contains four grams of l-citrulline, a clinically effective dosage. It helps attain muscle-ripping pumps by improving nitric oxide levels in your body during a workout.
Citrulline converts to arginine in the body, a precursor to nitric oxide. It also aids in boosting strength and delaying muscle fatigue. [1]
Beta-Alanine (3,200 mg)
Beta-alanine is one of the three most popular pre-workout ingredients — the others being citrulline and caffeine. Ghost Legend V2 contains 3.2 grams of the ingredient, which can help delay fatigue by boosting your endurance.
Beta-alanine reduces fatigue by helping your muscles lower their acid levels during exercise. The supp has a higher than usual dose of beta-alanine and can cause a tingling and itching sensation, especially for beginners. [2]
Nitrosigine® (1,500 mg)
The patented compound helps boost nitric oxide levels and blood flow in your body, resulting in better muscle pumps. Some studies suggest it is five times more effective than arginine in inducing muscle pumps. [3]
Nitrosigine is arginine bound to silica and is better gram per gram than citrulline for inducing pumps. Ghost Legend V2 packs 1.5 grams of Nitrosigine® (recommended dosage), and its effects can last up to six hours.
Senactiv® (50 mg)
Senactiv is a new addition to the Legend pre-workout formula introduced in the second version of the supp.
Senactiv helps boost energy levels and preserves muscles. It can aid in ATP production, recovery, and improving endurance. Plus, it facilitates the removal of old muscle cells and replacing them with new healthy cells.
Ghost® Smart Energy
The Ghost® Smart Energy blend is an energy-boosting concoction that’ll psyche you up for your workout and improve your focus.
While the Ghost Legend® blend has four ingredients, the Ghost® Smart Energy is a relatively complex blend and contains seven ingredients, including:
L-Tyrosine (1,000 mg)
L-Tyrosine is a free-form amino acid that increases the synthesis of multiple neurotransmitters and enhances dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels in your body.
Tyrosine can help boost your concentration and keep you calm during training. Many pre-workout supps include the ingredient to negate the effects of a high-caffeine dose.
Taurine (1,000 mg)
Taurine is a naturally-occurring compound in the body that helps regulate your immune system, minerals, and blood levels. It can aid in reducing the jitters from beta-alanine and the loss of focus due to a high-caffeine dose. Experts believe taurine can reduce muscle cramps by pulling water into the cells. [4]
Alpha-GPC (300 mg)
Alpha-GPC is a nootropic that can improve cognitive function, resulting in a better focus during your workout. Experts believe 300 to 600 milligrams of Alpha-GPC are required to feel its effects, making the supp underdosed in the ingredient.
Natural Caffeine (250 mg)
Caffeine is probably the most popular ingredient in pre-workout supplements. It is what wakes you up for an early morning workout and kicks you in the rear for a late-night training session.
The original version of the supp had 165 milligrams of caffeine. However, it delivers a more hard-hitting 250 milligrams in the second iteration. The moderate caffeine dose (compared to the standard 300 plus milligrams these days) helps reduce the chances of a post-workout crash.
Theobromine (100 mg)
It is a stimulant found naturally in cocoa and chocolate. Theobromine has similar effects as caffeine. Plus, it doesn’t cause jitters, making it a potent pre-workout ingredient.
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Theobromine can improve your cognitive abilities and make you more alert and motivated. [5]
AstraGin® (50 mg)
It’s irrelevant how potent the ingredients in a supplement are if your body cannot absorb them. AstraGin is the final patented compound on the ingredient list that aids in nutrient absorption and helps you get the best bang for your buck.
Rauwolfia Root Extract (1.5 mg)
Rauwolfia is a source of Alpha-Yohimbine and a potent compound that helps with energy, thermogenesis, and blood flow. It is also said to have stimulant-like effects, including a boost in adrenaline and potential fat loss. Notably, the ingredient is underdosed in the supplement.
Note: Since Ghost offers several flavors of the product, the “other ingredients” list on some flavors might vary. However, the core ingredients remain the same.
Verdict on Claimed Benefits
Here is our verdict on the claimed benefits of the Ghost Legend pre-workout supplement:
More Energy | Strong Evidence |
Delays Fatigue | Strong Evidence |
Better Muscle Pumps | Strong Evidence |
Boosts Endurance | Strong Evidence |
Enhanced Focus | Moderate Evidence |
Available Flavors
Ghost Legend V2 offers a wide range of flavors, including:
- Peach
- Blue Raspberry
- Welsch’s® Grape
- Sour Patch Kids®
- Swedish Fish®
- Bubblicious® Strawberry Splash
- Bubblicious® Lightning Lemonade
- Warheads® Sour Watermelon
- Sonic® Cherry Limeade
Side Effects, Safety, and Dosage
Dosage: Ghost recommends mixing two scoops of Legend (one serving) in 250-300 milliliters of water or beverage of choice approximately 30–40 minutes before exercising.
If you’re new to using pre-workout supplements, you should test your tolerance by starting with one scoop of Ghost Legend.
Safety and Side Effects
There aren’t any known side effects of Ghost Legend. However, if you exceed the recommended dosage, you might experience side effects associated with high-stim supplements like the tingling sensation or post-workout crashes.
Cost and Where to Buy
A tub of Ghost Legend pre-workout supplement costs $44.99 for 25 servings on Amazon.
Some important information on serving size and product weight:
- Tub size — 400 grams
- Servings per Container — 25
- Serving Size — 16/16.5 grams
- Scoop Size — 8 grams
- Cost per Serving — $1.79
Ghost Legend
Ghost Legend
Ghost Legend pre-workout is gaining popularity amongst lifters for its transparent ingredient label and energy, focus, and pump boosting formula. The delicious flavors and effectiveness of this supp will make you fall in love with it.
How Ghost Legend Compares to Alternatives
Here is how Ghost Legend stacks up against other popular pre-workout supplements on the market:
Transparent Labs Bulk
Although Ghost Legend is a potent pre-workout supplement, it faces stiff competition from Transparent Labs Bulk, which is fast catching up in popularity in the fitness and bodybuilding community.
Transparent Labs Bulk provides quality ingredients for supporting muscle tissue growth and other performance factors. Plus, Transparent Labs has the same transparent label policy as Ghost.
Read our full review of Transparent Labs Bulk.
Pump Surge Stim-Free Pre-Workout
Stim-free pre-workout supplements have a cult following. They provide the same effects as a stimulant-loaded supp minus the jitters and post-workout crashes.
Pump Surge stim-free pre-workout is one of the most popular caffeine-free supps and is worth checking out if you’re not a regular caffeine consumer.
Learn more about stim-free pre-workouts.
FAQs
Can I stack Ghost Legend with other supplements?
Yes, you could bundle Legend V2 with other supplements. Although Ghost Legend has a good pump formula, many people like to stack it with Ghost Pump for muscle-ripping pumps.
Is Ghost Legend a strong pre-workout supplement?
Legend has a moderate caffeine content and an effective dose of beta-alanine. Using the supplement can give you jitters and a tingly feeling.
How long does Ghost Legend take to kick in, and how long do its effects last?
Legend V2 takes 10 to 15 minutes to start working its magic, and the effect can last up to a couple of hours.
More on pre-workouts:
If you want to learn more about pre-workout supplements, we have an entire pre-workout section that we recommend you check out!
- Best Pre-Workouts for every category and goal
- Best Pre-Workouts for Weight Loss
- Best Pre-Workouts Without Creatine
- Best Tasting Pre-Workout Supplements
- Strongest Pre-Workout Supplements
- Best Caffeine-Free Pre-Workout Supplements
- Best Pre-Workouts Without Beta-Alanine
- Best Pre-Workouts For Beginners
- Creatine vs. Pre-Workout
The Bottom Line
Ghost Legend V2 is not your typical pre-workout supplement. Per the brand, it is “conceived to power legendry in all of its forms, including fitness, sport, party, and energy.”
Ghost Legend delivers on its promise of enhancing your energy levels, muscle pumps, and focus. It is a must-try for people new to pre-workout supplements or folks who appreciate a great-tasting supplement.
Expert Recommendation
While a pre-workout supplement can help you rip through your workout, you shouldn’t be overly reliant on them. Whether your goal is to lose weight and build or tone your muscles, you’ll have to stick to a nutrient-dense whole food diet to get the best results.
Remember, pre-workout supps don’t work in isolation. Following a healthy diet can also enhance a pre-workout supplement’s effects. If you’re new to the fitness lifestyle, you should take the help of a registered dietician to meet your macro and micronutrient goals. Similarly, a certified fitness trainer can help you take your gains to the next level by providing you with a personalized training regimen.
References
- Gonzalez AM, Trexler ET. Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current Literature. J Strength Cond Res. 2020 May;34(5):1480-1495. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003426. PMID: 31977835.
- Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012;43(1):25-37. doi:10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z
- Rood-Ojalvo S, Sandler D, Veledar E, Komorowski J. The benefits of inositol-stabilized arginine silicate as a workout ingredient. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12(Suppl 1):P14. Published 2015 Sep 21. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P14
- McLeay Y, Stannard S, Barnes M. The Effect of Taurine on the Recovery from Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Males. Antioxidants (Basel). 2017;6(4):79. Published 2017 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/antiox6040079
- Martínez-Pinilla E, Oñatibia-Astibia A, Franco R. The relevance of theobromine for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption. Front Pharmacol. 2015;6:30. Published 2015 Feb 20. doi:10.3389/fphar.2015.00030
If you have any questions or need further clarification about this review, please leave a comment below, and Vidur will get back to you as soon as possible.
The Review
Ghost Legend V2 Pre-workout
Ghost Legend V2 isn't your typical pre-workout. Ghost Legend boosts energy levels, muscle pumps, and focus. Pre-workout enthusiasts or people who enjoy great-tasting supplements should try it.
PROS
- It has a transparent label and does not hide its ingredients
- Provides sustained energy with beta-alanine and l-citrulline
- Delicious flavors
CONS
- Moderate caffeine dose
- Relatively expensive
Review Breakdown
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Ingredients
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Effectiveness
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Mixability
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Taste
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Price