We recently had the privilege of lifting weights with Altius – Jacked Factory’s large dose pre workout made specifically for bodybuilders. From the first time we took this pre workout until the very last serving, Altius delivered pretty powerful and focused lifts that overpowered many of the ‘average’ pre workouts we’ve taken in the past; both in the gym and outside the gym.
Compared to Jacked Factory’s other front-line pre workout, Nitrosurge, Altius is a large-dose l-citrulline malate pre workout. But that’s not the only perk it brings to the table.
Below we’re going to cover why Altius is a decent pre workout, why it’s a good example of a pump based and health based pre workout, like those on the top pre workouts list.
Why The Ingredients In Altius Make Sense
The formulation in Altius is surprisingly simple, yet highly effective. The only reason why we don’t see more formulations like this is because they are expensive, and can cheaply be replaced with ingredients that don’t actually build muscle but ‘feel good’. Luckily, this is a true muscle building pre workout.
To kick off the ingredients found in Altius, we have L-Citrulline Malate.
Eight whole grams of it (that’s larger than some pre workouts in their entirety). What’s special about L-citrulline malate is that it’s a nitric oxide promotor, is used by your body for energy, and has been clinically proven to increase power, endurance, and muscle growth in bodybuilders. Of course, L-citrulline malate is present in many other pre workouts, just often not in a clinically effective dose. Jacked Factory uses the right dose.
Next, we have large doses of proven muscle builders: creatine, betaine, and beta-alanine.
There are several ways in which creatine has been found to not only increase strength by up to 25% but also promote the physical synthesis of muscle tissue. We love the stuff. Though, taking creatine with pre workout isn’t the best use-case for every person.
Next, betaine. Betaine is a muscle builder hands down. In every betaine study we have read, supplementing with up to 2.5 grams has resulted in roughly 4-6 pounds of muscle growth over 2 months. That may not sound like a whole lot to you, but considering bodybuilders reduced fat percentages considerably at the same time – this is a heavy hitter.
Beta Alanine, you better believe it’s in this pre workout too (and plenty of it). The great thing about beta-alanine is that it prevents a lot of damage from taking place in the body; thus allowing your gains to continue strong. In particular, beta-alanine can be converted to carnosine. During vigorous exercise, carnitine levels drop intensely. By supplementing with beta-alanine, you prevent that drop which allows for better endurance, power, and ultimately muscle growth.
Lastly in the Altius formulation we have the energy component: caffeine, Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline, and true vitamin B12 (methyl-cobalamin).
This is what’s going to euphemistically kick you in the butt, and hard at that! The caffeine boost in Altius is huge, about what you will find in Mr. Hyde or Nitraflex; but what really makes it special is the addition of Alpha-GPC and true B12. The addition of both takes your caffeine fueled energy and transfers those jitters into absolute tunnel-vision focus and hunger for the weights. All the while you’re going to have massive pumps from the L-Citrulline present along with beta-alanine endurance… It’s the perfect storm for the high-caffeine lover, or at least that’s what we experienced first-hand.
How this translated into our great lifts in the gym
Again and again we tested this pre workout to make sure its quality was consistent and true. With that process, we had lift after great lift.
Breaking workouts down specifically, Altius is a bodybuilder’s pre workout. If you want to build muscle and get a great pump, this is a competitive pre workout. If you want to do cardio or just get ‘tone’; then this probably isn’t for you. This pre workout is for crafting aesthetic bodies and strong bodies only. We put it to the test for chest day, shoulder day, leg day, and back day; each time, we excelled.
The best way to explain what it’s like to workout while taking Altius, is to say it’s like experiencing acceleration in the gym. Literally, when you walk into the gym after taking this pre workout – you feel good. But man, once you start actually lifting and getting your blood pumping with all the power building up from the l-citrulline malate… It’s intense!
Verdict on Altius by Jacked Factory
In conclusion, Altius gets our approval as a quality pre workout that specifically has an advantage when it comes to promoting muscle pump. The serving sizes are all clinically backed, the ingredients are true, and there are no fillers, harmful dyes or artificial colors present.
Should you buy it? Well its been awhile since Altius hit the scene, and quite a few new comparable pre workouts are now available. Most notable for Amazon-available pre workouts would have to be Kris Gethins Pre-Kaged pre workout, which is worth a peak.
Regardless, take your time, use our reviews + rankings, and make the best choice for yourself.