GHOST LEGEND® Pre-Workout Review: Is This Pre-Workout The Best For You?

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In this supplement review, we are breaking down one of GHOST’s premier products, their Legend pre-workout powder. Originally launched in 2016, their original pre-workout formulation was designed to ‘empower legends far beyond the walls of the gym.’ In 2021, to keep up with the ever-evolving industry standards, GHOST decided it was time for an upgrade and released GHOST LEGEND® V2. This redesigned formula is surely an improvement over the original and boasts several clinically dosed ingredients aimed at increasing energy, focus and performance in the gym. We are going to evaluate these claims, learn more about the ingredients and dosages and see how GHOST Legend stacks up against the other pre-workout supplements on the market in 2024.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

What Is GHOST?

GHOST is currently one of the most popular supplement companies that specializes in fitness, health and wellness. So we wanted to find out what all the hype was about. Founded in 2016, GHOST, also known as GHOST Lifestyle, distinguishes themselves from other supplement companies as the first “lifestyle sports nutrition brand.” The company has a huge focus on their brand design and identity, and partners with over 60 bodybuilding, fitness, beauty, gaming, automotive and music influencers. As far as their products, they offer a variety of supplements including protein powders, pre-workouts, greens powders, hydration, gaming nootropics, energy drinks, GHOST pump and GHOST smart energy.

If you're curious about GHOST's protein powder, check out our GHOST protein powder review for more information. 

What are the benefits of GHOST pre-workout?

As the name implies, a pre-workout supplement is meant to be taken prior to a workout session to boost energy levels, focus and drive. Let’s just say that GHOST’s pre-workout Legend delivers on these expectations. The formula contains a wide range of clinically dosed ingredients aimed at enhancing performance including 250 milligrams of caffeine, four grams of L-citrulline, 3.2 grams of beta-alanine and one gram of taurine to name a few. If you are looking for an energy boost before an early morning workout or need a pick-me-up before an evening training session, then GHOST LEGEND® might be the pre-workout for you.

Is GHOST pre-workout safe? Are there any side effects?

Note: It’s always advised to speak to your health care professional before adding a pre-workout supplement to your routine.

Yes, GHOST LEGEND® is safe as long as you follow the label instructions when using this product. The supplement label’s suggested use is mixing two scoops (one serving) of powder with eight to 10 ounces of water and consuming 15-30 minutes before exercise. They advise to not exceed two scoops per day and to never ‘dry-scoop’ the powder, meaning to ingest it without any liquid. This is a dangerous trend that can lead to some serious health problems ranging from choking to cardiac arrest from the acute caffeine dose. 

Other potential side effects include anxiety, headaches and insomnia from the caffeine. These usually only occur if consuming other stimulants such as coffee in addition to your pre-workout. In order to test your tolerance levels, I suggest starting with one scoop of the powder and assessing how you feel. Lastly, there is a side effect known as paresthesia associated with the ingredient beta-alanine in this formula. This is when you feel a tingly or prickly sensation in your skin. This symptom is only temporary and there is no evidence that it is harmful.

Does GHOST work?

Yes, the Legend pre-workout definitely works. Although it isn’t the most robust formula available, I would rank this as an above average pre-workout based on the ingredients, dosages and my personal experience. My first time using this product was before a 5:00 a.m. CrossFit class and I had only taken a single scoop (half-serving). On my drive to the gym, I felt energized and noticed the beta-alanine tingles begin to take effect. The workout was an hour long and at that time of the morning I could tell the pre-workout was absolutely helping me stay engaged and energized. That being said, the effects weren’t anything crazy, keep in mind I have tested more than 40 different pre-workout powders. Much to my surprise, when I returned home and actually read the container, I realized I had only taken half of the recommended serving size. The following day I repeated with the full serving two-scoop dose and now I felt the full effects. The 250-milligram caffeine dose was intense, but I didn't feel any anxiety or jitters. The beta-alanine effects were stronger, and I definitely noticed a better pump after class. My recommendation when trying this product is to start with one-scoop, see how you feel and progress up to two-scoops as needed.

GHOST pre-workout ingredients

Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the most common ingredients found in pre-workout supplements. This is due to its ability to stimulate the central nervous system leading to improvements in cognition, performance, power output and endurance through a reduced perception of fatigue. Studies show caffeine supplementation is effective for enhancing athletic performance in dosages of three to six milligrams per kilogram of body weight; for reference most pre-workout supplements have between 150 to 300 milligrams of caffeine per serving. It's important to monitor your total caffeine consumption throughout the day when choosing a pre-workout containing caffeine. The recommended daily allowance of caffeine for adults is 400 milligrams per day.

Beta-Alanine

Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid that is used in conjunction with the essential amino acid l-histidine in the body to create the dipeptide molecule carnosine. Carnosine plays a key role in buffering the lactic acid produced in the muscles during periods of intense exercise. This reduction in lactic acid build up ultimately improves performance and increases total time to exhaustion. An effective dose of four to six grams per day is suggested to elicit performance enhancing benefits. A possible side effect of supplementation is a sensation of prickly or tingly skin called paresthesia.  However, the symptom is temporary and there is no evidence that it is harmful.

L-Citrulline

L-Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid that acts as a precursor to the amino acid L-arginine and the chemical nitric oxide. Studies show that supplementation with L-Citrulline or citrulline malate (a combination of L-citrulline and malic acid) results in increased muscular endurance, reduced muscle soreness and better aerobic performance through enhanced ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. Effective dosage ranges for pure L-Citrulline appear to be between three to four grams per day.

L-Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that is the precursor to the hormone/neurotransmitter dopamine. Supplementation has been shown to lead to improvement of mood and well-being in people under stress, a common emotion experienced during athletic competition. However, it seems to be unclear if this has a direct relationship to exercise and athletic performance. More research needs to be done before L-Tyrosine can be conclusively called an ergogenic aid, which is anything that an athlete can use to increase energy, performance and recovery.

Taurine

Taurine is classified as a conditionally essential amino acid with demonstrated antioxidant and potential athletic performance benefits. A meta-analysis of 19 taurine specific studies show potential improvements in VO2max, time to exhaustion, anaerobic performance, reduced muscle damage, electrolyte balance, peak power and recovery. From the analysis, taurine dosages ranging from one to three grams per day appear to be effective.

Nitrosigine

Nitrosigine, also referred to as ‘inositol stabilized arginine silicate,’ is a patented nitric oxide booster that increases vasodilation (expands blood vessels) allowing for increased skeletal muscle blood flow. This effect results in potential improvements in exercise performance.

Senactiv

Senactiv is a patented plant-based nutrient pharmaceutical designed to promote increased muscle energy expenditure and increased muscular endurance and recovery.

Alpha GPC

Alpha GPC has been shown to both improve mental and physical performance by increasing endurance performance and growth hormone secretion. The study that conducted this research was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design and showed positive outcomes at 200 milligrams of Alpha GPC. The GHOST LEGEND® V2 formulation has a dose of 300 milligrams per serving.

Theobromine

Theobromine is a product isolated from the seeds of a cacao tree. It is included in pre-workout supplements as a vasodilator (blood vessel widener) to increase the blood flow and pump to the muscles. It might also have a small stimulating effect similar to caffeine.

Rauwolfia Root Extract

Rauwolfia root extract contains the chemical stimulant rauwolscine. The research as a potential ergogenic aid is somewhat conflicting and unfortunately there are no clinical studies available to ascertain how safe or unsafe it is as an ingredient.

GHOST pre-workout caffeine

A full serving (two-scoops) of Legend pre-workout contains 250 milligrams of caffeine.

GHOST pre-workout flavors

GHOST is one of the only supplement companies that offers a variety of licensed flavors for their products. For example, their Legend pre-workout powder is available in Sour Patch Kids - Redberry, Swedish Fish, Sonic - Cherry Limeade and Ocean Water, Bubblicious - Strawberry Splash and Cotton Candy, Warheads - Sour Watermelon and GHOST original flavors Peach & Blue Raspberry. It is definitely fun and enjoyable having such a wide array of delicious flavor options available.

FAQs

How long does it take for GHOST pre-workout to hit?

The supplements label suggests consuming 15-30 minutes before exercise for the maximum stim effect. However, you will likely start feeling the effects within 10 minutes of ingestion.

Does GHOST pre-workout have creatine in it?

No, Legend pre-workout doesn’t contain creatine, but you don’t need creatine in a pre-workout formula. In fact, despite it often being included for convenience in other pre-workout supplements such as Cellucor’s C4, I find it superior to have a stand-alone creatine supplement. This is because having a separate creatine supplement allows you to take creatine even on days when you aren’t training and therefore aren’t consuming your pre-workout powder.

Can I take GHOST pre-workout every day?

While it would likely be safe to take GHOST pre-workout everyday there are a few reasons why you might not want to. The first is that pre-workout is only meant to be taken on training days and you should be incorporating rest days into your training regimen. It’s also advised to avoid taking high doses of caffeine on a daily basis to prevent developing a high tolerance.

How long does GHOST pre-workout stay in your system?

Most ingredients in pre-workout can stay in your system anywhere from four to six hours with the exception being caffeine which can remain in your body up to 10 hours depending on the individual. However, you will likely only feel the effects for anywhere between 30 to 90 minutes.

Final Thoughts

All in all, I really like GHOST Legend V2, it's a good pre-workout formula. They have incorporated all of the key ingredients I look for in a pre-workout and at clinically effective dosages. I also actually like the fact that a full serving is two-scoops, this allows consumers to adjust the amount they are taking based on how they are feeling. If you are looking for improved performance, muscle growth and a great pump then I suggest giving GHOST Legend a try. The only thing to consider is the price per serving. Legend is priced at $44.99 for a 25 serving container, however if you are only using single scoops then the product will last you twice as long. If you want to dive deeper into supplements check out our guide on the best pre-workout for women and our ranking of the best protein powders to reach your fitness goals.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.