Will C4 cause weight gain?

savbentley · September 2012

I am taking C4 (a pre-workout drink) 3X a week to boost my endurance during strength training and cardio. I've seen a bunch of people say it isn't beneficial for cardio, but I've noticed a definite improvement. The main reason I'm taking it is because I've had a few injuries that will never fully heal, and anyone who has a bad joint or limb knows it's hard to push through discomfort. I've discussed my workouts with a doctor and everything I'm doing is safe. The C4 just gives me that extra push I need. My issue is, I've heard extremely different information regarding the creatine nitrate in C4. Some say it'll cause bloating/weight gain, some say it's not enough to matter. I only take one scoop, and like I said only 3x a week on average.

I'm a little concerned because my workouts are improving, but my weight isn't budging. So I'm trying to figure out if it's the C4 or something else. Regardless I'm going to take my measurements and see if those start improving, but it'd still be nice to see it reflect on the scale.

Any input is appreciated!

micahalaniz · January 2013

hey, C4 wouldnt cause any weight gain with 5 calories to 1 carb ratio it is very low for a pre workout Supplement. When I personally think pre workout supplementation I use it as a aid or a "supplement" to my diet. Meaning lets say you dont feel up to going to the gym then sometimes a pre workout can get you into the zone to destroy a cardiovascular training or resistance training workout. If it gets you there and your going beast then that pre workout is doing a great job! But no reason for any weight gain. From reading your profile it looks like you have already lost a ton of weight! Congrats to you on that accomplishment but the closer we get towards our end goal the harder it is to lose that last bit of weight. I use the mirror/pictures as a great indicator to show progression. As for creatine it bonds with water/carbs so it may cause a small bloating problem but that is extremely rare to see. For 99.9% of people they wont notice this effect at all. Creatine increased your ATP Reserves so you can have increased duration during your workouts= more calories burned being able to push yourself further. It is a great proven supplement to anyone with a fitness goal.

spinner1313 · February 2014

I have gained 14 pounds since starting the C4 pre-workout 2 months ago... Not kidding. I think the creative in it is making me hold water. I don't look bigger but I went from 124 to 137 in 2 months and I've been eating clean and working out 4 times a week. I'm going off it for awhile at the end of this week. 137 is WAYYY too much for me. I'm only 5'3 and the extra weight is hard on my joints. Ugggh