When you’ve been training for a while, sometimes you need a little boost to bust through a plateau. Gorilla Mind’s Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout is a popular choice, boasting not only a solid dose of caffeine but also creatine and other potentially endurance-boosting ingredients. But as a full package, does it live up to the hype?
Here at BarBend, our nutrition and fitness experts have tested over 100 of the best pre-workout supplements to find you the greatest products out there. Here, we’ll dig deep into our Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout review, using our supplement testing methodology to bring you top-notch info on the ins and outs of Gorilla Mode. After testing it and analyzing the formula, we appreciate the ingredient transparency and third-party testing — though our tester reports that despite the excellent focus and pump provided, the taste was too sweet for them. Here’s how it all breaks down.
Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning a new fitness, nutritional, and/or supplement routine. Individual needs for vitamins and minerals will vary.
Gorilla Mind's Gorilla Mode is a pre-workout that also packs five grams of creatine monohydrate per two-scoop serving. It also comes in a wide variety of flavor options, too.
Main Takeaways
- Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode is a stim pre-workout with clinically dosed ingredients designed to boost energy, focus, pumps, endurance, and performance.
- Gorilla Mode contains creatine monohydrate, a research-backed supplement that helps with muscle growth and athletic performance.
- Gorilla Mode comes in 13 interesting flavors but contains artificial sweeteners and has an overly sweet taste.
Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout Specs
| Caffeine Per Serving | 200mg |
| Other Notable Ingredients | L-Citrulline, creatine monohydrate, L-tyrosine, betaine anhydrous, HydroPrime glycerol powder, malic acid, pink Himalayan sea salt, alpha-GPC 50%, caffeine anhydrous, huperzine A, niacin, vitamin B6 & B12, magnesium, sodium, potassium, natural & artificial flavor, calcium silicate, silica, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, red beetroot (color) |
| Calories Per Serving | 5 |
| Price Per Serving | $1.50 |
| Flavors | Orange Rush, Cotton Candy Grape, Strawberry Kiwi, Bombsicle, Volcano Burst, Sour Gummy Worms, White Gummy Bear, Fruit Punch, Cherry Blackout, Tiger’s Blood, Mouthwatering Watermelon, Jungle Juice, Blackberry Lemonade (13) |
| Sweeteners Used | Sucralose and acesulfame potassium |
| Third-Party Tested? | Yes (Dyad Labs) |
Gorilla Mode is an updated formula from the brand Gorilla Mind. Gorilla Mode OG used some less common ingredients like GlycerPump and agmatine sulfate for bigger pumps, an extra stimulant (N-phenethyl dimethylamine citrate), and other cognitive enhancing ingredients (Kanna or sceletium tortuosum for nootropics and Bioperine or black pepper extract for more bioavailability).
The updated pre-workout formula loses the extra stimulant and some of the ingredients and instead focuses on higher dosages of classic pre-workout ingredients. These include caffeine (for an energy boost and intense focus), L-citrulline (precursor to l-arginine and nitric oxide for more blood flow and muscle pump), and betaine anhydrous (for muscle strength and cell hydration). (1)(2)(3) For nootropics, you get L-tyrosine, alpha-GPC, and huperzine A (included for their purported impacts on mental clarity, mental sharpness, and cognitive function). (1)(2)
The updated Gorilla Mode also enters into contention for one of the best pre-workouts with creatine. Creatine, which has decades of research supporting its effectiveness. The idea is that over time, creatine supplementation increases your stored energy (ATP) for more muscular endurance and better physical performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercises like weightlifting and sprinting. (4) With more energy in the tank, you can eke out a few more reps, which add up over the long haul. Creatine may also boost muscle growth when combined with adequate nutrition and resistance training. (4)
The nutrition label gives you the amount per one or two servings, so you can double everything for 400 milligrams of caffeine — the upper limit of what’s considered safe daily. The best part of all these ingredients is that they are third-party tested by Dyad Labs, a Mérieux NutriSciences company, and the test results for each one are available on their website.
Gorilla Mode comes in 13 flavors and uses artificial sweeteners. At only 5 calories and 1 carbohydrate per serving, it’s keto-friendly and could be a contender for one of the best pre-workouts for weight loss. It’s $1.50 per serving, which is a moderate price, and could be worth it if the testing and peace of mind are important to you.
Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
Gorilla Mode Gorilla Mind doesn’t have the highest stimulant level out there, but, it’s also not a non-stim pre-workout. Instead, it’s somewhere in between — but that doesn’t mean it’s middle of the road. Here’s who we do and don’t recommend it for.
Recommended for:
- Anyone who wants a caffeine-only stim pre-workout (potentially beginners)
- People who take creatine and want to get both in one
- Competitive athletes — third-party testing proof ensures no banned ingredients
Not Recommended for:
- People who want more stimulants than 200 milligrams of caffeine
- Anyone who wants to avoid stimulants may want to check out the best non-stim pre-workouts instead. (Gorilla Mode Nitric is stim-free.)
- Those who don’t like artificial sweeteners
Our Experience Using Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
Pretty much any gymgoer wants their pre-workout with minimal side effects, giving you more energy and focus, bigger pumps, more endurance, and better performance. You want it to taste good, mix well, and be safe. Our expert tester is here to tell you how it tastes, feels, and affects them.
As a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who loves the finer details, I’ll provide ratings on the ingredients, formulation, price, and safety.
Ingredients and Formulation
The first thing I notice about Gorilla Mind is that the supplement facts label provides the ingredients and dosages for one and two servings, which gives you a chance to start a bit slower or ramp things up, depending on your experience level.
In one serving, you get 200 milligrams of caffeine, 2,500 milligrams of creatine, and 5,000 milligrams of L-citrulline. The recommended dosage for caffeine is 3 to 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight — so that depends on you. A maintenance dose of creatine is 3 to 5 grams, so it is slightly under, but appropriate if you’re just starting. The clinical dose of L-citrulline is 3 to 10 grams, so this gives you something in that range. (4)(5)(6)
You also get L-tyrosine for cognitive enhancement, alpha-GPC, pink Himalayan rock salt for hydration, a decent dosage of the electrolytes magnesium, sodium, and potassium chloride, plus vitamins B6 and B12.
Put it another way — sure, this isn’t the strongest pre-workout on the market, but it packs a great combination of ingredients for most athletes.
Aside from that, Gorilla Mode contains artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium and a few additives to preserve the texture. It’s nothing too intense, but since some folks don’t like artificial sweeteners — and sucralose doesn’t agree with everyone’s stomach — I’ll knock down a point for ingredients and formulation and give it a 4 out of 5.
Effects
Do the ingredients live up to the hype? Our tester reports, “This will definitely give you a good pump during your workout, and I noticed an increase in focus as well.” They rate it a 4 out of 5.
It is great to know that our tester experiences a good pump. The pump likely comes from the L-citrulline content. L-citrulline is a precursor to L-arginine, and both can increase your levels of nitric oxide, a natural gas in your body. Nitric oxide relaxes your blood vessels and increases blood flow. More blood flow while you train is what leads to that pump. (1)
Dosage-wise, you get 5,000 milligrams of L-citrulline (or 5 grams) and the recommended clinical dosage is a range of 3 to 10 grams. This dosage, 5 grams, is closer to the lower end than the higher end, but this clearly is well within the clinically-researched dosage and works well enough for our experienced tester. (6)
Our expert tester also noticed increased focus, which likely comes from the 250 milligrams of caffeine. Increasing mental focus is one research-backed benefit of caffeine for exercise; it’s not just about the energy boost. Since the recommendation for caffeine for exercise is 3 to 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, 250 milligrams must have worked well for our tester. (3)(5) Unless you’re not very sensitive to caffeine, this range may well work for you, too.
[Related: When to Take Pre-Workout]
Taste
With all those flavors and artificial sweeteners in Gorilla Mode, how do they translate to real life? Our expert tester says, “This has a very sweet taste to it; almost overly sweet. I tried the Fruit Punch, and it was too sweet for my liking. But if you like sweet things, you may enjoy it.” They score the taste a 3 out of 5 — not the best-tasting pre-workout, to be sure, but also far from the worst.
This is a tough category for consumers to interpret because it is so subjective. However, think about your typical preferences when it comes to sweet tastes. Our tester mentions they’re not someone who enjoys overly sweet things, but if you are, then these flavors may be right up your alley.
Solubility
Let’s not forget mixability. You don’t want a pre-workout that will clog up your shaker bottle and be icky to get down the hatch because of clumping. Our tester says, “I suggest using around 20 ounces of water to mix this with; I initially used less, and it didn’t mix as well. Using more water helped.” They rate it a 3 out of 5.
Our tester starts with less water, which makes sense; you don’t want to feel like you’re chugging down a huge drink before you hit your workout. Going up to 20 ounces isn’t terrible, but it could feel like a bit much.
Price Per Serving
One tub of Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout costs $59.99 for 40 one-scoop servings, at $1.50 per serving. It’s not a high price, but remember that the label indicates you can go for two scoops for more effects. That would be 20 servings, making each one $2.99, which is pretty high. I’ll go with a 3 out of 5 for the price since it depends on how much you take.
Third-Party Testing
Since dietary supplements, including pre-workout, are not FDA-approved, there’s no guarantee that what you see on the label is what you get. Supplements could contain banned substances or higher (or lower) dosages than what the label says. Third-party testing is often considered essential for the safety of anyone taking it and for athletes who get tested before competing.
Not all popular pre-workout supplements do third-party testing, but Gorilla Mind does. Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout has in-depth test results for each ingredient available to read on their website. Testing is done by Dyad Labs, a Mérieux NutriSciences company. They state that testing aims to “verify the identity, potency, purity, and composition of the supplement.” Their stance on testing is really great; it’s a 5 out of 5 from this nutrition coach.
What to Consider Before Buying Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
Deciding if you should buy Gorilla Mode? Consider some high-level specs. If you’re looking for a stim pre-workout, what kind and how much does this one have? This is key to knowing which pre-workout side effects to predict — too much caffeine can cause jitters. Also note that Gorilla Mode does not have the popular pre-workout ingredient beta-alanine, which causes tingles; if you know you dislike that side effect, this could be a good one for you.
Also, consider if you want creatine in your pre-workout, what sweeteners it uses, the price, and whether or not it’s third-party tested for safety. Here’s the breakdown for Gorilla Mode.
- Stimulants: One scoop of Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, and two scoops contain 400 milligrams (with two scoops, you definitely won’t want to add another cup of coffee to your day, as it’s on the upper end of the safety zone for daily caffeine intake).
- Creatine: One serving of Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout contains 2,500 milligrams of creatine monohydrate, and two scoops contain 5,000 milligrams.
- Price: One tub of Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout costs $59.99 for 40 one-scoop servings, at $1.50 per serving.
- Sweeteners: Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout contains artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
- Third-Party Testing: Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout does third-party testing by Dyad Labs and publishes the reports for each ingredient on their website.
Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout Vs. Competitors
If you’re weighing your options, looking at Gorilla Mode alongside some of its top competitors in the sports nutrition industry can be helpful. We chose Transparent Labs BULK (for their transparent labels) and Nutricost Pre-X (for its lower cost — it’s the cheapest of the three).
| Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout | Transparent Labs BULK | Nutricost Pre-X | |
| Price Per Serving | $1.50 | $1.66 | $0.93 |
| Protein Per Serving | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calories Per Serving | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Flavors | 13 | 9 | 5 |
| Third-Party Tested? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Transparent Labs BULK is one of our top favorites, as they — like both Gorilla Mode and Nutricost — do third-party testing on their ingredients. Of these three, Gorilla Mode has the highest caffeine content if you go with two scoops. If you want one scoop, then Nutricost Pre-X is the highest.
Besides caffeine, BULK and Pre-X have active ingredients similar to those in Gorilla Mode. Transparent Labs is the only one that uses a natural sweetener (Stevia); the others use an artificial sweetener (sucralose). Gorilla Mode offers the most flavors (13) and comes in second prise-wise — and significantly, all three are third-party tested.
Places to Buy Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
- Gorillamind.com
- Amazon
- GNC
- Vitamin Shoppe
- Check their store locator for other local health stores
Customer Experience and Brand Reputation
Here’s what to know about the process of purchasing Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout, based on other customers’ experiences.
- Shipping and Delivery:
- Time: After placing your order, Gorilla Mind may take up to 5 days to process and prepare it. Orders typically ship within 1 to 2 business days after processing. They use FedEx, and your order will arrive in one to seven days, depending on which shipping speed you choose.
- Price: Gorilla Mind offers free shipping for orders over $99 placed in the United States and for International orders over $215. Shipping for under these prices will be calculated at checkout based on your location.
- Trial Period: There is no trial period. You can return your pre-workout for a refund within 30 days of purchasing it, but it must be unopened.
- Customer Reviews:
- Gorilla Mind Site: There are 5,649 reviews for Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout on their website, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.
- Amazon: There are 14,042 reviews on Amazon and an average score of 4.2 out of 5 stars.
- Customer Thoughts: Customers love the taste, the higher energy levels, and the pump. They find it effectively increases their endurance. Many report that it triggers a tingling side effect that they find uncomfortable, some are split on the value of the product for its price.
Our Final Verdict on Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
Gorilla Mode, the updated pre-workout from Gorilla Mind, has clinical dosages of clear ingredients you can trust. You also have the option to go with a moderate or high dose. It also contains creatine, a huge bonus for people who take it anyway. Our tester reports it’s a bit sweet, so that’s something to look out for if you’re sensitive to sweeteners.
Overall, it’s a solid option for newbies and advanced athletes. Unfortunately, there is no trial period, so if you don’t like it, hopefully, you have a gym buddy you can share or swap it with.
FAQs About Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout
Is Gorilla Mode a good pre-workout?
Gorilla Mode is a good pre-workout. The brand posts in-depth testing reports for each ingredient, so you know what you’re getting. You also have the option for one or two servings, so you can scale up slowly. Fortunately for people searching for the best pre-workouts without beta-alanine, this one skips it.
How much caffeine is in Gorilla Mode?
There are 200 milligrams of caffeine in one scoop and 400 milligrams in two scoops of Gorilla Mode.
Does Gorilla Mode pre-workout give you a pump?
Our expert tester reports that Gorilla Mode Pre-Workout gives you a pump. The pump likely comes from the L-citrulline content, which can stimulate nitric oxide production and increase blood flow.
References
- Gonzalez, Adam M.1; Trexler, Eric T.2. Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current Literature. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(5):p 1480-1495, May 2020. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003426
- Ismaeel A. Effects of Betaine Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Power: A Systematic Review. J Strength Cond Res. 2017 Aug;31(8):2338-2346. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001959. PMID: 28426517.
- Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Jenkins NDM, Arent SM, Antonio J, Stout JR, Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Goldstein ER, Kalman DS, Campbell BI. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Jan 2;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4. PMID: 33388079; PMCID: PMC7777221.
- Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, Ziegenfuss TN, Wildman R, Collins R, Candow DG, Kleiner SM, Almada AL, Lopez HL. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Jun 13;14:18. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z. PMID: 28615996; PMCID: PMC5469049.
- Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Jenkins NDM, Arent SM, Antonio J, Stout JR, Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Goldstein ER, Kalman DS, Campbell BI. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Jan 2;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4. PMID: 33388079; PMCID: PMC7777221.
- Gonzalez AM, Yang Y, Mangine GT, Pinzone AG, Ghigiarelli JJ, Sell KM. Acute Effect of L-Citrulline Supplementation on Resistance Exercise Performance and Muscle Oxygenation in Recreationally Resistance Trained Men and Women. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2023 Jun 22;8(3):88. doi: 10.3390/jfmk8030088. PMID: 37489301; PMCID: PMC10366749.
