Is Cellucor C4 Original underdosed?

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate)Per scoop 3 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

• Folate ((6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Calcium Salt)Per scoop 100 mcg DFE, as printedStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

• Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin)Per scoop 6 mcgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

• Choline (Choline Bitartrate)Per scoop 225 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: we have no research dose for it from exercise studies.

• Beta-AlanineLabel: CarnoSyn (Beta-Alanine)Per scoop 2 gStudies 3.2–6.4 g/dayBelow research doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 2 g; studies use 3.2–6.4 g/day. Beta-Alanine works through daily use over weeks; a lower amount still builds up, just more slowly.

• L-CitrullinePer scoop 1.2 gStudies 4–5.33 gBelow research doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 1.2 g; studies use 4–5.33 g.

• L-ArgininePer scoop 1.2 gStudies 0.15 g/kgBelow research doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 1.2 g (16 mg/kg at 75 kg); studies use 0.15 g/kg.

• PeptiPump Bioactive Lentil PeptidesPer scoop 100 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: we have no research dose for it from exercise studies.

• Creatine MonohydrateLabel: NO3-T (Creatine Nitrate)Per scoop 768 mgStudies 3–5 g/dayBelow research doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 768 mg; studies use 3–5 g/day. Creatine Monohydrate works through daily use over weeks; a lower amount still builds up, just more slowly.

  ASSUMPTION: creatine nitrate (1:1) is counted as the creatine monohydrate it equals: 149.15 ÷ 194.14 g/mol = 76.8% of the printed weight. Used only when the label does not state the creatine itself.

• CaffeineLabel: Caffeine AnhydrousPer scoop 200 mgStudies 3–6 mg/kgBelow research doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 200 mg (2.7 mg/kg at 75 kg); studies use 3–6 mg/kg.

• Toothed Clubmoss Aerial Parts Extract (Huperzia serrata Aerial Parts Extract) [1% Huperzine A]Per scoop 5 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: we have no research dose for it from exercise studies.

Use “Check it for your dose” to see this table for your own scoops and bodyweight. Only caffeine is dosed per kilogram in the studies we cite; the other research doses are fixed amounts, so your weight doesn't change them.

How many scoops would it take?

To reach the low end of the research dose for each underdosed ingredient.

Taking more doesn't fix this product. Reaching those doses means more than 400 mg of caffeine from the scoops alone, above the FDA's 400 mg daily reference for most adults, before any coffee.

Where the reference doses come from

1. Beta-Alanine, 3.2–6.4 g/day: Harris et al., 2006Hobson et al., 2012Trexler et al., 2015.
2. Caffeine, 3–6 mg/kg: Guest et al., 2021.
3. Creatine Monohydrate, 3–5 g/day: Kreider et al., 2017.
4. L-Arginine, 0.15 g/kg: Viribay et al., 2020.
5. L-Citrulline, 4–5.33 g: Gough et al., 2021Vårvik et al., 2021.
6. Daily caffeine reference, 400 mg: US FDA, Spilling the Beans.
7. Label data: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Label Database, 2026. https://dsld.od.nih.gov/. Label 335104.

Assumptions used on this page: ASSUMPTION: creatine nitrate (1:1) is counted as the creatine monohydrate it equals: 149.15 ÷ 194.14 g/mol = 76.8% of the printed weight. Used only when the label does not state the creatine itself.

Methodology 1.11. Read the full methodology or the corrections log.