Redcon1 Total War Pre-Workout Explosive Energy - Laser Focus

What is Redcon1 Total War Pre-Workout?

Redcon1 Total War is a powdered pre-workout, to be mixed with water and drunk before the session. The tub holds 441 g, that is 30 servings of 14.7 g, and we stock it in the following flavours: Strawberry Kiwi, Tiger's Blood, Pineapple Juice, Apple, Watermelon, Blue Lemonade, Blue Raspberry, Grape, Strawberry Mango, Sour Gummy Bear, Orange and Rainbow Candy.

This is a heavily caffeinated product, and that is what defines its place in the boosters section. It contains no creatine: if you take any, it still has to be handled separately, which effectively puts it among the creatine-free pre-workouts. Redcon1 is an American brand whose range we stock in the Redcon1 section.

What is in one serving of Total War?

One level 14.7 g serving provides 5 kcal and four actives quantified on the label:

• 320 mg of caffeine, from several sources including caffeine anhydrous and green tea extract;
• 6,000 mg of citrulline malate;
• 3,200 mg of beta-alanine;
• 1,000 mg of taurine.

The formula also contains theanine, agmatine sulfate and what is described as a nootropic complex. Let us be clear: these three elements are not quantified on the labelling available to us. A proprietary complex declared without a dose per ingredient allows no serious comparison with a competitor, and we will not fill that gap with an estimate.

A second useful point: "citrulline malate" refers to a salt, not to pure citrulline. Depending on the ratio used, often 2:1, the 6,000 mg declared correspond to a noticeably smaller amount of citrulline. The ratio is not stated on this product's label; here again, we would rather flag it than put forward a figure.

Finally, neither caffeine, nor beta-alanine, nor citrulline has an authorised health claim in Europe. So we describe what the serving contains, not what it is supposed to produce. The full detail is in the tabs on this page.

How should Total War be taken?

The standard serving is 1 level scoop of 14.7 g mixed into 150 to 200 ml of cold water, to be drunk 20 to 30 minutes before training. If you are not used to stimulants, start with half a scoop to gauge your tolerance before considering the full serving.

The frequency is one intake per training day, and on training days only. The manufacturer recommends not taking it after 15:00 and leaving at least 48 hours between two intakes to limit tolerance build-up, along with cycling of 8 weeks of use followed by 2 weeks off. The 30-serving tub therefore covers roughly two months at three sessions a week.

One figure worth keeping in mind: EFSA considers that single intakes of 200 mg of caffeine and a total of 400 mg a day raise no safety concern in healthy adults. A full serving of Total War delivers 320 in one go, well above the single-intake reference value. Half a serving, at 160 mg, sits below it. Then add up the coffee, tea and energy drinks over the day: it is the total that counts.

Who is Total War for, and who is it not for?

The product is aimed at trained adults who are already used to stimulants. This is a high dose, not a beginner's product.

It is not suitable for under-18s, for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, anxiety disorders or a known sensitivity to caffeine. If you are on any medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking it. On allergens, the manufacturer states production in a facility that handles milk, soya, egg, peanuts, nuts, fish and crustaceans.

Two effects are worth knowing about before buying. Beta-alanine very often causes tingling in the face and forearms in the minutes after the intake: it is temporary and harmless, but disconcerting the first time. And caffeine at this dose can bring on jitteriness, palpitations or insomnia, especially if taken late. Finally, what not to expect from it: a pre-workout replaces neither sleep, nor the carbohydrates from the previous meal, nor a properly built training programme. Nor does it deliver progress in itself.

Total War or a caffeine-free booster?

The question genuinely arises, and not only for people sensitive to stimulants. Caffeine has a long half-life: a 320 mg dose taken at 18:00 is still largely present at bedtime, and lost sleep costs more, in training terms, than the lift gained.

A product from our caffeine-free booster section is the better choice if you train in the evening, if you already drink coffee during the day, if you tolerate stimulants poorly, or if you want to be able to take one at every session without cycling. These formulas generally keep the citrulline and the beta-alanine and drop the stimulant side.

Total War is the better choice if you train in the morning or early afternoon, if you are after a high dose of caffeine in a single intake, and if you accept the constraint of cycling. There is a third scenario: if your goal is strength rather than energy in the moment, creatine monohydrate is better established and costs far less per day. The two are not mutually exclusive, but the order of priority is not a matter of indifference.

Frequently asked questions

How long before training should Total War be taken?

Twenty to thirty minutes before the session, mixed into 150 to 200 ml of cold water. More than 45 minutes ahead and part of the stimulant effect drops away during the warm-up. Avoid a heavy meal in the two hours beforehand: at this dose, taking it on a very full stomach or on a completely empty one is less well tolerated.

How many coffees does 320 mg of caffeine amount to?

Something like three to four espressos, depending on the grind and the extraction. That is above the 200 mg per intake that EFSA uses as a reference in healthy adults. If you have already drunk coffee during the day, half a scoop is the sensible starting point.

Where does the tingling after the intake come from?

From the beta-alanine, dosed here at 3,200 mg. This pins-and-needles feeling in the face, neck and forearms appears within ten to twenty minutes, lasts about half an hour and is harmless. It fades as you get used to it. If the sensation bothers you, half a serving reduces it accordingly.

Which flavour should you choose?

The tart flavours — Blue Lemonade, Sour Gummy Bear, Rainbow Candy — go down better in a small volume of water, which is exactly the case here. The classic fruit flavours such as Apple, Orange or Watermelon are more neutral if you take it often. As the tub holds 30 servings, it is best not to commit to a very distinctive flavour without having tasted it.

Can Total War be taken every day?

The manufacturer recommends keeping it to training days, with at least 48 hours between two intakes and a cycle of 8 weeks followed by 2 weeks off. Taking it daily builds caffeine tolerance: at the same dose the effect diminishes, and that is what pushes people to raise the dose with no benefit.

Does Total War contain creatine?

No. The ingredients list does not include any. If you are supplementing with creatine, it therefore has to be taken separately, at 3 to 5 g a day, at any time of day since timing does not matter for it.

What exactly is in the nootropic complex?

It is declared without a per-ingredient dose in the labelling data available to us. That is common practice in this category, and a real limitation: there is no way to compare this block with a competitor's. We would rather tell you than turn it into a selling point.

Where can you buy Redcon1 Total War?

You can order it on this page, flavour by flavour, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the first question we ask about this product concerns the time you train and the coffee already drunk during the day: at 320 mg per serving, that is what determines whether to go for a full scoop, half a scoop, or something else entirely. The whole category is gathered in our sports nutrition selection.

Caffeine reference: EFSA.