Primeval Labs Ape Sh*t UNTAMED Pre Workout RTD: No Bubbles, All Gains

Are you still chugging a carbonated energy drink when in a pinch before your workout? Then Primeval Labs has some words — and an incredible new supplement — for you.

Primeval Labs ApeSht Untamed RTD

When Primeval Labs enters a niche, they enter explosively. Get ready to go Ape – no shaker cup needed.

Tired of the same old burp-in-a-can energy drink, the brand behind the Untamed series is launching a new Ape Sh*t Untamed RTD Pre Workout! This is an efficaciously dosed ready-to-drink pre workout supplement that you simply open, chug, and head in to go ape on the weights!

An RTD Pre Workout with 350mg caffeine and no nasty sh*t

Unlike too much of its competition, it’s not carbonated, and is simply a convenient and delicious pre workout in a bottle, ready to go anytime. The energy blend has a total of 350mg caffeine (from two forms) with 30mg Theacrine — more than nearly all of those energy drinks. In addition, we have a solid pump and endurance stack on top of that.

Launching Ape Sh*t RTD in three not-so-boring flavors, Primeval Labs worked incredibly hard to destroy the “bitter back end” that you get with the scarce RTD competition, and there shouldn’t be any of that nasty “vitamin smell” we’ve gotten used to with energy drinks.

The whole breakdown is below, but as always, subscribe to our Primeval Labs news alerts and coupon-powered deals and get ready for the review:

Primeval Labs Ape Sh*t Untamed RTD – Deals and Price Drop Alerts

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The Ape Sh*t RTD Pre Workout Ingredients

Primeval Labs ApeShit Untamed RTD Ingredients

The nutrition facts / label. Several clinically-dosed ingredients in a bottle – better than what most do in a powdered tub!

It’s amazing to see how far these RTDs have come over the years. We’ve got clinically-dosed pumps, endurance, energy, and even a bit of cognitive boost:

  • L-Citrulline – 6g

    The tried-and-true nitric oxide booster L-citrulline is the ingredient to bring you the solid pumps you demand in a serious pre workout. Citrulline is a building block for L-arginine, which helps endothelial cells produce nitric oxide.[1] Long gone are the days of relying on L-arginine itself to that job – citrulline actually does it better, by converting to arginine later on when it’s more beneficial for NO production.[1]

    When you have more nitric oxide, you get more blood flow because it relaxes the smooth muscle around the blood vessels. That’s the type of muscle tissue we’d like to relax in this case, since it will no longer restrict blood flow. More blood flow means an improvement in nutrient uptake, oxygenation, better recovery / less soreness, improved endurance, and of course, greater pumps![2-5]

    Over-clinical dosing lets you save some of the stim for later, if needed

    The dosing is also what’s impressive here. The lowest “clinical” doses demonstrating significantly improved nitric oxide production are 3g L-citrulline (or 6g citrulline malate). Here, we have twice that. So in case you want to save a portion of your RTD drink for later (350mg caffeine isn’t for everyone), you can still drink most of it and see true lab-based NO driven benefits.

    Primeval Labs ApeSh*t Untamed RTD

    Close-Up: Primeval Labs ApeSh*t Untamed RTD

    Great start. Most pre workout powders can’t even manage this dose, and Primeval Labs did it in a bottle. Next let’s get some more endurance going.

  • Beta Alanine – 3.2g

    It’s not a pre workout without some beta alanine! This amino acid is a precursor to carnosine, which is a molecule made up of beta-alanine and the essential amino acid histidine.

    More carnosine to buffer acid

    We want to generate more carnosine because it helps us keep our muscle cell environment less acidic. Most athletes know the burn that is from lactic acid and friends… and it’s generally not pleasant.

    With the help of improved carnosine status, we can buffer that acidic build-up, and last a bit longer in training – especially in some of the longer sets and exercises that are in the 1-4 minute range.[6]

    Potential gains? Likely from the improved endurance

    But it’s not just for cardio and crazy long sets – some newer evidence suggests that it may help with lean mass gains as well.[7] Odds are, the improved gains are indirectly from improved endurance (don’t forget to eat, beta alanine isn’t going to eat protein for you), but more volume generally means more gains if you’ve set up your anabolic environment properly.

    The clinical daily dose

    Regarding the dosing, 3.2g is the clinical daily dose, but note that most studies space theirs out throughout the day. Here, we get it all in one shot, so that’s worth noting. Reason being, some users get the beta alanine tingles from the ingredient, and there’s a good chance you’re going to feel this harmless, non-toxic sensation if you crush a bottle of Ape Sh*t RTD — especially on an empty stomach.

  • Taurine – 2g

    As if the endurance improvements weren’t enough from beta alanine, we have a tremendous dose of taurine, the osmolyte ingredient that helps us keep a proper water balance across our cells. This is a conditionally essential amino acid – while the body can create it from other molecules, it’s easy to get deficient from things like intense exercise, poor diet, or illness, and beneficial to supplement.[8]

    Supplementation and proper taurine status leads to several incredible benefits:

    • A reduction in oxidative stress,[8,9]
    • Improved calcium signaling for muscle contractions
    • A significant increase in endurance (after the first use!)[10]
    • Improved cognition[9]
    • Better bile production for better fat metabolism

    The taurine endurance effect

    Taurine Benefits

    Taurine’s Benefits (endurance-wise) can be seen after a single use![10]

    We’ve written about the endurance effect in greater detail (see our blog post titled TAURINE: The Underrated Endurance Supplement (New Meta-Analysis!)), but it’s about a systematic review published in the Sports Medicine journal looking at several studies and noting improved endurance when using anywhere from 1-6 grams of taurine.[10] We’re well into that sweet spot here with Ape Sh*t RTD.

    Improved focus

    In terms of focus and cognition, a study published in the Life Sciences journal demonstrated a taurine-enhanced cognition boost through a restoration of taurine and GABA receptor function. This decreased neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, activated more physiological pathways, and stimulated mitochondrial and synaptic function.[9]

    Some extra pump from water and nitric oxide

    It’s even possible that there will be improvements in pumps alongside the L-citrulline. A study published in the Nitric Oxide journal showed the ability of taurine to boost NO levels by activating nitric oxide synthase and also improving the bioavailability of nitric oxide.[11]

    This makes taurine and citrulline peas in a pod, and both are dosed very well in Ape Sh*t RTD.

  • Caffeine – 350mg total (from 300mg caffeine anhydrous and 70mg dicaffeine malate)

    Primeval Labs Untamed Apeshit RTD Sunrise Splash

    Forget the days of boring RTD flavors like grape and fruit punch – give us some of this Sunrise Splash!

    On top of the clinically-dosed performance enhancers above, the stimulant delivery built into Ape Sh*t RTD is where Primeval Labs set themselves apart from standard energy drinks.

    The dual-strike caffeine blend totals 350mg, with a majority coming from 300mg up front in the form of caffeine anhydrous. The 70mg dicaffeine malate takes a bit longer for your body to break down, and will deliver 50mg over a longer curve of time, helping to keep you going. In addition, the next neurostimulant, Theacrine, also lasts long.

    There isn’t much to be said about caffeine that you don’t already know. You’re either going to drink the whole bottle or you’re not. Be smart with your tolerance and enjoy.

    Ultimately, caffeine’s here to wake you up and get you going. But more interesting to us is that there’s research suggesting caffeine improves power output.[12-14]

    More caffeine than the OG Ape Sh*t

    We always appreciate caffeine blends, and 350mg is a sweet spot for Primeval Labs – it’s more than those lame energy drinks, but not so much to scare the feds or put most folks in a panic.

    Noteworthy is that this is a lot more than Primeval Labs Ape Sh*t Untamed powdered pre workout supplement, so if you were expecting a direct conversion to RTD form factor, watch out – we definitely have more stim in this ready-to-drink bottle here!

  • Theacrine – 30mg

    To provide an extra energy boost and lengthen out that “neurostimulatory” strike from caffeine, we have an additional 30mg theacrine from Compound Solutions. Trademarked as TeaCrine, this is an alkaloid extracted from kucha tea leaves, and it lasts a long time.

    Primeval Labs EAA Max Sour Apple Candy

    The updated look at Primeval Labs kicks off with the new EAA Max Sour Apple Candy flavor!

    Studies show that theacrine boosts mood, energy levels, physical performance, and cognitive function.[15,16] In fact, it’s been shown to have a synergistic effect with caffeine, and the two seem to work better together.[15,16]

    Theacrine works in a similar manner to caffeine – by blocking adenosine receptors. However, it also modulates neurotransmitters and activates dopamine receptors,[15,16] giving it a “cognitive tickle”. Long story short, alongside the dicaffeine malate, expect an increase in longer-lasting energy, mood, and even focus.

    Don’t forget the cognition boost

    Speaking to Shawn Wells, the patent-holder of theacrine who is regularly featured on The PricePlow Podcast, he most enjoys discussing the cognitive benefits from theacrine, which are often overlooked due to the long lasting energy that most users feel.

    Finally, an incredible benefit is that theacrine doesn’t seem to affect the cardiovascular system like caffeine.[15] Caffeine can boost blood pressure and heart rate, but theacrine doesn’t show those effects.

    Summing up these ingredients, Primeval Labs did better in a ready-to-drink bottle than what most brands can do in a tub of powder. This clearly took effort, and the real test will come down to the flavors, as manufacturers are quickly getting better at suspending these ingredients and making them taste great too.

The Ape Sh*t RTD flavors available

Untamed Ape Shit RTD Initial Flavors

The initial three flavors launched. With a formula like this, we’re always going to hope for even more.

Below is a list of all of the known flavors of Ape Sh*t RTD, and their coupon-based prices in PricePlow:

    If looking for the powdered pre workout, see our blog post titled The Ape SH*T Untamed Pre Workout – Go APE on the Weights!

    Primeval Labs Enters the Drink Market in a Fresh Way

    We’ve long been fans of Primeval Labs’ take on pre workouts (who hear remembers Adrenal Rush V2? We do!), and we love that they zig right when everyone else is zagging left.

    Primeval Labs

    The flavor kings are back, and now in bottle form!

    With everyone and their grandmother getting into the energy drink space, it’s great to see someone sticking to what we love – training. Energy drinks are fun, but fitness brands should think fitness first, and that’s exactly what Primeval Labs did with the Ape Sh*t RTD.

    No gut-wrenching belches. No low-caffeine video game marketing. And no amateur dosing of known effective ingredients. While everyone else is fighting over aluminum cans filled with bubbles, Primeval Labs is here to help you get it done in the gym. You can drink your bubbles later. But right here, right now, it’s time to go Ape Sh*t and TRAIN.

    Primeval Labs Ape Sh*t Untamed RTD – Deals and Price Drop Alerts

    Get Price Alerts

    No spam, no scams.

    Disclosure: PricePlow relies on pricing from stores with which we have a business relationship. We work hard to keep pricing current, but you may find a better offer.

    Posts are sponsored in part by the retailers and/or brands listed on this page.

    About the Author: Mike Roberto

    Mike Roberto

    Mike Roberto is a research scientist and water sports athlete who founded PricePlow. He is an n=1 diet experimenter with extensive experience in supplementation and dietary modification, whose personal expertise stems from several experiments done on himself while sharing lab tests.

    Mike's goal is to bridge the gap between nutritional research scientists and non-academics who seek to better their health in a system that has catastrophically failed the public.

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    References

    1. Schwedhelm, E., Maas, R., Freese, R., Jung, D., Lukacs, Z., Jambrecina, A., … Böger, R. H. (2008). Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolism. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 65(1), 51–59. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02990.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2291275/
    2. Giannesini B, et al; European Journal of Pharmacology; “Citrulline malate supplementation increases muscle efficiency in rat skeletal muscle;” 2011; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21664351
    3. Bendahan D, et a.l. British Journal of Sports Medicine;.”Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle;” 2002; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12145119
    4. Suzuki T, Morita M, et. al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition; “Oral L-citrulline supplementation enhances cycling time trial performance in healthy trained men: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled 2-way crossover study;” 2016; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4759860/
    5. Pérez-Guisado, J., Jakeman, P. M; Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research; “Citrulline Malate Enhances Athletic Anaerobic Performance and Relieves Muscle Soreness;” 2010; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20386132
    6. Hobson, R. M., Saunders, B., et. al. Amino Acids; Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: A meta-analysis. 2021; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3374095/
    7. Walter, A. A., Smith, A. E., et. al. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research; “Six weeks of high-intensity interval training with and without β-Alanine supplementation for improving cardiovascular fitness in women.2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20386120/
    8. Ripps, H. et al. Nov. 2012. “Review: Taurine: A “Very Essential Amino Acid.” Molecular Vision vol. 18. 2673-86. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501277/
    9. Chen, C. et al. Aug. 2019. “Roles of Taurine in Cognitive Function of Physiology, Pathologies, and Toxication.” Life Sciences vol. 15, 231. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31220527/
    10. Waldron, M., et al. May 2018. “The Effects of an Oral Taurine Dose and Supplementation Period on Endurance Exercise Performance in Humans: A Meta-Analysis.” Sports Medicine vol. 48,5; 1247-53. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29546641
    11. Guizoni, D. et al. Jan. 2020. “Modulation of Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide Production and Activity by Taurine and Taurine-Conjugated Bile Acids.” Nitric Oxide vol. 94,1; 48-53. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1089860319302113
    12. McCormack, William P, et. al. Strength and Conditioning Journal; “Caffeine, Energy Drinks, and Strength-Power Performance;” August 2012; Volume 34, Issue 4, 11–16; https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Fulltext/2012/08000/Caffeine,_Energy_Drinks,_and_Strength_Power.3.aspx,%20full-text%20at
    13. Barry, R. J., Clarke, A. R. Clinical Neurophysiology; “Caffeine and opening the eyes have additive effects on resting arousal measures;” , 122(10), 2010-2015; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21489866
    14. Astrup, A., Toubro, S. et. al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; “Caffeine: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of its thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular effects in healthy volunteers;” The, 1990; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2333832
    15. McLellan, T. et al. Dec. 2016. “A Review of Caffeine’s Effects on Cognitive, Physical and Occupational Performance.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews vol. 71. 294-312. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763416300690
    16. Trexler, E. et al. Sep. 2016. “Effects of Coffee and Caffeine Anhydrous on Strength and Sprint Performance.” European Journal of Sport Science vol. 16,6. 702-10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4803635/

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