The Rock’s Setria-Boosted Pre-Workout: ZOA+ Max Performance Pre!

CAN YOU SMELL…WHAT ZOA…IS COOKING?

The Rock’s pre-workout is here — ZOA+ Maximum Performance Pre Workout has a 200mg natural caffeine blend and uses L-citrulline combined with Setria L-Glutathione to maximize pumps!

In the realm of fitness, there are icons, and then there’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Beyond his Hollywood fame, The Rock’s been venturing into active nutrition through ZOA, a sports supplement and energy drink brand originally launched in 2021 with a positive lifestyle team of founders that includes Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi, and John Shulman.

ZOA+ Pre-Workout: The Rock’s Pumped-Up Pre

The energy drink and pre-workout cans are great, but in September 2023, the upstart brand introduced a pre-workout powder — ZOA+ Pre-Workout — packed with ingredients that give users an energy and endurance boost, specifically a nitric oxide blend backed by Setria® L-glutathione from Kyowa Hakko!

This secret weapon combines with L-citrulline to enhance NO production, built to provide longer-lasting pumps.

With NSF Certified for Sport Certification, it’s a trusted choice for athletes, even during competition. Let’s explore how this blend aligns with Dwayne Johnson’s commitment to fitness and nutrition excellence.

Here, we break down this formula and offer some insight into ZOA’s evolution. First, check The PricePlow coupon-powered prices and sign up for our pre-workout supplement news alerts:

ZOA+ Maximum Performance Pre-Workout Ingredients

In each 14.8 gram scoop of ZOA+ Pre-Workout, you get the following:

• Training Blend – 5950 mg

  The quality of a workout is just as important, if not more, than the quantity of workouts completed. Making the most of your time in your own “Iron Paradise” is where the scientific magic happens. Training volume and performance can be boosted with support for power and endurance from this formula, which fills that space from a few different angles.

  • Beta-Alanine – 3200 mg

    If you’re itching for a good time, ZOA+ Powder has your back…or ears, forehead, arms, etc. Despite the sometimes uncomfortable–or strangely enjoyable–tingling sensation known as paresthesia, this preworkout provides a clinical dose of 3,200 milligrams of beta-alanine. When beta-alanine combines with L-histidine, it forms carnosine. This molecule helps delay the onset of fatigue by buffering or removing lactic acid.^[1] Beta-alanine can help improve athletic endurance, especially after a few weeks when the cells are saturated.

    Let’s say you want to up the intensity with a matching dose of beta-alanine. However you do it, beta-alanine has been shown to increase athletic endurance with saturation doses as high as 6.4 grams per day.^[2] Some users might feel a more intense tingling sensation, but the trade-off is worth it!

  • Betaine Anhydrous – 1250 mg

    Betaine anhydrous is another ingredient that supports endurance and energy. Known formally as trimethylglycine (TMG), betaine acts as a methyl donor to increase the amount of energy–specifically adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–your body can produce. This is especially important because ATP is used for numerous metabolic functions, including exercise.^[3]

    Athletes with experience using betaine may be curious why the dose is lower in this pre-workout. Betaine was shown to improve exercise performance at 2.5 grams per day and may even help improve body composition.^[4] Lower doses have produced benefits, but like beta-alanine, additional betaine can be supplemented safely at 2 to 4 grams per day.

  • CON-CRĒT Creatine HCl – 1000 mg

    

    Lately, creatine has experienced an increase in popularity and demand from dietary-supplement consumers old and new. With so many options available, you might be overwhelmed with which form to take. Luckily, ZOA+ Pre-Workout powder offers not just any creatine, but a bit of the patented CON-CRĒT creatine hydrochloride. Like most forms of creatine, CON-CRĒT is designed to help increase ATP production.

    Building up stores of ATP contributes to the improvement of anaerobic exercise performance while also reducing how much total ATP is lost during exercise before your body needs to make more of it.^[5] Not only that, research shows that creatine HCl may also improve body composition with less water-retentive side effects.^[6] This is a plus for any athlete that does not want to “bulk” during training cycles.

    How much creatine should we get? It depends…

    Keep in mind, this dose is far below the recommended 3-5 grams per day, but that’s no problem because CON-CRĒT was designed to do more with less.^[7] However, it is recommended to also supplement creatine even on your days off from the gym to properly saturate your cells.

    The amount you need really depends on your diet (eat more meat), your size, and your gender (men need and use more creatine than women). 1 gram is a great start, but if you’re not eating more than a pound of meat per day, you might need more!

  • L-Carnitine Tartrate – 500 mg

    

    The body is like a coal train. We have fat stores (represented by a pile of coal) that provide us with needed energy when carbohydrates are depleted or bypassed as an energy source. However, coal doesn’t just magically teleport from the pile to the furnace. It needs something or someone to manually move it. This is where L-carnitine shines.

    In this metaphor, L-carnitine is like the shovel that helps move fatty acids throughout the body and across cell membranes.^[8] Now, what would happen if we introduced more shovels? Hypothetically, you’d be able to move more coal in the same amount of time. The result? Increased fatty acid oxidation and ATP production fuel your body and can help improve body composition.^[9]

    Notice a common theme here? Daily intake of this training blend, including from additional sources on non-training days, could really give you the competitive edge you’re looking for whether you’re training for a sport or otherwise.

    A Quick Word About Double Scooping

    The formula does allow for some wiggle room for athletes who may want to take two full servings to get higher doses of these endurance ingredients. It’s important to keep in mind that this also doubles the stimulant doses, as well. That being said, be mindful about any additional stimulant sources you consume in the same 24-hour period.

• Nitric Oxide Blend

  

  It’s not just L-Glutathione, it’s Setria

  As most fitness enthusiasts know, healthy nitric oxide (NO) production can lead to several benefits, including better transport of vital nutrients through the blood vessels and increases in exercise output. These benefits are shown in both anaerobic and aerobic exercise trials.^[10,11]

  • L-Citrulline – 4000 mg

    L-citrulline is one of the more popular and utilized ingredients in pre-workouts, and for good reasons! One is due to the increase in nitric oxide production from its conversion to L-arginine.^[12] This physiological process promotes vasodilation and allows for nutrients such as water and oxygen to flow more efficiently throughout the blood vessels. Additionally, L-citrulline may reduce muscle fatigue and perceived exertion.^[13] Essentially, research shows that L-citrulline may help reduce the feelings of soreness and fatigue.

    A Better Option?

    In recent years, L-citrulline has become the favored ingredient over L-arginine for pre-workouts. Comparatively, raw L-citrulline may promote vasodilation better than raw L-arginine when used for resistance training.^[14] Another reason L-citrulline is more popular is because it avoids a key antagonist in the delivery and absorption of L-arginine, arginase, the enzyme that breaks arginine down in the digestive tract.^[15] But even more so, research shows that L-citrulline may have inhibiting effects of arginase activity.^[16] What does that mean for you? It means you’re more likely to get your increased blood flow and pumps uninterrupted by enzymes!

    

    The Arginine Citrulline Cycle with a breakout showing the arginine-to-nitric oxide reaction. Image courtesy Wikimedia with added biochemistry sources.^[17,18]

    At a dosage of 4,000 milligrams of L-citrulline, ZOA+ delivers solid support for improved blood flow and exercise performance. The recommended dosage of L-citrulline is 3,000 to 6,000 milligrams, so this should provide that sweet spot for your workouts.^[13]

  • SETRIA (L-Glutathione) – 200 mg

    

    Glutathione is one of the most powerful antioxidants in the body.

    SETRIA is a trademarked L-glutathione ingredient proudly manufactured by the well-renowned novel ingredient developers at Kyowa Hakko. Known for their exceptional purity and effectiveness, Kyowa Quality products are the preferred choice for amino acids for many formulators.

    Made from the amino acids cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine, the liver produces L-glutathione to act as a strong endogenous antioxidant. L-glutathione may help reduce oxidative stress caused, in part, by exercise. Unregulated free radicals can damage cells and lead to higher apoptosis activity.^[19] In other words, cells become toxic and die off due to oxidative stress. Even though our bodies make some of it for us, supplementation could be useful.

    A better glutathione ingredient

    

    Kyowa Quality: Tested Dietary Supplement Ingredients Made in the USA! (BioKyowa)

    There are different supplementation delivery options available to increase L-glutathione levels, including oral and topical use.^[19] But here’s the catch – traditional L-glutathione has previous research that suggests glutathione is not bioavailable. Fortunately, Kyowa took matters into their hands and used Setria glutathione form that has been clinically researched to show it can boost your blood glutathione levels.^[20]

    Because of this, Setria has been shown to significantly increase L-glutathione levels in humans. Over a six-month period, oral ingestion of Setria L-glutathione reduced at 250 milligrams, increased biomarkers in the blood, plasma, and white blood cells and participants who ingested 1000 milligrams also saw an increase in natural killer cell (NK) function.^[21] As the name suggests, they’re natural killers, but they specifically target harmful cells!

    But why is it really here? For synergistic pumps with L-citrulline!

    Combine SETRIA with L-Citrulline for longer-lasting nitric oxide elevation

    

    Longer-lasting and stronger nitric oxide elevation when you combine Setria with Citrulline!^[22]

    In addition to improved antioxidant support, Setria can also support endurance through its synergistic relationship with L-citrulline. Research shows that when paired with L-citrulline, L-glutathione reduced can extend vasodilation, even following exercise.^[22,23] However, it should be noted that these studies measure this combination on a 10:1 ratio (2000 mg L-citrulline:200 mg L-glutathione) and the ZOA+ Maximum Performance Pre Workout features a 20:1 ratio (4000 mg L-citrulline:200 mg L-glutathione).

    Our take? Despite a different ratio than the studies, more citrulline is a good thing — consumers can expect the same benefits or more from a higher, 4,000-milligram dose in ZOA+ pre-workout.

    Further research also suggests that supplementing with L-glutathione and L-citrulline during resistance training can lead to increased lean muscle mass!^[24]

• Focus Blend

  So far, the formula has great benefits for the body, but what about cognition? You rely on both when you want to strengthen the mind-muscle connection. The nervous system plays an important role in cardiovascular (CV) and muscular output—especially in the recruitment of muscle fibers at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). So, it only makes sense to provide nervous system support.^[25,26]

  • L-Tyrosine – 800 mg

    

    First up in the focus blend is L-tyrosine, a nonessential amino acid synthesized from the essential amino acid phenylalanine. Like phenylalanine, L-tyrosine can be metabolized to form feel-good neurotransmitters, such as L-DOPA and dopamine, or energetic neurotransmitters such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. Additionally, L-tyrosine is also metabolized in the body and forms thyroxine, which is essential for many metabolic energy functions carried out by the thyroid.^[27]

  • Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline 50% (delivering 200mg Alpha GPC) – 400 mg

    Next up is another ingredient that helps sustain performance output, Alpha-GPC. Acetylcholine (ACh) is formed from choline and facilitates functions necessary for cell-to-cell signaling and NMJ activation. Like ATP, acetylcholine is a considerably finite resource. When the acetylcholinesterase enzyme starts consuming fatigue-induced ACh, it can inhibit physical and mental performance.

    Access Granted

    When synthesizing acetylcholine, supplementing a form of choline with higher bioavailability (like Alpha-GPC) gives the brain more to work with.^[28] Think of Alpha-GPC as a chemical that possesses special clearance to make more neurotransmitters available to help delay CNS fatigue during exercise.

  • Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Powder – 60 mg

    

    As discussed below, ZOA+ Pre-Workout is NSF Certified for Sport, meaning it’s batch-tested to be free of banned substances, and is made at a highly legitimate manufacturer that was able to get NSF Certification in the first place!

    From Chinese medicine comes an herb with some benefits for neurotransmitter health. Ginkgo biloba has been shown to help decrease anxiety, which could be beneficial for anyone who gets the jitters from caffeine.^[29] Furthermore, daily Ginkgo biloba intake may also improve dopamine and noradrenaline levels.^[30]

    Strength Through Synergy

    As mentioned above with L-tyrosine, the goal is to release those neurotransmitters to not only improve physiological functions, but also the positive mood and focus you’ll feel during your workout. This dose is lower than what we’re used to seeing in other supplements, but the synergy should make up for that.

  • Guayusa (Ilex guayusa) Leaf Extract – 50 mg

    Unlike many stimulants, guayusa isn’t as commonly used in pre-workout formulas. This herb shares similarities with natural stimulants like yerba maté, another plant in the Ilex holly family. Guayusa contains methylxanthines and antioxidants—similar to coffee and tea—but it also contains ursolic acid, which has some research amplifying its ability to improve body composition and insulin sensitivity.^[31]

  • Natural Caffeine Blend – 200 mg

    

    Typical pharmacokinetics of caffeine – the method of administration changes the rate and extent of absorption into the bloodstream. Here, our 200mg dose will be closer to the “cap” version.^[32]

    ZOA+ Powder offers a moderate, 200-milligram dose of caffeine to boost CNS and CV performance. Caffeine is a popular and effective ingredient for increasing exercise output, notably for muscular strength and endurance.^[33] Aside from the energy benefits, caffeine is dopaminergic and supportive of other neurotransmitters.^[34] Mind-muscle connection anyone?

    An Alternative Source

    For this formula, ZOA decided to take the natural caffeine route rather than using caffeine anhydrous. During different anaerobic exercises, natural caffeine sources were comparable to caffeine anhydrous.^[35] This is a great addition for athletes who want a clean energy feeling without excluding athletes who still just want the rush. Although this caffeine is from a natural source, it’s important to keep in mind that the dose will be approximately 400 milligrams if you decide to double down with a double-scoop. Experts suggest not exceeding 400 milligrams in a 24-hour period.

• Added Vitamins and Minerals

  • Niacin – 16 mg (100% DV)
  • Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCl) – 1.7 mg (100% DV)
  • Folate (as Folic Acid) – 400 mcg DFE (240 mcg Folic Acid, 100% DV)
  • Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin) – 12 mg (500% DV)
  • Pantothenic Acid (as D-Calcium Pantothenate) – 12.5 mg (250% DV)
  • Sodium (as Sodium Citrate) – 140 mg (6% DV)
  • Potassium (as Potassium Citrate) – 100 mg (2% DV)

Flavors Available

ZOA+ Powder pre-workout launched with three recognizable flavors: Cherry Lime, Fruit Punch, and Wild Berry. For an updated list of flavors, see the list below:

Dose and Directions

The recommended serving size of ZOA+ Powder is one scoop. Advanced users may consider taking 1.5 or 2 scoops, but keep in mind that total daily caffeine content may be 300 to 400 milligrams or higher. Experts suggest not exceeding more than two scoops in a 24-hour period.

NSF Certified for Sport!

In addition to the formula, ZOA+ pre-workout is backed with the NSF Certified for Sport seal of approval. For athletes old and young, experienced and beginners, or just those who want to know that your pre-workout choice is safe, ZOA may provide the peace of mind you’re looking for. Through good manufacturing processes, the company ensures that its product is free of any banned substances.

Listen to The Rock Talk ZOA+

Conclusion: It’s a Setria-Supported Milestone for ZOA!

ZOA’s on a mission to provide top-notch products to their dedicated community of ZOA Warriors, ensuring every ingredient serves a purpose. At the heart of this mission lies the new ZOA+ Maximum Performance Pre-Workout Powder.

This formula is designed to meet the evolving demands of modern athletes, offering nitric oxide (NO) and training support, caffeine from natural sources, electrolytes, and heightened focus for maximum performance. Yet what truly sets it apart is the inclusion of Setria (L-glutathione) from Kyowa Hakko.

For drug-tested athletes who want a worry-free way to improve athletic performance, ZOA is a safer option. This is a big step for the ZOA team, but it’s also an exciting first look at what’s to come — more sports nutrition supplements from The Rock to break into the mainstream, we hope!