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1st Phorm products are all over social media, and you may be asking: Are they really as good as the influencers say they are?
We may not be influencers, but we’re a team of certified nutrition coaches, certified personal trainers, and Olympic-level athletes who put the 1st Phorm Endura-Formance to the test over several weeks.
RELATED: Best Pre-Workout for Focus
We took it before runs and lifting sessions and rated it on a variety of factors to determine if it lives up to the hype. In this 1st Phorm Endura-Formance review, we’ll share everything we found.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
We’ve Tested More Than 100 Pre-Workouts
Our testers include certified personal trainers, certified nutrition coaches, CrossFit coaches, and professional athletes who have personally tested more than 100 pre-workouts for different types of training, like long runs and heavy lifts.
While most of us use pre-workouts in our day-to-day routines, we also put these supplements through our extensive supplement testing methodology, where we evaluate criteria like:
- Taste
- Solubility
- Formulation
- Third-party testing
- Price
In addition to our personal testing, we rely heavily on registered dietitians and other subject-matter experts to further assess formulation, dosages, and potential side effects. When all that is said and done, we only recommend products that we would personally take ourselves.
1st Phorm Endura-Formance
1st Phorm Endura-Formance
Product Highlights
- Combines creatine and beta-alanine
- Enhances strength, power, and endurance
- Increases muscle hydration
- Promotes oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles
- Available in four flavors
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Added creatine
- Reportedly effective
- No caffeine
- No jitters or post-workout crash
- Includes PeakO2 adaptogen blend
Cons
- Taste is not for everyone
- Sucralose included
Bottom Line
Endura-Formance is formulated with all the key ingredients one would look for in a pre-workout drink. While the taste is not for everyone, most users experienced improved performance at the gym.
A Quick Look at 1st Phorm Endura-Formance
1st Phorm is a sports supplement company with a wide range of products, from protein bars and protein powders to weight loss and muscle growth stacks. 1st Phorm Endura-Formance—one of the brand’s bestsellers—is a stimulant-free pre-workout that combines creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, betaine anhydrous, and L-tyrosine among other patented performance boosters designed to help you reach the next level in your training.
The brand states all of these ingredients work together to create a synergistic effect that protects against muscle fatigue, enhances muscle power output, and improves athletic performance so you can train longer.
Because this workout is stim-free, there’s no caffeine anhydrous, which is the main ingredient in many pre-workout supplements. That’s a good thing for endurance training though, since caffeine can raise your heart rate too much before intense workouts like running. (Which is why we named it the best pre-workout for running.)
Before we get into our experience using the Endura-Formance, here are some things you should know.
Before You Buy
- It comes in four flavors, all of which contain artificial sweeteners
- It doesn’t contain caffeine, but it does have beta-alanine, which can trigger a tingling sensation
- 1st Phorm offers a 110% money-back guarantee (they’ll refund your purchase + 10%), so there’s no risk in trying it for yourself
- While there is a subscription option available, it won’t save you money
Is 1st Phorm Endura-Formance Worth It?
At $1.50 per serving, the 1st Phorm Endura-Formance is a little pricey, but we think it’s worth it for those who are looking for a stim-free pre-workout with clinical dosages of several other ergogenic ingredients.
It has 5 grams of creatine and 3.2 grams of beta-alanine—you could expect to pay this price for just a high-quality creatine alone—so it’s a good option for those who want to increase muscle mass and improve performance and recovery. It also has a considerable dose of sodium, which is great for runners and endurance athletes who lose electrolytes through sweat during training.
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On the flip slide, it may not be worth it for you if you’re looking for the immediate energy boost and focus of caffeine.
Great for:
- People trying to avoid caffeine
- Runners and endurance athletes
- Anyone looking for a blend of ergogenic ingredients to boost athletic performance
Not recommended for:
- People who want a stimulant-based pre-workout powder/an immediate energy boost
- Those who need to limit sodium
- Anyone who wants to avoid a tingly pre-workout
1st Phorm Endura-Formance Specs
| Price per serving | $1.50 |
| Serving size | 1 scoop (16 grams) |
| Flavors | Strawberry Pineapple, Peach Ring, Black Cherry, Berry Lemonade |
| Caffeine dosage | 0 grams |
| Beta-alanine dosage | 3.2 grams |
| L-citrulline malate dosage | 0 grams |
| Creatine dosage | 5 grams |
| Other notable ingredients | Sodium, potassium, L-tyrosine, cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake, lion’s mane, turkey tail, green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, turmeric extract, tart cherry, blueberry, broccoli, kale |
| Third-party tested? | Yes |
Experience Using 1st Phorm Endura-Formance
Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC, tested the 1st Phorm Endura-Formance over several weeks and said it was an excellent addition to her supplement stack.
She used Endura-Formance before different types of workouts, having a pleasant experience overall, but especially enjoying what it did for her endurance workouts due to the sodium content (more on that later).
Here’s how she rates it on price, formulation, taste and solubility, side effects, and third-party testing.
Price Per Serving
At $1.50 per serving, this pre-workout is higher in price than, say, the best cheap pre-workouts, but not the most expensive one we’ve tried. It is hard to compare apples-to-apples to other pre-workouts since it has some additional active ingredients, but in the cost category, Amanda gave it a 3 out of 5.
While you can subscribe to regular deliveries, 1st Phorm doesn’t give you a discount if you do, which we thought was a bit strange—most supplement companies will incentivize you for committing to repeated delivery.
That said, you can purchase Endura-Formance as part of a supplement stack that includes Level-1, Phormula-1, Ignition, and Micro Factor. You’ll save about 20% by doing it this way.
Formulation
For formulation, Amanda gave the Endura-Formance a 3.75 out of 5 because there are some pros and cons.
Endura-Formance is a stim-free pre-workout, so it doesn’t contain any added caffeine, which is not necessarily a con but may not be the best choice for those looking for a quick energy boost.
RELATED: Best Stim-Free Pre-Workout
However, it contains the clinical dosage of creatine—what our testers want to see—plus beta-alanine, betaine anhydrous, and L-tyrosine, all great ingredients in pre-workout.
It also has a long list of other active ingredients, including:
- Sodium (195 mg)
- Potassium (72 mg)
- L-tyrosine (1 g)
- PeakO2™ (cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake, lion’s mane, turkey tail) (1 g)
- S7® (green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, turmeric extract, tart cherry, blueberry, broccoli, kale) (1 g)
Two of these—PeakO2™ and S7®—are ingredients you don’t typically see in most other pre-workouts.
“PeakO2™ is a patented compound that is said to increase oxygen utilization while decreasing lactate, a combo that results in greater work capacity. S7® is a blend of seven nutraceuticals that has been clinically shown to increase nitric oxide production by up to 230%. I don’t know if it’s placebo from knowing what’s in the powder or if it’s actually working, but I definitely feel like this helps with my triathlon training sessions,” adds Amanda.
RELATED: Triathlon Training Tips
Something else worth mentioning is the sodium and potassium content. These minerals help boost hydration because they’re electrolytes that can help fuel longer workouts and improve muscular endurance.
We do think it’s missing some ingredients like nitric oxide agents and B vitamins often found in pre-workouts, but it’s a trade-off for the other beneficial ingredients.
Another item of note is that this pre-workout contains artificial sweeteners (sucralose) and artificial flavors, but there aren’t any unnecessary additives or fillers.
Taste and Solubility
Amanda gave the 1st Phorm Endura-Formance a 4.5 out of 5 for taste and a 4 out of 5 for solubility.
She ordered the Berry Lemonade flavor and says, “It’s easily one of the best-tasting supplements I’ve tried for this go-around of product testing. It’s fantastic: Not too sweet, slightly tart, no weird aftertaste.”
As for solubility? It mixes well in a regular water bottle and a shaker bottle with no noticeable chunks or grainy bits.
Side Effects
Amanda didn’t experience any side effects when taking this pre-workout, so she gave it a 5 out of 5 score here.
Though, we should point out that beta-alanine is one of the ingredients that can give you that tingling sensation (aka paresthesia) that pre-workouts are known for, but everyone doesn’t experience this. If you prefer no tingles at all, you may want a pre-workout that doesn’t contain beta-alanine (or niacin).
Third-Party Testing
1st Phorm’s supplements aren’t certified by a major agency, like the NSF or Informed Choice, but they are third-party tested, so Amanda gave them a 4 out of 5 here.
All the ingredients arrive at 1st Phorm’s facility with a Certificate of Independent Laboratory Analysis to verify sourcing, quality, and potency—and that analysis verifies that any ingredients used meet the FDA standards for microbial content, heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, among other potential contaminants.
1st Phorm Endura-Formance vs Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre-Workout
Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre-Workout
Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre-Workout
Product Highlights
- Stim-free pre-workout
- No caffeine
- 7 flavors available
- Easily mix with water
- Good for people who work out at night
- Won’t give you the jitters or tingling sensations
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free of artificial colors, sweeteners, and other additives
- Non-stim (no caffeine)
- Won't give you the jitters
- Designed to increase nitric oxide uptake in the muscle cells
- Can subscribe and save
Cons
- Those who want caffeine should look elsewhere
- Doesn't contain creatine or BCAAs
Bottom Line
Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre-Workout is an uncaffeinated pre-workout powder that will not give you the jitters or tingling commonly associated with pre-workout supplements. This pre-workout contains a blend of citrulline malate, beta-alanine, L-tyrosine, taurine, and elevATP, a compound claimed to increase ATP activity in muscle cells.
There are some notable differences when looking at the 1st Phorm Endura-Formance and Transparent Labs Stim-Free Pre-Workout side-by-side.
For starters, the Transparent Labs Stim-Free has 8 grams of L-citrulline malate, while Endura-Formance doesn’t have any. L-citrulline is a nitric oxide enhancer1, and helps increase endurance and reduce muscle soreness.
While the Endura-Formance doesn’t contain nitric oxide precursors, it does have trademarked blends of other natural ingredients purported to have similar effects. Endura-Formance also has 5 grams of creatine, while TL Stim-Free has none. Creatine has a ton of research to back its benefits, so if increased muscle mass is your goal and you’re not currently taking creatine separately, the Endura-Formance may be more beneficial.
One last thing to note is that Transparent Labs doesn’t use any artificial sweeteners or flavors, while 1st Phorm does. If that’s important to you, Transparent Labs may be the better choice.
If you want to dig in more, check out our full Transparent Labs Stim-Free pre-workout review.
| 1st Phorm Endura-Formance | Transparent Labs Stim-free | |
| Price per serving | $1.50 | $1.67 |
| Serving size | 1 scoop (16 grams) | 1 scoop (20-23 g depending on flavor) |
| Flavors | Strawberry Pineapple, Peach Ring, Black Cherry, Berry Lemonade | Blue Raspberry, Cherry Limeade, Orange, Peach Mango, Sour Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch |
| Caffeine dosage | 0 g | 0 g |
| Beta-alanine dosage | 3 g | 4 g |
| L-citrulline malate dosage | 0 g | 8 g |
| Creatine dosage | 5 g | 0 g |
| Other notable ingredients | Sodium, potassium, L-tyrosine, cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake, lion’s mane, turkey tail, green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, turmeric extract, tart cherry, blueberry, broccoli, kale | BetaPure™ Betaine Anhydrous, Taurine, L-Tyrosine, SenActiv®, elevATP®, BioPerine®, Huperzine A, Himalayan Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride |
| Third-party tested? | Yes | Yes |
Customer Experience
Amanda gave 1st Phorm a 5 out of 5 for customer experience, saying they have great customer service and she’s never had any issues.
The company not only allows returns within 30 days, but they’ll give you a full refund plus 10% (minus shipping) if you’re unhappy with your purchase. They also take it a step further and offer up NASM-certified personal trainers and fitness nutrition specialists to coach you (free of charge) if you’re not getting the results you want from their products. They can help with dosage, meal planning, and exercise recommendations to maximize your results.
Ordering 1st Phorm Endura-Formance
1st Phorm products are only available directly through the website. You can place a one-time order and sign up for a subscription, but unlike other supplement companies, 1st Phorm doesn’t offer a “subscribe and save” option—you’ll still pay full price.
You’ll get free shipping if you spend at least $75, but you’ll have to pay otherwise. The exact shipping cost depends on your location, but regardless, it’s pretty costly. For example, shipping one tub of Endura-Formance to MA costs $16.43 for regular UPS ground. If you like the products, we think you’re better off ordering a few at a time to hit the free shipping threshold.
Customer Reviews
The Endura-Formance has just over 600 reviews on 1st Phorm’s site, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Many reviewers say they like this stim-free pre-workout because it provides the focus and drive without the jitters of caffeine-based powders. Plenty say they get a great pump and have tons of energy pre- and post-workout, and others rave about the flavors.
One 5-star reviewer—who notes that the only downside is that you have to get used to the tingly sensation—writes:
“I love this stuff; I love that it has creatine in it and it’s non-stimulant. I really feel energized after I take this pre-workout and… I can last and push through my workout! I can really tell the difference once I started using this stuff versus when I didn’t have it. Also this flavor is THE BEST, seriously,” writes one five-star reviewer, who notes that the only downside is that you have to get used to the tingly sensation.
Another reviewer who says this pre-workout is perfect for late-night workouts writes:
“I have always been sensitive to caffeine in supplements and struggled to sleep if I took them too late in the day, so this product was made for me! My only complaint is that it sells out often, but that just goes to show how great it is!”
Final Verdict of Our 1st Phorm Endura-Formance Review
Overall, we believe the 1st Phorm Endura-Formance is a great option for those who want a stim-free pre-workout with the added benefit of creatine. It does contain beta-alanine, so you may experience some tingling, but it’s not too intense, and Amanda didn’t experience any other side effects.
- This pre-workout can provide focus without a caffeine-high
- Reviewers say it gives them a nice pump without a crash
- Our expert reviewer, Amanda Capritto, says it’s one of the best-tasting pre-workouts she’s ever tried
Full Rating
1st Phorm Endura-Formance
Endura-Formance is formulated with all the key ingredients one would look for in a pre-workout drink. While the taste is not for everyone, most users experienced improved performance at the gym.
Product Brand: 1st Phorm
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 44.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.3
1st Phorm Endura-Formance: FAQs
Does Endura Formance have caffeine?
Endura-Formance doesn’t contain significant amounts of caffeine, but there are likely some trace amounts because of the green coffee bean and green tea extract. But it’s not a measurable amount.
Are 1st Phorm products FDA approved?
No, supplements in general aren’t FDA approved. This applies to all brands, not just 1st Phorm.
Do stimulant-free pre-workouts work?
Yes, stimulant-free pre-workouts can be just as, if not more, effective as caffeine-based versions, but without the anxiety or jitters. Caffeine is vasoconstrictive, so it can interfere with blood flow2.
On the flip side, stimulant-free pre-workouts may help increase force production, training volume, and lean muscle gains. Since blood flow is increased, thanks to nitric oxide (NO) boosting ingredients like citrulline and arginine, they may also enhance nutrient delivery to working muscles.
You can learn more in our guide to stim vs non-stim pre-workouts.
What should I look for in a non-stimulant pre-workout?
It depends on your goals, but typically, you’ll want some combination of creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), nitric oxide agents (like L-citrulline and L-arginine), B vitamins, taurine, betaine, and/or L-carnitine. This blend of ingredients can speed up muscle recovery and muscle soreness3, improve high-intensity exercise performance4, increase blood flow to the muscles5, and give you an energy boost6.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
References
- Gough, LA, Sparks, SA, McNaughton, LR, et al. A critical review of citrulline malate supplementation and exercise performance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021;121(12):3283-3295. doi:10.1007/s00421-021-04774-6
- Addicott MA, Yang LL, Peiffer AM, Burnett LR, Burdette JH, Chen MY, Hayasaka S, Kraft RA, Maldjian JA, Laurienti PJ. The effect of daily caffeine use on cerebral blood flow: How much caffeine can we tolerate? Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Oct;30(10):3102-14. doi: 10.1002/hbm.20732. PMID: 19219847; PMCID: PMC2748160.
- Martinho, DV, Nobari, H, Faria, A, Field, A, Duarte, D, Sarmento, H. Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acids Supplementation in Athletes: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4002. doi:10.3390/nu14194002
- Hobson, RM, Saunders, B, Ball, G, Harris, RC, Sale, C. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012;43(1):25-37. doi:10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z
- Kiani, AK, Bonetti, G, Medori, MC, et al. Dietary supplements for improving nitric-oxide synthesis. J Prev Med Hyg. 2022;63(2 Suppl 3):E239-E245. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2766
- Tardy, AL, Pouteau, E, Marquez, D, Yilmaz, C, Scholey, A. Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):228. doi:10.3390/nu12010228
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