Pre-workouts are one of the most common supplements out there, and the competition is fierce.
Finding the right pre-workout for your specific needs is always a challenge, and sadly there are a lot of garbage supplements out there which will rip you off and not deliver the goods.
In this review we will be looking at a pre-workout from Axe and Sledge called Ignition Switch.
We will analyze the ingredients list, assess the claims, and make sure that the science adds up. We will also let you know where you can buy it and for what price.
Hopefully, by the end of this review you will have a clear idea as to whether Ignition Switch is the right pre-workout for you or not.
Table of Contents
About Ignition Switch from Axe and Sledge
Axe and Sledge are a supplement company based in Pittsburgh, PA. That’s about all we know about them.
The company “about us” page unfortunately leaves us more confused than before we opened it. Axe and Sledge appears to be quite popular, however, with many supplement shops stocking their products, and an active social media following.
Ignition Switch is a stimulatory pre-workout, meaning that it contains ingredients such as caffeine that work by stimulating the central nervous system.
Ignition Switch has clearly been designed to appeal to the hardcore gym goer, with the marketing material making it clear that this pre-workout is for the “hardest workers out there”.
This supplement is designed to increase energy levels, heighten mental focus, increase blood flow (for a great muscle pump), and generally maximize your workout potential.
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch Facts
Serving Size: 1-2 scoops (5-10g)
Servings per container: 20-40 servings depending on serving size
Ignition Switch offers two different serving sizes, “Some Stim” and “Extreme Stim”.
For this article we will assume that the serving size is “Extreme Stim” which works out at 2 scoops (10g). It is your choice, of course, whether you choose one or two scoops. For one scoop, simply halve the dosages below.
There are 10 active ingredients present within Ignition Switch and five vitamins and minerals.
Name | Amount per Serving (2 scoops, 10g) |
L-Citrulline | 5,000mg |
Beta Alanine (CamoSyn) | 1,600mg |
Beet Juice Powder | 750mg |
Agmatine Sulfate (AgmaMax) | 500mg |
Caffeine Anhydrous | 325mg |
Choline Bitartrate | 150mg |
Methylliberine (40% Dynamine) | 100mg |
Theacrine | 50mg |
N-Methyltyramine HCL | 25mg |
Toothed Clubmoss (Huperzia Serrata) | 50mcg |
Directions for Use
The directions are pretty straight forward, take a single serving (or double if you prefer) of Ignition Switch and mix it with 8-10 ounces of water.
Take the pre-workout about 30 minutes before your workout.
Avoid taking any supplements that contain caffeine or any caffeinated drinks while taking Ignition Switch, because this product is already high in caffeine if you’re taking two scoops.
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch Analysis
Now we are going to take an in-depth look at all ten of the active ingredients present within Ignition Switch. We will take a look at their dosages and research whether these ingredients are 1) properly dosed, and 2) effective.
L-Citrulline (5g)
The first thing that we notice is that l-citrulline constitutes 50% of this pre-workout, with 5g out of 10g being l-citrulline.
This does not make it the most powerful ingredient though, that would probably be caffeine. But it’s interesting that half of your pre-workout is made up of just one ingredient.
Luckily, L-Citrulline is an effective pre-workout ingredient! L-Citrulline is an amino acid that is turned into L-Arginine in the kidneys; many supplements use L-Citrulline rather than L-Arginine as it is actually more effective at increasing L-Arginine levels.
The main benefit of raising L-Arginine levels is that it can lead to an increase in nitric oxide production which in turn increases blood flow, delivering an excellent muscle pump and supplying muscles with oxygen and nutrients during a workout.
Beta Alanine (1.6g)
Beta alanine is a superb pre-workout ingredient. There is an abundance of evidence that beta alanine can increase muscular endurance in both men and women [1].
Beta alanine can also banish fatigue, reduce fat mass, and may improve power output.
Basically, beta alanine allows you to work harder, for longer, and should be in any pre-workout worth its salt. Again, the dosage is a little low though. Ignition Switch contains just 1.6g in their doubled dosage while the industry standard dosage is around 2-5g, this may be due to the source of beta alanine coming from CarnoSyn which provides a more intense version of beta alanine.
One thing we should mention though, like creatine, beta alanine does not need to be taken pre-workout as it is not timing dependent. This means that you could take it at any time of the day.
Beet Juice Powder (750mg)
Beetroot juice has been growing in popularity over the years as more and more studies appear to support the belief that it can increase endurance performance. A 2017 study by McMahon, Leveritt, & Pavey found that consuming foods that were high in nitrates led to a significant increase in endurance performance [2].
We really like the inclusion of beet juice powder in Ignition Switch. It’s clever, should be effective, and has no real downsides.
Agmatine Sulfate (500mg)
Agmatine actually comes from L-Arginine and it has been shown to be very effective at treating depressive symptoms in people with major depressive disorder or unipolar depression. However, it is placed in pre-workouts because it is effective at reducing pain [3].
Reducing pain is useful while exercising as this can reduce fatigue and allow you to train harder for longer. Caffeine works in a similar way, reducing the perception of pain and therefore allowing you to train harder.
It may also improve cognition and allow you to focus more during a workout.
Caffeine (325mg)
Often, pre-workout supplements tend to play it safe with their caffeine intake.
Axe and Sledge have gone in the opposite direction, a double dose of Ignition Switch contains 325mg of caffeine! That is a serious dosage.
Caffeine has many benefits, improved performance, reduced fatigue, cognitive benefits, and mood enhancement. The downside though is that caffeine tolerance can build up quickly, particularly if you already consume caffeine regularly.
The bad news is that once your tolerance reaches a certain level, caffeine will no longer work for you.
After a few weeks, Ignition Switch could well be ineffective. Though this can be fixed by cycling a non-stimulatory pre-workout for a few weeks. We’d recommend Performance Lab SPORT Pre-Workout.
Choline Bitartrate (150mg)
Choline is a molecule that can be found in eggs and certain other foods. It is often included in pre-workouts as it is believed to be a powerful cognitive enhancer.
Some bad news is that there is still a lot of research to be done before we can say for sure that it is effective. The choline bitartrate in Ignition Switch is quite low, with the recommended dosage being around 250mg.
However, too high a dosage can give a headache and it is suggested to start with lower doses, so Axe and Sledge may just be trying to avoid a headache (literal and figurative).
Methylliberine (100mg)
This supplement ingredient is also present in Axe and Sledge’s fat burning supplement Fyred. It is a compound that can be found in caffeine-containing foods such as coffee beans and yerba mate. It is structurally similar to caffeine and has a synergetic relationship with it. Methylliberine is able to improve focus, improve mood, and increase exercise potential. All in all an excellent pre-workout ingredient.
Theacrine (50mg)
Another ingredient that is very similar to caffeine, it stimulates the central nervous system but does not appear to affect blood pressure. It should help you to improve your workout in a similar way to caffeine and Methylliberine.
N-Methyltyramine HCL (25mg)
N0Methyltyramine is a central nervous stimulant that can be found naturally in some plants such as barley. It is more commonly referred to as bitter orange. It’s actually quite good at fat burning as well as improving your performance. It stimulates the beta1 adrenergic receptor, stimulating cardiac output and helping your heart pump more blood to the muscles and boosts energy. Note, however, that this product is very stim-heavy if you take two scoops.
Toothed Clubmoss (50mcg)
Also known as Huperzine-A, toothed clubmoss is an herb that works as a cognitive enhancer. It should help to boost mental performance and focus. There isn’t much research backing this ingredient up yet though.
As you can see, this is a serious pre-workout supplement. The high dose of caffeine as well as several caffeine-similar ingredients should really boost your workouts and help you to train harder and longer than ever before.
However, you may find that your tolerance for caffeine increases rapidly and you will notice diminishing returns the longer you take it. As mentioned, cycling Ignition Switch with a non-stimulatory pre-workout is one way to get around this.
See the #1 Rated
– Pre-Workout This Year –
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch Benefits
There are lots of benefits associated with the ingredients present in Ignition Switch.
Caffeine has hundreds of benefits, it can improve your mental and physical performance, reduce the feeling of pain and fatigue, and improve your mood. Just remember that it can cause jittery side effects when over-consumed.
Caffeine-similar ingredients such as theacrine, Methylliberine, and N-Methyltyramine HCL (stimulants) will also raise your metabolism and help you to train harder. L-Citrate, Beta Alanine, and Beet Juice powder are also well-chosen ingredients.
Who Takes it?
Ignition Switch is primarily aimed at a young, male audience, as is the entire Axe and Sledge line. However, there is no reason why a woman could not also benefit from taking Ignition Switch before a workout.
Elder men and women should also see benefits. But those with heart conditions may want to avoid it because of the stimulant load.
People with low tolerances to caffeine should also consider sticking to single or even half servings. Or avoiding it completely – we’d recommend non-stim pre-workouts for those customers.
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch Side Effects
The main ingredient in Ignition Switch is caffeine, and there are several ingredients that are structurally similar to caffeine. So, most of the side effects will be from them.
Caffeine can lead to headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, insomnia (if taken within five or six hours of your bedtime), and digestive system upset. These can be serious side effects so we would recommend starting with just one scoop first to assess your tolerance.
You may also notice a tingling feeling on your skin known as paresthesia, which can be caused by beta alanine.
See the #1 Rated
– Pre-Workout This Year –
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch Summary
Pros:
- Well dosed caffeine
- Interesting, effective ingredients such as Methylliberine and N-Methyltyramine HCL
- Beta Alanine and L-Citrulline are well-known to be effective
- No filler ingredients
- Clever inclusion of beet juice powder
- Really cool flavors such as Unicorn Blood, Scorpion venom, and shark bite
Cons:
- Some ingredients are under-dosed
- Relies too heavily on stimulants, you will soon find that your tolerance has increased
- Needs to be cycled with a stim-free pre-workout
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch Price and Where to Buy
The best place to purchase Ignition Switch appears to be on the Axe and Sledge website where it retails for $39.99. This is about $1 per serving, or $2 per serving if you take the double dose.
Axe and Sledge Ignition Switch: Final Word
We really like this pre-workout, a lot of thought has been put into the ingredients list, the marketing is excellent, and it is a fair price. Yes, there is the issue that this pre-workout will be less and less effective the higher your caffeine tolerance grows, but that is true of all stimulant pre-workouts. If taking a double dose, you may find that the caffeine content is very high, but it is up to you whether you take it or not.
Credit where credit is due, Ignition Switch by Axe and Sledge is one of the best pre-workouts we’ve seen for a while.
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