Ingredients9.5
Effectiveness9.5
Value7.9
Taste8.1
Mixability8.3
Pros
  • Transparent ingredient label that tells you exactly what ingredient you're getting and how much
  • Excellent all-around pre-workout and fantastic pumps
Cons
  • Only has 20 servings per container
8.7Overall Score

Hailing from the halcyon city of San Diego, Haleo supplements are quickly making a name for themselves thanks to their new pre-workout Vici. With the tagline “Echo In Eternity,” it’s hard to not to take Vici and stroll into the gym feeling like your Maximus, or at least Red.

With a respectably variegated formula, I think there’s plenty in here for a grizzled vet looking for a new pre-workout to try, or anyone that’s just started dabbling in the pre-workout game.

Ingredients for Gains

Haleo Vici
I was glad to see Haleo trot out a transparent ingredient label for Vici as opposed to a proprietary blend. You always respect a supplement company a little more for doing this, and it lets you know whether you’re getting effectively dosed ingredients.

You can check out the full ingredient panel over here on the right, but there are 4 ingredients I think it’s important to highlight specifically that help make this a decent supplement.

Betaine: Also known as trimethylglycine, betaine is a compound which plays a role in cellular reproduction, liver function, and is shown to improve body composition.

At the end of a six week betaine supplementation study, researchers concluded, “Six-weeks of betaine supplementation improved body composition, arm size, bench press work capacity, attenuated the rise in urinary HCTL, and tended to improve power but not strength.”[1]
Haleo Veni Vidi Vici label
What’s more, Vici has the same dosage of betaine subjects used in the study (2.5 g).

Carnosyn Beta Alanine: This is a patented form of the amino acid beta alanine. Beta alanine postpones muscle fatigue and allows you get more reps by saturating muscles with carnosine. This helps improve muscle ph, and delays the time it takes to feel that burning sensation in muscles.

A meta-analysis of beta alanine confirmed, “From the data available to date, it can be concluded that β-alanine supplementation elicits a significant ergogenic effect on high-intensity exercise, particularly in exercise capacity tests and measures, and where the exercise lasts between 1 and 4 min.” [2]

Agmatine Sulfate: Agmatine is an arginine derivative that utilizes the reverse nitric oxide pathway to improve vasodilation and nitric oxide production, leading to better muscle growth and recovery.[3]

Taurine: Taurine is an amino acid that helps improve cellular hydration, promotes better protein synthesis and helps with recovery. A study published in the journal Amino Acid showed taurine increased VO2 max, as well as maximal workload.[4]

Taste and Mixability

Haleo is only available in fruit punch right now, and I’d say it’s serviceable. I didn’t necessarily look forward to drinking it, but I didn’t abjectly hate it either. I mixed it with the recommended 8 oz. and it tastes alright. I’ve definitely had worse.

Flavor is of course subjective, and having tried so many fruit punch supplements over the years, I can’t think of a single one of the top of my head that I do actually enjoy.

It does mix well. There wasn’t any dissolved powder or graininess that I had to worry about. Any shaker cup will work just fine.
Haleo Vici pre-workout

Prepare To Venci Vidi Vici

My heavy-handed praise of Vici was probably a little Over the Top, but like I mentioned above, the ingredients are dosed effectively, and I personally have had great workouts with it.

I would definitely recommend Vici to anyone looking for an honest and effective pre-workout to try.

References
[1] Jason M Cholewa, Monika Wyszczelska-Rokiel, Rafal Glowacki, et. al., Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013, 10:39
[2] R. M. Hobson, B. Saunders, G. Ball, R. C. Harris, and C. Sale Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis PMCID: PMC3374095 Amino Acids. Jul 2012; 43(1): 25–37. Published online Jan 24, 2012. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z
[3]Morrissey JJ, Klahr S. Agmatine activation of nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells.
[4] M. Zhang, I. Izumi, S. Kagamimori, S. Sokejima, T. Yamagami Role of taurine supplementation to prevent exercise-induced oxidative stress in healthy young men Amino Acids March 2004, Volume 26, Issue 2, pp 203-207 Proc Assoc Am Physicians. 1997 Jan;109(1):51-7.


About The Author

Brian E. is from southern California and has worked for names like GNC and Vitamin Shoppe as a supplement expert and consultant. He currently lives in Utah and is studying marketing.

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