Apollon Nutrition Hooligan Quick Hit: High Caffeine For High Flying Workouts

Apollon Nutrition is a brand that has been making some noise in the past few years. They have some very solid products, and are actually one of the few brands who stand behind transparency, as well as using dosages that are backed by science.

Of course, Hooligan is a pre-workout that is well-known for being intense for the high-caffeine dosages. To start this off, we have to say that Hooligan is not for everyone, and that it is specifically for veterans of high-stim pre-workouts. Even us here on Fitness Informant, with all of the preworkouts we get to try, 

Ingredient Profile

L-Citrulline – 7 grams

L-Citrulline is the first ingredient in Hooligan, and is a no-brainer. Citrulline is an amino acid that converts to Arginine in the body. Arginine is a precursor to Nitric Oxide, which of course can help with getting better pumps in the gym. Citrulline has been shown to reduce fatigue during exercise, and to date is probably the most common ingredient in pre-workouts these days, alongside Caffeine and Beta-Alanine.

At 7 grams, you are getting a solid dose of L-Citrulline. Even at a half-scoop, you are getting enough to get a noticeable benefit. 

Beta-Alanine – 3.5 grams

Beta-Alanine, like Citrulline, is a very popular ingredient found in pre-workout supplements. Beta-Alanine is one of the most proven ingredients on the supplement market, and is used for increasing endurance, as it is a precursor to Carnosine. According to a study done on 46 males, Beta-Alanine was shown to increase endurance. There are actually a wealth of studies showing Beta-Alanine to be effective, and it’s good to see in here.

At 3.5 grams, you are getting a solid dose in Hooligan.

Betaine Anhydrous – 2.5 grams

The next ingredient in here is Betaine Anhydrous, which is another common ingredient found in pre-workouts supplements. Betaine HCl is commonly used to aid with digestion, however Betaine Anhydrous over the past few years it has been gaining in popularity for performance purposes. 

Betaine has been shown to aid with power output, and at the 2.5 gram dosage in Hooligan, is at the clinical dose. 

L-Tyrosine – 2 grams

Now we come to one of our favorite ingredients here on Fitness Informant, which is Tyrosine. Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine, and is commonly found in nootropics. Dopamine is of course the “feel-good” hormone, and according to a study, can help with focus under stressful situations. You find it in everything from nootropics, fat burners, pre-workouts, gaming supplements, and more these days… and for good reason!

At 2 grams, you are getting a great dose in Hooligan.

Agmatine Sulfate – 1.5g

Agmatine Sulfate is another common ingredient found in pre-workouts and has been used for years to aid with pumps. It is a metabolite of Arginine, and can really aid with pumps. It actually has quite a few benefits aside from just pumps. It may actually aid with cognitive function as well.

We typically want to see Agmatine or anywhere from 500mg-1500mg. At 1500mg, it is dosed well in Hooligan.

Lion’s Mane – 1g

The next ingredient in Hooligan is Lion’s Mane, which is a mushroom. This ingredient is becoming more and more popular in the supplement industry, and you can expect to see this in more and more pre-workouts in the near future. It has a wide variety of benefits, however you see it used in many nootropics and pre-workouts for the neuroprotective aspects of it. 

At 1 gram, you are getting a great dose of it in Hooligan.

Alpha GPC 50% – 600mg

Alpha GPC is a source of Choline that is known for being effective, and is found in many nootropics and pre-workouts these days. While many brands use Choline Bitartrate due to it being cheaper, Alpha GPC has better bioavailability. For that reason, it is great to see it in Hooligan. To keep it simple, Choline converts to Acetylcholine in the brain, which is a neurotransmitter. Tp keep it even more simple, this can certainly help with focus and is one of the first ingredients people point to in nootropic supplements.

At 600mg, it is dosed well.

Caffeine Anhydrous – 450mg

To start this off, we don;t go too much into Caffeine. I think we all know by this point that Caffeine is the easiest and best way of getting energy. We all love it.

Caffeine Anhydrous is what will make or break this product for some. Hooligan is known for being a high stim product, without the use of exotic stimulants. Now 450mg is certainly not an amount for a beginner, and even veterans of Caffeine may find this high. However, if you have a high Caffeine tolerance and want to give this a go, Hooligan will certainly pack a powerful punch (there is another source of Caffeine). 

Theobromine – 300mg

Theobromine is actually a similar ingredient to Caffeine, and is part of the Xanthine family. It is not a potent stimulant, however it can still aid with energy and can actually lower blood pressure. 

At 300mg, it is dosed well in Hooligan.

Himalayan Pink Salt – 250mg

Next somes Himalayan Pink Salt. You may see us using it in pre-workouts and encouraging you to take it throughout the day, all you really need to know is that it provides trace minerals, and can aid with hydration and pumps. Proper sodium intake prevents cramping and you see it in more and more preworkouts.

Rhodiola Rosea – 200mg

We’re big fans of Rhodiola here on Fitness Informant, and we’re happy to see it in Hooligan. Rhodiola is an adaptogen that is known for its performance benefits. It is commonly used for focus under stress, and really should be more popular.

You are getting a clinical dose of Rhodiola at 200mg. 

Di-Caffeine Malate – 200mg

Di-Caffeine Malate is another source of Caffeine, and is commonly found in pre-workouts to help prevent a crash. To keep it simple, it is a time-released Caffeine. This means that all of the Caffeine in Hooligan is not released at once. 

A good dose of Caffeine will really depend on your tolerance. You get 200mg in Hooligan.

elevATP® – 150mg

ElevATP® is the next ingredient in Hooligan. It is actually ancient peat and apple extract, and has been shown to help with ATP production, the energy currency of your cells. There are actually several studies showing elevATP® to be beneficial, and we like seeing it in here.

At 150mg, it is dosed well in here. 

AstraGin® – 50mg

Finally we come to AstraGin®, which is an ingredient from NuLiv®. This ingredient is added to products to aid with absorption. At 50mg, it is at the clinical dose. 

With all of that said, Hooligan is certainly not a beginners pre-workout, however for the veterans of Caffeine who want to give this a try, it may be worth picking up and using every now and again.

Final Takeaway

Ryan – Call me a hypocrite. I have been VERY vocal about my distain for high amounts of caffeine in pre-workout. To be fair, I am still against it. Hooligan is a lot of caffeine but thankfully two forms. You get 450mg from Caffeine Anhydrous and another 148mg (yield) of Di-Caffeine Malate which aids in preventing a crash. Here’s what I do like: there’s no other exotic stims in this. That means that the 450mg Caffeine doesn’t seem so bad. I did enjoy this. My workouts crushed. My focus and my energy was second to none. I would recommend this for sure. My caution is that I do not recommend this being used more than 2-3x per week.

Gerhard – As a caffeine addict, I tend to like to keep my caffeine doses spread. Well, this was one of my few experiences with high doses of Caffeine. Needless to say, this really gave me a strong boost in energy. With the Tyrosine, Alpha GPC and Caffeine of course, my mind-muscle connection was on point, and the energy lasted well beyond my workout, and to my surprise, there was no crash to speak of. There was a noticeable increase in vascularity even while I was still at home. This is certainly a preworkout that is not for everyone, however if you have the tolerance for it, it can be used in a good way when you0 need it. Whether that be once a week or for a special occasion. I wouldn’t recommend it every day, but every few days you should be fine.