Dirty formulas basically refer to brands that offer their own proprietary blend of caffeine with other ingredients and do not specify exactly how much caffeine their dosages have. This can be dangerous as too much caffeine will have adverse effects on your health, as we already discussed, and too little caffeine simply won't work at all, and you will therefore have spent your money for nothing. Another problem with these illusive formulas is that they are usually overloaded with additives which might not assist with a healthy lifestyle or a better workout. To name some of these additives: artificial flavorants preservatives artificial colorings unnecessary amounts of sugar Therefore, rather stay away from brands that don't offer specific dosages on their ingredient list and just use ominous words such as "complex," "blend," or "matrix," etc.