Introduction

What is going on guys? I've got a tasty protein snack review for you all today. I actually ordered these because of the positive feedback from other gym goers and the respect I have for the Universal Nutrition brand. Let's dive right in.

Ingredient Profile

One bar is 350 calories:
This bar is not for the faint of heart. I would almost call it a meal replacement bar because of the caloric total. If you are on a cut you can always make anything fit into your macros, however you may end up with way less total volume of food ingested for the day than if you ate say another 'mini meal' of 350 calories. Lucky for me I am currently in a caloric surplus so adding one bar to my daily macros wouldn't hinder me from eating my other planned meals at all.

12g Fat (5g saturated): This macronutrient stat alone limited me to only eating one of these babies per day. It's not horribly high by any means, but it was enough to sway me from eating multiple bars a day to maintain my macros (and stay under my daily fat total).

39g Carbs: This amount would defiantly 'refuel you' before a workout or after a workout. Once again I go back to the person cutting metaphor. If your only eating 200g of carbs per day than this bar would be almost 20% of that total and at least for me bars are far less volume and filling than 40 carbs of 'real food'.

25g Protein: Equivalent to most protein shakes, this is a great amount of protein to consume on the go.

What's it made of??
Peanut butter, honey, brown rice syrup, milk protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, milk chocolate coating (sugar, palm kernel oil, nonfat dry milk, cocoa powder, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], and salt), whey protein crisp (whey protein concentrate, corn starch, cocoa processed with alkali), inulin, chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], and vanilla), rolled oats, cocoa, almonds, peanuts, natural and artificial vanilla and chocolate flavors, peanut flour, sea salt, potassium sorbate.

Does anyone else's mouth drool after the first two ingredients? Peanut butter and honey are an absolute heavenly combination. The types of protein in here are whey protein concentrate and milk protein isolates. I like seeing both types in a bar because maybe my particular body responds a little quicker in absorbing one than the other. Then the rest of the ingredients are like your baking a cake! lol chocolate chips, almonds, whey protein crisp (whey protein concentration corn starch, and cocoa), milk chocolate coating and other tasty ingredients.

I like the label overall. If I was really counting my calories and in a major deficit I probably wouldn't use my macros on a heavy bar like this simply because it uses up a lot of what you have to work with later. BUT it's absolutely possible to fit it into your macros on any plan of course. I think this bar is best suited for people in a calculated caloric surplus. The ingredients list literally made my mouth drool, because it was chalk full of tasty sounding foods.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: Double chocolate brownie
This thing lives up to the hype I felt after reading the label. If you like chocolate this is THE chocolate bar for the fitness enthusiast. I am a huge vanilla flavor guy in general, but even I fell hard for this chocolate bar. It's a thick yet softer texture that I really loved. The flavor is as close to perfect as you could make it (and it should be with 25g of sugar in it). It was a very potent and in your face kind of flavor.

Mix: Not applicable

Dosage: I ate one bar whenever I was hungry, typically between my lunch and dinner about 2-3 hours before I'd be in the gym.

Effectiveness

For protein bars, my main concern is always did it make me feel full after? Did it satisfy me? This bar actually left me feeling full for at least an hour after I ate it. That's more than I can say for the vast majority of protein bars that I've ever tried. This is probably due to the fact that this is a denser bar with more calories than I'm used to. I never had any stomach issues or unsettling gas in my trial with these bars. They were super convenient to keep in my gym bag, or my car to have a nice chunk of calories whenever I needed it.

Value

$23.49 on bodybuilding.com for 12 of these delicious guys. That's where I ordered mine from and they averaged out to just under $2 per bar. That is MORE than competitive in the protein bar industry and this bar actually tastes good/ does the job that It's supposed to. You can now find the bars even cheaper on Illpumpyouup.com for just under $22.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

If you have the flexible calories to play with then this is gonna be your favorite protein bar. It's filling, it's delicious, and leaves you feeling satisfied. What more could you want?

Quick Summary

Introduction

I have been training for over twenty years and over that time I have developed a considerable amount of insight in regards to training and dietary supplementation. Over the past few years supplementreviews.com has been my go to site to find out about the latest products from my fellow fitness freaks. After years of using the site I've decided to contribute.

Ingredient Profile

ON's Gold Standard 100% whey protein delivers 24 grams of high quality whey protein by way of a blend (whey protein isolates, whey protein concentrate and whey peptides). As an added bonus one serving also includes 5.5 grams of branch chain amino acids along with 4 grams of glutamine and glutamic acid. It packs 120 calories per serving, with only 15 calories coming from fat; all the while maintaining a delicious taste in spite of only 2 grams of sugar per serving.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

The taste is truly impressive, especially considering how little sugar is used. It tastes good with water, but I myself prefer to use milk. In my opinion it tastes better and the extra protein content doesn't hurt either! If I'm coming off of a very heavy training session I'll often make a smoothie using the Gold Standard, with some fruit, milk, peanut butter and steel cut oats. No matter which method I used, it mixes well and tastes great.

Effectiveness

Gold Standard whey really shines when it comes to effectiveness. With a profile of 24 grams of protein, 5.5 grams of branch chain amino acids, and 4 grams of glutamine & glutamic acid it helps recovery on a variety of fronts. I have noticed a difference in my recovery time when I supplement my diet with a whey protein, and with all of the different companies I've tried I truly prefer Gold Standard.

Value

The value is also excellent. I often buy the 5 lb tub at my local supplement shop for about $55, which takes the cost per serving to roughly 77 cents. I find this to be a great value for a supplement that truly delivers on it's product.

Side Effects

No negative side effects to speak of.

Conclusion

At under a dollar per serving this product truly performs. I would recommend Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard 100% whey to anyone involved in any sort of physical training. It works great and your body will thank you for it.

Introduction

I workout 5 times a week. Some days when I dont take a preworkout I will tak something like a bcaa intra workout. I also like the energy you get when taking these in the morning. I would also like to say this is the new formula with the red cap and not the purple cap.

Ingredient Profile

I copy and paste the ingredients

Serving Size: 1 Scoop (11g)
Servings Per Container: 30
Vitamin A 5000IU
Vitamin C 60mg
Vitamin D3 400IU
Vitamin E30IU
Vitamin K1 8mcg
Thiamin 1.5mg
Riboflavin 1.7mg
Niacin 20mg
Vitamin B6 2mg
Vitamin B12 6mcg
Biotin3mg
Panthothenic Acid 10mg
Resuragence FOcus Blend 640mg
L-leucine 2g
L-isoleucine 1g
L-valine 1g
L-lysine 1g
L-taurine 1g
Theonine 950mg
L-alanine 500mg
Methionine 300mg
Phenylalanine 150mg

HICA Scientifically known as Alpha-Hydroxy-Isocaproic-Acid, or Leucic Acid, HICA is a metabolite of the Leucine that works in conjunction with other active amino acids present in BCAA Resurgence to stimulate muscle growth and accelerate recovery.

TheobromineA relative of caffeine, theobromine is a xanthine-like molecule that stimulates the CNS similar to caffeine but energy surge is much smoother and longer-lasting. Additionally, theobromine also enhances vasodilation, promoting superior cerebral blood flow for greater focus and concentration.

CDP-Choline Choline is an essential nutrient that plays a critical role in gene expression, cell membrane signaling, lipid transport, metabolism, and brain development. CDP-Choline is a highly bioavailable form of supplemental choline that increases synthesis of acetylcholine (a.k.a. "The learning neurotransmitter). Higher levels of acetylcholine promote greater focus, concentration, and the ever-important mind-muscle connection during exercise.

L-Leucine (2g) Dubbed the "king" of all amino acids, Leucine is one of the three branched-chain amino acids, along with Isoleucine and Valine, that plays a key role in muscle growth. Leucine is the primary stimulator of muscle protein synthesis by activating the mTOR pathway which flips the switch in your body to build muscle.

L-Isoleucine (1g) Another one of the BCAAs that can stimulate muscle protein synthesis, but to a lesser extent than leucine. However, isoleucine does play a significant role in glucose uptake and utilization during exercise, resulting in greater energy production and performance. Isoleucine may also play a role in fat loss, as some research indicates the amino acid inhibits fat storage and increases fat burning.

L-Valine (1g) The third BCAA, Valine supports greater endurance and reduced fatigue while training. Valine competes with tryptophan (another amino acid) for uptake into the brain (and wins!), leading to decreased serotonin production. The brain interprets serotonin as an indicator of fatigue, so with less serotonin, you'll be able to push harder for longer during your lifting sessions.

L-Lysine (1mg) supports the production of carnitine, a compound that helps convert fatty acids into useable energy. Lysine also enhances calcium absorption, and works in conjunction with L-arginine to increase growth hormone (GH) production.

L-Taurine (1g) A conditionally essential amino acid, taurine exerts a number of beneficial effects in the body. Taurine enhances cellular hydration, promoting greater endurance and stamina, and also improves mood and focus due to large concentrations of the amino being present in the brain.

Threonine (950mg) supports optimal functioning of the cardiovascular, liver, central nervous, and immune systems of the body. Research notes that Threonine also helps maintain the protein balance in the body and accelerate recovery from an injury.

L-Alanine (500mg) plays a crucial role in protein synthesis, even though it's classified as a nonessential amino acid. Additionally, alanine can also convert to pyruvate, a compound essential for glucose production and blood sugar regulation.

Methionine (300mg) vital to the production of creatine and carnitine in the body. As a result, this essential amino acid aids energy production, athletic performance, cellular hydration, and most importantly, lean mass gains..

Phenylalanine (150mg) As a precursor to tyrosine, phenylalanine increases production of three key neurotransmitters -- dopamine, epinephrine, and adrenaline. These three neurotransmitters enhance alertness and mood, and serve a critical role in muscle activation.

It is mostly fully disclosed except the nootropics blend. I like that it also has essential amino acids in it.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I got fruit punch flavor. It is hard to explain this flavor. It does not taste like the normal fruit punch flavors but it does taste like a fruit punch. I would say this is one of the better fruit punches out there.

I had no problems mixing it. Just a few shakes and no clumps and never had to shake again while I was drinking it.

I took one scoop intra workout on days I did not take a preworkout and one scoop in the morning on days I was not working out.

Effectiveness

When I took this intra workout I was able to take shorter breaks between sets. I was also more alert of what was going on around me. I did not feel more focused like the website says though. When I took it in the morning on days I was not going to the gym, I was able to do things like play football with friends better. I was able to catch the ball more and know where people were better than I originally was able to.

Value

I paid $30 for this and it has 30 servings which is $1 a serving. I would say this is definitely worth it.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

This is a pretty good bcaa formula that I would definitely recommend to people. It does not help you focus but it will make you more alert of your surroundings.

Quick Summary

Six Star 100% Creatine is a pretty solid supplement for the basic of bodybuilding needs.

Introduction

Creatine Monohydrate is a basic bodybuilding staple that has been been in mainstream since around the 80s and has since then skyrocketed in popularity due to how it helps with strength and muscle fullness. Six Star has created their brand of Creatine and it is pretty good.

Ingredient Profile

100% Creatine monohydrate (5g per one rounded teaspoon)

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This Creatine is unflavored, so there is not any taste other than grit. I find if you mix it with some kool -aid, it goes down better. The Creatine does not mix as well as some other supplements out there I have to shake and drink each time to get the Creatine. After sitting a second it will settle to the bottom. One round teaspoon provides 5 g of Creatine. Some people recommend loading Creatine, but I have found that just one scoop will suffice.

Effectiveness

8.3\10
Creatine monohydrate is a tried true supplement proven to help with strength and size. Six Star Creatine is a solid form from what I can tell. With no fillers, this Creatine is solid in my opinion. While lifting 5 days a week, I noticed in a 4 week high volume workout program I completed I gained about 5-10 lbs overall. As far as strength, I personally was able to go up roughly 30 lbs on my bench. I was busting it though and we all know results may vary. I should mention a majority of my weight gain also appeared to be muscle while I had minimal bloating. I took off about 3 weeks from taking Creatine and I did notice small decrease in strength. It wasn't enough to fully say that the Creatine dependancy is keeping me strong. I may, in the future attempt to do the loading phase as recommended to see if that gives me a completely different experience.

Value

9.0/10
To me, this product receives a high value rating. I wasn't able to purchase at my local retail store for $7.18 which is around 8 cents per scoop.(80 servings)

Side Effects

No side effects noted

Conclusion

Overall rating:
8.4/10
I will continue to by this product at this price. It is 100% pure Creatine. I went up in strength and size with using Creatine alongside my other supplement regiment. I also took into consideration that I also had to take my preworkout, protein, and vitamins.

Introduction

I'm a big man sports fan.i dont they are the best with everything they do, but the flavors for most of their stuff is the best. I saw they had some good sounding flavors of this expensive protein and figured I'd make a purchase. I workout 5 days a week and use protein post workout. I was having phytoform by prime nutrition in the morning while having this.

Ingredient Profile

It has 2 carbs, and 110 calories There are 28 grams of whey isolate per serving, which MAN Sports says gives it 25 grams of protein. I think it's good that they give a full disclosure blend.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I got Confetti cake flavor which tasted like a slightly watered down version of confetti cake. After experimenting with different ounces of water, I found 6 ounces to taste the best.. it was still a slightly watered down version but had a better texture for me.

I had no problems mixing it. A few shakes and it had no clumps and no settling. It left nothing around in my cup when I finished drinking it.

It says one scoop in 8 ounces of water but I preferred to do 6 ounces of water post workout.

Effectiveness

I think it's kind of hard to say how effective a protein is. I never got any gas or stomach issues. I took it post workout to meet my protein needs. Whey isolate is supposed to absorb into the muscles faster than a casein or whey concentrate would.
Like I already said, nothing to say but it tastes good and never messed up my stomach and never gave me gas.
I would recommend it to someone looking for a great tasting isolate and willing to pay a high price.

Value

Unfortunately the price is too high for me for 30 servings I used a discount code for $43 which is $1.43 a serving. Kind of high for me when I'm used to paying a dollar or less a serving.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

This is my favorite whey isolate right now but the price might not be worth it for some people. If you have extra money to spend on protein then I would say to buy this.

Introduction

I lift 5 times a week. I dont eat too much fruits and vegetables daily. I figured buying a greens powder will do the job for me. This is my second time buying a greens formula.

Ingredient Profile

It contains a proprietary blend which I dont think many people will like. It has 18 different greens in it at 11.25 grams.it has 20 calories, 7g Carbs, 2g Fiber, and 5g Sugar in each serving. I feel like the website has a great way of describing each ingredient in depth. Click the link if interested in knowing the ingredients.
https://primenutrition.com/blogs/news/what-makes-phytoform-the-best-fruit-and-greens-formula

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I got peach mango flavor. I tasted mostly mango and a hint of peach. It's hard to say how it tasted exactly but it was better than the other one I tried.

The mixability was alright. It would be done in 5 shakes normally but stuff would settle to the bottom really fast. I had to shake as I drank it.

I took one scoop in 8 ounces of water in the morning.

Effectiveness

It is sort of hard to describe effectiveness unless you pay close attention to what happens when taking this type of stuff. I did feel better and have energy in the morning and better mental clarity.

I did notice that many people around me were getting sick around spring time and I was one of the few people who wasn't getting sick. I'm not sure if it was this or from other things I was doing.

I also noticed bathroom trips were more predictable for me. I would normally go at random times but while on this I knew when I would go each day. Not sure if that's a result of what they put in this but I never was able to predict when I would go.

I would say that this is good to get extra greens in your diet but you should still be taking additional fruits and greens with your diet and not depend only on this to get everything you need.

Value

I paid $33.00 for this on the prime nutrition website. It has 30 servings which means I paid $1.10 for a serving. I'd say its reasonable for what it is. I would probably try to find it for less than $30 if I buy it again.

Side Effects

None that I noticed

Conclusion

If you dont eat fruits and vegetables daily this might be something to consider but dont rely solely on this. You should still have fruits and vegetables from other sources.

Quick Summary

Super HD Fire is a daily 2-stage weight loss supplement taken in the morning and afternoon. Ingredients are disclosed from within a proprietary blend with full transparency for the amount of caffeine.

Introduction

This was my first bounty rewards product and I want to start by thanking Clipper83 for hooking this up, plus sending along some additional samples & whatnot-- that's always fun! I've been on the hunt for a good thermogenic lately which is what drew me into selecting this in the first place. This was also the first Cellucor product I've ever used (believe it or not!), so that was fun... Let's see how it stood up to the hype!!

Ingredient Profile

Super HD Fire has two pills that are taken daily-- the morning pill and the afternoon pill. Both pills are a proprietary blend with a separate disclosure for the amount of caffeine.

Morning Pill (446mg with 250mg Caffeine)
ZumXR Caffeine Anhydrous, Sensoril Ashwagandha root, Caffeine Anhydrous, Capsimax
Things to note: It's tough to ball park dosages with the caffeine being split within the one pill. ZumXR is a time-released ingredient manufacturer, but from what I can tell, Caffeine Anhydrous isn't one of their ingredients. They have a delayed release option, and extended release option, and an extended release liquid stable microsphere option, but there's no indication of which one Cellucor is actually including in Super HD Fire. Sensoril Ashwagandha supposedly has 8x the bio-availability of regular ashwagandha. Despite this pill only having 446mg of "stuff", and only about 200mg left over after removing the caffeine, if Sensoril is legit about increasing the availability 8-fold, that should mean you're getting an effective dose even at 100mg of Sensoril. Capsimax should be effective dosed at 100mg as well.

Afternoon Pill (485mg with 150mg Caffeine)
DygloFit, Caffeine Anhydrous, Capsimax, Toothed Clubmoss
Things to note: I'm *guessing* that we probably have 200mg of DygloFit, 150mg of caffeine [as disclosed], 100mg of Capsimax, and 35mg of Toothed Clubmoss (Huperzia Serrata). DygloFit mainly works by improving insulin sensitivity, and the toothed clubmoss is a common nootropic with ties to memory improvement and stress reduction. I found the afternoon pill to be a little more interesting because of the nutrient repartitioning qualities of the DygloFit and the mood support from the Huperzia Serrata.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

No Taste/No Mixing.

I took the morning pill daily between 9:30 and 10, then took the afternoon pill between 12:30-2. I took the afternoon pill at 3:30pm a few days and actually had trouble sleeping as a result despite a low caffeine dose.

Effectiveness

In terms of appetite suppression, Super HD Fire worked very well. It was very normal for me to go from my morning dose to 12:30 or 1pm without thinking about food. Normally I try to keep healthy snacks on and to eat throughout the day at work, but this made it difficult to keep up with that. The afternoon pill exhibited less appetite suppression than the morning pill. I would still have food cravings after taking the afternoon serving, but they did seem to be more manageable.

I did not notice much of a thermogenic effect at any point while taking this, from either pill. That was disappointing because I really love feeling myself heat up from a good thermo! Those seem to be hard to find though.

In terms of weightloss, I moved the scale from 223 to 218 over the month. That seems like a solid loss, but my weight can easily fluctuate and I really wasn't impressed with that. Visually I'd say there was slight weightloss in areas I wouldn't normally think of as being fatty though-- like my forearms and shoulders. I didn't notice much change in my belly or lower back, but noticed an increased amount of vascularity in my arms and chest that wasn't just due to a pump.

Lastly, this was really most useful as a means of getting energy to carry me through my day. The caffeine doses were easy to work into my day without being cracked out, and it gave me two nice little jolts that could help me through the busiest parts of my schedule.

Value

The prices for Super HD Fire are all over the place. You can buy it for $60 from GNC, or you can buy it for $30 from bodybuilding.com, or you can buy it for $20 at Amazon.com.

There are also lots of package deals from time to time where you can get a whole stack for $30-$50.

There are 28 servings in the package, and I really wouldn't recommend paying more than $30 for this to anyone. For me personally, I wouldn't spend more than $20.

My rating is based on an average of these prices. I don't think the $20 Amazon price is going to be a long-term price, otherwise I would've rated it higher.

Side Effects

The first 2-3 days after taking the morning pill I got a very light headed feeling that lasted for 15-20 minutes, almost like a high of some kind. It was short-lived and didn't happen again after the first few days.

I also experienced sleeplessness when taking the afternoon pill after 3pm.

Other than that, no side effects. I'm prone to heartburn but experienced none.

Conclusion

Generally speaking, this was fun supplement to take because it came in a cool package with neat looking pills and gave me a nice energy boost, but if I was going to need to pull out my wallet and get it again I probably wouldn't. There was no impressive weightloss while taking this, just a little shedding in my arms that could have been the result of just hard work. The effectiveness I liked the most was the energy boost I got from each pill, and there are much simpler, less expensive methods to attain that same end. If I were trying to shed 10-15lbs and selected this as my champion, I just think I'd end up being disappointed.

Regardless, one more big thank you to Clipper for the chance to give this a try and hope you all enjoyed the review!!

Special thanks going out to the folks over at VMI for the hookup to the TROOPs. It's no secret that prohormones aren't what they used to be in the good old days, but that doesn't mean that support supplements should be watered down too.

Dosage

2 pills first thing in the morning, used alongside my Mass 550 run.

Ingredient Profile (6/10)

Like a good liver support/PH support supplement the formula starts off with milk thistle extract, two kinds in fact for a total of 300mg per serving which is a decent dosage on the lower side of the spectrum. Some other highlights include 200mg NAC or N-Acetyl-L-Cyteine and Kudzu Root, two other liver detox compounds. My readings on NAC lends to suggest a dose of 500mg of this is preferred, so it is possible this product could be underdosed in that regard. Next is 100mg of Tumeric, a anti inflammatory and prostate support herb. It also does appear that this is an underdosed amount as 400mg to 600mg per day is a preferred range for Tumeric. So all the vital ingredients in this product seem to fall a little short of what an effective dose would be. The good news of it is at least the amounts are fully disclosed on the label and not hidden in a blend.

Effectiveness (6/10)

It's hard for me to gauge the true effectiveness of this product for support as I wasn't using a "true PH" and more of a strong natural anabolic, however in terms of general heath I felt pretty good while on this product and did not suffer any side effects or outbreaks of acne which can occur when using test boosters or anabolics. I would say that if one were running a true PH though you would want a product that was a little higher in it's dosages of milk thistle and tumeric, but for a general health product this product would be sufficient as a "maintenance tool" for liver support.

Value (7/10)

The best value I found was at allstarhealth for $15.99 for a 30 serving bottle, or roughly 53 cents per serving. A decent deal for a liver support supplement, but since some of the ingredients are underdosed it drives down the value just a bit in my eyes.

Conclusion and Verdict

VMI Cycle Guard is a inexpensive liver support supplement that is moderately dosed at best, to underdosed across the board at worst. While it could serve as a good liver maintenance supplement, I wouldn't say it's effective to use if you're going to run a PH, even the lighter ones of modern times. I do love a lot of VMI's products, but this one fell flat to me. Regrettably I give this a thumbs down

Introduction

A special thanks to Clippy and SR.com for providing Primalog as a TROOPs opportunity. Primalog belongs to a class of supps known as GDAs, or glucose disposal agents. These supplements are specially formulated to improve insulin response and enhance the shuttling of carbs and nutrients into muscle tissue, while reducing the absorption of carbs as fat. I've used a few GDAs to date including Slinshot, Glycolog, and the original Anabolic Pump. I use these products to help give me a significant carb pump, improve endurance, help with body composition, increase energy, and allow me to eat increased carbs and ensure they go into my muscle tissue and not be stored as fat.

Ingredient Profile

The profile is fully disclosed with some well known ingredients.

Chromium at 300 mcg - An essential trace element that can boost overall metabolism of glucose and has a positive influence on insulin sensitivity.

Gymnema Sylvestre at 1g - This is an Asian herb that has been demonstrated to enhance insulin function and increase secretion. This results in better carb shuttling into the muscles and more favorable blood sugar levels.

Agmatine Sulfate at 750mg - Best known for its nitric oxide increasing properties but agmatine can also act as a nutrient partitioning ingredient by stimulating what are called the imidazoline receptors. Certain specific receptors of this class play a role in insulin regulation and response. By stimulating them, one can potentially enhance the uptake of glucose into skeletal muscle tissue.

Bitter Melon 4:1 Extract at 500mg - Bitter Melon contains contains compounds that are demonstrated to improve glucose uptake while exhibiting and anti-inflammatory effect on fat tissue. This can result in better carb utilization and higher fat loss potential.

Banaba Powder at 300mg - Contains a compound known as corosolic acid. Corosolic acid supposedly stimulates a gene known as GLUT4, which is a gene that plays a role in insulin regulation. Stimulation of GLUT4 can result in more efficient insulin activity and improved glucose uptake. Corosolic acid is said to also increase glycolysis, the metabolism of blood glucose.

Berberine HCL - 300mg - Berberine exhibits of host of benefits related to general good health. In the case of its inclusion into a GDA, berberine has been demonstrated to improve insulin sensitivity, especially in diabetics. The increased sensitivity results in more efficient glucose uptake into muscles.

Cyanidin-3-Glucoside at 250mg - Similar to Bitter Melon, this compound derived from certain dark colored fruits enhances glucose uptake by stimulating the activity of the GLUT4 gene. In addition, it also acts as an agonist to a class of receptors known as PPARs. These receptors play a role in insulin sensitivity and regulate the uptake of glucose into muscle tissue, resulting in higher energy and endurance levels.

Na-R-Alpha Lipoic Acid at 100mg - This fatty acid is a more bioavailable and soluble form of regular ALA. It helps to lower fasting glucose levels and stimulates mitochondrial activity in cells responsible for energy expenditure. It also possesses antioxidant properties.

Alpha Lipoic Acid at 100mg - This is traditional ALA. It has blood sugar lowering properties and antioxidant activity.

Dosing

The directions instruct to take 7 pills 15-20 minutes before your pre workout meal on training days. On non-training days, you'll want to take it 15-20 minutes before your largest carb containing meal.

This is the exact protocol I used. On non-training days, the largest meal was my supper, which is usually the last meal of everyday for me.

Effectiveness

I want to note that I did increase my carb intake while on this, but only of that of the meals Primalog was dosed in conjunction with. So, my pre workout meals and dinners on non-training days contained supplementary carbs.

Along with my pre workout meal, I experienced a very good carb pump and swole feel during my workouts. My vascularity was improved and the trained muscles felt fuller and more pumped with both high intensity and high volume sets.

My endurance was improved quite a bit. During HIIT and HV pyramid volume intervals, I was banging out more reps with heavier weight and had improved recovery between sets. Fatigue was reduced and post workout DOMS was lessened as well. On cardio days, I was running harder for longer intervals and boxing for longer more enduring rounds. I also saw an improved impact force with my punches.

Overall energy levels were higher and I was going into workouts with a more focused and aggressive mindset.

I liked how it prevented the occasional carb blat feeling I get after heavy meals. With Primalog, I felt little to no bloat even after heavy carb intake. This helped me to continue to lean out without the worry of possible fat gain.

Value

Primalog is not cheap. The cheapest individual retail price I found on Amazon for 49.99. However, the best deal for value I found was on Illpumpyouup.com. Currently, the website is holding a BOGO deal where if you purchase a bottle for 64.95 (bad price on its own), you get a second free. Comparing the fact that purchasing two bottles from Amazon would cost 100 dollars (not including shipping), the deal on Illpumpyouup.com is clearly the winner.

The overall value for the efficacy in both cases is decent. Many GDAs today's market go for less or the same price. Of course, it would cheaper to just by some individual berberine hcl or other solo ingredient with similar effects, but full GDAs can be worth the investment.

Side Effects

none

Conclusion

While the high price tag and big serving size are not thrilling, Primalog is a great and effective GDA to try out. It'll help give energy, endurance, pump, and recovery all a significant boost, without having to worry about the consequential fat gain from excess carb intake. Just be sure you're training hard and eating the right type of carbs first and foremost.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO BRUINS!!!

Introduction

Pancakes are one of my favorite foods. I hardly have them due to my macros and needing healthy food. When I saw panic pancakes I needed to try them.

Ingredient Profile

oat flour, whey protein isolate, and mcts from palm kernel and coconut oils make up the ingredients of the pancake mix.

One serving (54g) contains: 20g protein, 19g carbs (4g fiber, 8g sugar), 5g fat (3.5g saturated) for 200 calories 350mg sodium, 360mg potassium, and 210mg calcium.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I got banana blitz flavor. It was not too sweet. I normally dont like banana flavored things but this is an exception. It is the best protein pancake I have every tried.

The texture was how you would expect a pancake to be. No problems with it. No clumping or anything negative to say about mixability.

I used one serving at a time which is 1/2 a cup.

Effectiveness

I used the pancakes for breakfast in the morning.
They were good and kept me full when I ate them with sausage and Turkey bacon every morning.
I never had any stomach upset/digestive issues after eating them, they were pretty easy to fit into my macros for the day, and they're a pretty good source of energy in the morning.

They stick to the pan every time I make it. But I used butter to reduce the stickiness. It was a bit hard to scrape off the pan when I would clean it.

Value

I had a coupon and spent $9.60 for a bag. It has 6 servings in each bag. If you do one serving every time you make it then it will cost $1.60 everytime you use it. It is cheaper than other protein pancakes I have used in the past but still kind of high for me. I would use this every day if the price would go down a little but for now this is a once a month purchase for me.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

If you like pancakes and want some that are healthier than others out there or want some to fit your macros, then this would be a great purchase for you.

This is the first time that I purchased a pre-workout without completely being informed on the product. I was told it was a good Pre, so I said lets do it. It was a definite experience.

Introduction

Manson, by Insane Labz (Dark Metal) is a preworkout that is pretty stout when it comes to stimulating the body. Ive taken over the past 18 years almost every type of supplement that is legally out there and I can tell you this one got to me. It is for sure not for the faint of heart.

Ingredient Profile

Serving Size: 1 Scoop (7.5g)
Servings Per Container: 35
Manson Blend 5g (propriety blend)
Beta alanine, L-tyrosine, L-taurine, caffeine anhydrous, dicaffeien malate, l-carnitine l tartrate, ampiberry, oxygold, rauwolfia vomitoria extract.

We have the usual culprits:

Beta Alanine: Used to contribute to muscle endurance.
L-Tyrosine: This supplement has been known to increase alertness and focus. It also helps out with depleting dopamine and noradrenaline production resulting from exercising.
L-Taurine: This amino helps with recovering from exercise.

Caffeine Anhydrous:
DiCaffeine malate:

L-Carnitine L-Tartrate: Like Taurine, L-Carnitine L-Tartrate also helps aid in recovery. It also has been shown to aid in muscle performance by increased oxidation.
AMPiberry (Juniperus Communis): From what I have gathered from this ingredient is that it has been shown to decrease water weight and helps with fat loss( especially when added with caffeine).

Oxygold (Fulvic Acid): This has been rumored to have antioxidant and inflammation reduction properties. Also has been claimed to help with test levels

Rauwolfia Vomitoria Extract: Has been shown to help burn fat and stimulate the central nervous system.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

7/10
I got the cereal Killer flavor. It smelled similar to fruity pebbles which wasn't at all bad. I put it in my standard shaker and the mixing was as simple as a few shakes.
Dosing/ for the dosing part I used one scoop. On day one I took half a scoop to see how strong it was since it is a propriety blend. The strength did not do much for me. Day two I took a full scoop. I would not recommend more than one scoop.

Effectiveness

7.0/10
The Good
Within 30 minutes, I could tell the caffeine was in the pre. I was all over the place. My focus was there as well. This could have been the Beta-Alanine kicking in. The overall workouts were pretty good. So as far as taking a pre-workout for energy and focus, this stuff had what it takes. Even when the workout was done, I still had quite a bit of energy to go throughout the day. I don't use any other sources of caffeine so this was noticed day one. I slept pretty hard at night (may be due crashing out)

The Bad
I don't know how much of each ingredient is included with a propriety blend but It seems to me the caffeine was a little overpowering. As previously mentioned I don't do caffeine other than a pre-workout. The whole day I was on edge and antsy. Also it should be mentioned that I had a strong sensation of being hot about 15 minutes after taking it. It may have been from the beta-alanine. Some people look for this in a supplement that is why I gave a high effectiveness rating.

Value

6.0/10
Value is in the eye of the beholder in my opinion. At around .65 per scoop, I was not hurting in the wallet at the end of the day. I did not give it a full ten due to the fact we don't know the exact amounts that we are getting of the ingredients. It may just be all caffeine.

Side Effects

On the side effect end of the spectrum, Hot flashes, slight itching, and nervousness were my main concerns. I was not a fan of this.

Conclusion

Overall Score: 6/10
This product should be used with caution. If you consume caffeine throughout the day, I would not recommend this. As previously mentioned, Manson was not a bad product to give you energy and focus, it just brought with it the nervousness and jitters. I would not say this product was a complete miss as I did get some pretty hardcore energy from it. I will mention again, at the end of the day I slept like a baby. To conclude, I don't think it is a product that should be overlooked, just if and when you buy it, be careful on how much you consume.

QUICK SUMMARY

Acceptable average BCAA supplement.

INTRODUCTION

Thanks to Beast Sports Nutrition for participating in the SR TROOPS program and to SupplementReviews for making this connection between brand and consumer possible. I lift weights 5 days per week from Monday to Friday and take aminoacids almost everyday to help with recovery, source of clean energy, endurance, prevent muscle loss, etc, depending on the moment of the day I consume them. I don't expect miracles from them but when you take them consistently, you notice positive results. Let's see how it worked...

INGREDIENT PROFILE

Fully disclosed profile so congratulations for that.

- 5 grams of Instantized BCAAs known as "InstAminos". It's a bonus they are instantized to help with the mixing. I don't know if that also means better absorption and availability but well it's still a bonus that they are instantized. 5 grams of BCAA is a good dose. Depending on the moment of the day you take them, they will give you lot of benefits like overall energy, clean energy, overall recovery, recovery between sets, recovery after workout, help with protein synthesis, delay fatigue and so many other benefits. Now some people demonize them but they will always be my love <3 hahaha. I guess people confused "helps to build muscle" or "supports muscle" with "builds muscle". BCAAs don't build muscles by themselves, they need other aminos to do that. It's like the tires of your car. They help the car move but they aren't the whole car by themselves. They are on a 2:1:1 ratio, I prefer ratios with higher Leucine but it's no big deal.

- Then we have 465mg of Glycine, 300mg of Alanine and 300mg of Taurine. Those 3 ingredients have performance, mental, etc benefits related to exercise but I have to agree with user @Cray here: "While I appreciate the inclusion of these essential amino acids, the doses not high enough to be considered effective, at least not on their own." Talking about their benefits would be useless because I don't think they will do much with those doses. I can live with that because this is just a simple BCAA supplement so no big deal.

- Then we have the other key ingredient here which is 240mg of Tart Cherry Powder (the 1st key ingredient being the BCAA). This is a new ingredient being used in some aminoacid supplements (from what I know) and it seems to have a good potential to reduce muscle soreness, maintain strength and prevent catabolism. User @Cray talked about a 1 gram of standard dosing daily although I couldn't find information about that. I found a study using 480mg of Tart Cherry Powder https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4647629/ Beast BCAA uses half of that dose, which is not bad because the study is only for 10 days so that 240mg dose of Beast BCAA should give you some good results but after 2-3 weeks.

- It also has high doses of Vitamins D, B6, B12 and some amount of Sodium as electrolyte.

Overall, a basic ingredient profile with 2 main ingredients: BCAA and Tart Cherry Powder. I'll give it a 7/10 here because Glycine, Taurine and Alanine are underdosed. Tart Cherry Powder is a bit underdosed too but for the purpose of the product (being an average one), it's a good profile.

TASTE/MIXABILITY/DOSING

- TASTE: Tropical Breeze. User @Cray did a good description of the taste, like a "kid's tropical fruit punch" and "heavy on the pineapple flavoring". I like pineapples so I didn't have a problem with that. I'll give it a 7/10 here. It tastes artificial, a good artificial taste. I wouldn't say it was delicious and it wasn't bad. It was higher than average but it didn't reach the "delicious level". The other flavor available is "Beast Punch".

MIXABILITY: The grains of the powder could be felt like others before me have said. Not a big deal but not perfect.

DOSING: They suggest to "use 1 level scoop with 10fl oz of water 2 times daily. For optimal use, use 1 level scoop between meals, 30-45 minutes before workouts, during workouts and/or inmediately following workouts." You're not supposed to take this at all those moments of the day they mention, they are just giving you options of when to consume this product, you're the one in charge of choosing when to take it. I took 1 scoop per day, during my workouts. They also suggest to use it 2 times daily because you really feel the BCAA benefits when they are 10g... but that will depend on you and your daily intake with other supplements and food. I decided to use only 1 because it's only 30 servings.

EFFECTIVENESS

When I take an intra-workouts, I expect clean natural energy, different from the one given by stimulants. I also expect to recover some of the strength lost during my previous sets, some hydration help, some motivation to keep me going, etc. Beast BCAA did an average acceptable job. It did that acceptable job on strength, hydration and it gave me that "additional push" to help me finish my workout.

I was dissapointed with the energy area because I didn't feel the benefits in this area. I think the reason of that is more because of the preworkout I was taking. Full Spectrum Rx takes your levels to the maximum, especially your energy levels, so I couldn't perceive any benefits on additional energy. Another reason of why the energy area could have failed was because by the time I took Beast BCAA several times, my body was already running out of Carbohydrates. No Carbs, no party! Lot of my routines were 3 hours long because I do 3 muscles per day some days of the week. So if I took Beast BCAA 2 hours after starting my workout, my Carbohydrate levels were already low because of the workout but also because of the Pre-workout with a crazy amount of stimulants.

I also took this for 1 week with only Creatine and some other ingredients (no stimulants) and it did alright. But I was expecting an acceptable average job before beginning to take this product, I was just dissapointed with the energy. In all the other areas, it did alright. Nothing outstanding but a good job. You really can't expect this product to compete with the top aminoacids or intra-workout supplements out there. The formula is basic and the results were also basic, simple as that.

VALUE

Bodybuilding.com, Beast Sports website, Muscle and Strength, DPS Nutrition all have this for $24.99. VitaminShoppe had it at the same price but right now it's on $21.99. I'll be honest, I would pay something between $15-$17 maximum for this product. The maximum I would recommend someone to pay for this product would be $20, no more than that. My "6.5" score is based on the $24.99 price, not the $21.99 price because I have a feeling that price won't last for so long. But my score would be "7" on Value if the price was $21.99.

SIDE EFFECTS

None.

CONCLUSION

Formula is basic and average but good. The typical 5 grams of BCAA, InstAminos and 240mg of Tart Cherry Powder to try and make it special. Some added vitamins and aminos. This product pretends to be an "adult" with this formula but the conclusion is that Beast BCAA is still a teenager ;) If you can find this product for less than $20 and you want to try it, go ahead. If you want to try the Tart Cherry Powder and see if it works for you and you can find it for the correct price, then go ahead.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COMPANY

- I'm not going to suggest the company to increase the dose of some ingredients because at the end of the day, most companies have their "average products" and "elite products". I would tell the company not to expect this product to be part of their "elite products". You need another product for that. From what I can see, you don't have another aminoacid supplement so I would suggest making an aminoacid that can belong to your elite products and keep this Beast BCAA but for the average product category.

- Another suggestion if you want to keep the price is to increase the dose of the 3 aminoacids that are underdosed (Glycine, Taurine, Alanine) to their full dose. That way the $24.99 will be more fair.

---Introduction---

Browsing around for a fairly inexpensive pre-workout, I came across this potential jewel. Vapor X5 my Muscletech. I have tried various pre-workouts, including the original Nano Vapor and have good and bad experiences with them.

MuscleTech has been around for many years now. As a teenager, I remember if you were not buying their products, you were not in. I have purchased my fair share over the years in this line and hit a lull with much of the stuff they have come out with. I purchased Vapor X5 due to it being around $20.00, because I have been known to be a penny pincher. I will tell you, though, I was not disappointed with the outcome of my inexpensive purchase.

---Ingredients---

Betaine: An active metabolite of choline, is said to increase strength, muscle, and power. Creatine is essential for athletes for strength and size gain. Each serving contains 1.5g's of Creatine. Beta Alanine is a key supplement that also aids with some energy. Nitrosigine and Galangal extract close out the profile. Nitrosigine is a N.O based ingredient said to ramp up your pumps. Finally, Galangal Extract helps with circulation and as a side note also apparently helps with stopping certain digestive issues.
---Taste---

I purchased the Icy Rocket Freeze flavor. It mixed really well. I was surprised on the flavor. I did notice that there was a strange minty refreshing type aftertaste with it. I am not sure if it was the flavor or one of the ingredients that caused that. Nothing to worry about.

Effectiveness

7.9/10
After taking a break from Pre-workouts, coming back to this was pretty spot on. I can say that my energy was where I needed to be and I had some pretty good pumps while I was in there. My workout state of mind was in place the whole time and I was not distracted one bit.

Value

8/10
For the price I purchased it for, this stuff is pretty good. A pre-workout with the effectiveness I received from this to me would cost at least $45.00.

Side Effects

I had no side effects with this product

Conclusion

In a world of supplements, it is hard to find something that will not A. Break the bank or B. Kill you with stimulants. Vapor X5 was both affordable and effective in what it claims to do. Of course, results may vary, but I am one happy camper and I ended up buying about 4 tubs of it.

Quick Summary

Nutrabio's V5 PreWorkout is the new standard bearer for transparent labeling, effective dosages, and the inclusion of trademarked ingredients. If you're ready to invest in a high quality Pre, look no further.

Introduction

Most mornings I'm up before the sun to chase the pump and I need a good preworkout to get me moving, more often than not. Finding one that suits my schedule is harder than it looked. The early morning lifts mean I'm also lifting fasted and while I need a good amount of stimulants to get revved up, a lot of preworkouts I've tried have gone overboard and cause side effects. V5 is the perfect balance though. Nutrabio puts no shortage of thought behind each one of the ingredients in their products and V5 is no exception.

Ingredient Profile

V5 is broken into 4 main categories: Power, strength, & endurance complex; Nitric Oxide Pump Matrix; Focus & Stim Matrix; and Electrolyte & Hydration Optimizer

P, S & E Complex:
- 3.5g Leucine, naturally fermented & vegan. Leucine is touted as the most beneficial of the branch-chain amino acids, but is rarely represented on its own as it is here. However, this is right in the middle of the effective dose range and should help to increase protein synthesis as a result.
- (3.2g) Clinical Dose of Beta Alanine HPLC to help with stamina & endurance by staving off lactic acid buildup. They use CarnoSyn, recognized as the industry's best version.
- 3g PharmaPure Creatine Monohydrate HPLC > Normally if creatine is included, I'd like it to be at 5g, but HPLC is supposed to be much more bio-available and absorbable.
- 2.5g Betaine Anhydrous HPLC This dose is right on point with the average recommendation. Anything higher can lead to fishy smelling body odor (no thanks).
- 1.7g DL Malic Acid: Strange to see this on its own and not tied to the creatine or citrulline. I'm not sure of the benefit it is supposed to serve, but may be included for taste purposes. This wouldn't explain the categorization though.
- 500mg MagnaPower - This is another fast absorbing creatine and brings the total creatine to 3.5g. It also adds 40mg of magnesium which should assist in mind-muscle connection, as well as recovery, but this would be a low dose as a standalone.

NO Pump Matrix
- 6g L-Citrulline, kyowa quality: this was one of the doses NutraBio bumped up when reformulating. This is as much as I'd want to see personally. Anything more than this and I think it would cause stomach problems.
- 1g Agmatine Sulfate: I'm actually not a fan of agmatine. I think it can be ineffective and actually make pumps worse.
- 750mg Nitrosigine- big time pumps and an investment in a trademarked version again. It's not a huge dose, but it will be effective.

Focus & Stim Matrix
- 1.5g Tyrosine: This is a good dose and should help improve focus and reduce stress. If you lift fasted, this could assist in preventing cortisol spikes from the stress you are putting on your body.
- 500mg VitaCholine: The jury is out on the effectiveness of Choline in relation to training, but VitaCholine is the gold standard and the dose is the top end of what you'd want to supplement with daily for general health purposes
- Caffeine
> Anhydrous (250mg HPLC)
> Infinergy (100mg caffeine + 33mg malic acid) : This is my ideal serving for a PWO. Anything more and I get all cracked out, anything less and I can barely open my eyes. I love to see this is HPLC and in hindsight I'd say the energy did kick in rapidly, as would be expected from this processing method.
- 300mg TheaPure: This is an AWESOME dose of theanine in a very pure form. It will add additional energy, while also managing the absorption of the caffeine and preventing crashes.
- 100mcg Huperzine A: This is a cognitive super supplement that should be effective at this dose. Multiple studies have been done at this dose that exhibit memory improvement and lay claim to its effectiveness as a nootropic

Electrolyte & Hydration Optimizer
- 2g Taurine
- 525mg Calcium Potassium Phosphate Citrate
- 189mg Sodium Phosphate
I'm a big fan of including electrolytes in a PWO and find they play a big role and making cardio more manageable. The Taurine will be doubly helpful in preventing cramps from the pumps that can occur with the high doses of pump ingredients.

The common trend through most of the ingredients is the HPLC processing which stands for High Pressure Liquid Chromatography. This supposedly breaks down the molecules into their smallest possible form to increase the rate of absorption.

The other common trend is that there is no fluff. You do not, and I'd be willing to say will not ever, see NutraBio adding fluff to their panel. Their best consumer is an educated consumer and you'll just never see them add an ingredient at an ineffective dose in order to just say it's included.

Huge amount of respect to NutraBio for this transparent, killer ingredient panel!!

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: NutraBio doesn't over flavor their products. The blue raspberry I received was fantastic and I enjoyed it from the first dose to the last

Mixability: This dissolved very easily, but did leave one of the thickest foams I've ever encountered after shaking. It would even stick around after I finished and refilled my water bottle with water. There are no artificial dyes in this either, but NutraBio used Spirulina for some color which actually resulted in a very pale blue.

Dosing: I took this with 15 minutes of starting my workout and really felt it kick in by the time I'd completed my warm-up.

Effectiveness

Overall, I had a great run with V5. There were definitely some days that I felt tired or run down due to lack of sleep over my 20 days taking it, but I was able to get moving and make the most of my workout anyway. I hit some good numbers on my rows and deadlifts and am sure I would be able to say the same about my bench if it weren't for my AC joint injury.

My only gripe is that the creatine in the PWO along with the creatine I was taking separately did cause a bit of water retention since I was getting close to 14g daily for a while when taking both. I was able to reduce my separate creatine consumption to 1 dose daily which alleviated most of the water retention, but I do still have a little bit. Nothing major, and in fairness I basically just look more athletic while retaining that water as opposed to cut up.

I wish I had taken this at a time where I was playing a sport as well, but I'm currently only training. I feel like the added creatine would've been a big help in that department.

In terms of pumps, I do think the agmatine took away from those slightly, but that's usually the case. Even still I did notice good muscle fullness and maybe just slightly less vascularity than I'd hoped.

As for energy, this was really great. I was really awake all morning from my serving of this at about 5:30 each morning and never noticed a crash.

Value

At $39.99 for 20 servings, V5 is justifiably one of the more expensive PWOs available without apology. They have no interest in being the cheapest, they want to be the best. This is a fair price for what you're getting.

Side Effects

Nothing really, minus a little water retention when taking in collaboration with other creatine supplements.

Conclusion

NutraBio impresses as expected. This is a great premium PWO and I'd recommend anyone try it. It's worth saving for and will give you close to a month of rock solid workouts. THANK YOU to NutraBio for letting me give it a shot. It's (almost) always a pleasure to use their products!

Quick Summary

A decent protein bar that isn't as good as some competitors, but the stellar price-point negates the relatively small differences between most competitors.

Introduction

I saw these listed on a PricePlow deals alert email at a price that was an absolute steal. Having just missed out on a similar deal for some muscle milk RTDs, I jumped on these immediately after checking the macros to ensure I wouldn't miss out on yet another good deal. It seems like everyone is throwing up a review of these, so while I am still 3.5 boxes deep into a 6 box order I thought I'd share my thoughts too.

Ingredient Profile

8/10
The ingredient profiles stay the same across bars with some variation in cholesterol and sodium (approximately double the amount) among flavors as Bzyczek pointed out. Apart from that, the macros look decent: 220 calories in the form of 10g of fat (5g saturated; 3g monounsaturated; 2g polyunsaturated), 17g of carbs (1g dietary fiber, 6g of sugar), and 20g of protein. The sodium and cholesterol content ranges from 210-400mg and 20-55mg per bar respectively.
,
While I don't see much wrong with this profile, there are some things I would change. I would like to see at least 3g of fiber (half of sugar content) in these bars but it is not a deal breaker for me by any means. Additionally, I would take the fat down a little if I was making the ideal bar but I don't mind the 10g. I don't mind the sugar content at all because I find 6g to be a rather small amount to ingest to make your bar palatable. Plus, there is something to be said for using sugar over an abundance of artificial sweeteners. While there is still some artificial sweetener in here, it compliments the sugar content well and the bar doesn't taste artificial. Of course, I'd like for natural sweeteners like truvia, stevia, or monkfruit to compliment sugar but it is not a huge deal for me. After all, I have no problem downing a Coke Zero with a meal.

There are a lot of different fillers that reasonably change depending on the flavors. Some have corn cereal (confetti cake crunch) and some have tapioca starch and rice flower (ice cream cookie crunch). Thus, on a micro-nutrient level these bars are certainly not the cleanest option on the market. That's ok. They aren't trying to be or passing themselves off as such. They are clearly highly processed high protein foodstuffs but they are better than grabbing a Snickers, Milky Way, or Kit-Kat. That's how I look at it. If you're looking for a whole-food or more natural bar then look elsewhere but sometimes you just want an indulgence and I'd look no further than here for that.

My biggest problem with these bars is the protein source. While almost everyone has pointed out that the bars mostly use whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and/or whey protein hydrolysate milk protein isolate (in that order), which is excellent, there is some protein coming from less than optimal sources. Depending on the flavor there is also some protein coming from pea protein isolate and/or soy protein isolate. A little bit of either of these protein sources won't kill you, but it should be noted that they are used. Since the bars are not completely transparent (which is a trend that hasn't quite made it to nutrition panels for foodstuffs quite yet) I can't tell exactly how much of the 20g of protein is coming from those sources. However, in the Cookie Dough Crunch flavor soy protein isolate is listed immediately after a whey blend and then pea protein isolate follows a little after. Similarly, in Confetti Cake Crunch it soy protein isolate follows sugar so it could be about 5g. In the rest of the flavors, pea protein isolate comes about mid-profile so its probably like 1-2g and used for texture. I have no problem with a variety of protein sources, especially because whey can lend itself to terrible texture and diversification can help mitigate that issue. However, it is a bit hypocritical to put competitors on blast for their profiles (IMO use) when their products tastes equally as good and they managed to do it without any pea or soy protein (and sometimes less sugar for that matter). In short, its not a deal breaker but it necessarily prevents a higher rating in this section.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

8/10
Mixability is not applicable as this is a protein bar. Similarly, dosing is not really applicable since the "dosing" schedule is to eat them whenever you're hungry, want a snack, or want more protein in your diet. Personally, I had 1-2 straight out of the wrapper in the mornings as a quick breakfast before getting to work or class and then I'd occasionally have one in the evenings during later classes or longer days at work. Seeing as I'm trying to shed a quick few pounds before it warms up here in the DMV (will it ever?) this worked perfectly for my "dosing" needs.

I bought 3 boxes each of the Peanut Butter Crunch and the Ice Cream Cookie Crunch. I found the Peanut Butter Crunch to be my favorite as I am just in the mood for that kind of flavor more often. Oddly enough, I tend to like the Ice Cream Cookie Crunch flavor in the evenings - probably because I am craving something sweet around then.

The Peanut Butter Crunch flavor tasted like a slightly chewy peanut butter cup. The crunch part of the bar was definitely over-hyped when compared to something like a Nestle Crunch bar or a Combat Crunch bar. The peanuts inside the batter made for a little crunch but nothing too fulfilling in that regard. My biggest complaint was that it produced crumbs like an Honey & Oats Nature Valley Bar. Ok, maybe a little less but you get the point.

The Ice Cream Cookie Crunch flavor didn't really taste like ice cream, cookies, or a combination of the two. I got more brownie with vanilla glaze, or chocolate and vanilla glazed donuts (think the ones with the stripes) vibes. Still, while the flavor didn't match the label in my eyes, it was pretty good. The chocolate was definitely the dominant flavor and I found that after a bite or two I'd need a drink to keep myself from getting overpowered by the chocolate - if you're a chocolate connoisseur then this is definitely for you. I didn't really notice any crunch in this bar. Maybe you can consider the layers compacting under my teeth a "crunch" but I look for more oomph when I read "crunch" on a label. This flavor also produced a lot of crumbs like the Peanut Butter Crunch flavor - probably about equal amounts.

Additionally, as a "soft-baked" bar I was expected some soft, slightly chewy texture that was near cookie like. Maybe I am naive but what I've experienced in both flavors is a hard outer shell with a very chewy filling. The extreme chewiness is much worse with with the Ice Cream Cookie Crunch flavor but it it is still present with the Peanut Butter Crunch flavor. The Ice Cream Cookie Crunch can be, at times, like chewing a gob of peanut butter (ironic, right?) whereas the Peanut Butter Crunch is more akin to chewing two Chips Ahoy Chewy cookies.

Effectiveness

8/10
These bars were great for why I wanted them. I used them as snacks and mini-breakfasts and they always kept me full for a few hours. On average, I'd be content for about 3 hours which is perfect for a snack. As a high-protein foodstuff the effectiveness is best rated in relation to how they helped achieve my nutritional goals. Since I am on a moderate cut, these may not look like the best option but that isn't the case at all.

When I cut calories, I often cut fat without even meaning to as I'm just trying to eat healthier foods in general. The 10g of fat in these bars helped me make sure I wasn't dipping too low in my fat intake. If I was attempting to gain weight, I could see these also being useful but I'd probably limit myself to one given the higher fat content of other foods I'd be eating. The 20g of protein in each bar was most helpful though because I can often fall short of my protein needs if I just eat a quick bagel or waffle in the mornings. Getting a head-start on my protein consumption in the morning is crucial for me. Without these bars I would have, without a doubt, been drinking another protein shake or two before bed when I realized I had macros to fill. While there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it is annoying to have to do after a long day and I can easily forget so this head-start was extremely helpful to me. In short, this was as effective any other protein bar in that it was easy for me to fit into my macros and meet my daily nutritional goals. Cleaner bars may score a little higher because they could be easier to fit in on tight days but this could easily be worked in most days.

Value

9/10
The value on some of these flavors is just downright unbeatable. The Ice Cream Cookie Crunch was $13.99 for a box of 12 and the Peanut Butter Crunch was $14.99 for a box of 12 on Amazon Prime. That is $1.17 and $1.25 a bar respectively. I pay more for a bag of Lays, and just about the same for a candy bar, at a store in DC. The other flavors have various price-points that are not as good but I'd look for the flavors on sale and try to go with those. At $1.16-1.25 a bar, I can eat (literally) any concerns about protein sourcing, fat content, sugar content, chewiness, etc. This price seriously cannot be beat. I highly recommend trying these bars in the event you like them just for this factor alone.

Side Effects

8/10
About half of the time I ate these in the morning, I would experience a mild laxative effect. I don't mind it too much in the mornings since it kind of fits in with my natural routine anyways but it can certainly be annoying when you're in a rush. I also found it a bit odd that the first bar of the day would have this effect as the label warns about this after "excessive consumption." I would also get this in the evening but it would take longer to kick in - probably since I didn't have a completely empty stomach. Either way, it could be much worse as this wasn't anything like diarrhea just slightly loose.

Conclusion

8/10
I loved these bars. Mostly because the taste wasn't too bad and the drawbacks were manageable - especially at this price point. Without a doubt, if these bars were $25 for 12 then I wouldn't be so kind or lenient but I think for this price you just can't reasonably ask for much more. I came to a 8/10 overall rating since every section except Value scored an 8.0/10. I thought it was a clear indication that the product as a whole is a 8/10. In short, I'd recommend these to anyone looking for a quality high-protein snack/foodstuff.

Introduction

Big thanks to SR and Clipper for sending this my way. Getting rid of excess water from your muscles is one of the final steps in really achieving a good look physique or just dropping some pounds and feeling better. Cellucor brings to you SuperHD Water and their attempt to dominate the market in water reduction.

Ingredient Profile

So one downside to the product is the label is a blend of ingredients so it is hard to tell what you quantities you are getting of what ingredients. For me personally, I like to know which herb they are loading up on so I will know what the interactions will be outside of the proposed result the company claims.

Anyways here are the ingredients:
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) 200 mg
Potassium (as Potassium Citrate) 99 mg
SuperHD Water Blend 1,815mg
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) whole herb extract, Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf extract, Juniper (Juniperus communis) berry extract, Crataegus pinnatifida berry extract, Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) flower extract
Daily Value not established.

Other Ingredients:
Capsule Shell (Gelatin, Candurin Silver Fine, FD&C Blue #1, Shellac, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Blue Lake #1, FD&C Yellow Lake #6, FD&C Red Lake #40), Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide.

As you can see the main ingredients is a strong blend of diuretics mixed with green tea. Horsetail and Juniper Berry extract both have significant diuretic effects which will draw excess fluid out of your body. This is the main focus of the SuperHD water, but the fact that they added in green tea which has been shown to create a thermogenic effect and that is coupled with Hibiscus flower extract. These two ingredients combined can lead to weight loss which is also a nice bonus.

The product itself comes in shiny metallic blue capsules, which confuses me on why they needed to add Blue Lake #1, FD&C Yellow Lake #6, and FD&C Red Lake #40. This is me nitpicking, but at the end of the day I also like try and keep herbal products as natural as possible.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Since these are capsules taste and mixability are a non-factor. The big focus is on the dosing protocol.

Per the directions on the bottle, you are to take 3 capsules daily with 8oz of water on an empty stomach or 20 minutes prior to eating for 7 days, then stop taking the product for at least 7 days, then repeat 3 capsules a day for 7 days to finish. Yes, this is only a 14 day supply bottle, however, the protocol will last 3-4 weeks depending on how long of a break you take.

They also HIGHLY recommend that you consume at least 64oz of water a day, and I mean plain water. The water in your pre-workout doesn't count lol.

Effectiveness

To say this is effective is an understatement. My routine would be that I would wake up in the morning and first thing I would do is take 3 pills with a cup of water, then about 30 minutes after that I would eat and take my pre-workout and everything else. Usually, prior to 30 minutes, I could feel this product working, because I would notice that I would have a very dry mouth, and almost have a feeling of dehydration. Not a, I am going to die or cramp up from not drinking dehydration, but more of a gentle feeling of wow, my body really does feel like it is drying out.

Overall, I ended up dropping 3lbs the first run I had (the first 7 days) and another 2lbs on the second half. Don't get me wrong, this was a loss of fluid, but even then it was still nice to see the scale tick down in favor of weight loss. Additionally, I could tell that the subcutaneous fluid was also leaving, because vascularity was also on the rise. This was another good indicator that this product was doing what it was intended to do. The big thing was to just t remember to keep pushing fluids. I am sure if I would have run this with a real water manipulation protocol, the results would have been even better.

Value

This is really the only negative aspect of this product. I found this on bodybuiding.com for $40 and since this is only a real 14 day supply you are looking at $2.85 per serving which is STEEEEEEEEEP. Don't get me wrong, this product worked great, and the package that this came in was very high end (we're talking very sturdy cardboard box, with magnetic closure, great graphics, and whatnot) but at the end of the day, I can do without that stuff if it can reduce the overall cost.

Side Effects

Say goodbye to water weight.

Conclusion

When it comes to weight loss and fat burners I have always like Cellucor. I find that the SuperHD products always to work for me and have given me some of my best weight loss results. This product was no exception and really delivered on water reduction. I just really hope they can do something about that price that makes it a little more feasible for the average person to use. I understand that this is a special purpose product that is not designed for everyday use or to be ran constantly, but if you are going to use it, hopefully, they can adjust the price so it is more gentle on the wallet.