Quick Summary

A not so clean profile with a poor taste considering its marketing for big flavor. Bad mixability and this can give you some stomach issues along the way. Avoid this protein.

Introduction

38 years old, recovering from total reconstruction surgery on my left ankle, but finally back in the gym! BSN has been a brand that has been around since I can remember, so when I heard they teamed up with Cold Stone Ice Cream to create a Protein flavor, I got very excited. I was hesitant to get it at first, since I have a lot of protein at home, but once the SR crew offered this up, I had to jump on it! So a big thank you to Tommy and Clipper for the opportunity to try this out, lets see if this lived up to my expectations.

Ingredient Profile

This is listed under the meal replacement category here on SR, but I think its just your basic blended protein. Either way the macros we get per scoop (47g) are 200 calories, 6g total fat (2g saturated), 240mg Sodium, 14g Carbs, and 22g Protein. The protein matrix is comprised of Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Whites, and Glutamine Peptides. It is not fully disclosed how much of each protein is actually in here, so we really do not know if we are getting an even distribution of all the proteins, or what the balance truly is. There is a ton of other ingredients, which I will include a picture of as it is too long to list.

The profile really does not do much for me. Granted this is a blended or meal replacement type option, it just appears to me to have a ton of filler ingredients and is a bit high in Carbs and Sodium for the amount of protein you are getting per scoop.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: I recieved the GermanChokolateKake flavor. It did not taste good at all. It was drinkable, but I was expecting good tasting protein with all those filler ingredients, and it was a very bland and poor tasting chocolate shake. You barely get a chocolate flavor from it. I mixed it with milk and water, with milk it was tolerable, but with water it was terrible. Very disappointed here. Perhaps the other flavors are better, who knows.

Mixability: This mixed okay in my shaker at one scoop. Residue would almost immediately settle to the bottom after the initial shakes, so it was completely unavoidable to not have residue on the bottom of the shaker cup. Mixability here was poor.

Dosing: I would take one scoop with milk or water either post workout, or to start my day on rest days. Its a protein powder, so you dose this as needed to fit your daily needs.

Effectiveness

So when I saw Clipper only sent me a bag of 9 servings, I was sad. Then I tried the first shake and was glad! I gauge all my protein powders based off digestibility and if it kept me full or not, obviously varying by the protein type. One scoop would always make me feel bloated, and would not digest well at all for me. It would seem to just sit at the bottom of my stomach and be a rock there for half an hour after consuming it. It did in fact keep me full due to this, but not in the good way where you feel satiated, but in the bad way where you feel like you ate too much or have a stomach ache. Poor digestibility and poor taste, that is enough for me to know that this is a very poorly put together protein powder. Very disappointing!

Value

You can get this for $29.58 from bodybuilding.com, or $29.99 from the Vitamin Shoppe or Fitness First USA. This size gets you 25 servings and comes out to about $1.18 per serving. You can buy bigger sizes for more savings as well. However, given that this was not effective for me, and pretty much hurt me versus helping me, there is no value in this. The price is not so great anyways, but it is widely available and you can find it for good deals. No value to be had in my eyes.

Side Effects

Bloating and stomach ache at one scoop, whether I dosed it with milk or water.

Conclusion

This protein is a complete gimmick in my eyes and was one of the biggest supplement let downs for me in 2018. I do not recommend this to anyone, it has a poor ingredient profile and can cause you some discomfort. I could almost look past half of this if the taste was great, but BSN could not even get that right with this flavor. Your mileage may vary, this was my experience, but a big DaSlaya thumbs down!!

Quick Summary

A protein that touts itself as a 100% Natural, Cage Free, Grass Fed, GMO Free Organic protein that even makes mention of being "Halal Certified".

Introduction

Thank you to the SR Troop program and TBN Labs for sending a tub of their Total GO protein for my evaluation. Protein supplements are something that I use almost daily to help fill the gaps in my nutrition and I am always on the prowl for a quality product. Prior reviews seemed very favorable so I opted to try Total GO.

Ingredient Profile

So lets just talk about the labeling on this product first and foremost. It is confusing. It seems as though there are a lot of buzz words thrown around like "Cage Free", "Organic" and "GMO Free" to name a few. Best I can tell from the information that is out there is that this product is a pure whey protein concentrate. The label doesn't really divulge the normal information such as different types of proteins used (if it is a blend) and processing methods used (i.e. ion exchange, cold process micro filtered, etc.). I'm confused about the use of "Cage Free" as that is a term typically associated with poultry since cows are not typically kept in cages and equally confused about it being "Halal Certified" since this is usually only pertains to meat and the standards for processing.

The label is also very vague in where you would usually find a run down of all ingredients it just has a section that says other ingredients which you can view in the attached photo. It basically just is one long claim that they add no dye, sugar, fillers, carbs or preservatives. 1 scoop nets 30 total grams of which 24g comes from protein, 1.7g comes from fat and 2.1g from Carbs. So 27.8g total leaving what I assume to be 2.2g of flavoring and Stevia per scoop. This is not a bad breakdown for a protein supplement. I'm not bothered by the fact that there are naturally occurring sugars or fats but by now it is probably clear that I'm not a fan of the way this product is labeled.

I know it seems like I am really harping on TBN Labs but the product itself wasn't bad. I just don't care for the manner in which it is presented. I do like the fact that it is sweetened with Stevia and if it is actually a GMO Free, organic product then there is certainly some value to that aspect of the product.

It is also worth mentioning that unless they left it off the label that this product is not manufactured in an FDA inspected facility under cGMP (current good manufacturing process) regulations. They put everything else on the label so if it was I would think that this would be included as well. It is more expensive so almost any manufacturer will proudly display this on a product label. This doesn't mean that it's being made in some guys basement but it raises an eyebrow for sure.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I have seen other reviews that mentioned the product foaming but I had no issues whatsoever with foaming or clumping. Whether mixing in almond milk or water it dissolved completely with pretty minimal shaking and stayed together with no settling. The rep mentioned to me that shaking was not needed as the product could just be "inverted" a few times and it will dissolve. I definitely call BS on that one. I tried it in water and almond milk and it didn't even come close to being mixed.

I had the Chocolate Cream flavor and honestly it is one of the best chocolate flavors I have ever tried. Maybe even the best I have ever tried. Mixed in almond milk, water or used in my overnight oats recipe it was delicious. I really enjoyed every last scoop of this stuff from a flavor standpoint.

Effectiveness

I tend to gauge protein powders based on how I feel for the next hour after consumption, taking note of a few things. Does it feel heavy in my stomach? Did it upset my stomach? Did it give me gas? Bargain brand proteins tend to do all three and I can at least say that I experienced none of that with Total GO. Despite this being a concentrate which tends to be cheaper protein, I had no issues at all with taking the product.

Value

Total GO doesn't come cheap. Best deal I was able to find was a three pound tub for $67.75 delivered through Amazon Prime. With 45 servings per tub that gives a breakdown of $1.50 per serving. Definitely on the high end of the protein spectrum and especially high for a whey protein concentrate. I understand that organic foods cost more to produce but I honestly can't give it that much towards value just solely because it claims to be organic.

Side Effects

No negative side effects from Total GO.

Conclusion

So do I recommend this product? Not really but I wouldn't say unequivocally to stay away from it all together. In an industry that already suffers from a lack of transparency it seems as though there are some things not being disclosed on the label and other things are being vastly overstated. I would think that a product this high end should be manufactured in a FDA inspected facility under cGMP regulations. Neither of these seals of approval show up on the label which is something that worries me.

Introduction

I'll just admit it now, I've been staking out the 1-Up Nutrition website for quite a while now. I've done my fair share of adding products to the cart, filling out all necessary checkout information, and as soon as payment pops up I change my mind & pretend I was never even there. See, I'm a broke mid-20's male who just doesn't get many chances to dish out good money on supplements. Conveniently one day I was lifting with a friend who uses 1-Up, he spent a solid 5 sets talking up their BCAA's and how the pre-workout could probably raise him from the dead. Some time later as we were hogging parking lots just talking about nonsense, he reaches into his trunk and throws me an open bottle of 1-Up Pre-Workout, saying how he's only used a scoop of it and I can take it since he was leaving for vacation and had more at his house.

Get yourself some good friends, folks.

1-Up All-in-One Pre-Workout is exactly what it claims to be, all-in-one. It delivers high end energy, backs up all that talk with a good pump & endurance complex, with the cherry on top being the extremely effective focus complex. I stayed hesitant to make all these claims leading up to the end of my first week with it but this effectiveness carried all the way through until the last scoop, which is when I found myself staring at the bottom of an empty bottle wishing more would magically appear in front of me. With all these good things to say though, what exactly are all of these transparent complex's made up of? Let's dig a little deeper.

Ingredient Profile

Right off the bat one will notice the completely transparent ingredient label consisting of two complex's, the 'Pump Volumizer & Endurance Complex', and 'Energy & Focus Complex'. 1-Up deserves major points for breaking down every single ingredient individually, utilizing a half-scoop and full-scoop dosing chart. Half-scoop did the job for the first few days but the full-scoop really brings the noise, and is a noticeable jump compared to the half-scoop. The 'Pump and Endurance' blend is jam packed, featuring a full 8g of Citrulline Malate, 3.2g of Carnosyn Beta Alanine, 1g of Agmatine Sulfate & 200mg of L-Norvaline. The 8g of Citrulline Malate combined with Agmatine and L-Norvaline bring the pump fast and does a really great job of keeping it around. This is my first time using a product featuring L-Norvaline though, being a water dissolvable amino acid in the same family as the more popular Valine, it's a unique addition to this already packed complex. To say it's effectiveness added anything on top of the other ingredients is hard to say, but my pump was incredible time & time again so it must've been doing something!

Our second complex is the locked & loaded 'Energy & Focus' blend, packing a huge punch with a 500mg Caffeine Complex. Instead of opting just for the Caffeine Anhydrous, which makes up for 400mg of the blend, we also get 50mg of Di-Caffeine Malate & 50mg of Caffeine Citrate. After all of your stimulants comes a well put together focus blend made up of Higenamine HCL, Hordenine HCL, L-Theanine, DMAE, N-MethylTyramine HCL & Rauwolfia Vomitoria Extract. If you genuinely find yourself having a hard time mentally dialing in at the gym, 1-Up covers all of it's bases when it comes to focus. Within the half hour after taking, I noticed a huge change in my mood and motivation, as well as the ability to really focus on my mind-muscle connection, which is something I always find myself struggling with.

Taste/Mixability

I constantly find myself comparing every Blue Raspberry supplement I take with Cellucor's Icy Blue Razz, being as that was the first pre-workout I ever used and the one I bought endlessly for the first few years of training. 1-Up's Blue Raspberry is really good, a little sweeter than most I've tried & a little tart, but I enjoyed it. I would sip on it during my drive and genuinely enjoyed it rather than what I usually do with most, which is down it as fast as I can to get it over with. I had almost no issues with mixability, with the exception of the few times I used a shaker without a mixing ball where I found a few small spots of powder clumping to the bottom edges. I blame that on more of using a damp bottle rather than an actual issue with the product. It always mixed smooth and never once did I find myself swallowing chunks of powder, not even after letting it sit in the water while I prepared to leave for the gym.

Effectiveness

1-Up plays no games when it comes to covering all of it's bases, the consistency of it's effectiveness throughout the 25 servings is awesome. I'd drink it on my way to the gym, and would start lifting anywhere from 25-30 minutes after finishing it. Believe it or not, this doesn't kick you in the butt like a lot of pre's do, instead the energy delivery is smooth. I would feel the itch & alertness begin to kick in during my warm ups, allowing me to finish them without going crazy and ease into my first exercise. It was about this time the energy hit it's peak, and it lasted well over 3/4 of all of my workouts, including leg day which always drains my energy as quickly as I drink the pre-workout. It was about the 75-minute mark where the energy would seem to drop off a little bit, but all while still keeping me alert and awake enough to finish the workout with zero issues. I was most impressed with how much clean energy carried a good chunk of the day following a morning workout, getting me through lunch and the first few hours of work with no noticeable tiredness or need to reach for the nearest energy drink.

1-Up's ability to enhance focus & pump though is where I'm impressed the most, since I'm a firm believer that the two go hand-in-hand, I could always guarantee that my pump would blow up within the first few post-warm up sets. Combined with a well thought out warm up and exercise selection, 1-Up delivers blood flow quickly, and keeps it around the entire duration of the workout. I've tried a few other pre-workouts where I would notice a drop off muscle fullness eventually, but I never found that happening until a good while after my workout. I thought maybe it was just me keeping the volume high & the rest low, but one workout without using 1-Up quickly debunked that though. I typically struggle with focusing in enough on my mind-muscle connection as my mind seems to wander around quite a bit, but there was a noticeable difference in my ability to focus using this product. I felt mentally prepared for whatever the workout was going to hit me with & never noticed my mind wearing out as the workout reached it's final stages. On a few occasions, I felt good enough to extend my workout's by a few sets or even a few exercises if my training partner felt the need too, which is something I usually decline doing since I'm always so drained by the end of training. I'd say I enjoyed the product more for these cognitive effects and it's ability to increase blood & nutrition flow very quickly, more than I enjoy it as a stimulant. Typically I would judge a pre-workout based on how it physically kicked my butt in the gym, but 1-Up delivered a full package with just enough of everything to make me very happy.

Value

As I said earlier, I staked out 1-Up's website on multiple occasions waiting for the day I completed that checkout process. 1-Up Pre-workout runs your pockets for a hefty $54.99 regular price, but I noticed a lot of 10% coupons floating around the site which knocks it down to $49. At only 25 Servings if using full dose, you're paying more than $2 per serving if you're unlucky enough to not have a discount code. Half a scoop brings the product up to 50 servings which is more than suitable for your average gym-goer not looking to stim up like a mad man, and makes things a bit easier when it comes to that price tag. There are plenty of pre-workouts who will pack the punch and deliver a good pump for much cheaper than 1-Up, which makes it hard to say if the product is worth grabbing month after month without wearing out your wallet. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone in any sort of contest prep or extreme caloric deficit, as it's strong enough to really help fight the negatives that come along side training during those times, but it's worth a bottle or two if you're looking to try out something new from a relatively smaller brand.

Side Effects

No side effects were found personally by me, but I must say that L-Norvaline has been reported on a few occasions for raising blood pressure. Most nitric-oxide based ingredients aren't recommended for somebody dealing with blood pressure issues, but the few articles I read on Norvaline really made it a point more than I've noticed when researching most N.O. ingredients.

Conclusion

1-Up really surprised me here, I can't come up with a single negative experience over the 24 days I used the product. The price is pretty hefty but much like the packaging claims, it's an all-in-one pre-workout that executes extremely well. If you can handle the 500 total milligrams of caffeine that come with the full scoop serving, there should be no reason not to have some incredible training sessions while using 1-Up. If you are hesitant about dishing out the cash, you can request sample packs via the chat option on the brands website, which I did to try out some of their other products which I hope stand up to the same effectiveness as their pre-workout. In the famous words of my friend who makes enough money to give this stuff away, "it will raise you from the dead".

Quick Summary

Hello Everybody! I saw STEEL has no supplement reviews and decided to be the first to review ADA2BOLIC for y'all. With the brand on the rise, they need some honest reviews so new time buyers know what their getting into. 18 years old, 5'10 and 205 lbs. Lift six days a week with cardio classes in between. I'm an instructor at my gym, and teach a spinning class. The product was decent, expensive, taste was bad, but would I buy again? Probably. Ill explain why....

Introduction

ADA2BOLIC is supplement that is advertised as a mix to be used as a pre, intra and post workout formula. The product is stimulant free, which is a nice change since most supplements are jam packed full of caffeine. Its listed to restore muscle glycogen, increase muscle tone and hardness, be a recovery time accelerator and finally maximize endurance and power. ADA2BOLIC seems like the perfect supplement to ever grace the earth. Upon checking out the supplement on Steelsupplements.com, I was already sold on it. Currently sitting at 5 stars and 391 reviews, I jumped right into it. It helped having people like robertfrank615, an lifting celebrity talking about the "vein juice" that magically makes veins appear when your lifting. Just to let you know, these reviews are selected by STEEL to show on their website. A review can be rejected by the company so that it doesn't show on their site. Reviews of the product on their site say stuff like "this is the king of all preworkouts, I turned into a god" and my favorite
"Intraworkout on steroids". Sounded pretty good to me, but was it too good to be true?

Ingredient Profile

Here is the whole list of ingredients in this big tub.
To be fair, it's really well rounded. When yo check what you're getting, it seems like your getting great bang for your buck.
Two things that really stood out to me was the 12 grams of CARBS and the 12 grams of GLYCOMAX (a carbohydrate deriving from rice and potato)
The carbs are fantastic because after all, this is a intra workout viable formula. Carbs are your main source of energy and I did find that sipping on this while I lifted boosted my energy throughout the work out. Good job on this STEEL.
Calories - 60
Calories from Fat - 0
Total Fat - 0 Grams
Saturated Fat - 0 Grams
Cholesterol - 5 mg
Sodium - 220 mg
Potassium - 290 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 12 Grams
Sugars - 0 Grams
Protein - 0 Grams
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - 60 mg
Biotin (Vitamin H) - 0.3 mg
d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5) - 10 mg
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) - 1.7 mg
Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1) - 1.5 mg
Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) - 6 mcg
Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) - 400 IU
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate) - 30 IU
Phytonadione (Vitamin K1) - 80 mcg
Magnesium - 50 mg
GLYCOMAX (homo polysaccharide derived from Rice & Potato) - 12 Grams
L-Citrulline - 4 Grams
Leucine - 3.5 Grams
Glutamine - 3 Grams
Beta Alanine - 2 Grams
L-Isoleucine - 1.75 Grams
L-Valine - 1.75 Grams
Kre-Alkalyn - 1.5 Grams
Betaine Anhydrous - 1 Grams
Hydromax - 500 mg
Beta Vulgaris (Beet Root Extract) - 500 mg
L-Lysine - 300 mg
L-Threonine - 300 mg
L-Methionine - 300 mg
L-Phenylalanine - 300 mg
L-Tryptophan - 300 mg
Histidine - 300 mg
Bioperine (Black Pepper Fruit Extract) - 3 mg

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

As far as taste goes, I speak for all. Me and my two friends all bought a tub of ADA and I bought the cotton candy, while they bought the strawberry banana and blue raspberry watermelon. Starting off with cotton candy I can just say that it does not taste like cotton candy at all. At first it feels like a dirty muddy water taste, followed by a cotton candy aftertaste. The worst part is I couldn't enjoy and take my time with the mix. Sometimes it tasted so bad I had to take giant gulps just to force it down quickly and get it over with. After about 2 weeks, you get used to the taste and its not so overpowering any more. I tried both of the other flavors, and I just wasn't a fan of them either. STEEL responds to the bad tasting supps with "can't take the taste of the supps, that's p***y sh **." So they know their supps taste like butt, yet they market that as an only for serious manly lifters quota.

As for mixability, it shakes pretty well in the beginning but the drink or shaker bottle will get darker in color in between sets because the particles settle at the bottom. There is a slight residue at the bottom of the shaker when you finish as well.

Dosing. This is where it gets confusing. 1 dose was one scoop, but STEEL suggests that you can take 3 scoops of this a day. One as a pre, one as and intra and one as a post. Apparently that formula yields the best results, but that is just so much unpleasant chugging.

Effectiveness

Was it effective? Yeah it actually was. My forearms really grew and got solid when I started this tub, and noticed results about two weeks in. I was actually really pleased with this. My muscles got fuller and stronger, but I really couldn't tell if this was due to the ADA or because I was putting in a lot of time in the gym. Probably both.

Value

Sheesh this is the worst part for me. The lowest price I can find on illpumpyouup.com is 69.95. Its actually the same price on STEELsupps.com
There is 40 servings per tub. That comes out to a 1.74 a scoop. If you use 3 scoops a day, thats looking like 13 days of ADA before your paying another 69.95. Yikes. Yes you can use discount codes, but then you must pay for shipping which comes out to around 65 dollars anyway. Shipping with no discount code will bring the product up to a whopping 78 dollars. No Thanks

Side Effects

Extreme Sweat didn't really bother me though.

Conclusion

Overall, my take away for STEELS ADA was that the product was way overhyped and priced. If I had some money to just throw around then maybe I would consider buying it again? Still not sure. The taste was awful but the effect were pretty good. The carbs really kick in great there and help go the extra couple reps where you feel like your arms could fall off. I felt that maybe If I try it again, then I might like this product more. Something to consider.

Quick Summary

Easy and fairly cheap non stim fat burner that actually works. Noticed and measured some quality results. As always, don't expect too much from a fat burner. Diet and exercise are the best ways to lose some unwanted fat. A bit confusing this supplement, lingers between a real basic multi vitamin and a non stim fat burner.

Introduction

35 years old financial auditor trying to balance life with three kids and a busy job. Trying to get in some quality time at the gym in the meantime. When I manage to squeeze in some gym time I can use all the supplement help that's out there.
I gained some unwanted fat/weight in the last year; kids and some injuries prevented me from enough exercise. A good moment to try out some fat burners. I don't like stimmed fat burners because I enjoy my daily cups of coffee and a stimmed pre workout. Optimum is a reputable brand that has some solid products out there. I noticed Daily Fit in the bounty program and decided to give it a try.

Ingredient Profile

Daily Fit contains a fairly standard ingredient profile. The main fat burning are Acetyl L-Carnitine HCI, Green tea extract and Capsimax at resp 500, 200 and 50 mg's. In addition there are some added vitamins (Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12. This leads me to the main critique I have on this supplement; is it a basic multi vitamin or a non stim fat burner? Optimum Nutrition carries one of the best rated multi vitamins out there (opti-Men). It seems like taking a multi vitamin and this supp could be a bit overkill. On the other hand; for people not taking a multi vitamin the added vitamins could be a plus. So it's more of a question than critique.
When focussing on the main fat burning ingredients; Acetyl L-Carnitine HCI, Green tea extract and Capsimax and the amount of mg's; Green tea is dosed at 200 mg. The amount of EGCG is not mentioned. The average standard is 50%, so one should assume Daily fit carries 100mg EGCG. Effect are reported from 400mg and up. When taking the advised 2 doses a day this is 200mg, a fair amount below the effective dosage. The amount of Alcar is 500mg, two times a day makes 1,000 mg. Benefits are measured from 600mg and up, so 1g is a large dose And it is HCI which is an easily absorbed form. Capsimax is dosed at 65mg, 130 a day. Capsimax Capsicum Extract-is said to be a "concentrated highly-active, natural capsicum-delivers the same level of heat as a habanero pepper but without the burn". Increases heat and metabolism, especially combined with black pepper or caffeine. 130mg is a high dose compared to other supps containing Capsimax.
Daily fit also contains a small amount of Bioperine (black pepper extract). This usually helps with absorption but in this supplement also works good in conjunction with capsimax.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

No taste, just two small pills. You have to take into consideration that a daily dose is two times two pills. 120 pills equals sixty servings equals one month's supply.

Effectiveness

To be frank I did not expect too much of this supp. The ingredient profile looks pretty simple, I had some disappointing experience with other non stim fat burners and when taking a first look at the ingredient profile the amount of mg's looked pretty slim. After purchasing i discovered it takes two servings a day, so the dosage actually turns out to be pretty good.
I definitely felt like this product worked for me. I did not experience a thermo effect which I kind of expected from the capsimax. For the purpose of some decent measuring -and to be honest its just a nice gadget- I purchased a scale that measures fat percentages. During the month I ran this product my fat percentage dropped from 19,2% to 17,8% without really changing anything in my routine of diet and exercise. The months before I had some serious trouble to drop below the 19% mark. Although these types of (home) scales aren't the most accurate out there, a decrease was definitely measurable and consistent. My ab region looked a bit more toned and I dropped some weight. What more can you expect.

Value

Compared to other non stim fat burners, daily fit is pretty affordable. Watch out for the immense price spread. A regular bottle of 120 pills costs 19 dollars at Allstarhealth and 30 dollars at Campus protein. A month's worth for 19 dollars is pretty cheap considering the results I experienced and

Side Effects

None at all

Conclusion

Daily fit uses some well known and proven effective ingredients in a non stim fat burner that, in contrary to other non stim fat burners actually proved it's worth. I noticed and actually measured results and for such a simple and non revolutionary supplement the results were unexpected and very welcome. I non stim weight loss product that is affordable and actually shows some results, pretty impressive.

Quick Summary

Good God, does this product ever hit hard. I seldom find myself in a situation where I have to experiment with the dosing of a Pre-Workout let alone dosing one by taking less than one scoop, but I found it. This product is a trip and might be too much for some users, especially those who are sensitive to stimulants combined with Nootropics.

Introduction

Big thanks to Mind Muscle Nutrition for letting me run M2 for them. Since it is summer its time to maximize muscle and lean out, which means for me I must lift heavy but still be able to do cardio at the same time. When using products like this, I try to consider how effective it is for lifting heavy, what kind of mood it supports, and if I can still do cardio afterwards. Most Pre's are only effective for a couple of my categories and usually lack the ability to perform in all of them. So let's take a look to see how M2 holds up.

Ingredient Profile

The ingredient profile on this product is stacked with a fully disclosed label. Many reviews before me have gone into detail on all of the ingredients this product has to offer so I am only going to highlight the big hitters this contains:

Citrulline Malate - 6g
Beta Alanine - 4g
Taurine - 2g
Glycerol Monostearate - 2g
Choline Bitartrate - 500mg
Eria Jarensis Ext - 250mg
Caffeine Anhydrous - 150mg
2-Aminoisoheptane - 100mg
Teacrine - 100mg
Caffeine Citrate - 50mg
Synephrine HCL - 50mg
Yohimbine - 2.5mg
Huperzine A - 0.05mg
BioPerine - 5mg

Based on these ingredients you can see that you will be provided with the proper tools needed to generate a nasty pump, as well as fight or at least buffer muscle fatigue with the clinical doses of Citrulline Malate, Beta Alanine, and Glycerol Monostearate.

At first glance, one might not think this is a stim heavy product based off of the initial dose of Caffeine being 150mg, but then you add that to 50mg of Caffeine Citrate, 100mg of Teacrine, and 100mg of 2-Aminoisoheptane which is a grand total of 400mg of stimulant or stimulant generating product. Yes, Teacrine is not a stimulant, but it gives you all of the feels of one so I am counting it as part of that group.

Then on top of that, you have 250mg Eria Jarensis Ext and .05mg of Huperzine A giving you a hard hit on Nootropics to generate massive amounts of focus for your workout.

Clearly, you can see that this product is not screwing around and is purpose-built to deliver to the end user. They really have not cut any corners with this product and are focused on giving you the energy and mental focus you need to go in the gym and conquer your workout.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

So Right now they have one flavor and that is Bomber. The taste is kind of hard to pinpoint outside of saying it kind of reminds me of a bombsicle. If anything this product is very very tart/sour to the point I felt like I was drinking Pep-Test Bulk from MAN Sports. I am not saying it is a bad thing, I am just making the point that if the product doesn't wake you up, the mouth-puckering taste will. I have seen where they are coming out with some other flavors, so It will be interesting to see how well those work.

Mixability was a little frustrating, I would throw 3/4 to 1 scoop in with about 12oz of water and let it sit for a bit then shake the hell out of it, and I would still get grit and floaties that would stick to Supplementreviews.com top of the line shaker. I mean it is not a deal breaker, because after all the serving size of 1 scoop is 20g so I do not expect it to be perfect, and I would just add some water in and finish it off.

So as far as dosing goes, I started out with one scoop for most of my run but switched it to 3/4's of a scoop. The reason for this, was the combination of stimulants and Nootropics was getting to be too much for me. I noticed particularly that my adrenal glands were starting to suffer from being overstimulated and I would get intense feelings during my workout to where breathing felt more labored than it had to be. My ability to do cardio was also suffering because my heart was trying to jump out of my chest. Most of this calmed down when I lowered it to 3/4 of a scoop. I would still get the same intense focus and fast heartbeat but it was in a manageable fashion to where I could perform at the level I want to be at.

Effectiveness

So I just covered some of the effectiveness in the dosing section, but I will talk more about the focus that this gives. It is a true make you hear colors and see sounds product. The only time I have had the focus like this was when I took the Nootropic product made by NooWave Supplements. The effects that were generated were on the edge of being too much. For those who have experienced this you will understand, but sometimes you can have too much focus going on in your brain, and instead of being able to channel it in a productive manner, it can cause you to feel anxious. Again, this product delivers at such a high rate, that it could be on that border of too much. Once I dropped the dose to under 1 scoop, things mellowed out enough to where the focus allowed me to be more productive in the gym rather than looking like a crackhead who tried meth for the first time. This product is also going to make you sweat. It has Yohimbine in it which I have always had a good time with, but again this will leave you drenched from your workouts.

I do not want people to confuse my tone on the review, I liked this product and thought that it delivered on everything it said it would. Users just need to understand that there are some products out there that are actually going to hit hard and deliver on their promises so they need to be ready for that. Make no mistake, this is not the standard Cellucor Kool-Aide to where you need 2-4 scoops to do the job. Toss 1 scoop in and get ready to ride the lightning.

Value

right now you can only buy this from Mind Muscles website for $45 which will get you 30 servings coming out to $1.50 a serving. Yes this can be seen as a higher-end price but, you are getting a premium product for your money, but again, this a true 1 scoop product.

Side Effects

The stimulant/Nootropic combo might be too much for some.

Conclusion

Flat out this product works. If you are stim junkie or someone who likes extreme energy from a Pre-Workout product then I highly suggest that you give this a try. The price is expected because you are getting a massively dosed high-quality product. I do caution users to follow the directions and assess their tolerance to the product because it can have strong effects. We do not need someone getting hurt simply because they feel they are too tough to assess how they can handle a product and it gets taken away. Congratulations to Mind Muscle for making a great Pre-Workout.

Quick Summary

Redcon1's MRE has a killer Macro panel to translate from your shaker bottle to lean gains and the taste is good but not great.

Introduction

I want to start by thanking Redcon1 for another awesome product sent out to the TROOPs for feedback.

I typically have a liquid breakfast that's high in protein following my morning lift. I also like to make sure I'm getting in my carbs. I don't fast myself from carbs to meet some kind of aesthetic goal, and am much more interested in overdosing on them to meet my daily physical goals instead. I also need to make sure I get plenty of protein every day to ensure I am well-fueled for my personal glory sesh celebrated daily from around 4:30-6am. This is why I elected to try MRE. It has a great macro panel that is high in protein and carbohydrates, but very low in fat. It seemed like the perfect meal replacement.

Ingredient Profile

MRE's ingredients consist of a real food blend that result in an outstanding panel of Macros.

Each 4-scoop serving will yield 47g of protein, 75g of sugar, and 4g of fat with less than 1g being saturated. Altogether you are taking in 525k/cal per serving.

It's refreshing that the protein sources themselves are also not comprised of just whey and milk proteins, as is typically the case. Instead, MRE utilizes beef, salmon, chicken, egg, brown rice, and peas as protein sources. Similarly, while maltodextrin and dextrose are used later in the ingredient panel, the leading source of carbohydrates comes from rolled oats; and fat sources appear mainly to be MCT oil.

Overall, this is a blend I'd feel comfortable giving even to my child and which always sits well and seems to digest comfortably.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Dosing: I typically took this immediately after my workout at 6-6:30am as a replacement for my breakfast.

Mixability: 4 scoops of anything is a lot, but despite my expectations otherwise, MRE mixed well. I normally mixed by hand in a shaker bottle, and if I had the little wire ball in there I rarely got clumps. Without it, I'd usually have small clumps. Sometimes the powder would also get stuck and kind of cemented around the hole in the cap that you drink from and I'd need to push it back in to mix the rest. For the amount of powder used, it was very soluble.

Taste: I received banana nut bread and wasn't a huge fan. It wasn't terrible, but I did start to get sick of it by the end of the 2nd week. There was a noticeable bitterness in the aftertaste and it was pretty chalky, which I'm guessing is particularly a result of the beef and pea proteins. As I started to get sick of it, I began experimenting and found that mixing 3 scoops of the MRE and adding 1 scoop of a maple-flavored whey concentrate powder created a more well-rounded banana nut bread flavor. It took off the bitterness and made it much more palatable. This had an effect on the macros, effectively boosting protein content while reducing carbs and total calories slightly, but didn't seem to affect satiety.

Effectiveness

With consistent use of MRE as a breakfast replacement, I noticed an improvement in body composition and was full for hours after drinking it. It seemed my DOMS were noticeably diminished and my body felt nourished for a long period of time.

The satiety was noticeably different than what I experience when using just whey protein sources. This blend of proteins that MRE contains all absorb at different rates with different levels of bioavailability.

Overall, it checked off pretty much every box of consideration for me when evaluating a meal replacement: mixability, satiety, macros, and taste. Again, taste wasn't the best, but it was drinkable nonetheless.

Value

MRE costs about $80 anywhere you go. Sometimes there are sales, like right now there is a BOGO sale on the Key Lime flavor which I might spring for; but expect to pay $80 + taxes & shipping.

That seems like a lot but this is truly not just a protein shake. It's a legitimate meal replacement from real food sources. At 25 servings, I'm spending $3.20 per use but it was wholly replacing my breakfast. If that's my price target for breakfast I'd be hard pressed to find an option that would ever provide the same macros this does.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

I plan to buy this again and would recommend it to others looking for a meal replacement as well. It's incredibly healthy and gave my body the fuel it needed to take me all the way to lunch most days. The price tag is steep to pay at once, but consider it your breakfast for the month. You may find the taste a bit off-putting, but it isn't terrible and tastes way better than egg whites and wheat germ. I say give it a shot.

Thanks again to Redcon1!

Quick Summary

Sterol Complex by Universal Nutrition Is A great product that can provide benefits in several areas of general health, which can translate into better overall fitness.

Introduction

A special thanks to Clippy for sending me this product as a thank you for a bounty review of Kodiak Nutritions Java Whey. I don't have much experience with Universal Nutrition, but they've been a renowned brand for a long time now with their own line of products, gym apparal, etc. I wanted to give Sterol Complex a try since full spectrum natural supplements are always an interest of mine. Sterol Complex's profile caught my eye, so I figutred it would be interesting to give a go.

Ingredient Profile

Sterol Complex has a pretty extensive profile with a lot of ingredients that would take too long to individually list and disucss. However, most if not all of them are well known are mostly herbal compounds. Please refer to the included image for a detailed breakdown.

As a quick overview, Sterol Complex has 5 individual complexes of various ingredients designed for the specific purpose to which complex they belong to provided in a 6 cap serving size.

First we have The Anabolic Sterol Complex dosed at 2,000mg. This complex contains ingredients aimed at supporting healthy levels of testosterone an an overall anabolic environment. Some of the ingredients include beta-ecdysterone, methoxyisoflavone, and tribulus.

Second is the Mass and Density Blend dosed at 2,500mg. Again, the ingredients can help support natural test levels, but also have some GDA qualities. Some include tongkat ali, gymnema sylvestre, and white button mushroom.

The Opti-Phytonutrient Complex dosed at 2,000mg is intended to support general health and immunity. A few inclusions include milk thistle, saw palmetto, garlic, and ginger root.

Next we have the Efa Complex and Support Blend dosed at 500mg. Derived from flaxseed powder and lecithin, some ingredients include ALA, oleic acid, and phosphatidylcholine.

Finally is the Muscle Protection Blend dosed at 500mg. I am not sure about a muscle cell protection benefit, but the ingredients do have antioxidant and health support benefits. Examples include green tea, ginkgo biloba, and grapeseed.

Once again, check out the image for a full disclosure of the profile.

Dosing

The directions call for a total of 6 pills to be taken spaced out in specific intervals. It is recommended to take two caps after meals, two before a workout, and two after another meal.

I spaced out the dosage in a similar manner. More specifically, I took 2 after breakfast, 2 after lunch, and 2 after dinner. This was my protocol on both training and non-training days.

Effectiveness

Sterol Complex was impressive in the benefits it provided to me in several areas.

First, I noticed my libido was noticeably higher. I was having more frequent erections and engaging in longer sessions with my girl. (Sorry for the TMI). I also had increased drive overall throughout the days.

I did feel overall healthier while on Sterol Complex. I never fell ill and mild allergies that I sometimes suffer from due to seasonal weather were less prominent. My skin tone also looked a little healthier as well.

Lastly was my energy. I noticed I had more natural energy throughout the day and felt more lively and more focus minded with a more elevated mood. I don't compare to a pre workout or nootropic, but these benefits were present nonetheless.

As a couple of side notes, I felt a little less bloat from creatine usage and a slightly increase in my appetite. Though these benefits weren't significantly pronounced in comparison to the others.

Value

The value of Sterol Complex is very well worth the investment given the benefits and natural nature of the product. The 180 cap container,which I think is the better value, can be found for 20 dollars on allstarhealth.com. Again, I think that value is great for the benefits and a full month's supply.

Side Effects

'
none

Conclusion

Universal Nutrition Sterol Complex is a supplement that is well worth the investment for those wanting a full spectrum supplement that can benefit several areas of health and fitness. Six pills may seem like a lot, but this product delivers on many levels so give it a try for the price. Be sure you're training hard and eating clean.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO RED SOX!!!

Quick Summary

A straight dextrose product that can cause you stomach discomfort. Pretty effective to keep those energy levels up when taken pre-workout, but I advise against taking this intra-workout due to the stomach issues. You can find this for a cheap price utilizing priceplow.

Introduction

38 years old, recovering from total reconstruction surgery on my left ankle, but finally back in the gym! I used to see people argue back and forth which is better HBCD vs dextrose, and only having experience with HBCD supplements, I decided I wanted to try dextrose to gain some personal experience. I was going through my phase of wanting to try out products by MAN Sports, so I grabbed up some ISO-Carb. Let's see how straight dextrose compared to my experience with some HBCD supplements in the past.

Ingredient Profile

Each 33g scoop nets you 120 calories, 30g Total Carbs in form of sugar, and 33g Dextrose. Of course I appreciate the full disclosure on the label here. There are of course some added ingredients based off the flavor you get for the purpose of the flavor itself. Dextrose is a simple sugar carb, so that is why the label is like this, but I find it a little odd that if there are 33g of Dextrose only nets you 30g Carbs, but whatever. I am just used to HBCDs where its a 1:1 ratio. The idea of dextrose is that it is a fast-digetsing simple sugar that refills your tank as fast as possible. For a more technical definition, dextrose is a "Corn-derived monosaccharide, also known as glucose, that is approximately 30% less sweet than pure cane sugar that provides an easily and rapidly digesting source of carbs for athletes and bodybuilders." (Supplementreviews.com) People typically like this option as their carb source because it is cheaper.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: I got the Dorks flavor and was a bit disappointed. It did have that fun candy type taste and you could taste slight sugar, but it made me cough every time I drank it. Like that sugar cough you get when you eat candy, if that makes sense to you! Of course not, you don't eat candy (keep lying to yourself and the world). I found the flavor to get old after about 3 doses, so this really was not too great. It was drinkable, but I more dreaded drinking it each time.

Mixability: Mixed great in 6-8oz of water in my shaker. Never had issues with mixing or any left over residue.

Dosing: I dosed this multiple way. I tried this pre workout and intraworkout. I never take carbs post workout, even though that is when the "experts" say is the best time to take dextrose. Dose this as you see fit in your workout regiment as a carb source.

Effectiveness

About 18 months ago I was a skeptic of using any carb source, thinking it was straight broscience and a waste of money. I eventually tried out Super Carb, Cluster Bomb, and Intra-Elite which are HBCD supplements, but quickly learned that these do have a great effect on my energy levels during my workout. So wanting to see the difference in Dextrose, I figured ISO-Carb was a great one to use. In a nutshell to quote Clipper83 from my journal on May 31, 2018 "Straight dextrose (Iso-Carb) sounds like a nightmare for a stomach." That statement basically says it all. Lets discuss some pro's and con's of how I dosed this.

Pre-Workout This worked the best for me. Yes this did give me some minor stomach issues as it would feel like a rock in my stomach, but it would last maybe 10 minutes. Once I got past that this worked fine. I substituted taking ISO-carb instead of a protein shake upon waking up since I workout first thing in the morning and do not like to lift weights completely fasted. I did find this gave me enough energy to last through my workouts and kept me with that full type feeling so I did not go hungry half way through a lift. This is the best way to take this in my opinion, just give yourself some lead time (for me it was 60 minutes) to get rid of that stomach bomb.

Intra-Workout: This is how I initially took ISO-Carb, as I really like to take my carbs during my workout to keep my energy levels up instead of having to just rely on a high stim PWO. Well, this did not workout well at all. Not only would I get a stomach ache halfway through my workout and feel way too full, the DORKS flavor was just too sweet and I would get that weird cough in the gym. I did this for about a week to make sure it was this causing those issues, once I confirmed I moved to taking this Pre. Not a great way to take this.

Most people say to take Dextrose Post workout to replenish your body. I never tried it this way, and maybe that is why I did not get the maximum benefits from this product. However, taking it Pre did work effectively for me so it did d its job as long as you can look past the stomach discomfort.

Value

I picked this up from MAN Sports website for $24.99 for 30 servings. That comes out to about 83 cents a serving which is not too bad. You can currently find this (using PricePlow) at mysupplementstore.com for $16.99 for 30 servings, coming out to 57 cents a serving. So yeah a lot cheaper than HBCD products, but really depends on what you want from this. For me this value is okay, not great because of the stomach issues this gave me, but yes it was effective when I dosed this right. I will give it an okay to average value, and this really boils down to your preference on dextrose vs hbcds vs every other carb source.

Side Effects

One scoop felt like a bomb in my gut. A minor stomach ache that would take about 10 minutes to go away. Not as fast digesting as they say!!

Conclusion

This ones tough to rate, since once I took this pre it was effective but it came at a price. Its a lot cheaper than HBCD products, but those products I can use anytime around my workout and have no issues. If dextrose works well for your body then this may be a good option, but for me I just do not digest it well. With my ratings, effectiveness gets a 7 based off taking it Pre, and value the same, but effectiveness will take a hit with the stomach ache side effect. I am going to give this a MEH since it at least did do something for me, but I will stick with HBCDs from here on out.

Quick Summary

"This patented All-In-One, Self-Supporting grip-assist is the most effective way to increase strength, muscle mass, and stamina by eliminating grip fatigue and enhancing muscle isolation. Ergonomically designed for any pulling or pushing exercise, Versa Gripps replace weightlifting gloves, hooks, and lifting straps."

Introduction

I've owned two pairs of Versa Gripps in my lifetime. I have used gloves, straps and knock off straps in the past and feel that Versa Gripps deserve an honorable mention. My first pair lasted 5 years and my 2nd pair are 2 years in. Still feels good!

Effectiveness

8 out of 10. These things are so durable!!! I abuse these bad boys 2-3 times per week and love that these straps are so versatile for push/pull days. I wash these once every 2-3 weeks or else they will have a little bit of sweat odor. This product really shines when used to eliminate grip fatigue. Last but not least, they come in different sizes and color. I have small wrists and the M/L size are a good fit for me.

Value

Currently $54.99 on Amazon. Kind of on the expensive side for gym accessory, however these things do last a pretty long time. Definitely worth

Conclusion

If you are on the market for a new gym accessory, think about adding this one to your arsenal. I will probably purchase again in the future.

Quick Summary

Estrogen blockers are usually effective products for me. Unfortunately, it seems like I am the minority where this product just was not effective for me.

Introduction

I have been working out a lot lately as I am cutting and preparing for a second police academy. I figured a product that promotes cortisol control and limiting estrogen would be perfect for me. I did not find that to be the case with Arimidrol.

Ingredient Profile

Two ingredient profile consisting of astragalus extract at 250 mg and acacetin at 100 mg per serving. Astragalus has been said to be a strong antioxidant that helps with cardiovascular health, fighting colds and other diseases, anti-inflammatory, boosts the immune system and so on. Acacetin is said to limit estrogen and be an anti-aromatase. I have not really seen proper dosages of Acacetin, so I do not know if 100 mg is sufficient or not.

Dosing

VMI suggests taking two capsules 20-30 minutes prior to a meal or training. Do not exceed two capsules in a 24 hour period. I opened the capsules and took them with my pre-workout as I normally do with dyed/gelatin capsules.

Effectiveness

Like I said, I usually really enjoy running estrogen blockers. I usually notice a dryer physique and am more vascular. That is also usually accompanied by an increase in libido as well as joint pain. I actually prefer estrogen blockers to testosterone boosters based upon previous runs of each.

Unfortunately with Arimidrol, I did not experience any of the above mentioned benefits. I did not see any noticeable difference in vascularity or physique during the past month. There was no increase in libido for me. I also experienced no joint pain, which can be seen as a positive I guess, but that also makes me question the effectiveness of it being labeled an estrogen blocker. No additional muscle hardness, strength, or an improvement in mood which are all claims VMI makes with Arimidrol. Cortisol control/reduction is a tough area to judge the effectiveness on, but based upon the little research I have read and the lack of effectiveness of the rest of the claims, I will not say this helped in the controlling of cortisol. I even waited about a week to write the review to see if the results have just been gradual, but I have not noticed anything significantly after finishing the product.

With basically just 100 mg of acacetin as the anti-aromatase/estrogen blocker in Arimidrol, I wonder if that is enough of a dosage to provide the usual benefits associated with estrogen blockers. Obviously judging by past users' experiences, I seem to be the lone user on this site with a negative outcome, but I just would not trust running this as a PCT if I were ever to run anything synthetic.

Value

This could be purchased on Amazon for $25 for a month's supply which is a pretty good price usually for estrogen blockers. However, since I did not notice any improvements anywhere across the board, I would not purchase this in the future.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

Big miss for me. I tried VMI's Arima-XD about a year ago and I believe that is a much, much better product. It is also only a few dollars more expensive than Arimidrol. I would definitely recommend Arima-XD over Arimidrol. Thank you VMI for the opportunity to test out this product, sorry I could not write a more positive review.

Quick Summary

Hands down the best natural test booster out there. no side effects at all and it definitely works with out a doubt. Everything they claim is exactly what you will get out of this!

Introduction

Thank you savage supplements and the SR troops for making this happen! This product is hands down extremely good and delivers exactly what it says. Testosterone is very important once the body starts to age and having good test levels means making some good gains. ;)

Ingredient Profile

Vitamin D - 4000IU - Vitamin D can help strengthen bones which in turn will help strengthen muscles.

Magnesium Citrate - 150mg - Reduce inflammation and stress which in the end can help increase testosterone. Helps aid digestion and sex drive!

Zinc - 50mg - Assist in protein synthesis and test synthesis.

Ashwagandha - 1500mg - an adaptogen that has the ability to help increase sex drive and muscle mass, while decreasing stress. Ashwagandha will help us keep our test levels.

Tribulus P.E 95% Saponins - 500mg - An adaptogen known to help increase sex drive and muscle mass.

Tongkat Ali (Long Jack) - 80mg - It's known to increase testosterone and sex drive (mostly erectile disfunction)

Indole-3-Carbinol - 150mg - this is a phytochemical that can be found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli. Once digested it will turn into many metabolites, such as Diindolylmethane (DIM) which is mentioned below. This is something that helps decrease/manage estrogen levels while increasing testosterone on the side.

5a-Hydroxy Laxogenin - 75mg - Some feel this does increase testosterone while others feel it simply increases protein synthesis.

Androsta-3,5-dien-7,17-dione (Arimistane) - 50mg - this is an aromatase inhibitor. Aromatase is an important enzyme needed to turn testosterone into estrogen. The body will think it will have more estrogen and pump more test out which helps us out in the end!

ForsLean (95% Forskolin Extract) - 50mg - Helps with decreasing body fat and increasing muscle mass.

Methyl-EAA (n-Methyl-DL-Aspartic Acid) - 30mg -helps with passage through the liver and also with testosterone increase as well. It is basically a plant "steroid" as it helps with growth sooooo...

Diindolylmethane (DIM) - 25mg - this helps with good estrogen levels basically. It will help break down estrogen breakdown. To much estrogen is never good and can have some very nasty side effects that men do not want. So having this in the ingredient profile is very important.

Boron Citrate - 5mg - this ingredient in specific helps with increasing natural test and lowering estrogen levels which is very important. I know this is not commonly used but it does not hurt to have something that provides higher test and lower estrogen levels!

Bioperine (Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract) - 5mg - this is a popular ingredient that helps increase the bioavailability of the ingredients above.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

4 pills. Took them first thing in the morning with some food. Every now and then I would split it up 2 before the gym and 2 after the gym. No weird bumps or after tastre

Effectiveness

This is where it shined. I took it first week no real big difference. 2nd week I noticed I was a little more defined and could feel a little stronger at the gym. Weeks 3 and 4, I definitely saw more muscle defenition and my veins would be popping out like nothing. I was seeing strength gains improve a bit but nothing that was insane. i always looked forward to taking this product!

The test levels were up there without a doubt. i am only 24 but I feel like with all the stress I have had lately and stuff my levels were a bit low than they need to be. With this you can definitely tell a difference. Felt like i was 18 again and prowling around!

I personally did not use a PCT for this product and did not experience anything nasty etc.

Value

Right no $60 for 30 servings is what they have it on their website... a tad up there in my opinion but I would check and see if they have any coupons or deals coming out and sign up to get notified.

Side Effects

NONE

Conclusion

This product is absolutely amazing and if you are in the market for a test booster i would look no further and go ahead and snag this up because you would not be dissapointed in what it has to offer! Your test levels will go up without a doubt and you will see some strength gains while taking it. Your partner will be very happy as well as you will have that urge again to go all night without any worries!

Quick Summary

An okay tasting protein that is almost perfect in what it has for the ingredients. It is overall a very great protein but the flavor needs some work in my opinion.

Introduction

First I would like to thank vmi for letting me try this amazing product. I normally like to have blends or pure concentrate protein but this profile was too good for me to skip on.

Ingredient Profile

Calories are 105
Total Fat is <1g
Saturated Fat is 0g
Trans Fat is 0g
Cholesterol is at1mg
Sodium is at40mg
Potassium is at 116mg
Total Carbohydrate is at 1g
Dietary Fiber is it0g
Sugar is at 0g
And the total Protein is at 25g
Then it has the following in it
Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate @ 500mg
Calcium Bisglycinate Chelate @ 300mg
Potassium Glycinate Complex @ 183mg
Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate @ 8mg

Ingredients:
non GMO cold processed Whey Protein Isolate, Cocoa Powder, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Xanthan Gum, Sucralose and Enzyme blend.

This is one of the better protein powder out there. There are not a lot of ingredients. The added enzymes are a great choice so you absorb more of the protein in it. I think this might be one of the best whey protein isolates you can purchase. I like that it is cold filtered and has no GMOs.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I received chocolate peanut butter flavor and I thought it was good but not the best. I think it is better than ON protein but I'm more of a vanilla person. It did not have enough peanut butter for me and was too much chocolate. If you are a chocolate person then you may like this a lot more than I did.
The mixability was great. I would shake for a few seconds and I was done. Nothing would settle to the bottom or stick to the cup.
I would take 1 scoop preworkout on somedays depending on how I was feeling. On most days I would take 2 scoops postworkout. 1 immediately after working out and another a few hours later. On weekends I would sometimes do 1 scoop with my breakfast.

Effectiveness

I think it is hard to rate effectiveness of protein but I like to rate it based on taste and digestibility. I had no problems at all with digesting this. I did not get farts or have to go to the bathroom after taking this. I also felt more hydrated while taking this. I think that might be because the electrolytes. I was also less sure the next day compared to other protein powders I've tried. I'm not sure if that was from other products I was taking or this protein though. I also had more energy when I took this preworkout compared to other proteins I have tried.

Value

You can find this for $50 for a 2lb from vmisports.com which is $2.00 a serving. Or if you want a 5lb which has 70 servings it will cost $80 which is $1.14 a serving. This might seem a little expensive at first glance but you have to think about all the extras they put in here. It has digestive enzymes and electrolytes in it and it is cold filtered. This is actually a really great price for what you are getting in this.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

This is one the the best whey isolates out there if you dont care for taste and care more about the quality of your protein. I also typically like vanilla over chocolate so that may be why I did not enjoy the taste as much as others seem to. They put extras in here to make sure you get your moneys worth and I think it worked the best out of all the whey isolates out there.

Quick Summary

This is a pump product to help give you more pumps during your workouts and help you look more vascular. This is loaded with a lot of ingredients in it and some rather high quality ingredients.

Introduction

First off I want to thank Redcon1 for letting us troopers have the chance to give this product a try. I always like to throw in a pump product when I can. No pump products are not super important to have and use but are nice when you can use them. Getting that nice pump is always a great feeling to have while you workout. Also what I like is how they help to make you look more vascular.

Ingredient Profile

In this they use a lot of ingredients you don't usually see used in a pump product. I feel they wanted to be a little different and branch out a bit and try to be more effective. It does have a lot of good things in this. Here is a list of ingredients they use what they are suppose to do.

Gylcerol Monostearate (3g): I could not find too much on this, but it is a diuretic and can lower blood pressure, regulate body temperature, induce vasodilation and reduce fatigue in endurance athletes. It can be a cell-dovlumizer if you do not stay hydrated while taking this. Mind you this information is from the forums at BB.com so take it with a grain of salt. Personally, I don't know much about this ingredient so I don't have much of an opinion on this one way or another.

Betaine Anhydrous (BetaPower) (2.5g): When looking at the human evidence at this moment in time, it appears that betaine is effective and reliable for reducing homocysteine concentrations when taken daily at 3g or more. A single dose of betaine reduces homocysteine levels, which remain suppressed as long as supplementation is continues. Betaine has been found to reduce homocysteine by 10% in persons with normal levels or by 20-40% in persons with elevated homocysteine levels. It has unreliable evidence for enhancing performance at this time. If taken twice daily at 1.25g a shot, it has been linked to increased power output and minor increases in workout volume and endurance. Here we have 2.5g taken in one sitting, so likely this is not doing much. (EXAMINE)

Astragalus Membranaceus (1g): This is typically used for the common cold, upper respiratory infections, allergies, and to strengthen and regulate the immune system. There is insufficient evidence at this time to say it increases atheletic performance at all. Proper dosage is unknown at this time as it relies on way too many factors. (WEBMD)

Agmatine Sulfate (1g): Agmatine is a metabolite of L-Arginine. It shows promise for alleviating neuropathic pain and drug addiction. Agmatine supplementation can also protect from strokes and benefit cognitive health. This does not go well with Arginine, Citrulline, Yohimbine, DAA, or Creatine (if creatine positively influences NMDA signalling). Exact dosage is unknown, but you do not want to exceed 2.6g as their is not enough research to prove toxicity levels higher than this, so we are safe here with 1g. (EXAMINE)

L-Alpha Glycerylphosphorylcholine (300mg): Alpha GPC is a cholinergic compound that is used for its cognitive-promoting properties, and to enhance power output in athletes. It appears to also support cellular membranes, and may aid in preventing cognitive decline. 300 - 600mg is the standard dose here, so we have the low end dose here, but good enough. (EXAMINE)

CDP Choline (250mg): CDP-choline (citicholine) is a nootropic compound that converts to both choline and cytidine upon ingestion, the latter of which converts into uridine in the body. It appears to confer cognitive-promoting properties as a prodrug for these two compounds. 500mg - 2g is the standard dose here, so we are a bit under dosed. (EXAMINE)

Rhodiola rosea root extract (200mg): Rhodiola rosea is a traditional chinese medicine and Scandinavian herb touted to promote physical/cognitive vitality. It appears to be proven for reducing fatigue and exhaustion in prolonged stressful situations. Rhodiola is also neuroprotective and promotes longevity in preliminary evidence. Dosages as low as 50mg has been shown effective against fatigue, however standard recommendation is 288-680mg. I am okay with the 200mg we have here. (EXAMINE)

Huperzine A (200mcg): Huperzine-A is a cognitive enhancer that inhibits an enzyme that degrades the learning neurotransmitter, acetylcholine; due to this, a relative increase occurs. It belongs to the cholinergics class of molecules, and may be useful in fighting cognitive decline in the elderly. May need to be cycled. Personally, I really like this stuff, and was first introduced to this ingredient with Pre-Jym and have been a fan ever since. 50-200mcg is the standard dosage here, so we have a nice dose here.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I had the Blue Lemonade. I thought it was pretty good and really enjoyed this a lot. It's not to sweet or strong. Has just the right mix of blue and lemonade.

Mixing was not the greatest. When mixed there was a lot of little pieces that you could see floating and on the sides of your shaker cup. I believe this was caused from the glycerol they use in here. I had used other products with that in it and did the same thing. Just need to add a little more water to it and swish it around and that will take care of it. I would do just one scoop with my pre-workout.

Effectiveness

With this product it is suppose to help you with better blood flood to give you better pumps, Help you look more vascular, and has some stuff in here to help you with better mental focus. From the reviews I was reading on here and a couple other places this looked like a really good product and was really excited to give it a try. When making this they branched out a bit and use a lot of ingredients you don't normally see in a pump product. I might be one of the few people but I did not notice a real lot from this product and was a bit disappointed. In some ways it worked really well and some areas not so much.

First off I stacked this with my pre-workout I was using which did have some pump ingredients in it. With the use of these different ingredients I did not see a real big difference to ware I noticed this was working any better than any other pumps products I have used. I think for me I respond a little better to your normal pump ingredients but need them to be dosed fairly well to work. For me pumps can be really hard to get or notice at times. A lot of the time when I was using this I did not notice a real lot in the way of pumps. For me I thought they were locking a bit. I did get some kind of pump but did not feel real great or would last very long. For me to usually feel pumps I have to be doing a lot of high volume training and take very little time between sets so I can keep that blood pumping more. They use glycerol which is suppose to be really good for pumps but I have used it before and did not notice much from it. I was a bit disappointed because I thought the pumps I would get were going to be pretty good. So the pump part of this I thought was a little weak.

The vascularity part I thought was a bit better. While on this I did notice a bit more veins starting to pop and in places I have not noticed them much before. I do feel this helped get more blood flow into my muscles and made them look a lot more full like. I was starting to notice that my muscles started to look more puffy like which was nice. Last part of this was the mental focus. It's always nice to have ingredients in a product to help you have better mental focus. I do think it helped some but nothing that gave me that laser like focus or tunnel vison to really help block out other distractions. I don't think overall this is suppose to really give you that kind of focus but does give you enough to help you get through your workout a little better. I know in some of the other reviews they talked about not having so much muscle fatigue. I do feel this helped me a lot at not having as much muscle fatigue. I like to take very little time between sets and when I do mostly high volume training I can start to notice a lot of muscle fatigue set in and feel this really helped to reduce a lot of that which was nice so I would be able to do all of my reps.

Value

The cheapest I am finding this is on amazon.com For some reason the flavor I got the blue lemonade cost a little more. They want $29.99 and the other flavors they want $26.29 for 30 servings. It has on there if you subscribe you can save another 5% and that will bring the price down to $24.98. For a product like this I think this is a fairly decent price. I know on a lot of other sites they want almost $40 which I think is way to high for a pump product. I think pump product should be around the $25 range.

Side Effects

Nothing I noticed.

Conclusion

After seeing the great views on this and how good it was suppose to be I was pretty excited to try this. I must have been one of the few people but this was kind of hit or miss for me. In some areas this worked great but in other areas not so much. I guess maybe I don't respond as well to a lot of these different ingredient they used and respond better to more of your regular ingredients you normally see in a pump product. With there being a lot more reviews really praising this product I am not going to say it's a bad product just did not do a real lot for me. If a few things could have been better I would have liked this product a lot more so. For me I think I would rather stick with more of your normal ingredients you see in a pump product just because I feel they work a lot better for me. Pump product for me are not always that great and do a lot for me unless they are really dosed at the right amount. As you can probably guess I will pass on using this again. Please don't let my review stop you from trying it because if you respond well to these ingredients this will work really well for you. Again I want to give a big shout out to Redcon1 for making this product and letting me have the chance to give it a try.

Introduction

Once again I would like to give a big thanks to HD Labs Nutrition for giving me another opportunity to review one of their products. This review is for Calibrate Performance Pre-Workout, I'm always on the lookout for a new pre-workout formula to try. Before these reviews I've never heard of HD Labs before as they aren't widely available. Here goes my review.....

Ingredient Profile

The ingredient profile has a transparent label that features three main categories:

Base Ingredients (5 ingredients)
Vitamin D 1,250IU
Niacin 15mg
Magnesium 80mg
Chloride 60mg
Sodium 40mg

Advanced Strength & Output Amplifier 5.1g (4 ingredients)
CarnoSyn Beta Alanine 1.6g - Enables muscles to work at higher rates (Non-Essential Amino Acid)
Creatine Monohydrate 1.5g - Provides energy to the muscles (Naturally Occurring)
MagnaPower 1.0g - More solubility than creatine monohydrate (Magnesium Creatine Chelate)
Trimethylglycine 1.0g - Known as Betaine: Works similar to Creatine

Extreme Vasodilation & Muscle Oxygenation Matrix 625mg (2 ingredients)
L Citrulline Malate 500mg - N.O. enhancing effect
HydroMax 125mg - Better hydration/Pumps (65% Glycerol Powder)

High Performance Energy & Nootropic Blend 240mg (3 ingredients)
Caffeine 125mg - Energy enhancer (stim)
Infinergy Dicaffeine Malate 102.5mg - 73% caffeine per 1g using malic acid instead of citric acid
Citicoline 12.5mg - Nootropic enhancing focus/concentration

A good list of ingredients however most of them are under-dosed.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste - I received the Raspberry Punch flavor which is the only one currently available. I enjoyed the flavor as it wasn't too sweet but it had a little bit of a chemical tasting after taste. Overall I'd give taste a 7/10.

Mixability - There was some settling with the creatine however after a few shakes it went away. Otherwise there were no issues with clumping.

Dosing - Mixed 1-2 scoops depending on energy needs with 6 oz of water: drank 20-30 min before training.

Effectiveness

In terms of effectiveness Calibrate was a hit or miss for me depending on the amount of scoops I took. While taking the one scoop serving before training I only noticed a slight increase with my performance levels. Energy was the biggest hit but it wasn't a big increase, some days I didn't feel much of anything at all. With strength/vasodilation (NO levels) as the other two areas I was focusing on there wasn't much there. However when I used a two scoop serving it felt like a pre-workout should in my mind. All levels were a hit and my performance levels definitely increased during my workouts. Overall it was underwhelming at one scoop and solid with two scoops - however using two scoops leaves you with 16 total servings.

Value

The only value I could find was on the HD Labs Nutrition website for $50. Each tub contains 32 servings so you're looking at around $1.56 per serving. For an under-dosed pre-workout that may need a two scoop serving: its a big price to pay. There's not too many pre-workouts that I'd pay $1.56 oer serving - and if they are worth that price its because of the effectiveness/ingredient profile.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

In conclusion HD Labs Nutrition Calibrate was a hit or miss for me. One scoop didn't do much however at two scoops it was much more of a hit. Things that are hurting this product: Under-dosed ingredients/Price and those are two big areas of emphasis. I'd like to see the ingredients dosed properly or take some ingredients out and replace them with others. Once again I'd like to thank HD Labs Nutrition for participating in the SR TROOP Program.

Quick Summary

Introduction

What's up SR! I know I am still under the time frame but I'm extremely late to posting my review compared to how quickly I usually post. Thank you very much SR and Olympus Labs for hooking me up with Massacr3. Olympus Labs also hooked me up with Ep1Logue. I read several great reviews on these two so when they popped up I jumped on the opportunity. I had been looking for something different to try other than pre and aminos.

Ingredient Profile

Massacr3 is made up of the following:
300mg of Laxogenin. This is for building muscle and boost performance all without harming the body. Along with the PhytoFUSE System they claim it helps deliver better absorption
300mg of Vaso6 to help increase nitric oxide levels.
150mg of UroBolin is supposed to limit damage to muscle.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste and Mixability are both N/A as these are capsules. Dosing is 2 capsules about 30 minutes before your workout. Make sure to take on empty stomach on non-workout days.

Effectiveness

As for effectiveness, it is hard to tell the difference of what the Massacre and Ep1logue did for me. At first, I did not notice much of anything but by the 3rd week was when I started noticing small changes. I felt slightly stronger in all of the lifts. What I noticed the most was that I started to look leaner and more defined without losing any weight on the scale. Which for me, that is really what I care about the most. Not how much I can lift. My DOMs seemed to decrease as well during my time of taking this.

Value

As for value, I found this for $50 online ($100 when you buy ep1logue with it) which I thought it was a little on the higher end, and for the amount of gains I received, but maybe taking for a full 8 weeks would change my mind. Like I mentioned earlier, I really started noticing the last few weeks of the month cycle.

Side Effects

I experienced no ill side effects while taking this.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I thought Olympus put out a great product and suggest anyone looking to try this to give it a go but be sure to pick up the Ep1logue with it. Also if you can, get the 8 weeks worth and let me know how it goes!