Quick Summary

An Aromataste Inhibitor that does a nice job. This will get you that muscle hardness feeling rather quickly, may increase you libido, increase your vascularity, and you may experience some leaning out. Pretty cheap price for some quality stuff.

Introduction

39 years old and I lift 5 days a week, currently doing GZCL UHF 9 week. If you did not know Terima Kasih translates to Thank You in Indonesian. I thought it rhymed with Arima-XD, anyways. I, like many others, loved Arimistaine from VMI last year, and when they did away with the ingredient I was pretty sad. Then I saw some rave reviews on Arima-XD as the predecessor to Arimistaine, so I had to give it a shot the next chance I had. I recently tested low for testosterone about two months ago, so now it makes more sense to me why AIs work well for me. Big thank you to SR and VMI for allowing me the opportunity to try and review this for your reading pleasure.

Ingredient Profile

Fully disclosed profile which is appreciated, especially for an AI. Each dosing size is 2 capsules and that gives you 30IU of Vitamin E, and lets briefly talk the rest:

Estrogen & Cortisol Domination
Calcium-D-Glucarate (350mg): I will not elaborate here too much as it is fairly confusing to me. The best response is from Tom Reilly (President of VMI Sports) in reply to @Cray review in the comments section. In a nutshell at high doses this can have some anti-cancer properties and may reduce all steroid toxins (Test, Estrogen, DHEA, Etc..) for a short time. So I assume this is put here to get rid of that nasty Estrogen.

Diindolymethane (DIM) (150mg): This was my first time trying out DIM. It is found in broccoli, kale, and cauliflower and can inhibit the aromatase enzyme (and prevent conversion of testosterone into estrogen) and i can act on more potent forms of estrogen and convert them into less potent forms. This conversion can reduce the overall effects of estrogen in the body. So, some pretty good stuff. Too much DIM at once can actually have the opposite effect, so be cautious. 100mg has been said to provide results, so I think the dosing here is safe and good.

Indole-3-Carbinol (150mg): Precursor to DIM, and is here to balance out your hormone levels in the body. Unsure of recommended dosing here.

5,7-Dihydroxyflavone (as Chrysin) (150mg): Chrysin may possibly increase testosterone in the body. However, no research in humans ha found any effect on this according to WebMD. No known dosages.

Panax Notoginseng & Astragulus Membraneceous (as Astragin) (15mg): My favorite absorbing agent. This is here to get all of those things above absorbed into your body. 15mg seems fine here.

Some pretty unique ingredients here that all seem to have their purpose. So the profile and dosing is fine by me.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste/Mixability: Nothing to report here as this is in pill form. No real smell or taste to the pills.

Dosing: 2 Pills upon wake up. Directions state 2 pills a day on an empty stomach prior to a meal. First thing in the morning was the easiest way for me.

Effectiveness

Okay, so things I look for in an AI are Muscle Hardness, Vascularity, and a slight leaning out effect. Some bonus features can be increased aggression (in the gym). So I will discuss this in those three categories:

Muscle Hardness: In the past this has taken anywhere from 10-14 days for me to experience this on other AIs. Around day 7 I felt my muscles tightening up and getting that hardness effect. I was surprised at how quickly this worked, and this lasted throughout the duration of the bottle. This was the strongest effect for me compared to the other categories. On par with other AIs for sure.

Vascularity: This took around two weeks to really notice. I had some nice increased vascularity in my shoulders area and slightly in the forearm area. This did its job, but I have had better vascularity from things like Arimistaine in the past. Still good here though.

Lean-Out Effect: When taking Arimistaine in the past, my gym buddies have always told me I was looking leaner. No one said that to me on this 30 day run, however, I did notice I was losing some body. This can mainly be attributed to diet, and my two week run of L-Carnitine while on this, but this did help out as the fat stayed off since stopping L-Carnitine. I do believe this had some minor effects.

As I stated in my intro, I do suffer from Low Testosterone at my age, so I can usually feel a better balance in my body when taking an AI. I really did not feel much more of an energy boost, which leads me to believe this was not necessarily producing too much more testosterone, but with the effects I experienced I do think this did regulate the Estrogen and balance my hormones out. I have no labs or anything to prove that, but that is my perception. So overall a pretty good product. This does not live up to the old Arimistaine standard, but it was close. The nice part here is I did experience some slight joint pain on this, but nothing even close to what Arimistaine used to do, so no real side effects to worry about. I stayed on my standard dose of 2,000mg Fish Oil a day and had no joint issues, just some nagging aches.

During the second week I did notice an increase in my libido. That last about a week and then went away. I really do not have issues in that department, but thought it was interesting how it came and then went. I never did experience any increase in aggression either as I have with some other AIs. Good thing is after being off this for a couple days, my body is not shutting down and I do not feel lethargic, as I have in the past coming off AIs, so I do think this is a good product for keeping your hormone levels regulated versus an increase.

Value

The cheapest I could find this was at DPS Nutrition. A 30 day supply (60 pills) will run you $23.99 using the code DPS10. So that is around 80 cents a day, which I think is a pretty great deal for this product.

Side Effects

Very minor joint pain, which can be curbed with Fish Oil or a Joint supplement.

Conclusion

While this was not as potent as Arimistaine, this did a nice job as a follow-up. The price point is nice, and the effectiveness is there. If you are in the market for an AI and want to try something different, then I recommend you give Arima-XD a shot.

Quick Summary

A nice low stim appetite suppressant fat burner.

Introduction

Hey SR, here today to review Pyroxamine, a fat burner by Myokem. As I continue my fitness cut, I like having something on hand to help with increased energy, mood elevation, increased metabolism, and appetite control. I feel these areas are the most important when trying to cut as your diet and workouts are really what are going to change your body composition. Let's see how Pyroxamine fared.

Ingredient Profile

Fully disclosed ingredient profile which is great. What Pyroxamine is trying to do here I believe is strike that balance between non stim and high stim fat burner and I think they do a pretty good job. This has 100 mg of caffeine and 50 mg of Teacrine. If you take a preworkout or have taken high stim fat burners before you know this dosage won't blow you away. Then we have a mix of ingredients aimed at appetite control, focus, thyroid support, and metabolism with the likes of Olive Leaf, Grains of Paradise, Citicoline, etc. One herb I was unfamiliar with was Caramulla Fimbriata, and after a little mixed research it looks like an appetite suppressant. Overall, a nice profile with a mix of stims, nootropics, metabolism support, and appetite control to help your cut.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

No taste or mixability, easy to swallow caps. Dosing is one pill in the morning, one pill in the afternoon, with an option to increase to two in the morning and one in the afternoon. I dosed this one pill in the morning and one in the afternoon for about a week and a half and then upped an extra pill in the morning the rest of the run.

Effectiveness

Overall, this worked pretty well in most areas. Honestly, the energy is the least noticeable effect of this. I always keep my stims pretty high, so I wasn't expecting to feel a ton from this. There was a decent mood elevation to Pyroxamine as well that helped with me not becoming "hangry." I had a slight thermo effect when I took two pills right before cardio which was nice, but the most effective part of this supplement is the appetite control. When doing the one and one protocol I felt some appetite control, but when I took two in the mornings and one in the afternoon I really felt it and definitely had to remind myself to eat sometimes. This helped me progress towards my goals more quickly, however the run of that was pretty short. More on that next.

Value

At $50 for a 30 day supply, this is super expensive. What's worse, is that if you go max dose it lasts only 3 weeks. At this price point, it would be really hard to buy again although it was very effective in my most wanted area of appetite control which helps.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

A nice low stim/appetite control fat burner, butneeds to come down in price.

Quick Summary

An above average multivitamin.

Introduction

Hey SR, here today to review Heroes Pack, a multivitamin by Thin Fit Line. Because I have a very restrictive diet on a cut, I always make sure I have a multivitamin on hand to offset those restrictions and make sure I am getting all of my vitamin and mineral needs. I also like for my multivitamin to have some "extras" whether it be some fruit and veggie blends, digestive support, joint complex etc. Let's see if Heroes Pack was truly a savior.

Ingredient Profile

No way I am going to list the ingredients in this bad boy, but I attached the supplement facts. This has all of your vitamin needs, and I like that the minerals are chelated. We do get a good fruit and veggie blend of 105 mg, and TONS of extras. Some of the highlights would be digestive enzymes, some joint ingredients like MSM, apple cider vinegar, trans-reservatol, etc. My only beef with this is that a lot of these ingredients are severely underdosed. Glutamine at 150 mg, Green Tea at 58 mg, CoQ10 at 8.3 mg, etc are just some examples of great ingredients, but not enough to really help you. I love the direction of this vitamin pack, but I would like some fewer ingredients and up the dosage of the key ones.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This comes in packs with 5 caps and 1 tablet in each pack. I always take multivitamins with a meal and always took this with dinner. Standard and easy. No gross smell, burps, etc.

Effectiveness

Multivitamins are not something you feel when you take so can be hard to judge. I'll say right away, I got sick while on this. I rarely get sick, but I work at a school and my wife got the flu so I think that's what did it. A multivitamin isn't going to protect you from every single cold or flu going around so I'm not going to hammer this product because of this. I did feel pretty good while taking this for the most part, and didn't feel run down which can happen when cutting and going low carb. The best part of this multivitamin for me was the digestive support. Even though the enzyme blend seems pretty low, I received great digestive support. This is a key factor for me and most low carb dieters as things can get pretty backed up and rough. I did notice myself more regular and the bowel movements much easier while on my run of this. Overall, I think this is an above average multivitamin with some room for improvement.

Value

At $30 for 30 servings this is on the higher side of multivitamins. There's a ton of ingredients in this so I'm sure it wasn't cheap to make, but you can get some great multivitamins at a lower price point than this. I'd look for this on sale.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

I liked this, but there is some definite room for improvement. I would rank this as an above average multivitamin but not quite premium.

Quick Summary

Pyroxamine is a thermogenic fat-burner that attacks from multiple sides and gives results.

Introduction

First and foremost, thank you to Myokem for offering this product up for review! I chose to accept this product because i had not truly tried to center on weight loss and using a fat burner before. I generally workout for health reasons and i do not focus on the aesthetics of it, although that is always a great bonus. After seeing this product available i made the decision to accept it and try to focus my target on some fat loss. I usually have a decently clean diet but i did clean it up a little more while using this product. I did plug in cardio here and there into my training.

Ingredient Profile

Strap yourselves in for this one because this is quite an in-depth, lengthy label. I do enjoy the fact that they have used so many standardized forms in this product. I have abbreviated that std below. For people who do not know what that is, it is when a certain active component of the ingredient is raised to a higher concentration than normal.

Caralluma fimbriata (125mg)- This plant has been used for many years as a "famine food". It has been known to be a good appetite suppressent so that cutting calories can done easier. The one study i found on this plant used 1,000 mg but it was a concentrated extract. Due to this, clinically this ingredient may be underdosed, even if taken 3x per day. This was only one study though so i believe more probably needs to be done to officially say that.

Olive Leaf {std. 20% Oleuropein} (100mg)- Olive leaf extract is used in many fat burners. The exact mechanism behind this benefit is not clinically known but theories have shown it could be due to thyroid hormone and adrenaline regulation. Other benefits from this is a protective effect on atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), glucose metabolism, and cholesterol control. The dosage on this is hard to pinpoint due to it being standardized. The compound standardized, Oleuropein, is the active phenolic that brings these benefits. Dosages start at 500 mg but this is assuming no standardization.

Caffeine Anhydrous (100mg)- This form of caffeine is a more concentrated form. Caffeine is a very popular supplement for many reasons. The fat burning properties come from caffeine's ability to free the fatty acids from the fat molecule. This moves them into the bloodstream where they can be used for energy. The fat has to be moved to be used so this is a vital role in fat loss that many do not know. Caffeine also has the stimulant attributes that everyone knows about. This increases the metabolic rate of the body at rest and makes the heart work harder. 100 mg is a good starting dose, especially for those that are new to stims.

L-Theanine (50mg)- This compound is found in green tea alongside caffeine and pairs with it. Theanine gives the body a calming affect by reducing the effect of stress on the body. This causes it to be commonly paired with stimulants. The combination of theanine/caffeine will help to provide "smooth" energy where you wont get gittery. The dosage for this ingredient is 100-200mg with around the same amount of caffeine. If 2 servings are taken then this is met at 100mg theanine / 200mg caffeine.

Cognizin Citicoline (50mg)- This ingrediant is a form of choline that is a nootropic. This molecule breaks down in the body into choline and cytidine. Cytidine then breaks down into uridine. All of these components are nootropics that help the body with memory and cognition. Clinical studies have been done with the patented Cognizin standardization and have shown positive outcomes. Unfortunately though the dosages used were from 250-500 mg. This product only has 50 mg and is taken 2-3 times per day so this dosage of 250 mg could not be met.

TeaCrine Theacrine (50mg)- This compound is an ingredient that is extremely similar to caffeine and is found naturally in many teas. Theacrine acts on the same pathways as caffeine but it is harder to build a tolerance to it. A unique aspect of Theacrine is that at low dosages, such as whats in this product (50 mg), will actually have a relaxing effect on the body. High doses, around 300 mg, will have a stimulating effect like caffeine.

Bacopa monnieri extract 5:1 (50mg)- This ingredient is an interesting nootropic. It is known to help with memory and fighting stress. These properties are done through Bacopa enhancing the growth of nerve endings (dendrites). Dendrites are the little arms at the end of a nerve cell that transmit the message being sent. Bacopa is also known to take time to work best. Subjects in studies that took it for 8-12 weeks produced much better results than at 4-6 weeks.

Grains of Paradise {std. 12.5% paradol} (40mg)- This is common in fat burners and can be part of what attributes to amplified body heat. Grains of paradise has been shown to help the body convert the white fat into brown fat. Brown fat is then burned off, particularly in the cold, to maintain the bodies temperature. In one study, 40 mg was given to men aged 22-36 years old and they were placed into a cold room for 2 hours after. The group that took Grains of Paradise showed much greater energy expenditure. Due to this, i would say that this ingredient could become particularly effective in the winter months.

Evodia rutaecarpe {std. 95% Evodiamine} (25mg)- This is a compound that has been seen to raise the resting core body temperature and to also decrease the perception of cold. Due to it being effective it is said to not take this while you have a fever. by increasing the body temp it increases your metabolism and will, hopefully, lead to more fat loss. Due to the temperature response this ingredient carries natural anti-infectious properties. There is no clinical evidence to suggest an effective dose.

Theobromine (25mg)- This is a compound that is found in the cacao plant and so it is found naturally in chocolate. This compound will react synergistic with caffeine and enhance its effects by widening blood vessels, raising heart rate, alertness, etc even more. Theobromine has also been found to increase insulin sensitivity.Clinical dosages range from 200-1000mg. This will not be reached taking 2-3 servings of this product.

Sacred Lotus (25mg)- This plant is used in Asian medicine and teas. It has a high amount of polyphenols in it that are beneficial in overall health. Some specific attributes of Sacred Lotus is as an anti-depressant and anti-diabetic. One study shows that when supplemented with taurine sacred lotus helps to blunt the absorption of fats in rats. There are not any human studies and no standard dosage on sacred lotus.

Barley{std. to Hordenine} (25mg)- This is an ingrediant that is standardized fully for Hordenine. Hordenine is an adrenergic because it acts on the release and re-uptake of noradrenaline. This puts it in a class with a supplement like synephrine. The problem with it in here is that it has only been researched when given intravenous. There is no research on an effective oral dosage.

Huperzine-A 1% (5mg)- This compound is classified as a cholonergic, or a compound that increases acetylcholine. Huperzine does this indirectly by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks acetylcholine down. This benefits everybody because acetylcholine is the learning transmitter in our body. This means that it can benefit everything from school to feeling that "mind-muscle connection". The standard dose for huperzine is 50-200mcg. With it being standardized to 1% in this product the total Huperzine in this is 25mcg. With it being taken at least 2x per day the dosage is met in Pyroxamine.

Bioperine (5mg)- This is an ingredient common in supplements. It enhances the uptake of other ingredients.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

The taste and mixability are not applicable to this product due to it being in a pill form.
As far as dosing i started off taking one in the morning when i woke up and one in the afternoon. I did not feel much from one so once i knew i could tolerate i took two in the morning and one in the afternoon. This may be due to my weight, i started this at 234 lbs. Taking two in the morning was perfect and boosted the effects so i continued this through the container. The official dosing does say 1 in the morning and 1 4-6 hours later. If faster results are wanted it does state 2 can be taken in the morning like i did but a total of 3/day is the maximum.

Effectiveness

The effectiveness of this product was impressive. I can not say that I sweat overly, like many people have felt, but I defiantly felt warmer. This is most likely due to the colder weather starting. I found myself driving with the windows down and wearing shorts in 30-40 degree weather and feeling like it was in the 70's. This may have been due to the Evodiamine, which decreases cold perception.
The appetite suppression worked for me but it may have not benefited me in this aspect as much as it could others. I eat smaller meals throughout the day and so I eat even when I'm not necessarily hungry. After I took this I did get a mood enhancement. I felt more ready to take on the day and get stuff done. This aided me greatly where I workout in the morning before classes. I would wake up around 6 am and sometimes i always feel groggy in the mornings. After taking this and letting a few minutes go by i could feel a significant change in my mood and energy.
Since this is a fat burner lets talk about weight lost. I started this product at 234.4 lbs and ended it at 227.2 lbs. Throughout the 20 days that i took this i did notice a nice change in my physique. I noticed my upper abs to show more defined and my lower have started to show some. I have not lost any strength and i could push myself just as hard in the gym. I am impressed with this product and would be interested in running it more to see the full extent of benefits over a longer period of time. Since at 3 caps one container only gets you 20 days i feel there would be even more significant of a change if it was ran 40 days.

Value

While this product does produce results, they are going to come for a price. Not many 3rd party suppliers sell this and so you are required to buy direct from the producer, Myokem. On their site it retails for $49.99. This runs around .83 cents a serving but the dosing is 2-3 servings a day. If you only use 2/day than that will run you $1.66/day. If you take 3 than it will be about $2.49/day. This is a step price point depending on the dosage that is being used. Not sure how many people this may benefit but they just started giving 20% off to first responders/military.

Side Effects

The only side effect i had while running this was if i did not drink a glass of water with my dose in the morning. For some reason if i took this without drinking water than i would get a slight headache and a very warm sensation in my stomach. This was my fault though because it does state on the package to take with a glass of water. I did not feel the sweats many report on this but i did feel an overall warmer sensation when out in the cold.

Conclusion

Pyroxamine is a good choice for anybody looking to lose a few pounds but some may find it expensive if you take 3 servings per day.

Quick Summary

Once again VMI Sports has delivered on a fantastic natural Whey Protein Isolate without adding any unnecessary fillers that simply are not needed in protein shakes. The quality of the product and the taste achieved will leave users constantly wanting to buy more.

Introduction

Big thanks to VMI Sports for sending me ProtoLyte Naturals to me. Protein powders are everywhere in today's world and they all claim to be the best thing out there, even though most of them are full of junk and things that are not needed in the product. A few years ago was the giant amino spiking scandal which I am positive is still going on, and then some companies are using cheap ingredients that leave the user feeling bloated and nasty. With that being said, there is an up and coming trend of natural protein powders. Powders that take away all of the fillers and sweeteners so that it is a bare bones protein experience. This is what VMI has given us. They have already delivered with a fantastic product in their regular ProtoLyte protein powder, but now they give us ProtoLyte naturals. Let's take a look at how it faired.

Ingredient Profile

right off the bat, you have a fully transparent label with VMI:
Calories 100
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 40mg
Potassium 166mg
Total Carbohydrates <1g
Protein 21- 23g from Isolate depending on flavor

Besides the protein you get in this, you also get a healthy dose of EAA's/BCAA's
10.5g Total EAAs
5.3g BCAAs
4g Glutamine
991mg Electrolytes & Minerals from TRAACS - hydration

Your protein source is coming from Non-GMO Cold Processed Whey Protein Isolate, and depending on what flavor you go with you will either have Cocoa powder or not. Both include digestive enzymes which I feel is important because sometimes proteins can be hard to digest and leave you with gas and bloat. They have also included the electrolytes and minerals in this that are in the regular ProtoLyte which I thought was an amazing idea. As you know it takes natural fluid from your body to utilize protein and if you are already hot or low on electrolytes, more protein will cause more havoc on those levels. By adding the electrolytes they are helping to fight this issue.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I asked and received the chocolate fudge cookie flavor and it was dynamite. It was a very rich almost dark chocolate fudge/ice cream flavor that I really enjoyed. Obviously, it was delicious with one scoop but even better with 2 scoops.

Mixability I notice was hit or miss with some users because they said that it foamed up a lot. While I did notice some foam, for me it was not a large issue, rather the one that I noticed time and time again, was how thick the shake got. We are talking McDonald's triple-thick milkshake thick, which in some cases good because you really feel full afterward but it leaves a lot behind in the shaker cup.

Dosing wise I would use 1-2 scoops for a post workout shake, or I would throw a scoop in with a serving of yogurt for a late night snack. Either way, you cannot go wrong with a protein that has this clean of a profile.

Effectiveness

Here is the hardest part of a protein review, the effectiveness section. Rather than trying to quantify how much my muscles grew or strength gained with this, I will focus on how it delivered as what it is....a form of caloric food.

With this, outside of the fact that I always looked forward to drinking it, it was very effective in delivering a strong source of clean protein that kept me full until I could eat lunch. Not only that, it never left me feeling bloated or gave me other nasty side effects that can come with using natural sweeteners. The fact that it had 0 sugars and only 1g of carbs also made this ideal for me because I frequently cycle my carbs and deplete them totally. This allowed me to still get a solid dose of protein without having to ingest a bunch of junk or excess carbs in doing so.

So far everything in this review has been great, so what is the one problem that I had with this? Well since I have not really seen it be talked about yet maybe it was just my tub, but my issue is with the scooper. Yes, I was double scooping out of a small tub, but I noticed that this tub was diminishing rather quickly. I took it upon myself to weigh out 1 level scoop from the scooper provided and found that it was 37.2 grams. Not a big deal, but it is when the serving size is 27.6g. Now I completely understand that the scoopers are not exact and that there are some variations with this, for example ON Gold standard serving is 32g but the scooper only holds 30g. However, for the scooper to be almost a full 10g extra, that will add up fast especially with a small tub of powder.

Again, I am not sure if others had this issue, but it was one that I noticed and I hope VMI can take a look at this because I do not want this to be the big issue with a great product.

Value

As others have mentioned you can find this on amazon.com for $39.99 w/ free shipping for 25 servings which comes out to $1.60 a serving. While this is at the higher end of protein powders, when you compare the ingredients you are getting with the other "Natural" powders out there, you will find that this is actually pretty competitive.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

I loved this stuff. I love the original ProtoLyte and I am glad to see that nothing was lost on the natural version. While there are only 2 flavors right now, fingers crossed we could see a strawberry version soon. Again, I just need them to fix the scooper to being close to the correct serving size for this to be the perfect natural powder for me.

Quick Summary

A Mean O Daddy is an interesting looking newcomer to the BCAAs line of supplements, but doesn't quite match up with the other competition.

Introduction

A special thanks to Black Sheep Supplements for their participation here on SR.com. Today, I discuss my experiences with the BCAAs product A Mean O Daddy. With their ability to assist in energy, endurance, and recovery, BCAAs have their potential place in every fitness buff's supplement regimen regardless of individual goals. With their versatility, I've used BCAAs pre, intra, and post but often stick with post workout supplementation for recovery. However, I will also try them intra as well for endurance and energy.

Ingredient Profile

A Mean O Daddy contains a simple profile.

Each serving provides 6g of the BCAAs L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Valine. The ratio is listed as 2:1:1. There is no indication of how much of each is provided as part of the 6g dose. Doing the math I would guess maybe 3g of L-Leucine, 1.5g of L-Isoleucine, and 1.5g of L-Valine?

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

The product is available in one flavor, which is Pissed Off Pineapple Ginger. While not the worst thing I've tasted, I was not a fan of this flavor. It had a strong bitter taste similar to that of straight up ginger with a subtle slightly sweet hint of pineapple flavor. It was not very enjoyable and left an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.

Despite a little foaming, the mixability was fine for the most part. I mixed it in water and sports drinks, and it was the same either way.

For the first two weeks, I stuck to using a single scoop serving post workout. For the remainder of the cycle, which was a little over another week, I increased to two servings post workout to see if I would get better results.

Effectiveness

My efficacy is based solely on post workout supplementation as I didn't use this pre or intra workout.

A one scoop, A Mean O Daddy did improve my recovery and reduce my DOMS to a moderate degree, but was lacking in comparison to what I would've preferred.

Once I increased to two servings, as expected it was significantly better. My DOMS and overall recovery were much better and I also saw an increase in natural energy the following days. I felt less fatigued overall post workout and going into other training sessions in the following days.

Truthfully though, I would've expected better based on my experience with other BCAAs products.

Value

Right now, A Mean O Daddy goes for 18.99 for a 30 day supply tub. This is cheaper than other products, but the value is hurt by the lack of efficacy and the need to use two servings for significant results. It is still worth the investment for those wanting to try a BCAAs product, but I would prefer an uptick in BCAAs dosage with better results for a more favorable value.

Side Effects

none

Conclusion

In conclusion, A Mean O Daddy does get the job done, but falls short in comparison to other BCAAs products. Some things I would like to see improved:

Higher BCAAs quantity per serving
Better Taste
The Addition Of Some Electrolytes For Hydration

At 18.99 it is worth a try, but be advised you may need two servings so the price can add up overtime. Hopefully the company takes my suggestions and improves the product in the future.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO PATS!!!

Quick Summary

Estrogen Balance may help with balancing out your bad and good estrogen ratio but you probably won't notice it.

Introduction

I picked up Estrogen Balance in an effort to naturally lower my estrogen and find an alternative to arimistane.

Ingredient Profile

8/10
1 capsule provides 5mg BioPerine, 150mg DIM, and 150mg Grape Seed Extract. DIM is a natural "anti-" estrogen that helps convert "bad" estrogens in the body to "good" estrogens. However, DIM can also block mTOR and androgens. The former may be helpful if you have something like cancer but not so much for muscle building purposes. Grape Seed Extract is purported to be a natural anti-estrogen/aromatase inhibitor but a further look into the science dispels much of this science. It appears GSE contains procyanidins that express AI behavior in the lab but from my understanding and reading of the science, it doesn't translate well in vivo. BioPerine is a well known nutrient absorber, although the science behind it used 10mg.

All said, these ingredients are not bad for a natural AI/E-blocker. These seem to be the staples in this department, despite the lack of scientific backing. But hey, that's supplementation as a whole for you sometimes. However, if you were going to give this a shot, it would be best at double the dose for BioPerine and GSE and anywhere from 50-100mg more DIM. As of now, you have the best ingredients (albeit of questionable effectiveness) at mediocre doses. I'd prefer higher doses if I'm putting stock in these ingredients for my AI/E-blocking goals. I should also note that some newer natural ingredients Chrysin and Acacetin are becoming popular and may be worth including/substituting in but I admittedly don't know much about them.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

10/10
There's no taste/mixability with this supplement as this is a capsule based product so I will substitute after-taste and ease of taking. The capsules had no aftertaste and were extremely easy to swallow/take as they were relatively small. I dosed this at 1 capsule in the morning for 3 weeks and 2 capsules in the morning for a week to see if I noticed any difference.

Effectiveness

6.5/10
This is a hard section to rate. I noticed no consciously discernible effects. Ever. So why 6.5 and not 0? First off, I buy into the science behind DIM promoting the conversion of bad estrogen to good estrogen. BUT I also tend to believe that at the higher doses where this may become most noticeable there is a good chance you'll also be blocking vital mTOR and androgen pathways necessary for building muscle (all of our goals - right?). I don't buy into the GSE science much though and I never noticed any typical AI effects like I did with arimistane. No sore/poppy joints. No dryness. No strength increase. Nothing. So perhaps I'm too nice here on the effectiveness rating, but I feel that even if I can't tell the difference there is something going on microscopically (ie estrogen form conversion) that should be rewarded in some way. I guess the best I can say is that gave me some peace of mind.

This will not provide results similar to tried and true AIs/E-blockers/SERM like Virtus, Arimistane, or any pharmaceutical grade drug like Letro, Nolva, Clomid, etc. Maybe you're not looking for the latter but I think most of us are looking for the former (competitors to Virtus, Arimistane, etc) so keep this in mind.

Value

6.5/10
I found this for $18.99 on Amazon for a 30 capsule/30 serving container which is $0.64/serving/day/capsule. At first, that doesn't appear too bad, but a closer look reveals competitors with better effectiveness reported from users/reviewers on here for similar price. For example, look at VMI Sports' Arima-XD - it has an average rating of 8.0 for $25.99-29.99/60 capsules/30 servings. Similarly, Virtus commonly goes for about $35 for a 30ml (30-60 serving) container (with a coupon - 40% off which is typical for their holiday sales) and it is 2.2x less strong than Letrozole. Simply put, your money may be better spent in other areas and on other products.

Side Effects

10/10
I experienced no side effects while taking Estrogen Balance.

Conclusion

6.5/10
I got to a 6.5/10 by averaging the Value, Effectiveness, and Ingredient Profile sections which gave me 7/10. I then deducted 0.5 to account for the serious lack of discernible effectiveness. I feel that is fair because at the end of the day effectiveness matters most. If something works amazingly well then people will find a way to pay whatever premium for it. Unfortunately, this was not one of those products. In short, I'd recommend looking elsewhere for you AI/E-blocker goals.

Quick Summary

A decent BCAA product from a reputable company but it's geared more toward the "average" gym goer in my opinion or could be better for women.

Introduction

Hi all! I don't think I ever would have bought this on my own just because there are so many others I prefer but my wife bought this and didn't like the flavor so she gave it to me. I just finished a 30 serving tub (utilizing it mostly as a quick pick me up or for non overwhelming energy, see more below). So, here are my thoughts.... Enjoy!

Ingredient Profile

Not a bad amino profile. It pretty much as all the classics - Taurine, Leucine, Beta Alanine, Valine, Tyrosine, just to name a few. My first issue with this "Amino blend" is that it's a non-disclosed BLEND. They tell us there's 5 grams of aminos but we really don't know how much of everything we are getting. Also, I feel like overall, for an amino product, the total amount of aminos is a little low. I'm usually looking for more like the 6-7 gram range.

Next is the "Energy blend" which has a whopping 160 MG of caffeine (as well as some green tea extract). I'm sorry but for an "energy" product there needs to be more caffeine per serving. Otherwise, you're using too many scoops to get the desired energy effects.

Now, the tub says there's 30 servings in there and each serving is 9 grams (2 scoops), so it begs the question, if their "energy blend" is only 160 MG, and the amino blend is 5 g what else makes up the 9 grams?
The answer it appears is flavoring/"other ingredients" such as Malic acid, natural and artificial flavors, citric acid, sucralose, "gum blend".... Ok you get the idea.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

So, I ran the watermelon flavor. It wasn't terrible. It did surprisingly have an actual watermelon taste and not an artificial taste to it. As I mentioned above, each serving is 9 grams (2 scoops) and there are 30 servings in the tub. For me to get effects I was looking for, I found myself taking 3 to 4 scoops.
I thought this product mixed quite well actually. In a shaker bottle, it mixed smooth with a little bit of foaminess but little to no residual on the sides or bottom of the bottle. Even mixing it in a glass with a spoon, I found that mixed consistently.

Effectiveness

I actually took this product to work and used it in the afternoons as a quick energizer or for a pick me up. Again as I mentioned though, it took several scoops for me to feel energy. When I did though, it was nice. Smooth, and not too jittery or tingly. I felt more alert and could make it through the afternoons with relative ease and that's what I was using it for so in that regard, it was very effective.
However, as other reviewers have pointed out, this would not be effective as a pre-workout, in my opinion. While it does have a decent amino profile you look for in a PWO, the caffeine level is simply too low for most regular PWO users.

It could be used as an intraworkout product if you've already taken a PWO. I think that might be ok.

Value

The cheapest I've seen this is like $16 for 30 servings, from Allstar Health. That's a little over $.50 per serving and on the surface that seems like outstanding value. But if you are like me and you find yourself taking multiple servings per drink or shake, then the value decreases immensely.
With this product, the way you plan to use it determines the value. If you use it for some extra energy at work or for a light workout or just to go about your day, I think it is a great value. If you're using it as a pre-workout or an intraworkout, there are many other better options at a relatively similar price per serving.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

A good amino product geared toward beginners or "average" gym goers from a reliable company. If they reformulate this I think they need to add a little more caffeine and bump up that amino profile more towards the 6-7 gram range. I'm a fan of ON but this isn't or shouldn't be one of their flagship products. If you do what I did and just keep this at your desk at work and use when needed for a boost, it's solid, and is what I believe it is for more than anything else.
Thanks folks!

Until next time.....

Quick Summary

Xenocuts is a nice fat burner that does pretty much what it claims to do. From stopping Hanger pains to making me sweat, this pill did it.

Introduction

First off I would like to thank Penta Nutrition and TROOPer program for allowing me the opportunity to try this product. I am 35 years old and struggle with weight loss and I saw this particular item and decided that this may be something to try out.

Ingredient Profile

Aside from 100 MCG of Chromium and 200MG of Caffeine, xenocuts also lists its Penta Thermogenic Complex of 496MB
Thermogenic complex includes:

Hoodia gordonii Cactus (helps with appetite)
Glucomannan (appetite suppressant)
Green Tea Leaf (helps with weightloss, antioxidant)
Theobromine (helps with hunger pains. No more Hangry days)
Guarana Seed (stimulant)
Cha de Burgre Leaf Powder (fights of hunger)
maca root (rich in antioxidants)
Caralluma fimbriata Cactus (appetite suppressant)
L-Theanine (used for stress)
Banaba Leaf (helps with diabetes and weight loss. Shown to possibly lower blood sugar)
Pomegranate Fruit Powder (supports cardio)
guggul (lowers blood cholesterol levels) and is also an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant compound.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This was in pill form and the taste was not noticed nor was mixing involved. Dosing suggests 1 pill up to two times per day, preferably with meals.

Effectiveness

7.7/10
I am not huge on taking fat burners. I prefer to drink pre workouts and energy drinks ect. However, I gained a few pounds back after my stomach illness subsided and it was devastating. While I was sick, I looked flat and ripped in the midsection and I was extremely happy (minus the being sick part). So when my problems subsided, the weight slowly creeped back up a few pounds. With the program I am currently doing, I am always hungry, always. Xenocuts helped me shed that weight back off and I was not as hungry as I was. I could tell there was a good amount of appetite suppressing ingredients in the blend to help me achieve this. The thermogenic effect was felt from day one as well. I went to the gym and did my HIT routine. By the end of it, you would have thought I took a shower. I was sweating pretty good. My energy levels were very good as well with this. I would take it roughly 45 minutes prior to training and hit the gym running. The only thing that I don't think it did was burn a whole lot of fat. I noticed that my stomach was smaller but I don't think it took out any fat only water weight. I am not complaining though. I think more weight could have been lost if I jumped on a treadmill more that twice per week. But that is not in my workouts so I did not.

Value

7.0/10
I looked around and at the time, I only found it on their website for 29.99. This is about typical for a fat burner and I will say that it is not that high of a price to me

Side Effects

I had no negative side effects with Xenocuts. I sweat like I was in a sauna and I was not hungry but those are good sides to me.

Conclusion

Overall Score

7.0/10

I gave Xenocuts a score of 7 due to the fact that it was affordable, I did lose the weight that I had gained back, and my gym workout was smooth and full of energy. Xenocuts is not a well known brand but it makes a good product that I think if you are in the market for a fat burner or an overall energy pill with a good appetite suppressant, then I would not hesitate to pick you up a bottle.

Quick Summary

I was not familiar with Finaflex before but this brand struck me as not that bad from what I read. The ingredient profile didn't look that bad but this was hands down the worst pre workout I ever had; awful taste, insane clumping.

Introduction

36 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 try different pre workouts all the time, so i can make a pretty good comparison. I received stimul8 Muscle through a bounty program cash out. I normally thank Sr.com and Clipper for the opportunity, but I have to say, this time it's bittersweet

Ingredient Profile

Although the ingredient profile consists of some prop blends, it doesn't look that bad altogether. Not a revolutionary pre workout, but a fairly decent one that gets the job done.

Vitamin D at 1000IU

Muscle Performance
Beta Alanine (Carnosyn), Creapure Creatine, Peak ATP

Energy-Focus Support
Caffeine, L-Theanine, Alpha GPC , Theacrine , club Moss ( 1% Huperzine A)

Some well known and loved ingredients, like Citrulline, are missing and ofcourse it's annoying to not know how much of each ingredients you are getting. Are you getting enough of each ingredient? How much caffeine is in there? This bothers me pretty much. The ingredients put together however should provide a decent pre workout. As it turns out they did not.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This tub of Stimul8 Muscle experienced the worst clumping I have ever seen. I even took a photo. The silicon packet was intact. Not sure what was wrong here and if this is normal with this product. It turned out it was probably the taste and the effectiveness that clumped, what was left was a worthless pre workout.
The worst part was definitely the taste. I am not one to complain on the taste department. If a product works I am not that picky, but this was absolutely gruesome. A bitter nasty medicine like taste with a nasty apple aftertaste.

Effectiveness

As you might expect from what you have read thus far, this product lacked in the effectiveness section so the effectiveness section will not be that long. All I experienced was a bit of an energy pick me up similar to a cup of coffee. Focus..pumpnone of the above. I did however spend my workouts with a nasty taste in my mouth. I hope this product came from a wrong batch. I can't be sure because this is the first review of Stimul8 Muscle on SR. It does however get a 1 out of 10 rating at bodybuilding.com. If this is the way this product is meant to be, Finaflex has some serious tweaking to do on the recipe of their product.

Value

The cheapest place SR. shows on the site is Allstarhealth for 24,99 dollars or 0,83 a serving. The product I got is by no means worth the price of a mid-lower range priced pre workout. I found Amazon even sells this product for 17,95 dollar or 0,60 a serving. This still is not worth it.

Side Effects

Nausea, bitter aftertaste.

Conclusion

Unknown with the brand Finaflex before. Stimul8 Muscle has some serious formulation issues. Where this product was lacking in the effectiveness section, the taste and clumping made this a product a will avoid in the future. Let's just hope this was a faulty batch or a faulty container, because this was one nasty PWO. As stated, the silicon package was intact. The container was sealed shut. I overscooped on purpose just to get through this one sooner. Not a good experience at all. Back to a proper PWO.

Quick Summary

One of the top SR rated Pre-workouts, Nutrex Outlift had me disappointed and hoping for more.

Introduction

I haven't reviewed on SR in awhile, but I always come to this site when I'm looking for my next supplement, especially with Preworkouts. I workout 4-5 times a week, always after work on weekdays or midday on the weekend. I take my fitness seriously, and use this site to scope out the best supplements for my needs.

I was quite intrigued by this preworkout because of the high ranking and positive reviews on this site, combined with it's fully disclosed and good ingredient profile. When I found a reasonable price on Amazon with free Prime shipping, I was sold. My previous 2 pre-workouts, Redcon1 Total War and Death Punch from Hard Iron Labs, were also found using the same criteria.

Ingredient Profile

I was really happy overall with this ingredient profile. It had all your basics clinically dosed and had no proprietary blends. I recognized every ingredient and was pleased with what they were offering.

Citrulline Malate (2:1) 8g
This is one of your staple ingredients, and I'm pleased to see it at 8g. The effects of Citrulline malate are well known, and supplementation has been shown to improve blood flow, helping with reduced fatigue and improved endurance. The clinically recommended dose is 6-8g for sports performance, so Nutrex is spot on with their dosage here.

Beta Alanine 3.2g
Another staple, beta alanine has been shown to improve muscular endurance and offer protection from lactic acid production caused by exercise. The clinical recommended does is 2-5g.

Creapure Creatine Monohydrate- 3g
Creapure is pharmaceutical grade, extremely pure Creatine Monohydrate, so you're getting no fluff here. Now Creatine is one of the most widely researched supplements and has been shown to increase muscular performance. Most people supplement this on their own, myself included, but having a few grams can only help.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (6g)
L-Leucine (3g)
L-Isoleucine (1.5g)
L-Valine (1.5g)

6g of BCAAs in the recommended 2:1:1 is always good to see. For people with low dietary protein intake, BCAAs can promote muscle protein synthesis and increase muscle growth over time. It can also be used to prevent fatigue in novice athletes.

Caffeine Anhydrous (350mg)
A very healthy dosing of caffeine which I love to see. I think 250-350mg is a good sweet spot for a stimulant.

Taurine (2g)
Taurine has been shown to increase blood flow and an effective dose is 500mg-2000mg, so a good solid dosing here.

N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (150mg)
Tyrosine has been shown to effectively improve cognition during exercise. An effective does is between 500-2000mg. This is one ingredient Nutrex underdosed on.

BioPerine- 5mg
BioPerine helps with drug and nutrient absorption in the body which improves the effectiveness of key ingredients.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I got the Miami Vice flavor, which I liked. It's comparable to a passion fruit type flavor I'd say. Mixing was easy but this stuff does settle if you don't drink it right away. Not that big of a deal but you can see the separation. Also, as others have mentioned this builds up quite a bit of pressure when you first mix it. You can see the bubbles and foam at the top and it's best to just open up the top of your shaker to let the pressure out before sipping it. I stuck with 1 full scoop the entire time.

Effectiveness

This is where I felt this product was a letdown for me. I had been off of preworkout for 3 weeks before starting this product. I was expecting a big slap in the face on my first scoop back and got next to nothing. Not really any tingles or cognition focus. As I said, I've used Total War and Death Punch before trying this product and those were a lot more effective. I even upped the dosage to 1.25-1.5 scoops and still didn't feel much. I do think the pump was there, but as a stimulant I think this was a let down. It really didn't get me going that much.

Value

This is currently on Amazon for 44.99 for 30 servings with prime shipping. At the time I bought it there was a 20% off coupon bringing my price to $35.99, which I think is fantastic for a 30 serving tub. Even at the $44.99 price. you're still getting good (not great) value at $1.5/serving. As a fully dosed supplement, I still think that is solid. Add in the fact that this qualifies for prime shipping, you really come out ahead as other sites will be about $5 and several business days for the product to ship and get to you.

Side Effects

I had no side effects. I usually drink about 2 cups of coffee during the day, and I supplement Creatine on my own as well. No upset stomach or anything. The foam at the top could possibly make you burp if you ingest a lot of air while downing this but for me I had no problems.

Conclusion

Overall, this was a decent preworkout but I will be looking elsewhere. I've bounced around a few different products that I know this one just wasn't for me. I was a little disappointed as I had very high hopes after reading all the positive reviews. Perhaps it's just missing one or two ingredients that I don't know of, but I like to see a bit more of a pick me up in my pre workout and I just didn't get that from this.