Quick Summary

Fat burners have been around for many years. Seems like at some point, nearly every supplement company came out with their version of a "fat burner." While these products come and go, I can't see Platinum Labs Opti-burn Amped going anywhere anytime soon. Platinum Labs has figured out the key to fat loss with this product.

Introduction

Hi all. I was researching some other products on here several months ago when I came across this product. I was not even really cutting at the time or in the market for a fat burner. Normally I view them as "scams" or "placebo effect" products but I couldn't ignore all the trusted reviews on here so I ordered a bottle and decided to start cutting. While runnning this product, I was also using Nutrabio's Creatine Monohydrate, Animal Pak, and Nutrabio's Muscle Matrix Protein.

Ingredient Profile

Platinum Labs really found the magic formula with these ingredients at these dosages:

First of all, it's mostly disclosed. The only undisclosed part are the amounts of "other ingredients" which include magnesium, sodium, flavoring, sucralose, malic and citric acid.
Here are the disclosed ingredients:

Carnitine (HCL) - 2.5 grams - I'm a fan of carnitine although I don't separately supplement with it. Carnitine is a staple ingredient in any fat burner product for its energy, metabolism, and overall "well being" properties. At 2.5 grams, this is an effective amount in my opinion.

Taurine - 1.5 grams - Nearly every energy drink has taurine in it and studies have shown it improves energy, and could improve mental capacity. I think this is a good dosage. To me Taurine is effective when combined with other ingredients (mainly caffeine) but by itself I don't know how effective it truly is. That said, it is a piece of the formula here and properly dosed.

CLA (500 MG)- I'm not a huge fan of CLA. It is a chemical found in fatty acids that allegedly helps with weight loss. There's evidence supporting weight loss in animals but I'm not convinced with the weight loss "evidence" for humans. It seems that more studies show CLA is better as an anti-inflammatory product than a specific weight loss product. At 500 MG, it's a solid dose based on daily values but for weight loss, if it really does help with weight loss, I'd like to see closer to a gram. That said, as a supporting ingredient in an overall formula, it probably contributes.

Lotus Leaf 10:1 extract (300 MG) - I don't have any prior experience with Lotus Leaf but from doing some research before I bought the product, it appears it has been shown to possibly be good for regulating blood pressure, reducing strees (which is probably a byproduct of BP regulating properties), digestion and, it also has been shown to reduce water retention, which is why I think it's a great addition to this overall ingredient profile.

African Mango seed 10:1 extract -(300 MG) - Again, this is another ingredient that by itself it's questionable if it really does anything at all. There are some studies showing that it can help with reducing cholesterol, regulating blood sugar levels, and control appetite (due to high fiber content). I think it compliments these other ingredients at this dosage, so I like that it's in here actually.

Horsetail stem - 4:1 extract - (300 mg) - Horsetail is a great plant that has been used for a variety of things ranging from hair growth/hair loss prevention, TB, urinary tract infections. It's included in this product for its diuretic effects. There really isn't a proven clinical dose as a diuretic so I can't say purely from the amount, whether or not it is properly dosed however I did pee my brains out when running this supplement so I imagine the Horsetail played a role.

Caffeine Anhydrous (250 MG) - This is a must in stim fat burners. I think this is a good dosage for its purpose. I always look at the overall purpose of the supp when considering the dosage of a particular ingredient. If I were using this soley as a pre-workout or was looking for pre-workout effects, me personally, I would like to see slightly more caffeine but as part of an ingredient profile for a fat burner, this is right on point IMO.

Green Coffee bean extract (250 MG) & Green Tea Extract (200 MG) - I combined these two because IMO they do more or less the same thing. Green Tea and Green Tea extract in particular have been shown to increase energy (mostly due to caffeine), regulate metabolism and provide anti-oxidant properties. Nearly every fat burner out there has green coffee bean extract or green tea extract in some form. I drink green tea daily (you should too) so I know it does increase energy and help my metabolism. 200 MG is good. I would maybe like to see a little bit more. I'm not as familiar with the green coffee bean extract dosages but it appears that this is a good dosage based on what I can find.

Raspberry Ketones(250 MG) - Again, not sure if this does anything by itself. There are a lot of claims out there but tests have never been done on humans, only rats and mice. There is some speculation that it could help in regulating metabolism.

Dandelion Root Extract (200 MG) - helps with blood sugar levels, acts as an anti-inflammatory, may have a positive effect on cholesterol. I know some people that use this as a separate supplement and have noted the anti-inflammatory properties, so in that regard I think it does work.

Higenamine HCL (50 MG) - This ingredient intrigues me. It seems to be showing up in many pre-workouts and is said to increase energy and also mood, cognitive focus, and also acts as a muscle relaxer. It was actually recently banned by WADA in professional sports, so any athletes on here BE CAREFUL with this product if you are tested. From what I can tell 50 MG is a solid dosage.

It may seem like I wasn't high on a lot of these ingredients, and I'm not as stand alone supps, but in this combination it is a "magic" profile, as you will see below when I talk about effectiveness

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I was told the "Australian Summer" flavor is really good but I tried "Lemon & Lime" and I have to say it was fantastic! I found myself wanting to take more than one serving throughout the day because it tasted so good. There's no chemical taste whatsoever, it just tastes mostly like lemonade with lime infusion. I will tell you, the powder itself has a weird smell. Not necessarily a bad smell but when I opened it, I had to sniff it a couple of times because it was just strange. I can't explain it. It was almost like a "smokey" or "musty citrus" smell. The powder looks a little bit like sand. Kind of a coarse light brownish color. I only have experience with the Lemon and Lime Flavor so I'm not sure if they all look like this.

I mixed it in a shaker bottle mostly and few times in a vortex mixer. It always mixes smooth, very smooth which surprised me because just looking at the powder it doesn't look like it would. The color when mixed with water is like a yellowish, brownish color. Don't let this scare you, trust me, it tastes soooo good.

For the first week I ran this, I took it as a pre-workout about 30 mins before my workouts. The container says to take it immediately upon waking up, before your first meal of the day.
As a pre-workout, it was ok. Not great, not terrible. I felt the energy and maybe a slight increase in focus. However, the product is not intended as a pre-workout supplement so I can't knock it based on that.
After about a week, I started taking it after my workout (I lift early in the morning), usually while eating breakfast. I found this worked best for me.

Effectiveness

After running one tub (12.6 oz), I lost a little over 7 pounds! I changed nothing in my routine as far as working out (did same amount of lifting and some cardio) or eating, so clearly this product worked! Almost too well. I think I thought I would probably lose 3-5 pounds most of it being water so this exceeded my expectations. I have dabbled with other thermogenics/fat burners over the years and had mild success at best but this stuff tasted so good that I thought there was no way it would work or that it would be "placebo effect" fat loss but it definitely was not.

I've always been kinda "skinny fat" over the years and this stuff has significantly helped in reducing extra fat in the typical male problem areas (abs, love handles, etc).

I would recommend taking one dose a day, and despite the good taste, do not exceed that amount. I can't imagine what would happen if someone was running this and hitting cardio really hard.

Some reviewers have talked about this significantly killing their appetite. I didn't notice that to that degree. I think it only slightly decreased my overall appetite.

Value

I got this for $36 from LuckyVitamin.com and at less than $1.00/serving this is a steal, or at least it was for me, given how effective the product is. It's a little difficult to find and the few places that do have it usually have it for $39.99 which is still a good price, IMO.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

Let's be honest, even if they won't (or don't want to) admit it, most people have at least a little extra body fat they would like to get rid of. Do yourself a favor and try a tub of this. If you like lemonade, get the Lemon & Lime flavor, drink this with your breakfast, and don't change anything. The results are real. I knocked some of the ingredients as standalones but together, Platinum Labs figured out the magic formula. Don't wast your money on any other fat burners. Seriously.

Introduction

First off I want to thank Nutrabio for letting us troopers have the chance to give this product a try. I am not usually into post workout products to much but I do like to try them from time to time. Awhile back I did get to try this when they had their like first version of this and thought it was decent. When I saw this newest version I thought it looked really good and new I had to give it a try. With the great profile this had I was really excited to see how well this would help me with my recovery.

Ingredient Profile

For a post workout product I feel this has a pretty solid ingredient profile to it. You get a total of 21g amino acids, 8g BCAA, 5g glutamine, 3g creatine.

BCAAs in the scientifically studied 2:1:1 ratio (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) shown to promote muscle growth, recovery, and reduce training related soreness.

Glutamine to replenish energy for muscles (glycogen) after exhaustive exercise which may lead to quicker recovery.

L-Carnitine Tartrate to reduce oxidative muscle damage and muscular fatigue.

L-Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate which promotes anabolic and anti-catabolic responses in the body which may play a role in boosting recovery.

Glycine; which plays a critical role in repairing damaged muscle tissue and is necessary for the biosynthesis of creatine.

Carnosyn Beta-Alanine to buffer the negative side effects of hydrogen ion accumulation in muscles during and after intense exercise. This accumulation is thought to be the culprit behind DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Betaine Anhydrous to combat fatigue, lower levels of lactate, and stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Creatine Monohydrate and Creatine MagnaPower for greater strength, power, and muscle gains as well as increased solubility and absorption.

Taurine to decrease exercise induced DNA damage.

Electrolyte and hydration optimizer that helps maintain water balance in the muscle, facilitates motor neuron function, and increase exercise capacity.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I had one of their newer flavors kiwi strawberry. What I noticed right away is that this does have a rather weird smell to it but don't let the smell of it distract you from how it really tastes. I thought overall this was not to bad on taste. It does have a rather strong taste to it. I do think the strawberry part of this is over powers the kiwi a lot. The after taste is when I seemed to notice the kiwi a bit. Some times I thought this tasted really good and sometimes not as much. I think it depended on how thirsty I was because the more thirsty I was the better this seemed to taste. I know I did not have to add a bit more water to it so it would not taste so strong like.

This did mix up fairly well and had no issues with it. I know if I let this sit for awhile after I mixed it up there would still be some sediment that would form on the bottom of my shaker cup and would have to shake it up a few more times before I would drink it. After I would do that it then seemed to stay fully mixed and had no other issues at all with it. Since this is a post workout product the best time to take this is right after your workout. Since I still like to get my protein in right away after my workout I decided I would use this intra-workout instead and just sip on it through out my workout. Since this had aminos in it I would just replace this for my regular amino product. This is loaded pretty well so all you really need is one scoop ad that is what I used. I would only use this once per day. This could be taken pretty much when ever but I would say post workout or like I did intra-workout.

Effectiveness

Value

The standard price I seem to be finding this for is $39.99 for 30 servings. For some people this may seem a little on the high side ( I do agree) but you do have to look at what all they put in here and they do clinically dosed this. I think this is about the top price I would care to pay for a product like this.

Side Effects

I did get a little bit of an upset stomach when I used. Not all the time but once in awhile I noticed that. I think it could be from taking my pre-workout and then shortly after that taking this and it was just to much stuff to put in my system at once.

Conclusion

Quick Summary

From the brand:

Want to get accused of being a fake natty with your juicy pump?
SUPERHUMAN was developed for gym enthusiasts looking for a COMPLETE pre workout formula that is MAX DOSED and OVER DELIVERS and leaves you being accused of being a fake natty.

1 Scoop of SUPERHUMAN guarantees the most ANABOLIC workout experience of your life.
100% Original Formula. Non Proprietary Blend, Max Dosed Premium Ingredients, NOTHING on the market like it.
Best of all, this formula is so complete we added an "Anti-Crash Matrix" No more crashing after taking your pre workout.
Most formulas have a really strong pump formula but are pretty weak when it comes to energy or muscular performance or Vice Versa.
SUPERHUMAN pre workout has 4 equally strong components - and each matrix is maximum dosed.
SUPERHUMAN Energy
SUPERHUMAN Pump
SUPERHUMAN Strength
SUPERHUMAN Focus

Throw in the anti crash and absorption and you have the best pre workout on the planet and we GUARANTEE that.
Sure we could have simply had a pre workout that contains 5 or 6 fully dosed ingredients like many of the big guys do and saved our money to market all over the world.

But we so confident we created the best all round PRE WORKOUT on the planet that we know you will tell your friends and other guys at the gym about it

Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself and if you are not happy for any reason we offer a 60 day money back guarantee.

Introduction

Hello all. Full intro about myself can be found here in the forum: https://supplementreviews.com/forum/index.php?topic=35432.0

First, my thanks go out to Alpha Lion for sending me a tub of their SUPERHUMAN pre-workout to try and review. I remember when the first batch of this product was available to us TROOPers and at first glance, this seemed like a fully loaded, well dosed pre-workout. At that time, I did not need any pre-workout so I left it for others to claim hoping another opportunity would become available in the future. Thankfully that is exactly what happened here and I picked up this tub to give the product a run. I also have not used a 2-amino containing pre-workout in quite a while, so I was interested in seeing how that may change my current workout intensity and duration. Let's dive in...

Ingredient Profile

As I mentioned in the intro, the first time I checked this product out on SR.com, I thought to myself "Damn, this thing looks to be loaded!" Having never heard of Alpha Lion or this pre-workout before, I knew it was something I wanted to give a shot at some point. A few things caught my eye on the supplement facts panel. The first was the inclusion of 2-aminoisoheptane (also known as DMHA) stacked with a hefty dose of caffeine (350mg). I knew if all went well, this combo would provide some serious and long lasting energy for my training sessions and likely beyond as well.

Next I liked what was included in the pump matrix with a nice dose of Citrulline Malate (7g) but unfortunately the ratio is not listed. Some may assume it is the typical 2:1 that is seen in many other similar products but it would have been nice if the brand detailed that out for us. Beyond that ingredient, we have the inclusion of two relatively new and up-and-coming trademarked pump ingredients. That is the VASO6 (150mg) and Nitrosigine (750mg). VASO6 is produced by our friends over at Compound Solutions who are well known for many other trademarked ingredients such as TeaCrine, Dynamine and Peak O2. The product page for this ingredient can be found at https://www.compoundsolutions.com/vaso6.html Nitrosigine is a Nutrition 21 trademarked ingredient and more can be found about this ingredient at https://nitrosigine.com/about/

The remaining ingredients on the label are pretty standard in my opinion and great to have in order to put this supplement into the category of being a complete pre-workout at one scoop. Unless you are 400 pounds of shredded human being, I could not see any reason why more than one scoop of this product would need to be taken for a training session. What I did find a little odd is Alpha Lion did not use the CarnoSyn version of Beta Alanine. With multiple other trademarked ingredients used in the formula, using the most well-known version of Beta Alanine seems like it would be a great fit for this product. Beyond that, we do have a little higher dose than most pre-workouts at 3.5g, compared to the pretty common 3.2g dose. The Betaine Anhydrous is another ingredient where a trademarked version is available (BetaPower) but was not used in this product. While it would have been nice to have, I understand that certain compromises need to be made in order to keep the cost under control. Below is a list of all the ingredients included in this supplement.

Superhuman Energy Matrix:

Caffeine (from Anhydrous and citrate): 350mg >> The compulsory ingredient in pre-workouts, Caffeine in SUPERHUMAN is dosed at an optimal level of 350mg including sources from both Caffeine Anhydrous and Caffeine Citrate (faster acting).

2-aminoisoheptane: 100mg >> The most cutting edge stimulant of the post-DMAA era, DMHA has made its way into the most popular pre workouts of the day. It's benefits include intense energy and tunnel vision focus.

N-Methyl Tyramine HCl: 75mg >> NMT is a human trace amine. Basically, it's a neuromodulator substance found in plants that tends to be similar to our neurotransmitters substances. Used almost exclusively in pre workout and fat burning supplements, NMT is comparable to octopamine, hordenine, and synephrine.

Superhuman Pump Matrix:

L-Citrulline Malate: 7g >> You can obtain citrulline from food or your body can manufacture it from ornithine, another amino acid you obtain from food, through a biochemical process called the urea cycle. This cycle helps rid your body of ammonia, a waste product of protein digestion. After your digestive system metabolizes citrulline malate into citrulline, enzymes in your liver cells convert it into another amino acid called arginine, and other enzymes then convert arginine into nitric oxide in a process that also produces new citrulline molecules. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that can help protect you from cardiovascular problems by lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow to your organs, according to experts at the University of Southern California. Although your body can make citrulline in this way, research suggests that consuming extra citrulline may have significant health benefits. (https://www.livestrong.com/article/545080-what-is-l-citrulline-malate/)

Green Tea Extract (leaf) (asVASO6): 150mg >> The most hyped pump ingredient of 2017, debuting with Olympus Labs RE1GN, VASO6 is a nitric oxide booster that is optimally paired with Citrulline. This potent combo has headlined many of the industry leading pre workouts in recent memory.

L-Taurine: 1g >> Found in vast quantities in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscles, taurine is a semi conditional that provides multiple benefits to the hard-training athlete. First and foremost, taurine functions as a cell volumizer, encouraging your muscles to absorb extra water, which leads to improved hydration, stamina, and muscle fullness. Since taurine is also present in the brain, it can enhance focus and reduce brain fatigue, helping you stay in the zone no matter how long you're in the gym. For a little more information, check out this article: https://www.tigerfitness.com/articles/post/taurine-pre-workout-supplement

Nitrosigine (Inositol Arginine Silicate): 750mg >> Also known as Arginine Silicate, Nitrosigine has been shown to be much more effective than Arginine at much lower dosages. Arginine is responsible for the muscle pump effect that you feel when working out, and Nitrosigine has been shown to have a very positive effect at improving muscle pump and blood flow.

L-Norvaline: 60mg >> L-Norvaline supports the body's arginine concentrations. The ultimate purpose for norvaline is to assist in the regulation of both nitric oxide (NO) and blood flow. NO is a natural molecule that increases vasodilation. What does this mean for you as the lifter? This means your blood vessels will dilate and your blood pressure will reduce. This process is known as vasodilation. With norvaline, vasodilation will be greater which translates into bigger pumps that will last long after your workout is over. This greater amount of nutrient rich blood flowing to the muscles for longer periods can also positively affect your recovery which means you'll see better results in the long-term.
Norvaline extends nitric oxide boosting effects by stunting arginase activity. Arginase is an enzyme that removes arginine and converts it into urea. Arginase can also restrict or regulate the production of nitric oxide. Norvaline stunting arginase means it helps promote unrestricted nitric oxide levels. According to a study from the Department of Medical Physiology and Microcirculation at Texas A&M University, norvaline increases NO production by 55%! (https://primevallabs.com/l-norvaline-explained/)

Superhuman Strength Matrix:

Beta Alanine: 3.5g >> Responsible for inducing hyperemia (also known as the "beta tingles," Beta Alanine has been shown to improve strength and endurance with continuous use. SUPERHUMAN has included a massive 3.5g dose which is nearly double the dose that is normally seen in pre workout supplements.

Betaine Anhydrous: 2g >> Betaine anhydrous (sometimes also referred to as trimethylglycine or "TMG") is a compound derived from the amino acid choline and is naturally occurring in plant species (especially sugar beets). In recent years, Betaine anhydrous has garnered a healthy amount of praise in sports supplementation, specifically as a pre-workout augmenter and potent performance enhancer.

Betaine anhydrous appears to have a multitude of benefits for athletes and gym-goers alike.

It has been gaining reputation as a pre-workout performance enhancer (for power and energy boosts) and also as a possible adjunct for fat-loss regimens. The primary reasons to supplement with betaine anhydrous include:
Increased power output
Increased capacity to perform anaerobic work
Increased energy levels
Promotes cellular hydration (similar to creatine)
May reduce LDL cholesterol/blood lipids
May help reduce body-fat tissue (needs more conclusive research)
(https://www.jackedfactory.com/betaine-anhydrous/)

Anti-Crash Matrix:

L-Theanine: 350mg >> L-theanine is an amino acid found most commonly in tea leaves and in small amounts in Bay Bolete mushrooms. It can be found in both green and black tea. It's also available in pill or tablet form at many drugstores. Research indicates that L-theanine promotes relaxation without drowsiness. Many people take L-theanine to help ease stress and unwind.

Superhuman Absorption Matrix:

Black Pepper Extract (95% Piperine): 10mg >> More information on this trademarked ingredient can be found at https://www.bioperine.com/

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste >> I received the Kandy Kryptonite flavor, which is modeled after cotton candy. While it wasn't the best cotton candy flavored supplement I have ever had, it was still delicious and a joy to drink before each session. Very sweet with no bad aftertaste or anything to complain about; which is very impressive considering they only use about 13% non-active ingredients per scoop.

Mixability >> No big issues here. It is a decent sized scoop at almost 18 grams per serving with a lot of active ingredients, so I did not expect perfect mixing. Having said that, there were never any clumps or large amounts of sediment left over on the final sip.

Dosing >> Per the brand: "WARNING: Don't be the FOOL Who Over-Doses on Pre-Workout! You NEVER need to take more than one scoop! Mix SUPERHUMAN with 12-16 ounces of water and drink 15-30 minutes before lifting things up and putting them down repeatedly." They also recommend starting with a half scoop then working your way up to a full scoop.

** As a side note, I measured one level scoop on my generic food scale at home and it usually came in at between 14 and 15 grams while a full serving is 17.65 grams. While this is not an issue for me (especially with the amount of stimulants included in each scoop), I just wanted to make others aware in case they don't feel the full effects from using just a level scoop.**

Effectiveness

First a little background about the type of training I did while using this supplement. I typically lift weights between three and four days a week. For the first three training sessions of the week, I am doing full body workouts including some heavy movements for different body parts each day. For example, the first session would have a heavy movement focused on my back (deadlifts or rows), the second day would have the heavy movement focused on my chest and shoulders (bench press and/or overhead press) and the third full body session would have the heavy movement focused on my legs (squats or leg press). After the heavy movements were done, the other body parts would be worked in the hypertrophy range. These workouts normally last about 90 minutes and I would sometimes do TABATA cardio afterwards. If I went in on a fourth day, that would just be a "free" day to add some more volume to any body part(s) that were feeling good or that I wanted to improve but nothing heavy.

Initially I started out with 3/4 of a scoop (13 to 14 grams) for the first couple of workouts just to be on the safe side. Since this was my first time in a while using a DMHA containing pre-workout, I wasn't sure how my body would react. Even at the reduce dosage, SUPERHUMAN still provided me with enough active ingredients to have solid workouts. The first thing that hit me was the energy and increased focus, which came on about 20 minutes after finishing. These were smooth and long lasting with no huge spike in heart rate or any negative feelings. As the workout got going, everything else started kicking in and my body was feeling great. The strength and power aspect was always there during my heavy movements along with what felt like improved recovery between sets. As the weight increased during these heavy sets, I felt like my mind and body was prepared for the next set well before the designated rest time. This allowed me to increase the intensity of my workouts without sacrificing weight or injuring myself. As I transitioned into the other body parts and hypertrophy training, that is where the pump matrix ingredients started to make themselves known. Even at the reduced dosage, my vascularity improved and the feeling of muscle fullness was present for each body part trained and it stayed with me until the end of the workout (which was usually biceps and triceps). Even after the lifting portion was completed, I often still had the energy and focus to do some TABATA cardio, which is not normal with some of the less comprehensive pre-workouts that I have used.

After the first week of workouts went well with no side effects or crash from the 3/4 scoop, I increased the dosage to the full scoop to see how things would go. As one might expect, most of the positive aspects I described while using the 3/4 scoop were amplified while still not having any side effects. The energy and focus would come on at the same time and pace but would last a little longer with the full scoop. This was nice when I had something else that needed to be done after the workout as my energy levels were still elevated without needing to consume anything more. The strength, power and endurance aspects were pretty much the same when compared to the lower dosage; maybe a slight increase here and there but nothing astounding by comparison. However, the pump and muscle fullness aspects had a notable increase when I moved to the full scoop. The vascularity in my arms and shoulders showed up much sooner than before and the muscle fullness was present after the first working set most of the time. A big surprise was the amount of muscle fullness I could still achieve in my arms at the end of the workout and how it would stick around afterwards while using the full dosage.

In the end, I think most people would have great results using the 3/4 scoop dosage, which happens to be just under a level scoop based on my measurements. For reference, I am 6'3" and weigh around 220 pounds (100kg) and the lower dosage worked well for me during my somewhat long workouts. If you have less body mass than I do and/or your workouts are more body part focused and last less time than 90 minutes, a 3/4 scoop will likely provide you with a great workout and help the tub last longer (which helps with the value and cost per serving).

Value

SUPERHUMAN is available on the Alpha Lion website for $43.00 per tub, which includes 21 servings. You can save 10% if you sign up for their subscription service, which includes a delivery every 28 days. They also have a 60 day money back guarantee. They also have an interest-free installment plan where you can pay for a tub over a four month period.

This product has also recently made it to the Suppz.com website and currently has a list price of $39.99 with all three flavors available. Suppz provides free shipping on orders over $79 as well and they often have some type of discount code floating around the internet to save you some extra cash.

Depending on how many workouts and the dosage you use for each, a tub can last you between three weeks (6 days a week at full dosage) or more than two months (3 days a week at 3/4 dosage).

Side Effects

I personally did not experience any negative side effects throughout my use of the tub. With so many active ingredients, be sure to take a look at the label before buying just to make sure nothing is in here that you know you do not react well to. Since this supplement does contain a pretty potent energy matrix with a decent dose of caffeine and the DMHA, I would not consume this too late in the day or you might have some issues with sleep.

The flavor I had also contained some artificial colors (Yellow 5 and Blue 1), so be aware of those if you are allergic to them or just trying to avoid these ingredients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this was my first time using a product from the Alpha Lion brand and it was a home run for me. SUPERHUMAN has a great supplement facts profile with nice doses of the ingredients many gym junkies look for, including some trademarked ingredients so we know the quality is there. They could have used some more trademarked versions of certain ingredients but that is just nit-picking for many. The flavor I had was great and a joy to drink each time. The effectiveness was there at both of the dosages that I tried with no side effects at either. The standard retail cost might be a little steep to some but this is truly a one scoop pre-workout and many might be able to succeed at only 3/4 of a scoop per workout. The only recommendation that I have is to remove the artificial colors from the formula. There is no need for these in this product, they provide no benefit to athletic performance and they add limits to your potential market of buyers.

Once again, thank you and welcome to the SR.com community Alpha Lion. You created a great performing and cool looking pre-workout with SUPERHUMAN and I look forward to trying some other products from your brand.

Thank you for reading my review and let me know if you have any questions.

Quick Summary

Ketone salts, nootropics, and electrolytes to make keto cutting easier.

Introduction

Hey SR, as many of you know, I have been doing Carb Nite dieting for awhile now. I have seen more and more of these ketone products pop up and they are pretty interesting. The whole idea is that these will help you get into ketosis quicker so your body will burn more fat, and take a lot of the "keto flu" symptoms away that include lethargy, headaches, cravings, etc. Not a lot of hard science yet, and tracking ketosis also takes money whether it's bloodwork, urine sticks etc. I've been doing it for so long though, I think I can be a good judge as far as if this helped and improved my keto diet, or if it was just a sham. Here's how it worked for me.

Ingredient Profile

As always, VMI delivers a nice profile and is fully disclosed. This provides a little over 6g of BHB salts (the main ingredient to help you get into ketosis in theory), some TRAACS minerals for hydration support, and 300 mg of Tyrosine for focus. I really think the hydration elements and focus support are nice extras for this product, and behing that the salts are new for me I like this profile quite a bit.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Mixability was was good but a little foamy. Dosing is anytime, preferably preworkout, on an empty stomach. As an experienced keto dieter though, I played with the dosage some. I did not take this everyday as I thought this would be a waste. I follow the Carb Nite protocol where basically you go super low carb for 10-14 days, usually under 20 g, and then you have a cheat night to reset your hormones, etc. This has been incredibly successful for me and love it, but I know it takes at least 2 days to get back into ketosis. Knowing this, I always waited at least a day and a half before I used this as I don't think it would have much effect the day after a cheat meal and you still had to "get rid" of all these carbs. Plus, since this is supposed to help with the side ffects of keto dieting I wanted to wait till a couple days after cheating when those cravings become real again.

Effectiveness

So did this work? First of all, no I didn't get blood work or urine sticks. YEs, I know this makes it a scientifically invalid review, but so what most of us aren't going to do that anyways. I've been keto dieting for years and here's what I can tell you. This helped me in a lot of ways. The hydration and focus really helped on a lot of days especially in the afternoons. I do feel that this helped me get into keto faster, but not necessarily in a deeper state of ketosis. I saw a little increase in weight loss, but not a ton. Overall, this helped me with the cravings, focus, and energy even though there are no stims. This helped quite a deal in helping me stick to my diet longer. Perhaps this would work better if I did 20 straight days without cheating, and would be worth a shot in running it that way.

Value

This is one of the biggest set backs, as the cheapest I found this is $40 for 20 servings. At this price point, it would purely be a luxury item.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

This really helped with keto side effects and cravings and helped me stay on track, but too expensive to be a staple in my arsenal.

Quick Summary

Good ingredients, but underdosed preworkout for the avid lifter.

Introduction

Hey SR, here today to review HD Labs' preworkout Calibrate V2. I workout really early in the morning before work so I always look for a preworkout to provide clean energy and endurance without a crash afterwards. Overall, I really don't like super heavy stim preworkouts and like a more well balanced pre so this caught my eye. Unfortunately, this product has some room for improvement for me.

Ingredient Profile

Calibrate comes with three blends to aid your workouts, with a Strength, Vasolidagtion, and Energy blend. Although it looks like prop blends at first, each ingredient has a dosage next to it. To be honest, I like the profile a lot in terms of ingredients that they chose, but many are underdosed. Some highlights would be the Beta Alanine at 1.6 g, Citrulline at 500 mg, and Hydromax at 125 mg. Solid ingredients, just wish I had more of them. I like that they included a caffeine blend of extended release caffeine to prevent a crash, but 175 mg total is a little weak too. This pre does have creatine, and a mix of mono and magnapower to total 2.5 g. For me, 3 g of just mono is good so 2.5 with a little premium creatine I'm ok with. Overall, a nice list of ingredients but many are underdosed.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Dosing is standard with 1-2 scoops preworkout. I tried one scoop, but eventually moved to two especially for heavier days. Mixability was good. I had the crackberry lemonade flavor and it was very enjoyable. No real complaints here.

Effectiveness

I'll review the three blend areas as I saw them.

Strength: I didn't notice a huge jump in strength or endurance while taking this. No beta alanine tingles, even at 2 scoops. My muscles felt a little fuller because of the creatine, but that was it.

Pump: Pretty much non existent. I'm not a pump chaser by any means, but it does have some benefits and is a bonus, it just wasn't there.

Energy: This was probably the best part of the preworkout, but it didn't blow my socks off either. It did provide steady energy that helped me through my workouts and enhanced focus especially at 2 scoops. I've just had a lot better preworkouts, and when you consider value and ingredients it would be hard to recommend this.

Value

Limited availability and $50 for 32 scoops from their website. Considering I really needed more than one scoop, the value for this is just not there.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, this is too expensive and underdosed for me to try again.

Quick Summary

This is a versatile product that is useful for just about anyone. Where most products that are similar are essentially an energy drink, this provides legitimate value in helping you recover.

Introduction

What's up SR- I'm still trying to catch up on here with some of my reviews thanks to a very busy year-end! Today I'm talking about NutraBio's bodybuilding.com exclusive: EAA Energy.

I've written reviews for similar products in the past, and I am a big fan of this category, but this one takes the cake. Most others offer trace measurements of the ingredients you need for recovery, and are really only useful for the caffeine kick-- essentially an over glorified energy drink or cup of coffee. Not the case here. NutraBio, per usual, decided to step it up a notch compared to the comp.

Ingredient Profile

The ingredient profile in EAA energy is fairly straight forward. To begin, we have an 8.2g panel of BCAA/EAAs that are fermented and micronized. The BCAAs represent 6g of this in a 2:1:1 ratio. The remaining and oft forgotten EAAs are an essential complement with much lower measurements, but effective nonetheless. If you've only ever taken BCAAs I'd encourage you to try this or really any other product that offers the full spectrum of essential and branch chain amino acids. I guarantee you'll see a difference in your recovery time.

Following this we have 1.2g of Taurine, I assume to aid in blood flow and thus recovery; 600mg of L-Alanine, a non-essential amino acid (meaning it can be produced within the body); 500mg of CocoPure Coconut Water Powder to aid in hydration; 100mg of Infinergy yielding 75mg of caffeine, and 79mg of PurCaf organic green tea extract yielding another 75mg of caffeine. To aid in absorption there is 50mg of AstraGin, which in my opinion is far superior to the standard bioperine/black pepper extract.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: I received Cherry Limeade, and like most NutraBio flavors, found it to be pretty good. It was a good balance of tangy and sweet, and not overpowering by any means. I've always shied away from lime and lemon flavors because they're tough to get right, but NutraBio did a good job with this.

Mixability: I had no issues here, compared to other similar products. After the initial shake there would be a bit of settling, but after a few minutes everything seemed to dissolve. I normally drank this with 16oz. of water.

Dosing: For me, this was most useful in the afternoons. It gave me a pickup in substitute of a cup of coffee, and it helped me increase my intake of amino acids. My wife, however, stole a few scoops as a preworkout and then went and bought her own tub. She's been enjoying using it for that.

Effectiveness

For an energy drink, this was superb for me. The caffeine lasted about 3 hours but was never intense. I have a fairly high tolerance but not as high as others on this site. I wouldn't be able to use this as a PWO like my wife was able to, but it certainly kept me rolling in the office and being productive. I also noticed it seemed to have a positive impact on reducing my muscle soreness, always a plus. I can't say if it helped me much with hydration since I am constantly drinking water throughout the day, but it certainly couldn't have hurt!

Value

At $29.99 on bodybuilding.com, EAA energy is about $1/serving. I'm fine with this. It's effective and while slightly more expensive than similar products, it blows them away in comparison.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

If you're a fan of AminoEnergy by OptimumNutrition, go buy a bottle of this next time you run out. I'd give ON a slight edge in the flavor department but that edge is razor thin, whereas you're in a whole different division when it comes to the actual ingredients that will help you recover in EAA Energy. This is a superior product from a superior company. I hope they come out with an all natural version because they did a great job doing that with their pre and intra workout products already.

Go buy!

Quick Summary

Simply put this product delivers.

Introduction

Big thanks to Iconic Formulations for letting me run Iconogenin. I have used Laxogenin products before in the past and to be honest, I never got the great results that everyone always talks about. So much I had always chalked the ingredient up as a waste, or modern snake oil. It was not until I did some more research that I learned that it does not work as an oral supplement. Because of this Iconic formulations has made this a topical gel, so let's see if this makes it better.

Ingredient Profile

So the ingredient profile is a bit confusing simply because it looks like this:

Water, Ethyl Alcohol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, 5a Hydroxy Laxogenin, Propylene Glycol Monolaurate, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Tetrahydropiperine.

Yep, a big glob of mumbo jumbo. What you need to focus on is the 5a Hydroxy Laxogenin because that is the main factor in this product.

So what is laxogenin? It's a naturally occurring steroidal sapogenin taken from Smilax Sieboldii, a plant related to asparagus, and is similar in structure to ecdysterone, another widely supplemented plant-derived anabolic compound.

Laxogenin belongs to a family of plant-based steroids collectively known as brassinosteroids, which are present in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and pollen of a number of plants and foods. Interestingly enough, it's also found in high amounts in mustard oil.

What does laxogenin do?

Increased protein synthesis and lean mass
Decreased stress
Enhanced recovery
Greater strength & power
Regulates cortisol levels
Analgesic (relieves pain)
Improves blood sugar regulation
Reduces LDL "bad" cholesterol
Improves thyroid function
Limits protein breakdown
Combats inflammation

so in other words.....a lot

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

There are not any issues with taste or mixability because this is a topical gel for the body.

dosing is based on the user's body weight and the bottle shows a diagram of where to apply the gel. Usually, you want to apply it to the neck chest, core, arms area or basically where the majority of lymph nodes are in your upper body. I always would use this at night after I took a shower, that way my body could absorb as much as possible before I was doing a sweaty workout in the morning.

Effectiveness

I would say this product was pretty effective for what it says it can do. In the past, with this ingredient, I expected to see large strength gains and other benefits as if it was a testosterone booster like Hades. With this gel I had a different outlook, I focused more on leanness in the area applied and recovery. By being on the lookout for those two benefits, this product really shined. After about a week of use, I noticed that recover with my shoulders and chest was almost instant. I also noticed that I gained some size and leanness in these areas as well. My shoulder caps were more predominant and I noticed more veins showing through these areas as well. For me, this was a sign that the product was doing what it was intended to do. The muscle was repairing and recovering at a faster rate increasing my strength, and it was also aiding in leaning out those areas.

Value

You can find this on amazon.com for $44.95 and depending on your body weight it will dictate how many pumps you get. I was using 3-4 pumps and it lasted well over a month, so to me, this product is worth the price.

Side Effects

Conclusion

This was an interesting run on an ingredient that I deemed a lost cause. Because Iconic Formulations put this into a topical cream, I 100% believe that this is the only way to go now with this ingredient. Next year when I am looking to lean out and really put my body to the test, I will be getting this product again an seeing if it still lives up to the hype.

Quick Summary

This is a fully disclosed effective fat burner.

Introduction

Big thanks to Myokem for letting me try Thyrovate. In my continuing stride to lean out over the year, I am trying new products to find a way to make this process easier, and I find that using a fat burner every now and again can help my body kick it into another gear. Let us see how Pyroxamine stacks up with other products out there.

Ingredient Profile

Others have spelled out what each and every ingredient does, so there is no sense in re-inventing the wheel here.

As you can see Myokem has given us a fully disclosed label and once again has included some exotic ingredients:
1 Capsule
Caralluma fimbriata (125mg)
Olive Leaf {std. 20% Oleuropein} (100mg)
Caffeine Anhydrous (100mg)
L-Theanine (50mg)
Cognizin Citicoline (50mg)
TeaCrine Theacrine (50mg)
Bacopa monnieri extract 5:1 (50mg)
Grains of Paradise {std. 12.5% paradol} (40mg)
Evodia rutaecarpe {std. 95% Evodiamine} (25mg)
Theobromine (25mg)
Sacred Lotus (25mg)
Barley{std. to Hordenine} (25mg)
Huperzine-A 1% (5mg)
Bioperine (5mg)

Since this is based on one capsule I feel that they have given you the flexibility to apply the dose to how you want. For example, I would take one pill with my pre-workout and dose the rest normally throughout the day.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste and mixability are not an issue because this was a pill.

As I have previously mentioned I took one capsule in the morning with my pre-workout and then I would take 2 during lunch simply because I do not want to take anything stimulant related in the afternoon due to it possibly affecting my sleep.

Effectiveness

I found this product to very effective. First off, I was constantly sweating which shows that the thermogenic effects with this were real, instead of just manifested by the idea of a thermogenic. The second thing that I noticed was a severe hit to my appetite. When taking this, I found myself forcing myself to eat my food because I was simply not hungry. I did not have the nausea side effects from this that Darkman had, but again, I would find myself telling myself that it is time to eat. this combined with the thermo effect creates a potent weight loss combination. Over the course of this bottle, I lost 5lbs which may not seem like a lot of weight, but it's actually pretty good because it was weight loss and kept off until the run was over. Once I stopped using this product I noticed the definition that was seeing while using this faded away, and the weight came back. Keep in mind, nothing changed with diet and workout, so that tells me that the product was making a difference.

Value

This where the product takes a hit. Myokem with almost every product seems to travel on the higher end of the price scale and this is no different. If you dose this at the max dose you will only get 20 days worth for $50 which puts you at $2.50 a day. This adds up folks, and even if you only use 2 pills a day you are looking at $2.00 a serving which is still very pricey.

Side Effects

Conclusion

Overall this is a real homerun of a weight loss pill. While the price is high, this is definitely one of those you get what you pay for in terms of results. If I could do it again, I would run this product again and see where it takes me in my weight loss journey.

Quick Summary

Hi SR and TBN thank you for the opportunity to enjoy a really delicious protein that is also Gluten free and Grass Fed. I tried this Total Body in a many different ways once I found how easy it was to mix into hot and cold food and beverages.

Ingredient Profile

The Grass fed Way Matrix is very long but here are some of its components: Ultra Filtered Whey Concentrate, Micro Filtered Whey Isolate, Micellar Alpha and Beta Caseins and Milk Protein isolate. They Also included some MCT in powdered form.

Total Body protein gives you 115 calories per serving/scoop. You get 1.5g of fat, 5g of carbs and 22g of protein. This is a pretty well rounded profile, one more thing that I would like to mention is that chose to sweeten Total Body with Stevia instead of any unnatural sweeteners thus keeping TB on the more Natural side of protein supplements.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: I requested and received the Cookies and Cream flavors and Taste wise it is very delicious and creamy even when mixed with water. Now does this taste like actual cookies and cream? I think it tasted more like a cream with a hint of cookies, not a bad thing as I was able to add this into my cream of rice, oatmeal, coffee, shakes or even drink it solo without concerning myself if cookies and cream goes well with berries or banana or any other fruit.

As I mentioned I mixed this into a few items that are consumed hot: Cream of Rice, Oatmeal and Coffee. This mixed in flawlessly into these hot items, never clumped up or got gritty like other proteins. My favorite was was mixed in coffee as I was able to create this smooth, super tasty protein coffee.

Dosing is pretty much however you would like. some days I chose to take my serving as a desert shake/smoothie before bed or with coffee as a pre-workout (1hr before). Pretty much anytime you are hungry or in the need to add protein to your Daily Macros.

Effectiveness

Probably the hardest section is to look out for the effectiveness of protein. Well I judged it by the following:

Did it make me gassy or bloated?
I never noticed any stomach discomfort, I actually felt clean and energized. Other proteins (on the cheaper side) usually give me bad gas.

Did it satisfy a craving or Sweet Tooth?
This was probably the one that I appreciate the most, I really enjoyed making myself smoothies with Total Body, I think it rendered itself perfectly to being blended with ice and fruit. Totally helped with cravings and help keep me satiated.

Did it help reduce DOMS?
I noticed that I wasn't as sore, even though I was incorporating Gym workouts and At home workouts that increased the volume of what I am normally used to, I seemed to recover and not suffer from intense DOMS. I do attribute this to the quality of the matrix that TBN added into Total Body.

Did it help hit macros?
100% did help, I used it on many occasions to reach my goals and keep myself under calorie control.

Value

This is a product that is not yet available everywhere, I was only able to find it on TBN's website for 34.74 for a 2lb tub. This makes a serving come out to about $1.15, honestly I think this is quite fair for a good quality protein that is versatile and tasty.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

TBN has a winner with Total Body. I would and will be recommending this product not just on this site but to anyone who ever asks me about a good quality protein.

Thanks Again TBN!