Introduction

Another special thanks to Muscle1 for their support here on SR.com. Also, an apology for the tardiness of this and the one other review that is pending. Mass4 is a prohormone designed to help increase muscle gains while also helping to maintain libido and alpha drive either using it solo or as part of a suppressive ph cycle along another compound. When we use most prohormones or aas gear, test production becomes suppressed, leaving libido shot and the body gripped with lethargy. That's when we utilize either testosterone itself or a compound that converts into testosterone (or DHT) once in the body.

I used Mass4 as a test base during my cycle with Muscle1's Strength1, combined with P-Cycle 7. So let's see how well it worked.

Ingredient Profile

The main ingredient is 4-andro (4-dhea) dosed at 100mg per capsule. 4-Andro is an anabolic compound that converts into testosterone through a two step conversion process once ingested. Being non-methylated it is safer on the liver and its side effects are relatively low in comparison to other products provided good general cycle support is used. The conversion into testerone helps keep libido and energy up while natural test production is suppressed. This can potentially also compliment gains as well since the testosterone will help keep the environment in an anabolic state.

One drawback with 4-andro is that it is vulnerable to aromatization once it converts into testosterone since test itself is aromatizable. If precautions are not taken, this can cause estrogen related side effects including bloating and Gyno development. it is for this reason why an aromatase inhibitor is strongly advised.

The dosage range orally is roughly 300-500mg.

The second half of the profile is once again, Muscle1's Elite Peak Intake Complex. In Mass4, it is dosed at 600mg per capsule and contains the ingredients I mentioned in my P-Cycle7 review; Grapefruit extract, DHB, and piperine. As discussed before these ingredients improve absorption and bioavailability.

Dosing

Muscle1 was kind enough to send me an additional bottle of both Mass4 and Strength1 after realizing my cycle layout, giving me an ample amount for a high dose cycle. I took 4 caps a day spread roughly 4 hours apart with meals, coupled with a capsule dose of P-Cylce7 and Strength1. Since I only took 3 caps of P-Cycle7, the 4th and final dose was coupled only with a dose of Strength1. 4-andro's half life is on the lower side so spreading dosages is strongly advised.

Effectiveness

As I mentioned in the intro, I used Mass4 primarily as a test base to help keep my libido and energy levels up since Strength1's 1-andro is known to have some degree of suppression and cause libdio loss and lethargy.

Mass4 did a superb job in both areas. My libido was kept high and the alpha gears were kept in grinding mode. I had no difficulties getting Mr. Johnson to clock in on the job anytime he was called into "work".

I had very little to no lethargy and my energy levels were well maintained. I never had any run down or boggy feeling nor did I have difficulties getting through my workouts.

Mass4 also helped compliment some additional strength and mass gains that were accompanied by the anabolic action of Stregnth1. My physique felt fuller and I had some great pumps and vascularity going on. While Mass4 is typically considered "wet", thanks to the Strength1 and P-Cycle7, the gains were kept dry for the most part with very little wetness or bloating.

Value

This is where the cons bomb explodes. A bottle of Mass4 will set you back 90 big ones. If you run it at a higher dose like I did (400mg+) you'll need two bottles for a full for week cycle. That will cost 180 dollars, not including shipping if any......Yikes!!! In contrast, if you are contempt with a lower dose of two caps, the bottle will last for a full month. Still, at 90 dollars bottle, this will prove to be a very expensive investment. Mass4 is effective, but it's value at that price is simply unfavorable.

Side Effects

Again, you'll need estrogen blocking support with this compound in order to avoid related side effects. Other than that, the only side effect I had was an occasional acne flare, but nothing good hygiene didn't fix.

Conclusion

Mass4 is a great and effective prohormone to help heighten your libido, prevent lethargy, increase energy, and give additional mass and strength gains with intensive training and diet. Be sure to use an AI and try to catch a sale on Muscle1's website for this product, because at the current price, the value is going to be a wallet destroyer.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO PATS!!!

Introduction

DMHA is the new stimulant on the market. While most agree that it is not as good as DMAA, it still has some notable effects. This is the first straight DMHA powder I have seen, which is what got me interested in this product in the first place.

It was nice to see how this new ingredient that is taking the market by storm works on its own, without caffeine or any other nootropics.

Ingredient Profile

One scoop gives you 200mg of DMHA. I feel like 200mg. Not much to talk about here except for what DMHA is.

DMHA has limited info on it, which is why I advise some people to do more research on it before they go out any try it. Most would say it is the new DMAA, I'll get to that in my "Effectiveness" section.

Claims on DMHA are the following(from the TBN website):

Longer Endurance
IncreasedPhysical Performance
Sharpened Focus
Quickened Alertness
Insane Energy & Drive

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I typically added this to Shred Complex from Famed Labz. It seem to give it a bitter/chemical flavor. Fairly easy to mask.

It mixes well, maybe slight sediment at the bottom of my glass, but nothing bad at all.

One scoop is 200mg, I typically took one half of a scoop and took 1-2 doses during the day. Easy dosing for sure, would probably be better in a capsule form however.

Effectiveness

This was pretty fun to add to any of my caffeinated drinks. It does provide a nice boost and some mental clarity. If I noticed anything out of DMHA, I noticed the focus and mental clarity. Work was much easier to stay on top of, along with school whenever I added this to my day. If I added some to a pre-workout, there was a noticeable boost along with great mind-muscle connection.

I must note as well, I did not use this solely as a pre-workout, while I certainly did give it a few tries, I utilized it more as a "caffeine enhancer". I guess I was more interested in the nootropic effects. It was quite beneficial in this regard.

Now for the DMAA comparison...

I'd say the mental clarity aspect of it almost makes it better than DMAA. While I admit I enjoyed DMAA back in the day, all it really did was give me that "REPS FOR JESUS" type of energy, where I'd just take go in and move weight instead of actually focus on the exercises themselves. While on DMHA, I felt more of a need to focus on what my muscles were doing. Also, I never thought to take DMAA as a focus pill, I just saw it more as a way to give you that euphoria to make you feel good on either a cut or during a workout. Well, DMHA may not give you as much of a euphoric feeling, but it give you a nice boost with a slight feel-good feeling.

Value

You can get a tub of this for $45 off of the TBN website. While at first glance it may seem like a lot for a single ingredient product, remember that this tub can last you a VERY long time.

I feel as if most will only need 100mg(half a serving) and if you take it as an "as needed" product, I would argue that one tub could last you well over a year. I felt as if 100mg was plenty for me, which is why the tub lasted me so long.

Side Effects

None that I noticed.

Conclusion

1,5D Bomb is a great way to enhance your day, enhance you pre-workout, enhance your energy drink, the list goes on...

While the price seems high at first, the tub could last you a very long time, and I wouldn't mind buying this to keep it sitting around my house in times where I just want the taste of a Monster energy drink, yet want a little more than just a caffeine fix to get me through the day.

Introduction

The effectiveness of a natural Test Booster often depends on the user. As a rule of thumb, they aren't meant for folks in (at least) their late 20s. For me, I took my first NTB about a year ago now and quickly decided it was easily my favorite supplement category. NTBs usually have a gradual ramping up to full effectiveness, but Genius Test kicked in so quickly I was actually able to use it twice from 1 bottle; not fully, but i'll explain further what I mean.

Ingredient Profile

Great lineup here...
KSM-66 Ashwagandha Root: Ashwagandha is great stuff, and KSM-66 is its best version. Genius Tests touts itself as less of a testosterone booster and more of a male optimization supplement. This primary ingredient is in keeping with that marketing tactic. Ashwagandha won't cause your body to produce a ton of testosterone, but what it will do reliably is help reduce cortisol levels and keep hormones in a healthy balance. In my experience it has always been helpful in promoting sound mind, and aiding in keeping my energy levels high and recovery periods low. Altogether I just feel healthier, less moody, and more confident when supplementing with Ashwagandha.
PrimaVie (Shilajit Extract): This is a male superfood that's growing in popularity. According to examine.com, it can have a minor impact on boosting super-antioxidant dimutase levels, increase follicle-stimulating hormone levels, decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and provide a minor increase in test levels and sperm quality. I'm happy to have all the above, thank you!
Fenugreek Seed Extract: One of my favorite NTBs. This always seems to slim me down, dry me out, and boost the libido. In science it has shown a propensity to do all of those things during studies, and has demonstrated the ability to increase HDL Cholesterol, increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood glucose levels, have a notable increase in libido, and for the ladies: can apparently double the level of milk production in nursing mothers.
Quercetin: Quercetin is an ingredient that is less effective on its own, but becomes more effective in combination with other compounds; essentially reducing the need to use quite as much. Either way, it does have some very useful health benefits. It helps reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (Good) cholesterol, and has a notable effect on reducing exercise-induced stress response.
Diindolylmethane (DIM): More good stuff. It's been shown extensively that it regulates estrogen levels, but specifically, to keep them steady and without radical fluctuation in either direction. It will act as an aromatase inhibitor by actively targeting more potent forms of estrogen and preventing conversion of testosterone to estrogen via the aromatase enzyme. A dose as low as 100mg has been shown decrease estrogen levels. Tread carefully though. DIM can go Benedict Arnold on you and switch sides to start upping estrogen levels. Make sure you don't run supplements with this compound for more than 6-weeks at a time.
LJ-100 (longjack): This one's all about the bedroom and body-recomp. The most common effects include slight increases in power output and lean mass, slight reduction in cortisol levels along with an increase in general feelings of well-being, and an overall boost to any and all things related to intra-sheets performance.
Boron Citrate: At just 10mgs in Genius Test, this stuff is effectively dosed and has shown clinical evidence of being able to boost free testosteron while reducing estrogen.

Altogether we have some common themes. There are ingredients in there to boost testosterone, but the ingredient panel as a whole seems to be more focused on overall health and well being. As we get into the effectiveness, you'll see that I think this stuff worked across the board.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

No taste or mixability

Dosing: 4 pills daily, split throughout the day. 2 with your first meal, 2 later in the afternoon with food.

Effectiveness

I was very impressed with this one. I initially thought I was doing a disservice to the product because my schedule had begun to get hectic and I kept taking 2 pills in the morning, then forgetting about the afternoon. Despite doing this, I started feeling the effects within days. I had more energy, less water retention, and a more prominent sense of confidence. Eventually I got my act together and started remembering the second dose. That's when the strength gains took off. I started repping significantly more, and needing much less recovery time. The bed room became a proving ground and overall both myself and my wife were very please at the effects. After about 3 weeks the effects started to level out and I started to notice a bit of acne starting. I figured I'd probably turned a corner with effectiveness and decided to cut my run. I noticed the fall off, let some time pass, then ran another test boosting product; this time not with natural ingredients. I hated it. I was shut down within days and I noticed I was actually losing some hair too; all without a noticeable increase in strength. So, I cut that out and tried to run a pct. The pct wasn't working so I threw in the Genius Test for the few days I had left. I stuck to 2-pills a day and within 48-hours my libido started to return and my hair stopped falling out. If I wasn't happy with Genius Test already, I certainly was at this point!!

Value

Here's my only negative for Genius Test: It's too expensive.

The going rate looks to be $57.99 for 30 servings.

I do think you can stretch the servings to last longer and I recognize they are using many name-brand products, but I just have a hard time justifying the cost here.

Side Effects

Slight acne developing at the top end of the dose and at the end of the run.

Conclusion

Overall I really liked this stuff and $60 isn't a lot for you to spend, I'd say give it a shot. You'll notice yourself lean out quickly, strength will increase, and you'll feel great overall. Just make sure you have a partner around that can help you subdue your urges to start humping legs. Follow me? Thanks for letting me try this stuff and keep up the good work Genius!!

Thank you VIM Sports and the Trooper program for the opportunity to try Aminogex Ultra. As I have always said in the past, recovery is one of the key elements for increasing gains, and for allowing you to hit the gym quicker after a killer workout. I for one have been a fan of BCAAs for over 20 years; therefore, when Aminogex Ultra came up for the Troopers, I decided to give it a world, since I have had good results from other VIM Sports products.

Ingredient Profile

Aminogex Ultra is fully disclosed; we all enjoying knowing what exactly we are putting in our bodies. Included in Aminogex Ultra you have the following:

L-Leucine - 3.5 grams, L-Isoleucine - 1.75 grams, and L-Valine - 1.75 grams; a nice clinically dosed about of BCAA. In addition, there is Betaine (trimethylglycine) there is 1.25 grams, and this helps promote cell hydration. Furthermore, there is a combination of 200 mg of TRAACS, which is a A mineral amino acid chelate is composed of an amino acid; this is in my opinion, helps keep us hydrated, helps fight off any cramping.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste - I received the Cherry Lime Italian Ice, all I can say is Wow, very tasty and not sweet at all.

Mix - Aminogex Ultra mixed excellent, no foaming, and no clumping at all.

Dosing - I used Aminogex Ultra during my workouts and in the morning, when I beat myself up the night before at the gym; one scoop is a full serving.

Effectiveness

Aminogex Ultra hit the mark for me when it came to how effective it was on my body during and after my workout. I wanted to test the hydration part of Aminogex Ultra; therefore, since Dallas has been above normal temperatures with higher than normal humidity, I decided to go on a number of occasions for a run. Sometimes, my biggest enemy when running during a humid day is cramping. I normally eat a banana 10 mins before I hit the track. However, while sipping on Aminogex Ultra while I ran, I did not experience any cramping at all; as a matter a fact, I was able to run longer than I normally do during humid conditions.

As for recovery in between my workout sets, I notice my lactic acid build up I normally get when doing a fast workout was reduced. In addition, on days when I took a scoop upon waking up, I noticed a reduction of DOMS during the day. Furthermore, on days I did hits on the treadmill, I noticed that my endurance was up, I was able to go an extra 15 mins from my normal time.

Value

Aminogex Ultra is priced very well, considering everything you get and how effective it is; at around $24.00 for a 30 serving tub, this is a steal.

Side Effects

None at all

Conclusion

Aminogex Ultra was a joy to run, I believe this will make the competition open their eyes and see how a well put together BCAA product should be. VMI Sports has a great product that everyone should add to their supplement regimen. It is priced for everyone, even if you are on a budget, it will not drain your wallet dry. I definitely will be picking up a tub of this again. I would like to thank VMI Sports again for the opportunity.

Introduction

One last special thanks to Muscle1 for providing their products for the SR TROOPs to try out. Also, another apology for the tardiness of the reviews on my behalf. Strength1 was the primary prohormone supplement that made up the base of my PH stack run with Muscle1. As I mentioned in my review with P-Cycle7 and Mass4, I ran those two compounds alongside Strength1. I was following a lean bulk, so I was focusing more on strength and size gains, though I did not get the opportunity to get in specific measurements before and after. However, I will detail all specific gains in strength and visible size gains later in this review. In addition, specific cycle aspects will also be explained.

Ingredient Profile

The prohormone compound in Strength1 is 1-Andro (1-DHEA). 1-Andro is a highly anabolic compound, said to be 7x more anabolic than testosterone itself. It does not aromatize, making it a dry, lean gainer. It is touted to provide big increases in both strength and mass along with intensive training and exercise. It is non-methylated and considered milder when it comes to side effects.

The side effects that do potentially come with 1-Andro's usage include lethargy, libido loss, a rise in blood pressure, and joint discomfort. Therefore, a test base for libido support and general cycle support is strongly recommended.

Each capsule contains 110mg. The effective dose range of 1-Andro is said to be anywhere between 150-450mg, with 330mg believed to be the "sweet spot" dosage for many.

As with Muscle1's other two products, the patented Elite Peak Intake Complex is also included at 600mg. Again, it contains grapefruit extract, DHB, and black pepper extract.

Dosing

I ran Strength1 with Mass4 and P-Cycle7 in the following protocol for 4 weeks:

4 caps of Strength1
4 caps of Mass4
3 caps of P-Cycle7.

I took the dosages together spread out in 4 hour intervals with food. Additional support products included basic staples such as protein (which included protein products from other TROOPs orders), fish oil, Vital 4-U multivitamin, Himalaya Liver Care, and NAC. In addition I was also using Magnum Nutraceuticals Performance Greens, Tropical Oasis Joint Support, Dymatize Iso-100, and TBN BCAAs. Needless to say, a lot of other TROOPer orders complimented my run.

Effectiveness

Again, I was doing a lean bulk while on cycle. I was consuming 3800 calories with subsequent good carbs from wild rice, yams, oats, and whole grains. Protein sources included nuts, peanuts butter, lean meats, plenty of fish, and occasionally dairy products. Of course, I ate plenty of other good wholesome food but these were my mainstay staples. I had no cheat days.

While taken fasted, my beginning weight was 236 lbs. I actually lost quite a bit of weight over this year's Ramadan and have been working since June to gain much of it back while also trying to get my main lifts back up as well. I didn't lose significant strength, but some heavy compound exercises took a little dip. This was the main reason why I opted for this cycle.

Now getting to the results of Strength1 itself, I must say that is helped significantly in getting my strength up. Some notable PRs I set mostly with lifts I have been focusing much attention on that didn't get much love in the past include:

Front Squat 280 lbs
Barbell Hack lift 415 lbs
T-Bar Landmine Press: 3 plates placed at end so 160 lbs? Either way, the most I've done on that lift
Weighted Dips: Bodyweight plus 4 additional 45 lbs plates for 1-2 reps
Snatch Grip Rack Pull: 465 lbs

In addition my conventional compound movements also began to climb back up to their original numbers with my form much improved since I started following more dropset oriented training regimen. I was able to get back up to 315 lbs on the bench press with the help of a slingshot, beltless squats got back up to 405 lbs, and conventional beltless deadlifts have broken over the 500 lbs barrier. I pulled about 515 lbs beltless with deads. These aren't my original maxes but closer to them and again, beltless and with much improved form.

My weight taken after the cycle (again while I was fasted), was 242 lbs. I looked much more fuller, bigger, vascular, and significantly leaner particularlty around my midsection despite a gain in weight. I had very little to no water weight or bloat. Therefore, I can say that with these gains in strength and a gain in a good 6 pounds of lean muscle, this product delivered fiercely.

I am now on pct with the SERM clomid at 100/100/50/50 along with Lab tech's t-fuel prime. So far, all gains have been retained and libido is back high in gear.

Value

Like the products I reviewed before, this product loses points in the value section. Each bottle comes out to 90 dollars. I needed two bottles to run the doses that I specified so that would be 180 dollars if your were to run a similar cycle and that is not including the cost of supports, test base, and pct. Muscle1 currently offers stack deals on their website, but it is still rather too expensive and investment. If they could improve the stack deals to included more of the supplements together, perhaps the value would be better provided the prices would be lower. Currently though, that is simply to high a price tag despite the efficacy.

Side Effects

Along with the supports, mass4 as my test base, and p-cycle7 as my AI, I experienced almost no side effects. I had minimal lethargy in week one, but that soon went away once mass4 kicked in. Be sure you follow proper dosage protocols, use proper ancillaries, and follow pct afterwards.

Conclusion

While the price tag is absurdly high, if you're willing to invest the cash in everything you need including the supports, pct, and the other products form Muscle1, Stregnth1 will give you some good gains in size and strength provided of course you follow proper dosing protocols and keep your training intensive as hell and diet as clean as possible. Be strong, but at the same time please be smart and listen to your body. These may be mild products but everyone will react differently.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO PATS!!!

This review is on Muscle-1's "Strength 1" Andro product, a hormonal supplement that converts to 1-Test through conversion. I do have a few Prohormone cycles under my belt from these past several years, the most recent was an MSten/Tr1umph (the old PH, not the powder)/DHEA run at the beginning of this year. That one was fun but damn if I didn't feel funky towards the end! Ok back to this; my only foray into the Andro realm was a 4-Andro transdermal topical product I did a few years ago. I've never tried the 1-Andro side of things, but it sure is gaining popularity these days. I ran this alongside Muscle-1's "Mass-4" 4-Andro product, which I utilized as a Test Base to offset any sides I might get from this. And because Gainz! Anyways, huge thanks to Muscle-1 for making this available to us, especially considering how expensive these products retail for!

PROFILE-8
Simple profile; there's 110mg of 1-Androstene along with a 600mg blend of "Elite peak intake complex" per pill. The peak intake complex is a prop-blend of grapefruit extract, and 6,7-Dihydroxybergamottin (black pepper extract). Regarding that blend, Fellow Trooper Darkman reached out to the Muscle1 board rep, and got the full breakdown of it. So feel free to check out his review. There are 60 pills per container. Label instructions say take 2-3 pills per day, but after I did some homework I figured 3 pills would put me at the dose I want to be at. So that's what I ran it at, knowing I would be short dosed by about a week (making my run only 3 weeks). The pills themselves have a real odd sour smell to them.

EFFECTIVENESS-8.7
Well, after a few days of taking this I felt a slight lethargy and laziness, almost as if I was not sleeping enough at night. Luckily, right at 1 week is when the Mass-4 kicked in as a Test Base, and I felt better. Ok so that's discussed but what was really impressive is even with the lethargy, I would feel an inner drive and confidence in the gym, and the strength was coming on pretty nice. At the 3 week mark I was repping 3 plates on the squat rack about 6-8 times, where before I would get 4 at the most. Muscle pumps were great, vascularity was coming in nice, and endurance improved a bit. I noticed some detail coming into my upper chest and shoulders, something I've never had before. What also was increased was my appetite! There would be moments where all of a sudden, I just had to eat whatever was in the cabinet. I think I ate more junk food on this, only because I didn't want to cook up something and would just grab whatever was convenient. So no, I do not suggest trying to cut while taking this. I started the run weighing 236, and after 3 weeks I put on 11lbs of lean muscle. My waist didn't shrink much, but considering how I was eating it didn't expand, either. To realize these results in only 3 weeks is pretty damn impressive!

SIDE EFFECTS-8
There is some slight lethargy, but a good test-base helps immensely in this area. I'd burp up some of that funkiness right after taking a dose. Right towards the end of week 3 (coincidentally, the end of my run) my left nipple would get some pain flashes and a little itchy. i Attribute this to the Mass-4 (a "wet" compound) since 1-Andro isn't known to have estrogen related side effects. If I was running this stack any longer I'd definitely have a good AI on hand. But besides that, there was NONE of that "toxic" feeling you'd get with some Methylated Hormonal products! When I was taking the MSten/Triumph stack I couldn't even have a beer without feeling like death! This product is so much easier on your general health.

VALUE-6
Now for the bad; A bottle goes for 89.99 on their website!! And to run it at the dose I did, you'd need 2 bottles to run for a decent length (4-6 weeks). But If I had the money to burn, I would do exactly that. Now we're talking 180$ for a 6 week run, coupled with all the extras like cycle support and PCT. That's a big chunk of change to shell out! I searched but couldn't find it available anywhere else. NOTE; there is a Buy-1 Get-1 50% off for Troopers, and they're working on getting distributed through hi end retailers, as well as working on the pricing. So stay tuned for some better pricing options!

OVERALL-7
Although it's expensive, if you're thinking about jumping into the hormonal side of the supplement industry I'd still recommend this. Spend the money on 2 bottles, get some good support/PCT lined up, and enjoy the gains! Yeah I know, 2 bottles would be even more expensive along with all the ancillaries, but like I've said before about the PH Game; if you wanna play be ready to pay. Honestly, I'm excited to see what 6 weeks of this could do!

Introduction

Throughout my time dabbling in multiple different supplements, never have I used anything topical, especially a fat burner. I was more of a pill kinda guy, they always got the job done so I saw no reason to change my ways. After seeing this pop up and being in the beginning of a small cutting phase, I figured I'd give this a chance, I'm always up for trying new supplements and seeing what works for me. Huge shoutout to EvoMuse for sending this bad boy out to the Troops.

Ingredient Profile

There are a ton of lengthy named ingredients in this bottle. I'm going to focus on what I believe are most effective. First we have isopropyl alcohol, which is the main ingredient. This is where the smell and heat sensation come from. Next is benzyl alcohol, which can actually be used to cure head lice. After looking this up, it appears to dry out skin and can tighten up the area where applied. Also, we have raspberry ketones with break down fat within the cells to increase weight loss. Lastly, there is yohimbine and aloe within Scald. There are no amounts listed for any ingredients, so there really is no telling how each is dosed.

Smell/Appliance/Dosing

Smell: Obviously this is a topical supplement, maybe you can eat it, maybe you can't, but I wasn't going to find out so I'll talk about the smell. In my opinion, it smells like hydrogen peroxide mix with something else, can't put my finger on it. Maybe a hint of Listerine. Regardless, it doesn't smell well, especially when it's on your body all day. Whether I worked out or not, I personally always smelt a hint of it. More so when I was sweaty, obviously. Was never really sure if others could smell it or not to be honest.

Appliance: So this is a dark brown gooey substance, I'd say it has a similar consistency to flan. Has some solid chunks but also watery. You really need to rub it into the section you are applying it. If you use too much, it can remain clumpy and get onto your clothing. I tried to do a thin layer, but enough to cover the area I was targeting. The direcitons say to apply an amount about the size of a half dollar.

Dosing: The bottle suggests to apply this right after your shower in the morning so the area is clean and clear. I typically shower every morning unless the first thing I'm doing is fasted cardio. In those instances I just used a damp wash cloth and wiped down the are where I was going to apply Smolder. I put it on every morning, sometimes twice a day if it was a two a day.

Effectiveness

So I never tried the original Smolder, so i cannot compare them. However, I've heard the original has a burning sensation, and so does this one. I think it's pretty obvious it was going to though. It wasn't unbearable, but could be a little annoying at times. Nothing like the thermo effect form a fat burner pill.

I applied this solely to my waist and lower abdominal region. That is where I wanted to target some extra fat loss. On a typical day, it would just have a sensation of heat in the area. On workout days, it really made me sweat and have that extra burn. I did not take measurements, but through the course of applying this, my work pants became looser and I did use tighter notches on my belt. I did more cardio than I did lifting, due to an injury, so I'm happy with what the results I received. By no means was it anything insanely drastic, but there was a noticeable difference. If stacked with a typical fat burner, I think the results would have been even better. The fat burner would affect the entire body, and Smolder would target specific areas you wish to lose a little more.

Value

This can be picked up for the cheapest on Amazon for $31.99 for 180ml.

Side Effects

DO NOT touch your eyes or put in your contacts AFTER applying this to your body. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly!

Conclusion

My end thoughts on this is that at $32, its a little pricey for what it does. However, I feel it would be beneficial to stack this with a typical fat burner to aid Scald. By applying it to the areas you want to target, it will help, all you have to do is get past the smell. It's not terrible, but I wish it were better.

Introduction

Whats up guys another review here from Dr. G. I first want to start off by apologizing to SR for taking so long to review this product. The product I am reviewing this time around is Ronnie Coleman's King Whey Protein Crunch Bars. The first thing I would say is that I am a little disappointed because I was expecting anywhere from 7-10 bars and only received two. So overall I am not going to be able to give an adequate effectiveness section which makes me a little upset, but I am going to do my best to give you guys some information about this product.

Ingredient Profile

Calories (240g) - so this is not technically "an ingredient" but In my opinion plays the largest role (other than protein content and sugar) when I choose to buy my protein bars. Since I use most of my bars as meal replacements the calorie content in this particular bar doesn't bother me, but for most I think this is a little too much.

Sugar (6g) - another very important factor when I look at bars. Sugar literally destroys my body and most people's bodies when trying to lose weight. This product does a decent job at producing a bar with a low sugar content, but i personally prefer around 2-3g.

Protein (20g) - Pretty much a normal amount of protein for a bar. There are those that have 25-30g but then you are going to sacrifice some taste. This product includes a blend of whey concentrate and whey isolate.

Sodium (350mg) - In general if a food contains about 140mg of sodium or less it is considered a "low-sodium food", 140-350mg is normal, and above 350mg is too much sodium per serving according to Colorado State University. If you want to go by those rules then this product has too much sodium per serving. A lot of people forget about sodium. Sodium essentially acts the same way as salt. It increases water absorption making you more thirsty, increasing your blood pressure, and feeds the fat cells in your body.

Total Fat (10g) - Generally 10g of fat per serving is a good amount and not too much. Make sure that you know where the fat is coming from in the foods that you eat.

Carbohydrates (21g) - Depending on what your goals are this can be too many or just the right amount of carbs. Ideally, this bar is acting a true meal replacement based alone on the carb and calorie content. Too many carbs can be detrimental to what your goals may be. For those trying to lose weight cutting carbs is essential, but those that perform super high intensity workouts getting the proper carbs is necessary since your body likes to use carbs as an energy source. It is tough because if you don't have the proper amount of carbs per day then when you workout your body fights to find other sources of energy. Once it depletes carbs it tries to use fat and protein, and both of these are awful sources of energy which leave you fatigued.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Freakin' awesome taste, both flavors. This product only offers two flavors: Triple Chocolate Brownie, and Peanut Butter Cup. They were really good, I especially like the crunchy texture they both offered which made it taste like candy bars. Yeah, great taste but it doesn't always mean they are the best for you. Dosing consists of 1 bar=1 serving, as simple as that.

Effectiveness

As I said earlier this section is pretty difficult to comment on based on the fact that I only received two bars. As most of you can attest I don't think anyone can get an adequate effectiveness out of only two servings. What I can say is the two times I ate these I took them as meal replacements. During those times it curved my hunger until my next meal 2 hours later which was the main reason I wanted to try these bars. I think this product has potential based on its ability to fulfill my hunger and the ingredient profile. A bar's ability to curve my hunger is pretty rare, since I am going and walking all day it is necessary I keep my energy as high as possible. I needed something that wouldn't make me overly full and I think these bars did the trick. There may be some healthier options out there.

Value

On muscleandfitness.com you can get a 12 pack of either flavor for $26.99. On Ronniecoleman.net you can get the 12 pack box for same price. This comes out to $2.24 a bar. This is a little expensive in my opinion. If the company reduced the price a little bit to under $2.00 a bar then I think it would be a little more worth it.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

Overall, this bar has a lot of potential. It has decent protein content, a decently low amount of sugar content, and not really any other added ingredients. It has a great taste which is pretty rare in my opinion and it did a great job in curving my hunger when choosing to take it as a meal replacement. Again, I was disappointed we only received two bars. If a company would like to get an adequate review on effectiveness reviewers need a little more than 2 servings. If this company reduces the price a little bit I would be willing to go out and get a few boxes for future use.
Live happy, live healthy
Dr. G

Introduction

Ho ho SR family! LionHeart here once again for another review. This time I'm sharing my expeierience with Giant Sports International's Thyrotwin which is listed as a stimulant free fat burner. I'm 47, active guy, in the gym about 3 times a week always looking to lean out, which seems to be a greater challenge with every year that passes. After reading a few reviews here on SR I decided to give this a go. Over the last few months, I've run about 3 bottles of Thyrotwin. What drew me to this is the stim free aspect. I don't react well to stimulants so finding something effective without stimulants was a huge bonus for me.

Ingredient Profile

The ingredient panel is posted so I'll just say that Thyrotwin contains just 2 ingredients, 3,5 Diodo-L-Thyronine and 3,3 Diodo-L-Thyronine. Both of these are what is referred to a T2, a thyroid hormone. The claims are that T2 burns fat without muscle loss.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Thyrotwin is in capsule form, white caps, 90 per bottle. No prop blends here, fully disclosed. No taste and the caps are on the smaller side so they go down without any problems. The recommended dosage is 1 to 2 caps daily with 12 to 16 ounces of water on an empty stomach. Pretty simple, once a day dosing. I started off with 1 cap per day and within a week was a 2 daily. What worked best for me was taking these mid-morning, 2 to 3 hours after breakfast.

Effectiveness

For me, Thyrotwin has been the answer I've been looking for. I've run 3 bottles, 6 weeks at a time with tremendous results. I'm not sure if I lost any "weight" but I definitely lost fat, which is what I'm concerned with most. My experience, with every bottle, was the first week, not much change but increased energy, motivation in the gym, and heat. I'm not sweaty type of guy normally, but with this stuff, I was sweating like fountain in the gym. During the second week, the energy and motivation remained along with a slight leaning everywhere. Not real noticeable at this point but a little more cut. The last 2 weeks are when Thyrotwin really kicked in for me. Looked much leaner, muscles were popping, and pants were looser, while the sleeves were tighter. Isn't that what we're all looking for, after all? The effects were nothing crazy, noticeable for sure.

Value

This is where Thyrotwin really shines! On top of the effectiveness, you get a 6 weeks supply, at 2 caps per day, all for the low, low price of around $15 to $20 bucks. I got a couple bottles on Amazon for $16 a bottle. Again, that is for a 6 week supply. I have not come across anything that was a better value than this.

Side Effects

I did not experience any sides with Thyrotwin.

Conclusion

I found Thyrotwin to be an extremely effective product and an exceptional value. For me the best part is that it's stim free, and just enhances your own thyroid production. For those looking to lean out a bit without the negative effects and dangers of stimulants, then Thyrotwin is definitely a product you should try, especially considering the low cost, there's really no risk in giving it a go.

LionHeart, signing off...

Introduction

38 years old and I lift 4 days a week and try to do active rest type cardio twice a week. I have never taken a Weight Gainer type supplement before, because I typically do not need to gain weight, but when I saw the opportunity come up to try out Total Mass by TBN Labs, I thought I would give it a try and use as a meal replacement type product. I am always looking to get bigger in the right areas anyways, weight is just a number to me as long as I look big and strong! Before we continue, let me thank TBN Labs and the TROOPer program for another opportunity to try out this product.

Ingredient Profile

The important information is labeled out here, with one big prop blend. The following information is based off one scoop with each scoop being 120g, which results in a pretty big scooper. Here you get 480 calories, 0g fat, 93g Carbs, 4g Sugar, and 25g Protein (as Caseinate and Gelatine). The Total Mass Blend consists of 120,000mg (120g) Whey Protein Conc., Whey Protein Isolate, Glutamine Peptide, Waxi Maize, Sweet Potato Powder, Wild Yam Extract (Diosocrea Villosa), Brown Rice Powder, Maltodextrin, and Multi Grains Powder.

Since I have not tried weight gainers in the past I compared this profile to a couple of the top rated products here on the site, namely Up Your Mass by MHP and King Mass by RCSS. The profile here is pretty clean for a mass gainer with no fats, and is slightly high on the carbs but that should not be an issue if you are taking a weight gainer anyways. I get confused how much actual Protein is in this product since its listed in two separate spots, but even with just 25g per scoop its pretty nice. All in all, I think its a nice profile that can be dosed based off your needs.

Of not this product does contain Stevia, I am not a fan of it, but I honestly did not notice or taste it. If you have a weird thing with Stevia, now you have been warned!

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: I received the Cookies N Cream flavor and yeah it was delicious. I swear there were actual cookie pieces in it, or it just tricked me into thinking that. Either way really enjoyed the flavor, not too sweet, and tasted like drinking melted Cookies N Cream ice cream. Nice job here.

Mixability: The directions call to mix 1 scoop with 16oz water. When you add 16oz of water in your shaker, then put in the 120g scoop it appears as if it will not mix. A few shakes later it mixes really well. When I dosed this at two scoops, I used a blender and mixed great as well. No issues here, dissolves nicely and does not settle at the bottom.

Dosing: The directions call to take one scoop pre and post training as per your goals; and two scoops on non training days. I typically dosed this post training to maximize its effect. I did not take this pre training as I work out first thing in the morning and did not want this heavy of a profile in my system that early. On non training days, or days I would not eat breakfast I would dose this with two scoops in a blender with water and a couple pieces of ice.

Scooper: So this is my biggest gripe with this product, and seems like a common issue out there with Weight Gainers. The scooper was so big it literally does not fit pulling it straight out of the tub, and if you angle it you will spill some powder all over the place, which happened to me multiple times. I finally wisened up and held the tub sideways and got scooper in and out that way with no issues, just a heads up!

Effectiveness

This product only lasted me 13 days (19 scoops in this container), but I did gain about 5 pounds in that time. Mind you I did start a new Creatine at the same time, so I cannot give this all the credit, but what I can say is I enjoyed having this weight gainer around to help me meet my daily requirements. I sit at 6'2 and 245 pounds currently, and require around 3400 calories per day, and a lot of protein.

Digestion wise Total Mass digested very easily. I was actually surprised that I did not have a bloated feeling or anything like that, I would feel full for 2-3 hours with two scoops and full for 1-2 hours with one scoop. I do like all the additions of the powders from real food such as Sweet Potatoes, Wild Yams, and Brown Rice, and I do believe this aided in the fullness feeling. When I used this as a meal replacement for breakfast (mostly on rest days) I would not feel short changed on caloric or protein intake, in fact this profile gave me more calories and protein than my normal breakfast would.

The product claims to get you Solid Muscular Gains, Dramatic Weight Gain, Muscle Retention, Muscle Growth, Faster Recovery, Muscle Repair, Low Sugars, and All Natural. What I can attest to is that you will get some solider muscular gains if taken a lot longer than 13 days, you will have some dramatic weight gain, this product does aid in muscle growth, contains lower sugars than its competitors, and is all natural. Muscle recovery and repair wise, I did not really get sore while taking this but I do also take BCAA's and keep a high protein diet, so hard to say this product did that alone. Not sure about the Dramatic Weight gain part, since that seems counter intuitive with taking a weight gainer, but I can see lean muscular gains and not fat gains.

Value

Depending on the size of the container you buy it dramatically changes the value. The 5 pounds, 19 serving tub runs $44.75 on the TBN Labs website, which comes out to $2.36 a scoop. This is around the average price of a weight gainer. If you order the 15.89 pound, 60 serving tub that runs you $84.75 and comes out to $1.41 a serving. This is actually a pretty nice price for a weight gainer. So yeah you can only find this on the company website for now, but the current price point is not bad at all. I think its a decent value if you are in the market for a weight gainer.

Side Effects

None at all, even with two scoops I would not have to rush to the bathroom to expel everything I just put in me. Digests well, so good stuff!

Conclusion

I enjoyed my run of Total Mass. If I were to be in the market for a weight gainer I would definitely pick up the bigger size, since 60 servings would last me about 45 days. I almost want to keep this around as a Meal Replacement, and will keep it in mind in the future if I am in the market for one. Cookies N Cream tasted great, I gained some quality weight, and had a decent time with this one. I recommend this product if you are in this market!

Introduction

With my schedule being busy these days, I will pretty much do anything to make sure the sleep I get is quality sleep. When this popped up on the front page of SR, I had to jump on it.

Alpha Lion is a pretty small company from the looks of it, with just 2 products that I am aware of. Sometimes, it is fun to try products from newer companies. Either way, big thanks to Alpha Lion for sending this out!

Ingredient Profile

To start, there is a nice dose of Leucine and Lysine. I'm not a huge believer in glutamine, however. After that you get a blend of L-Dopa, 5-HTP, GABA, and Tyrosine.

Of course they included ZMA in here, which is the norm most sleep aids.

I do like the inclusion of Ashwaganda, however I wish there was more of it.

To top it off, there is tranquility portion to this, which includes chamomile and melatonin(4mgs)

I'm personally not a fan of melatonin that is dosed over 1-2mgs, but 4mg is not the worst I've seen. The doses of everything are fully disclosed, which is + for Alpha Lion. Momo1's review has the full profile posted, so check that out if you're interested.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste was the worst aspect of Alpha Dreams. I can't describe the flavor very well, but I will say it was never enjoyable to drink. Best way I could describe it is "awkward". Sometimes I even plugged my nose and just shot it back as quickly as I could.

It mixes fairly well. It does have Leucine in it, so some foam is expected. I'd advise using a shaker cup, as mixing with a spoon never turned out very well for me.

Effectiveness

I'll break this up into categories.

Getting to sleep:(6/10)

This was not the products strong point. I had plenty of nights where I would stay up late hours after consuming this. I don't have insomnia or anything, I have just used other sleep aids that actually make me pass out quickly and easily. This is probably the biggest effect I look for in any sleep aid.

Staying asleep:(9/10)

I had plenty of nights where I would only wake up maybe once to go outside and "water the plants", or simply sleep through the night. I usually don't have a problem with this, but I thought I would note it. There was def. a "deep sleep" feeling, where I'd wake up and say something like "boy I slept good last night", or something along those lines.

I had some crazy dreams while on this as well, to the point where I'd be too embarrassed to tell my girlfriend about them the morning after.

Recovery/Mornings:(8.5/10)

I wouldn't say I woke up feeling amazing after every night I took this, however, I rarely had a sleep hangover. A full scoop would typically make me feel drowsy for a bit in the morning, but at 3/4th or 1/2 scoops, I'd wake up with little issue. There was a fine line for sure. My DOMS were reduced while on this, I'm sure some of the other products I was taking helped, but this certainly did its part.

Value

One tub will run you $60, which is quite high if you're using one full serving at night. If you run it at 1/2 servings like I did(most nights), the price seem a lot better. You have to take into account that you are getting some other ingredients that help with recovery and not just a "sleep aid".

Side Effects

Occasional sleep hangover at a full scoop. Nothing bad however.

Conclusion

Alpha Dreams is a good sleep aid. While there are so many products out there, and the upfront price, I wouldn't say this is a staple. However, it is worth a try if you're in the market for a sleep aid. Bad taste aside, of course.

Give it a shot if you want a recovery product as well and a fully disclosed sleep aid.

Introduction

First and foremost I would like to thank TBN Labs for sending me out their product so I could try it and review it for you guys. I would also like to thank SR for providing me the opportunity and the tools so that I can share with you guys my experience.

I'm a 39 year old male who weights roughly 226 pounds ... I'm around 20% body fat and would like to go down to 15% ... I need help ... So when I saw this I didn't hesitate and clicked claim. I'm doing everything I can to loose weight ... counting calories etc but not much is improving ... So I figured why not help myself a bit ...

Ingredient Profile

The ingredient profile as you may have guessed if you ever took fat burners ... it is proprietary ... What I find upsetting is that it doesn't even disclose the amount of caffeine.

The first review of this product went over every ingredient in detail ... So i'm just going to sum it all up. The whole profile is 750 mg worth of ingredients. They have been broken down into five sections.
Fat into Muscle Conversion
Thermogenic
Appetite Suppressant & Energy Boost
Fat Blocker
Absorption

Most of the stuff is well known if you have taken fat burners.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

1 pill in the morning one hour before breakfast. Than another before lunch. I didn't do the third pill since this has caffeine and I like my sleep.

Effectiveness

So these little black and red pills were actually doing something for me. The dosage amount is a bit unimpressive if you ask me but to my surprise some things really worked. The one effect I would put on top is appetite suppression. I didn't feel hungry for longer than my usual. I usually get hungry rather quick but not while I was taking these pills. That's really great but it would be even better if I could take them in the evening. That is when I get my biggest munchies ... although they weren't that bad of recent so these helped out even that late.

The second most impacting thing that i can put on the effect list is the Thermogenic ... I did feel all nice and warm in the gut while on this. You can feel it working. At the beginning i had a little rough time but it passed rather quick. I do eat a lot of spicy food myself so it didn't take long to get accustomed. After a while I didn't feel it at all ...

The third and last effect that I can tell you about is the energy. Especially in the morning ... this little pill helped me out. I do have a hard time getting up ... I'm not a morning person ... So I usually rushed to my kitchen to get a pill so that it can help me get my day started. At lunch it helped out with the drowsiness I usually feel around 2pm ...

I honestly think that is a lot of promise for filled ... Usually these fat burners can't even deliver on one thing ... I'm currently weighting on a good day 222 pounds ... even though it didn't go down much ... my waist seems slimmer.

Value

This is only available at the manufacturers web site for 44.75$ ... Dang ... I'm sorry but I rather loose my weight for free by just eating right and counting my calories. I would like for help to be cheaper for me to be able to use it. I personally think that it is a bit too much ... I know of another fat burner that is half the price ... It might be missing on one of the things I mentioned in effectiveness but still I rather save my money. If you really care about your fat than I would recommend this product for it's price.

Side Effects

At first I had a little nausea but I got used to it by the end of the week. There is yohimbie in this which I think they mean yohimbine ... I usually react bad to it but not in this case. It's my guess that there isn't much of it in this product.

Conclusion

I would say this fat burner is pretty good. I didn't see anything extravagant but it helped me out on few things. I think the appetite suppression is spot on and if you have a real hard time with that than do give this product a try. I would personally wait to see if it goes on sale and purchase another bottle. Also, I would love to know the caffeine content and maybe if I'm not asking for to much the yohimbine amount. As always I want to thank you for reading and keep burning that nasty fat.

Introduction

I had two choices either pick EVERBUILD PRE Build as standalone for 20 dollars or getting Pre Build with Lean Whey 1lbs for 20dollars on a promo stack.
They wanted to get rid Lean Whey because it expires on December. So i bought before 2 months five of them.

Ingredient Profile

In a first glance the profile looks pretty solid but don't get too excited. Per 26g of serving you get 20.6g of Protein consisting of Whey Protein Isolate, Concetrate and Milk Protein Isolate. Isolate for fast digestion, Concentrate for fast digestion again but slower than Isolate and Milk Protein for the casein ratio (Milk Protein consists 78-82% Casein and 18-22% Whey). Casein is a slow digestion protein. Along with these goodies you get a negligible amounts of Safflower Oil (312mg), Green Tea Extract (78mg) and L-Carnitine 130mg. I don't think that these amounts will affect any way your recovery or your protein intake.

Now let's begin with the details which make the difference. Label can be misleading. In big letters on the bottom of Nutrition Information you get some info that this whey contains 9.2 g of EAA's, 7.2 g Conditionally Essential Amino Acids and 4.2g Non Essential Amino Acids. Your first thinking is "Wow what a a great company they give us some info about the amino acids in this protein". Wrong! They don't mention the quantity of each amino acid and they don't mention the amount of BCAA's in the chart (But they mention that you get 4.6 g BCAA's with small letters on the bottom of the package and you will have to search a bit).

The main problem is the order of EAA's. EAA's contain our lovely BCAA's which personally they help me more than other amino acids (Only If Leucine has more quantity than the other two). In this chart Valine is second, Isoleucine is forth and Leucine is fifth (EAA's are 8 amino acids). That means Leucine is less than the other two BCAA's (they don't place them with alphabetical order). Usually almost all my Whey Protein powders that have the quantity of each amino acid disclosed have a 1.8-1-1 ratio of Leucine to Isoleucine and Valine. But this protein has less Leucine than Isoleucine and Valine on a 4.6 overall quantity of BCAA's which is pretty troubling.

But you may say that order doesn't matter at all and every company can place the ingredients with the order they like. I don't believe this for a simple reason (i might be wrong) i have seen many blend Whey Protein powders with first ingredient Concentrate and second ingredient Isolate or Hydrolyzed Whey. Why one company would place first Whey Concentrate (Concentrate is widely believed to be an less quality protein than Isolate or Hydrolyzed) and after Isolate/ Hydrosylate if they can place the ingredients with their order they wish? You will say that some companies are trustworthy that's why they place the true order. The keyword is "Some" companies are trustworthy. I don't really believe that all companies that place Concentrate first they care and want to tell the truth to their customers but because they have to. I might be grumpy but i don't believe everything one company advertises. I will look on the small letters for some clues.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I had the Strawberry fusion which is a pretty decent flavor with no chemical aftertaste at all. I am not really fond of Strawberry but i quite enjoyed it. Not the best taste but tolarable. Mixability was great even with 3 scoops on a 500ml water quantity. Just shake for 30 seconds.
Dosing was 3 scoops (61.8 protein) after working out.

Effectiveness

My worst fears unfortunately come true. Doms were still there and only reduced very slightly. I could feel significantly tired like i haven't consumed a Protein Powder (first time that happens to me lol). I can't believe that it didn't helped me with recovery even with 60grams of Protein. I will also compare this with 60g of Whey Hydrosylate and 40g of Whey Concentrate. With 60grams of Whey Hydrosylate i wouldn't feel any Doms and i wouldn't be tired from my workout. Even with 40g of Whey Concentrate i would have a way better recovery than this product. Hydrosylate and Concentrate had a 1.8:1:1 ratio of BCAA's. Also sleeping patterns and diet were exactly the same. The good news are the good digestion with no side effects. No bloat, no stomach discomfort and no farts to mention.

Value

I won't base value with the Promo Stack. It costs 32.87 Dollars for 2 lbs which is pretty expensive because it is largely ineffective.

Conclusion

They are way better Whey protein powders than this. I bought them basically for free on this promo stack but i believe i shouldn't. They only occupy some free space. I would like to say some good things about this product but unfortunately the only positives are decent taste (nothing extraordinary) and no side effects.

Introduction

Thank you to the Ronnie Coleman brand and the SR Trooper program for the chance to try this. When I have the opportunity to try a protein bar that I have not yet had, it peeks my interest. Knowing how respected the Ronnie Coleman brand is, I figured their protein bar would live up to the reputation. I will be reviewing this on the 2 bars that were sent to me. It is impossible to gauge the long term impact this bar would have but I will not assume and will rate it on how well these two servings worked for me.

Ingredient Profile

In each bar you get:
240 calories
10g of fat which 6 of those grams are saturated which is a little high in my opinion
21g of carbs, 6 of which are sugar
20g of protein
The protein is a blend consisting of Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Concentrate. This does contain vegetable oils and corn syrup which may turn some off. I like that this has 20g of protein but would like to see the 6g of saturated fat reduced.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I had one each of the Triple Chocolate Brownie and Peanut Butter Cup flavor. Both were very good and tasted as you would expect by the name of the flavor. There was no mixing since it was a bar. The texture was good and was not too hard like some bars are and I didn't have to chew it for 10 minutes to swallow it. dosing was one bar.

Effectiveness

I use protein bars for a few different reasons. There are times when I need some protein to hit my daily macros and a protein shake just doesn't seem appealing or I will be away from home and protein bars are an easier option. I also use them when I crave junk food or get hungry between meals. In these times they do the trick by satisfying my hunger and can feel good about not straying from my meal plan. Since they sent me two bars I used each one in a different way. I used one to hit my daily macros instead of another protein shake. This did the trick and allowed me to hit my daily protein macro. I saved the other one for when I was at work on a Friday and heard the vending machine say "hey you, buy something from me." I knew at this point I could break out my trusty protein bar which is what I did and did not give in to the vending machine. This digested with no issues and was easy on the stomach. I cant say how this helped with recovery since I only had 2 bars but i am not really taking this for recovery. Overall I would say these bars were effective.

Value

I found them the cheapest on Ronnie Coleman's website at $26.99 for a box of 12 which comes out to $2.24 per bar. I am not sure what it costs for an individual bar if you just wanted to pick one up. I do realize this is in the upper range for protein bars but I do feel this is a good bar. If they can bring the price down in the $1.75-$1.99 range I am sure more people would buy these.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

Ronnie Coleman and his team did a nice job with this protein bar. It tastes good and digests easily. They have a winner. I can't wait to see if they expand their flavors and are able to bring their price down a bit. I would recommend this bar to anyone who likes their protein bars.

Introduction

I received and took Bionic Test during a pseudo-cut/short maintenance period. I was intrigued by their claims of increased testosterone, lipolysis, thermogenesis, and a boost in strength and recovery. I'll go over how I felt this performed in all of those areas during this review. Thanks to TBN Labs for sending this out for us to give a go.

----Ingredient Profile: 6/10 ----

Plenty of others have gone over the ingredients so far, so I won't go overboard and bore you all by rambling on. However, while I know proprietary blends are sometimes a necessary evil, I'd love to see a product like this without one for a change. I have a feeling this is likely under dosed in a lot of areas, but since I can't prove that definitively, I'll split it down the middle and go with a 6/10, at least on paper.

----Taste/Mixability/Dosing: 8/10----

Capsules, so it should go without saying that these were tasteless and went down without a problem. However, I did on more than one occasion crack open the capsules and mix it with my pre workout. It didn't affect the taste or mixing in any way, shape or fashion for those of you who are curious.

TBN Labs suggests a serving size of 1 capsule per day if you're in a cutting phase and 1-3 capsules per day if you're in a bulking phase. I started with 1 cap per day and progressed to 2 caps per day about halfway through my use since I was in a brief maintenance period. Keep in mind during all of this that there are only 30 capsules in the entire container.

----Effectiveness: 5.2/10----

Keeping it short and sweet, this gave me a tiny bit of libido boost and not much else to speak of. I didn't notice any increase in fat burning or thermogenesis, and definitely no increase in strength or recovery of even marginal means. If you're looking for a sexual health booster, then this will likely be beneficial to you. Otherwise, this did not do anything of note for me in term of "test boosting." I was looking for anything at all in terms of that little extra "oomph" and it never came. I definitely feel that a big reason for that is because this ran out so damn fast at their recommended serving size. If this had double the amount of capsules, I think it would have made a difference and I wouldn't be giving it such a low rating here.

----Value: 3.5/10----

I'd never run this again based on the results I saw and the price. At around $38 per bottle, and considering I'd probably have to run at least 2 bottles at 2 caps per day to really get the full picture on this, it would simply be too expensive. If it were half the price or double the amount at the current price, I'd at least consider it.

Side Effects

None

----Conclusion: 4.4/10----

I wouldn't recommend this based on my experience. Between what I expected/what they stated on the label and what I actually experienced, it didn't match up well at all. I'd look elsewhere if I were you and looking for a nice test booster. There's plenty I'd feel would be more more effective with better ingredient dosages at cheaper prices.

Introduction

A special thanks to Muscle1 for providing their products for the SR.com community to try out. This will be the first of my three reviews fro Muscle1 products. In this review, I discuss my experiences with their estrogen blocker product P-Cycle7. Estrogen is something we men must always keep under control in order to keep the testosterone levels substantial and dominant. Of course, it is possible to have both too high and too low estrogen. However, for most too high estrogen is a more common problem. Estrogen can also be a problem when running anabolic compounds that aromatize and cause rapid fluctuations in estrogen resulting in side effects such as gyno, bloat, and weight gain. That's when aromatase inhibitors and other estrogen blocking products come into play.

Ingredient Profile

P-Cycle7 contains one primary ingredients and a brief blend complex of other ingredients to increase absorption and bioavailability.

To begin, the AI in P-cycle7 is Arimistane. Each capsule provides 25mg of this well-known aromatase inhibitor. In addition to helping to block estrogen conversion, arimistane is also useful at reducing cortisol. This makes it a more than optimal choice for a cycle geared towards fat loss and recomposition. The effective dosage range is around 50-100mg. For me, 75mg is the sweet spot.

The second part of the profile is a 475mg Elite Intake Complex containing grapefruit extract, DHB, and bioperine. These ingredients are known to increase absorption and bioavailability by affecting the metabolism of the active ingredients.

Dosing

The directions suggest 2-4 capsules a day, spread out with food. I used P-Cycle7 at 75mg a day, which equates to 3 capsules a day. I took the caps with food and had them spread out about 4 hours.

Effectiveness

I was running P-Cycle7 as part of a triple cycle along with Muscle1's other products Mass4 and Strength1. I used P-cycle7 as an AI to prevent estrogen related side effects from Mass4. Mass4 is a 4-andro prohormone, which converts into testosterone. Great for a test base, but it can aromatize and cause estrogen rise. Therefore, using an AI is strongly recommended.

While running P-Cylce7 along with the other compounds, I experienced no negative estrogen related side effects. I never felt bloated and actually leaned out quite a bit despite a caloric surplus. Vascularity seemed increased as well. In addition, I had no impending symptoms of gyno.

The cortisol blocking effects helped me lean out and keep my energy levels high and consistent. Since it was allowing the testosterone conversion from Mass4 to remain optimized, my libido also saw a good increase and enabled me to maintain drive during cycle.

Value

As effective as P-Cycle7 is, it comes at a price.....and a high one at that. A bottle consts 80 dollars and is only available as of now on Muscle1's own website. Each bottle comes with 90 caps. If you run it at 3 caps a day, it will last a full month. So, you can say that the value depends heavily on how many caps you think you'll need. 80 dollars is a steep price considering you can get similar products with teh same ingredients for about half that, even though it doesn't contain the supplementary ingredients for the intake enhancement. In summary, the product is effectve, but far too expensive for a continuous investment.

Side Effects

If used in a standalone natty cycle to boost testosterone naturally, it can be drying to your joints. So be sure to have some good joint support handy.

Conclusion

Despite the steep price tag, P-Cycle7 is an excellent AI to help keep estrogen levels down and related side effects at bay. It will help optimize the efficacy of test base prohormones and increase definition and vascularity with intensive training and proper diet. Hopefully, the price can become lower as the products spread to other vendors.

Last thing to note, arimistane is NOT intended to be substitute for far more potent pharmaceutical grade aromatase inhibitors such as exemestane and letrozole. If you are extremely prone to gyno for whatever reason, arimistane may not suffice and you'll most likely have to go to one the pharmaceutical compounds.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO PATS!!!