Quick Summary

I wanted to try my first topical supplement. This seemed like a good fit for my goals of gaining a little strength. For me it worked.

Introduction

Hello everybody, I am back for another review on a new type of product for me. This is my first topical supplement, neat huh? I am a 46 year old family guy who needs to stay in shape and probably improve so I can keep doing what I like to do. I used this run to try and gain some strength. I hit the weights 4 days a week and then did cardio as well. I started the run at 220#'s and ended at 222#'s. If you look at my log you will see that the poundage I am lifting went up. Biggest thing for me is Pull ups (couldn't do one in junior high, yep one of those kids). Went from 5x5 with a 1 band assist to 5x5 no assist. This is cool for me anyway. I also want to thank ICONIC Formulations and the SRTroopers program for allowing me to run this product.

Pages 84-87 covers this run.
https://supplementreviews.com/forum/index.php?topic=33345.1245

Ingredient Profile

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

What the heck? As you probably guessed I have never used a topical before. So the important ingredient is the 5z Hydroxy Laxogenin. I am guessing I am getting 20mg per pump (more description below) which led me to an 80mg daily dose. So playing google warrior I found dosage ranges between 50 and 150mg per day. With a clinical dose of 100mg. Big problem is it isn't absorbed very well, which is why I assume this product worked (for me anyway) is it isn't going through the digestive system. The profile seems ok to me as you can vary your daily application to your needs.

Here is an article on Laxogenin, it doesn't cover topicals but gives a view on 5a Hydroxy Laxogenin.
https://www.tigerfitness.com/blogs/supplements/laxogenin-supplement-5-alpha-hydroxy

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This is a topical, if you are tasting or mixing it you are doing it wrong.....

Dosing isn't difficult but it is confusing. At my bodyweight they suggest 4 pumps a day and show you where to apply it. After a shower and drying off, apply and let dry for 4 or 5 minutes. So for me pretty easy as I just showered dried off applied, then shaved, brushed teeth etc. By the time I was done it was dry. Here is the one issue, on the bottle it doesn't say how much Laxogenin you are getting. On the website it says each bottle contains "3g's of Laxogenin to allow for 100mg daily application". So I assume that is at the maximum 5 pumps. Which means at my weight I was getting 80mg's per day. Seems simple to put on the bottle 20mg's per pump.

Effectiveness

In the month that I used this product my weights went up. That is the short and simple side. If you look at my log I did focus more on strength and so I would assume my strength would increase. However this seemed to up the desire to "hit more weights" if you know what I mean. I also was still able to do cardio, which as noted in earlier logs has been an issue as I get older. I also didn't get as sore from my workouts which I really noticed today as my body is feeling more sore than it has in the last month. I did go up in bodyweight as well, which I am not fond of but I guess 2 pounds won't kill me.

Value

As of 11/15/2018 I found the following prices.

Company website at $49.99.
https://iconicformulations.com/products/iconogenin

Amazon has it listed at $44.95.
https://www.amazon.com/Iconic-Formulations-Iconogenin-7-9-Oz/dp/B079Q2MVDT

For me this was a good value. 1 bottle at 4 pumps a day lasted about a month. For me that is in my price range, as I believe I saw positive results.

Side Effects

I had no real negative side effects. Only complaint is having to spread out that much lotion? Easier to take a pill than lather this on and wait for it to dry. But it did fit into my morning schedule with ease, so no down points. I forgot that I did get some joint pain, but I can't say this did it as I sorta overdosed on Halloween candy, then the joints hurt for about 4 days. As of today though I am back to normal, so I think it was more the sugar, but thought I should mention as if you read my log it is in there.

Conclusion

This was an enjoyable run for me. I think that even if it was only mental it gave me that drive and confidence to work a little harder. The result from that is totally obvious, I got results..... I think they should clean up the instructions in order to make it dummy proof, but other than that I had fun this month. I think that as I cut down the next few months ( I like to do things backwards, cut in winter play in summer) I will plan an 8 week run of this in the spring. I don't think this product costs too much, so with the sales I know will come up I will probably get a couple bottles so I am ready. If you are ready to try something different, pick up a bottle and lift some weight.

Quick Summary

I wanted to add BCAA's to some stuff. Prosource had a sale and I figured why not?

Introduction

Hello fellow supplement users. Many of us have heard of the value of added BCAA's to our systems. Some of us remember the spiking issues of some Protein Powders. In this case, I am spiking my own stuff with plan BCAA's to see if it helps in recovery. I am a 46 year old guy trying to have as much fun in the gym as I used to when injuries and DOMS where a figment of other peoples imagination. During this run I was lifting 4 days a week and trying to do cardio almost everyday. However the focus was to add strength. I bought this hoping that adding some BCAA's would make it easier to push a little harder.

Ingredient Profile

500g tub with the following breakdown.

Serving size 1 scoop (8g's)

4g's L-Leucine
2g's L-Isoleucine
2g's L-Valine

This is a pretty straight forward supplement. It is BCAA's in a 2-1-1 ratio. I find that this ratio works for me and I like the serving size. If you wanted to go down I guess you could use a half scoop? I found that the 8g's worked for me, so I am happy with this configuration.

----Taste/Mix-ability/Dosing----

Taste, so when I added this to pre-workouts I did get a leucine taste. However when I added it to protein drinks and to my smoothies I didn't notice any taste difference. It is a BCAA supplement, it is going to have a little taste.

The mix-ability was great I had no issues whatsoever. If you want you can take a scoop directly to your mouth and that works to. (taste is a little strong)

Dosing of this product was pretty simple for me. I used it anytime, sometimes in my pre-workout and sometimes in drinks I consumed later in the day. The serving size is 8g's. I know some people want more and some want less. The good thing is that this is a powder, so you can adjust it however you want to. It is a 2-1-1 ratio which for me seems to work fine.

Effectiveness

During part of my run with this I was using a flavored BCAA Product from VMI. This is when it worked the best. (duh, doubling the BCAA's had a positive effect). I did notice a decrease in efficacy when I only was getting 5g's a day. I believe it still helped as when I went to zero my good friend DOM's came back to say hi. Now this did not totally stop muscle soreness, but I don't think anything I would take would do that. It does help soften the blow, and that is all that I am looking for. Products that shouldn't have any negative effects on me long term, but give me a little performance boost. I am not looking at becoming a professional athlete, I just want to enjoy my time working out and be able to walk the next day. Below I posted a few websites if you want to read more as data seems to be mixed.

https://examine.com/supplements/branched-chain-amino-acids/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18974721

Value

As of 11/19/2018 this is selling for $22.95 for 500g's of powder. I bought it with a 20% discount, so you need to watch for sales.
https://www.prosource.net/products/mega-bcaa-powder

Amazon has the optimum nutrition brand for $23.97

It seems that it is a good price. Once again you gotta look for sales. I am willing to pay what I paid for it, mainly because I trust the company and I don't see a big price difference between other products. It is a simple unflavored product.

Side Effects

I had no negative side effects from this product. Only thing is it changed the taste of some of the things I put it in.

Conclusion

If you want to have a product on the counter that can enhance other products. Give this a shot. I would wait until they are running a sale, but that is just the cheap old man in me. I found this product pretty useful, and it will not break the bank. I think that Prosource is a reputable company and this is a pretty straight forward product. I also think that the older you get these products tend to be more useful. I honestly can remember thinking that BCAA's didn't do anything for me. After age 40, I have noticed as I revisit some of the simple supplements that they now seem to "work". I give this particular product a thumbs up.

Quick Summary

A blended protein powder with some added extras to aid your digestion. Very well priced and tastes great. This is very effective for what you require from a protein powder.

Introduction

39 years old and I lift 5 days a week, currently doing GZCL UHF 9 week. I like to keep a blended protein in my daily stack to take post workout, as it gives me my protein needs as well as keeps me from being too hungry until I eat breakfast. I have not tried anything from Body Nutrition before, so after researching some of their flavors and past reviews, I decided to give this a shot when it became available. Big thank you to SR and Body Nutrition for making this review possible.

Ingredient Profile

Each 34g scoop nets you 120 Calories, 1g Fat, 20mg Cholesterol, 5g Carbs, 24g Protein, 105mg Sodium, and 100mg Digestive enzymes. I appreciate the sodium being at a low level as I have to watch my daily sodium intake and most blended proteins tend to have quite a bit.

The protein breaks down to 45% (10.8g) Whey, 45% (10.8g) Micellar Casein, and 10% (2.4g) Egg Whites. The protein is a blend of Pure Undenatured & Nonthermally Processed Milk Protein Isolate, Cross-Flow Nanofiltered Whey Protein Isolate, Ultrafiltered Whey Protein Concentrate, and Egg Albumen.

Besides the digestive enzymes you also get 2.5g Fiber here as well to help you with your daily fiber needs.

I think this is a pretty good profile for a blended protein, with the big points being the digestive enzymes, and the low sodium content. This can easily fit into your daily macros no matter what your goal is.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste: I recieved the CinnaBun flavor, and man it was delicious!! It tasted very close to an actual cinnabun, but a much healthier option. This was a treat and something I looked forward to driving home from the gym each day.

Mixability: This mixed very easily with water and milk. Just a couple of shakes in the shaker and you were off and drinking. This did not leave any weird residue or anything like that either.

Dosing: Its a protein so you take this as needed. I took one scoop post workout on training days and when I woke up on rest days.

Effectiveness

The best way for me to judge a Protein's effectiveness is how it digested and if it kept me from being too hungry prior to me eating breakfast. The added digestive enzymes really go a long way in aiding digestion here. I had no issues in this department and this was one of the easiest digesting protein blends I have ever used. Most protein blends for me tend to sit in my stomach a bit and digests slowly, but this one digested as fast as a pure Isolate would for me. i am becoming a big fan of added enzymes for protein powders.

This did not keep me as full as other blended proteins, which I chalk up mainly to the digestive properties. I have about an hour gap between taking this post workout and eating breakfast, so this did its job in this aspect. However, some days I would get pretty hungry about a half hour in, but not starving.

Overall, digestion and taste wise this product is one of the best I have ever had in a blended protein, but keeping me full wise was about average. I was very happy with this run and it did everything that I needed it to.

Value

The best price I could find this is at DPS Nutrition via Priceplow for $44.98 for 4lb (53 servings). That comes out to 85 cents a serving which is a pretty great price for what you are getting here. I believe this really has some quality ingredients, and with a price like that it is tough too beat.

Side Effects

None at all.

Conclusion

For a blended protein powder this truly does have a pretty great macro breakdown with low sodium. The added extras such as digestive enzymes and fiber really help this product to stand out in a flooded market. You can find this for a great price and it tastes amazing, so if you are in the market for a blended protein you should definitely give Trutein a shot. I highly recommend this product, and I will be trying the other flavors in the future.

Quick Summary

This was my first experience with nootropics. Although the product's effects were not super extraordinary, I noticed a little change in my mental clarity and mood.

Introduction

This being my first time with nootropics, I was pretty fired up to try it. Based on the label on the container and a little bit about what I had read about nootropics, I was expecting to have a lot of mental clarity when I took it, meaning my thoughts would not be so cloudy as they usually get about 4-5 hours into my day. I was also expecting not just mental clarity, but a shift in the way I perceive and retain information so that my intelligence would be impacted. The nootropics were awesome, however, since they are not a schedule 1 drug, my perception of the world was not utterly shifted as I hoped it would.

Ingredient Profile

Unfortunately it is a proprietary blend so the amounts of each ingredient are not disclosed, however the main acting ingredients in RAM NeuroZ3 are ALCAR, L-Tyrosine, Alpha GPC, L-Theanine, and Huperzine A. ALCAR is a compound related to L-Carnitine and is typically known for boosting cognition and helping with depression by the way of alleviating the effects of aging and disease on mitochondria. L-Tyrosine is an amino acid which can be found in food products such as meat, fish, eggs, and wheat and is commonly used to improve learning. Alpha GPC is most commonly known as a prescription medication used in Europe to help improve Alzheimer's, so it helps to boost memory. L-theanine is an amino acid mostly found in tea leaves, and research has shown that it promotes relaxation without drowsiness and improves focus as well. Huperzine A is another one that is used to improve Alzheimer's so it helps boost memory and learning enhancement as well.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Not too much to comment on here, easy pill to swallow, unlike the reality that your soul mate may never be out there despite the multitude of fish in the sea. Just two tablets daily on an empty stomach.

Effectiveness

I may have hyped up this nootropic in my head quite a bit. While it didn't tell me the meaning of life when I took it, it did make it a little easier to make conversation with people because my thoughts weren't so foggy. I'm not a student so I didn't necessarily need it for brain activity; I just wanted to boost my mood and the way I interact with people day to day. It kicks in maybe 30-45 minutes after consumption and it's hard to say when it wears off, but I do notice the change in my mental activity and my mood. Now nootropics may be able to change your mood, but if you have to deal with an upset female, no amount of nootropics can help prepare you for that.

Value

Super good value, you can pick it up at Walmart for $19.99, or on the RAM website for $40.

Side Effects

No noticeable side effects.

Conclusion

I'm going to experiment with more nootropics to see if they truly are effective and worth it, but for my first experience with it I have no complaints. I enjoyed the slight mood boost day to day as I took it. I didn't know that this was a product that you could pick up at Walmart until I wrote this review though, so that fact slightly diminishes the quality of the product in my mind since I associate most Walmart products as not being the most effective or high quality. But it's a good thing that I didn't know it was a Walmart product while taking it because I did notice slight changes in my mental state.

Quick Summary

mTor Pro is a unique take with a twist on a popular supplement, EAA's.

Introduction

mTor Pro is an amino acid supplement that contains EAAs and your standard BCAAs. EAAs are essential amino acids which your body cannot produce so they need to come through your diet. BCAAs are Branch Chain Amino Acids. These are the amino acids you get from a typical supplement and contain L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Valine. What makes mTor unique from all the other EAAs is the Active TR. This is a time released version of L-Leucine.

Ingredient Profile

mTOR Activating Recovery Matrix
Instantized BCAAs (2:1:1)
Instant L-Leucine(2.5g): This amino acid triggers muscle protein synthesis through the mTor pathway. Leucine is called the "king of BCAAs" due to its ability to trigger protein synthesis better than other aminos.

L-Valine (1.25g): This amino acid aids to trigger muscle protein synthesis when in combination with others. Some studies have shown benefit to mental functions.

L-Isoleucine (1.25g): This amino acid has anti-catabolic effects without directly triggering muscle protein synthesis. It also helps with glucose absorption and removal.

ActiveTR Time Released L-Leucine (3g): This is a version of L-Leucine that is designed to time release over 8 hours. Where most serum L-Leucine peaks and then plumits after around 3-4 hours the Active TR will cause a spike then a consistent release again to provide the muscles this key amino acid.

L-Lysine (938mg): Lysine helps signal muscle protein synthesis and benefits the immune system.

L-Threonine (685mg): Threonine promotes protein balancing, promotes heart and liver health.

L-Phenylalanine (310mg): This amino acid provides cognitive benefits through dopamine production and improved neural connection to benefit "mind-muscle" connection.

[]L-Tyrosine (292mg): This amino acid is used by the body to produce noradrenaline and dopamine. This leads to an anti-stress response when supplemented.

L-Histidine (175mg): Histidine can be converted into histamine in the body which regulates allergic reactions. It can also help with anemia and digestion.

L-Methionine (100mg): This amino acid supports healthy fat metabolism, digestion, testosterone production, and even can be used as an antioxidant.

AstraGin (50mg): This is an extract of Astragalus membranaceous and Panax ginseng. This has been proven to improve the absorption of amino acids/nutrients. It also can help the body to repair any minor damage to the small intestines.

Active Hydration Matrix
Taurine (1g): This amino acid is commonly used for reduction in cramping and for cardiovascular health. It is being researched as an anti-diabetic compound because it acts on insulin sensitivity. Most notably taurine is used for electrolyte balance which helps in water balance and hydration.

Potassium Gluconate (150mg): Potassium is vital for the human body. Low levels can even lead to heart failure and death. Potassium is used in the process of muscle contraction and neuron firing. This is why a common symptom of hypokalemia (low potassium) is cramping.

Sodium Chloride (75mg): Sodium is another essential nutrient for muscle contraction and overall health. Sodium works to balance the water inside and outside of your cells. NaCl helps to pull water into the cells when needed.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

The taste of this product is amazing. I purchased the mango lemonade flavor and was a little apprehensive. I wasn't sure how it would taste. The flavor is a great combination of sweet and tangy. The mango taste hits and there is a tangy lemonade after taste. This was very easy to drink.
The mixability was good for a EAA supplement. Amino acids are naturally hydrophobic so they won't mix well with water. Due to this there was "floaters" in it and you should probably swirl it before you drink. There was a decent amount of foaming but this did subside if you let it sit for a minute after shaking.
I dosed this product with the unique form of Leucine in mind. I took one scoop most days before bed to supply my body with a steady amount of Amino Acids as I slept/recovered.

Effectiveness

I used this supplement as a recovery aid. I could tell this helped a lot because my soreness was almost always absent. I took this at night towards the time i would fall asleep. My rational behind this is that this is the one time throughout the day that your body dosnt have a supply of amino acids. The ActiveTR allows the time released L-Leucine to be steadily released to your body over 8 hours. This allows your body to have the nutrients to kick-start protein synthesis during recovery and sleep. This plan did make a decent difference in my training. I pushed myself very hard in the gym and i could almost always jump up the next day at 6am with little to no DOMS. This made strides in my training since i am doing a full body split and could hit every day harder and harder without the worry of being so sore the next day i couldn't move. There were some days, particularly days where i hit maxes, where i would have some mild soreness after.
I did use this as an intra workout some days. On these days it did offer me a mid-workout boost of energy to keep me on track.
I have never taken a supplement that had a hydration matrix in it. I cant say that it made a huge difference but i did feel less thirsty in general. I normally drink around a gallon of water a day and this did continue while i took this because i know how much i need to drink even though im not thirsty.

Value

The value of this product is great for what you get. Most amino acids are around $1/ serving which is where this one sits. It is 29.99 for mTor Pro but this is not including shipping. This puts it at $1/serving which I feel is a good value for the unique product you get.

Side Effects

I didn't experience any side effects while taking this product.

Conclusion

MTor Pro is a great option for anybody in the market for an EAA supplement. I realize this may be a 2nd or 3rd tier supplement for many but this truly will benefit your recovery time and alow you to push harder in the gym.

Quick Summary

If a caffeine jolt helps you work out, go for it. If you're sensitive to that, you're best to avoid.

Introduction

Full Disclosure - see attached images for product being reviewed, as my product is called "Speed Stack" but differs slightly from the "Extreme" bottling pictured. I don't typically choose the Ready-To-Drink (RTD) products as part of a supplement regimen, but I thought I'd give this a try. ABB has been in business for a while and, as you've probably seen with one glance at a cooler in most gyms, they have a wide variety of offerings to tempt most anyone.

Ingredient Profile

One of the attached images will give you the specifics (such as they are), but I'll try to highlight a few of the bigger points here:

250mg Caffeine - says it right there on the front. That's good or bad, depending on your preference and sensitivity to that. This is more than your typical large cup of coffee, soft drink or mass-market energy drink. It's probably in the neighborhood of the potent 'energy shots' that were a big thing at one time (e.g. 5-hour, etc).

0g sugar, 5 calories - No sugar, practically no calories. Sounds good... but there's 'something' in there, right?

960mg of their "Proprietary MethXanth Blend (TM)" - I know that these companies can't reveal their secrets, but it does make you wonder how much of these other products (you know, the stuff in the blend) that you're ingesting. A few of those include Yerba Mate Extract (known for some caffeine content, energy boost, etc), DMAE Bitartrate (? - per some searching, for cellular health, particularly brain-related) and (of course) the caffeine anhydrous.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste - I went with the fruit punch. It definitely has its own 'taste' and what I would call an aftertaste. I chalked down my share of super-chalky protein supplements many years ago, so I don't get as critical of taste as others do. That said, if you asked me "does it taste good?", I would probably say "eh... I wouldn't call it good, exactly." I tolerated it fine, but if someone told you that it had a medicine-like taste to it, I can see what would make them say that.

Mixability - N/A. This is definitely a benefit of the RTD products. You're paying for the convenience of not having to mix anything up (more on that later).

Dosing - The recommendation is to begin drinking the bottle 20 minutes before working out, then finish it up while training. That's usually how I went about it when trying this product. I would usually finish during the workout and then drink water from that point on during the workout.

Effectiveness

I don't drink very much caffeine during the normal course of the day. As noted, these have 250mg of caffeine, so... I undoubtedly knew that this product was in my system. During one workout, I specifically made sure that this was all I was taking and I tracked my heartrate and approximate calorie burn during the workout with a Fitbit. I worked up a good sweat pretty quickly and I was weight training. I wasn't doing supersets or alternating any cardio during the workout. The typical "bro workout," if you will, just sets of various shoulder exercises. My heartrate was noticeably higher on average during the workout and I had burned approximately 600 calories while performing a workout that I would have guessed would have typically had me burning 400-450 calories.

Value

I bought these in bulk and probably spent just over $2 each (this was a 'box' of (12) 18-ounce bottles, BTW). Individually at a gym, they may cost you $3-4 each. If you're buying a RTD, you're paying for the convenience of not having to mix. I would much prefer to spend less per serving on a pre-workout and I bought these in bulk to try them out because I knew how expensive they were individually. I'm pretty frugal and I can't imagine dropping $3-4 per workout just to have a drink like this to make me feel ready to lift.

Side Effects

This may be in the eye of the beholder, as I would call any 'side effects' simply the byproduct of taking a big dose of caffeine. Yeah, I had a sweat going more quickly during the workout. Yes, my heartrate increased. If you're really sensitive to caffeine, you might get jittery (I didn't). You might have headaches for feel a 'crash' after the product wears off, though I did not. You're drinking a stimulant before working out, so you may have side effects. I didn't notice anything that I wouldn't expect, but educate yourself before consuming if this concerns you at all.

Conclusion

It definitely works, but I wish it tasted a bit better and I wish it cost a bit less. I can't say I'll never drink these again, but this is an 'every now and then' product for me and is not a must-have for my supplement regimen.

Quick Summary

Solid product for digestion.

Introduction

After terrible poisoning two years ago, I was diagnosed with chronic deficit of vitamins, minerals and all digestive elements. During this heavy condition I gained huge mass of fat and suffered from almost every problem associated with stomach and bowel, such as: chronic diarrhea, bloating, excessive gas etc. Immediately started intense medication course and drank plenty of pills everyday. I still consume digestive enzymes and Probiotics + Prebiotics supplements, but my health has significantly improved and current pills are much weaker. I used to drink enzymes from two brands: One local brand named Krezam and second German Mezym forte. when I saw price of Now Foods Super Enzymes, immediately decided to purchase.

Ingredient Profile

Calcium (from Calcium Carbonate) 36 mg
Betaine HCl 200 mg
Ox Bile Extract (min. 45% Total Cholic Acids) 100 mg
Papaya Fruit Powder 45 mg
Enzyme Blend: 225 mg
Pancreatin: Amylase 37,000 USP Units
Protease 37,000 USP Units
Lipase 2,960 USP Units
Bromelain (from Pineapple) 120 GDU
Papain (from Papaya) 100,000 PU
Cellulase 10 CU
Acid Stable Protease (Aspergillopepsin) 50 SAPU

Amylase Breaks down Carbs, Protease - Protein, Lipase - fats, Cellulase breaks down cellulose molecule into monosaccharides such as beta-glucose. Both Papain and Bromelain are good support for Protease to break down proteins better. Ox Bile aids the function of the Liver and Gall Bladder, helps produce more bile to digest, process and disinfect fats and proteins. Betaine HCI is for stomach acid production. Calcium's is one of the well-know and consumed mineral, especially benefitial for bone health, teeth, blood etc.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Only capsules are produced and you have to drink one serving during meals. They have no smell or taste, thus easy to swallow. Most relevant ingredients are Amylase, Protease and Lipase, as you can see from Ingredient Profile. From my medication experience 20,000-25,000 Lipase, 18,000-22,500 Amylase and only 1,250-1,500 Protease are completely enough for adult to digest ood, these were amounts found in my Krezam and Mezym forte Enzymes. So dosage is slightly above average and good absorption of macro-nutrients is guaranteed.

Effectiveness

As I mentioned above, I still have some gut, stomach health issues and I'm very sensitive too many foods, thus I easily understand which enzymes work and which don't... After 4-5 days of using Super Enzymes, stomach irritation decreased, no bloating, no gas, my body tends to be calm and function ordinary.
I'm lactose sensitive and whenever I drink whey protein isolate, I add this enzymes to my shake and absorb protein safely. Otherwise after 15-20 seconds my stomach starts bloating and diarrhea strikes!

Value

For $18.56 you can purchase 180 veggie caps on Amazon, thus you pay nearly $0.10 per serving - absolutely affordable and acceptable price.

Side Effects

Absolutely no side effects.

Conclusion

Whether you have serious digestive problems or just looking for better absorption of foods, Now Foods Super Enzymes are best option on market. Except major three enzymes, that break down also three main macro-nutrients, this supplement will add extra plant based sources to improve gut and stomach health. If you are lactose intolerant, you can add this enzymes to your shakes and drink safely. If even this enzymes aren't enough, than it's time to consult physician!

Quick Summary

If you like iced coffee, then you'll probably like this product. It tastes like coffee. It is caffeinated. The only potential downside is that it has a bit of a burnt aftertaste (kind of like toffee), and it's a little pricey.

Introduction

On most days, I have coffee and I have a protein shake, so I figured why not combine the two and try out a caffeinated protein product. It would save me some time in the morning.

I go to the gym at 5AM, get home around 6:30-7 when I have my shake, and then am at work by 8AM. While I was using this product, I didn't drink any coffee or use any other caffeinated products.

Ingredient Profile

This product is a mix of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. I don't know how much of each is in the product. I also don't know what kind of wpc and wpi are being used.

The product says it has 0g trans fat, but alas, that doesn't actually mean there is no trans fat in the product. The FDA allows products to say 0g trans fat as long as there is less than .5g in a serving (they can round down). What is more concerning, though, is that the product has mono and di glycerides which can be trans fat, but don't have to be listed as such because the FDA defines fats as triglycerides.

1 scoop is 130 calories, and gives us 20g protein, 7g carbs (1 fiber, 3 sugar) and 2.5g fat (.5g saturated fat). There is also 135mg sodium, 30mg cholesterol, and nearly two dozen vitamins/minerals, Vitamin D, iron, etc. There is also no added sugar in the product, and 1 serving has 120mg caffeine (an 8oz cup of coffee has about 95mg caffeine).

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

The taste was pretty decent, 7.5/10. The only ding I give it is the burnt aftertaste. It reminded me of burnt toffee, without the actual toffee flavor. It tasted like the sugar in the product was over-caramelized.

The mixability was pretty good. There was a little clumping but not too much.

I used 1 scoop at a time and would mix it with Fairlife most of the time (although I did try it with water). I used a food scale to make sure I got a serving. I found the scoop slightly too big.

Effectiveness

I train fasted, so I always had my protein shake when I got home after my workout. I found that the caffeine would kick in rather quickly, and I had a nice boost of energy to get me started when I got to work.

I didn't see any performance or body composition changes while I was using this product, but I finished it in about three weeks, so I wouldn't expect to see any changes in such a short time.

Value

This product is on the expensive side. 1 tub is $30, and only has 14 servings, so we're looking at over $2/serving. I took a look at some other protein coffee products to see how this one compared, and I found similar products for $1.35-$1.8/serving.

I could only find this product in one store, which is probably why it costs more than its competitors. If it can get wider availability, the price can come down a bit, and it would be a more competitive product.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

I liked this product, but I didn't love it. If the burnt after taste went away, and the price came down a bit, I'd likely get another tub to keep in my rotation. This probably wouldn't be a daily staple for me.

Quick Summary

Muscle Nutrition Protein Coffee Drink Mix gives you a good helping of high quality whey, while also supplementing you with plenty of essential other nutrients. The added caffeine is a great bous to help give you a good energy boost when you need. The price though is something that is not a welcome sight.

Introduction

A special thanks to Muscle Nutrition for their participation here on SR.com. Also, an apology for the tardiness of the review. Today, I discuss Protein Coffee Drink Mix. As the supplement industry's most dominant and widely used category of products, protein supplements have made their way into every fitness buff's regimen at one point or another. It's a great way to help keep your macros in check and support all goals. Every now and then, there comes a product with some nice added bonuses. Such bonuses may include the addition of caffeine, multiple protein sources, or some added digestive enzymes. Truth be told, good 'ol classic whey will always be around.

In the meantime, let's see how Protein Coffee Drink Mix stands up....

Ingredient Profile

Each single scoop serving provides the following:

Firstly, each serving clocks in at 130 calories. In addition, we have 2.5g of total fat, 7g of carbs, and 3g of sugar. You also get a good amount of other essential vitamins and minerals.

Second, each serving provides 120mg of caffeine.

Lastly, the total protein serving is 20g in the form of whey protein.

In summary, we have a special protein supplement with some nice extras and doesn't have any unnecessary fats, sugars, unfavorable carbs, or sodium.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This has one flavor, which is a classic iced coffee flavor with a pleasant mocha-like added aroma. I found it to be very good in water, but it was especially good in milk and almond milk. I mixed it with chocolate whole milk at one instance and it was a true preparation of deliciousness.

It mixed fully and thoroughly in all liquids and methods without clumps or any other problems.

Being that this had caffeine, I had to be more prudent and flexible on when I used a serving since I didn't want to overdo my stim intake as added from other sources such as coffee or pre workouts. Also, I want to note that I did not take this every consecutive day during my duration of using the product. Therefore, it lasted me close to three weeks as opposed to two weeks given the 14 servings in each tub. Still, I wanted to take full advantage of the caffeine kick. On weekdays, I would take a serving in the morning mixed with either water, milk, or almond milk before my workshifts. I did not take it on weekends since I have weekends off. With the exception of one day where I had to work an overnight shift, I had to make sure not to take this too close to bedtime since the caffeine would interrupt my sleep.

Effectiveness

First I will discuss the energy aspect. The "pick me up" I got from the caffeine was a much welcomed benefits as it helped me get through my workshifts more efficiently. In addition, the energy also helped me feel more "primed" for my training sessions later in the day.

Second I will discuss the general protein aspect. As I would want from protein supplements, Protein Coffee Drink Mix helped reduce the morning DOMS and lethargy I would experience in the mornings following previous day intense training sessions. It also helped prolong my satiety through the day, helping my energy stay consistent an reducing my likelihood of unnecessary snacking if the pangs did hit. This I especially liked because when working in Healthcare, these hunger pangs are not only bothersome, but are also unpredictable since you don't focus on such a thing.

Value

This is where the product takes a significant hit. Firstly, when I was researching the value, I noticed when clicking on the link that connects to Muscle Nutrition's direct page to Protein Coffee Drink Mix, the product was not listed. So whether the retail price of 29.99 stands or not is unknown.

Regardless, I did find it on Amazon and it is in fact 29.99. However, there is a 15.99 shipping charge. That alone is unacceptable. Not considering that though, even if the shipping were free and 30 dollars was the set price, that is still not the best of values. For starters, at only 14 servings per tub, you'd probably be better off just drinking your coffee straight up and taking your whey protein separately. Or, simply make your "coffee" shake with some fresh ground coffee mix and protein. Furthermore, the value is hurt more considering that while on Amazon, I saw that similar caffeinated protein supplements that contain more servings. One such example is Optimum Nutrition's Protein Energy that goes for 16.99 for a bag that contains 52 single scoop servings. If you were to take two scoops to equate Muscle Nutrition's product, that is still more servings for a lower price. I believe there is a shipping fee, but it is less expensive.

I understand that these specialty protein products do go for a little extra, but 30 dollars is not an efficient value for a mere 14 servings.

Now one thing I will give Protein Coffee Drink Mix the benefit of the doubt is that perhaps if the product is resumed by Muscle Nutrition, then the price may be changed or the tubs may be bigger. This is assuming that changes are made.

Side Effects

none

Conclusion

In conclusion, Muscle Nutrition's Protein Coffee Mix wins in the taste and efficacy department. However, this win is met with a loss when it comes to the overall retail value of the product.

I would recommend investing in cheaper similar options or simply concoct your own "coffee protein" shake.

If I were to invest in this again, I would want to see a bigger tub and a slightly lower price at the very least.

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO PATS!!!

Introduction

After more than year of regular strength training and weight loss, I decided to try several protein sources with little portions and decide which brand I'll be using for the rest of my time. Reason why I didn't consume whey earlier was my health concerns: lack of digestive enzymes and lactose intolerance. Most of protein brands I consumed were much cheaper and not more than 14-16 servings. Even though this product is very expensive for it's amount, I liked it's description and gave a try.

Ingredient Profile

25g Protein (from Grass Fed Whey Protein Concentrate)
12g Carbs (from Prebiotic Soluble Fiber: VitaFiber-Isomalto-oligosacchride (IMO), Sweet Potato Powder, VitaBerry Fruit Blend (Organic Strawberry, Organic Raspberry, Organic Blueberry, Organic Tart Cherry, Organic Elderberry, Organic Cranberry), VitaVeggie Blend (Organic Broccoli, Organic Broccoli Sprouts, Organic Tomato, Organic Carrot, Organic Spinach, Organic Kale)
16g VITAMINS & MINERALS (Vitamin A 78 mcg, Vitamin C 1 mg, Vitamin D 7 mcg, Calcium 190 mg, Sodium 170 mg, Potassium 140 mg)

25 grams of protein is standard amount for most of Whey powders, but other macro-nutrients and ingredients took my mind immediately. Healthy carbs are essential for both: losing weight and Improving performance. I eat broccoli, sweet potato and all berries regularly to keep my weight scale going down. Absolutely all of these carbohydrate sources are wonderful for everything and they make Truefit Protein Ultimate All-in-one powder

What's most important for me, I'm still lactose sensitive and since Truefit Protein contains Lactobacillus Acidophillus Probiotics I safely drink it directly without any pills. With other brands I always consume high dose of digestive enzymes.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste is absolutely wonderful! As a big lover of milkshakes, can't wait to finish my workout. Just several seconds of strong shaking are completely enough to mix well. Can't say anything special about amount of protein, go for 1 or 2 scoops immediately after workout if you wish good meal replacement and high amount of healthy macro-nutrients.

Effectiveness

As for effectiveness of only whey protein, it does it's duties very well: completely satisfies thirstiness, hunger, helps to recover fast and muscle growth can be noticed after 3-4 weeks of use. Except this whole my body feels very well and full of energy. Digestion is very important for people like me and can guarantee no problems with this shake, after regular consumption of ordinary whey, even with digestive enzymes my stomach feels bloated and irritated, while with Truefit protein my stomach feels much more healthier.
In addition to this, I also used Truefit for baking Protein rich muffins with eggs, banana and chocolate milk, which was great alternative for my cravings.

Value

This is only and huge disadvantage of Truefit Protein. Cheapest online market to purchase this whey is bodybuilding.com at $29.99 price,
with only 20 servings ($1.50 per scoop), each jar costs twice as much as direct competitors. If you look at prices of BPI Protein on www.muscleandstrength.com, price ranges from $1.14 to $0.56 Per Serving, for Allmax whey products on same website price ranges from $1.00 and $0.57(with current discounts). I gave example of these two brands, because even tough I'm satisfied with Truefit, it's still hard to compare it with bestsellers like Optimum Nutrition, Myprotein, Nitro-tech and many more. But, not any of these brands contain so many minerals and vitamins.

Side Effects

Didn't experience any of relevant side effects.

Conclusion

So Truefit lean protein is really on of the best and healthiest supplements you can purchase on market. Whether trying to cut or gain muscle/strength, this supplement can help you to achieve your daily protein goals when consumed properly. Even if you love to bake with whey for fighting with your cravings, all of its macro-nutrients are ideal. Problem is price, if you wish to get all of these elements, you can get them from foods directly or purchase them from other markets, such as sweet potato powder from amazon and add them into your shake. Hope RSP Nutrition soon reduces price and starts manufacture of large amounts.

Introduction

I purchased leanmode because it has been bestseller fat burner for last few years on bodybuilding.com. I've been regularly training recently and managed to lose 40 kg already, so I already experienced weight loss plateau and all the difficulties associated with fat. Before leanmode I tried two fat burners and both of them contained stimulants. After finishing several jars of them, I decided to give a try to this bestseller.

Ingredient Profile

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) Powder (std. min. 60% CLA) 1,000 mg
Acetyl-L-Carnitine 1,000 mg
Green Coffee Bean Extract 200 mg
Garcinia Cambogia Extract (std. min. 60% HCA) (fruit rind) 200 mg
Green Tea Leaf Extract (std. min. 60% EGCG) 100 mg

Absolutely Everything listed in here are natural sources responsible for transporting body fat to mitochondria and boost energy levels when creating calorie deficit. According to many researches, both CLA and L-Carnitine are scientifically proved ingredient to help utilize body fat, thus making them essential ingredients for weight watchers. In addition to this, L-Carnitine is good Energy contributor and metabolism booster. Garcinia Cambogia Extract is very good source to suppress you appetite and you can also find lots of products of them created from other manufacturers. Other ingredients are strong antioxidants and when taken probably, they will undoubtedly help your body to function effectively.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I cut sugary drinks years ago and never regret it, so this supplement is very sweet for me, even if I mixed it with 0.5 liters of water, still very hard to swallow. Mixes normally but not fully, so you need to shake it very well or just use small hand mixer. Most relevant thing why I dislike this product is it's dosing. CLA can be taken up to 6,000 mg per day and L-carnitine up to 5,000 mg. With 1,000 mg of each leanmode becomes very poorly dosed and for benefits must be taken at least twice per day.

Effectiveness

I started consuming leanmode as directed by manufacturer, absolutely nothing changed, no appetite suppression, no energy, no change on body and no movement on scale. Tried to drink two times per day, but nothing changed and wasn't very easy for my body to absorb as a first thing in the morning.

But I managed to find solution: I've purchased unflavord BCAAs earlier and as you may know they taste terrible, almost impossible to swallow. I mixed leanmode with unflavored from other brand BCAAs, both of them easily neutralized their tastes and changes started to appear immediately. After one week of use small portion of muscles still appeared on my body and scale started to go down again!

Value

The cheapest way to purchasr leanmode is bidybuilding.com, where it costs 19.97 $ only 30 servings. It might not cost as expensive as other effective fat burners but given information, you still have to purchase other supplements, thus all current prices on every online markets logically seems very high for such additional jar...

Side Effects

When drink on empty stomach or first thing in the morning irritated stomach very much. Otherwise nothing can happen to me.

Conclusion

As an experienced man in burning fat, I can definitely assure you to always include BCAAs in your supplement. They promote protein synthesis and indirectly help you burn some fat. Products like leanmode are only so called "add-on" Items to them and absolutely not guaranteed to make you lose weight. They can even represent danger to your heart health when taken not properly. There are lots of amino acids' complexes available, which contain both: BCAA and Fat Burning ingredients. So I Advice to rely on them. I also have to say stimulant free fat burners will take much more time to show some impact, because boosting metabolism and burning fat are in positive correlation.
If your body can tolerate caffeine and L-Taurine, just go for Stimluant Thermogenics!

Quick Summary

A product aiming specifically to help you with recovery after a hard day at the gym

Introduction

First and foremost I would like to thank myself for working out and have the budget to buy these things on my own ;). 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 40 years old so aches and pains come with the territory. Also, for some reason I experience aching DOMS on my second day. I always look for things that can help me in that department, especially with legs since I do need to walk without saying "ouch ouch" every step of the way.

Ingredient Profile

This has a fully disclosed ingredients profile ...

You are receiving 100 calories where most of them are coming from 25 grams of Dextrin which are carbs to help you rebuild those muscles. Remember it's not all protein and carbs even if you are dieting is a necessary evil. The good thing about Dextrin it does not raise blood sugar or insulin.

We also have basic nutrients that do have a direct affect on your recovery:
Calcium at 99 mg (only 10% of your daily value)
Phosphorus at 88 mg (9%)
Magnesium 35 mg (9%)
Sodium 140 mg (6%)
Potassium 80 mg (2%)

And now the good stuff that should help you recover:
Cluster Dextrin 25g - Which we have already covered is a fiber based carb that should help your body with recovery without the nastiness of sugar.

Your standard BCAA's for recovery ...
L- Leucine 5g
L- Isoleucine 2.5g
L-Valine 2.5g

This is a very decent amount of BCAA's ... I don't think I have to go over what each Amino does ...

Betaine Anhydrous 2.5g - This should help you build a little more muscle while recovering. This amino helps create methionine which helps in muscle protein synthesis and that should help you grow in size. This is well dosed per recommnedations although you should take 2.5g prior to working out.

HICA 2g - HICA should help you with endurance and recovery due to it's ability to get rid of waste that builds up in your muscle after a intensive workout. This product has well above the recommended dosage which I like since it's not a "cheap" ingredient.

L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate 2g - I like this ingredient here ... I know that mostly this is used in a pre or weight loss ... but I think it would also do well in a post product since it offers energy to the body while it's recuperating. This would be ideal for me since I have a little bit more fat than your average gym goer. If this would transform my fat into energy and than help me recover in the process I would be thrilled. The dosage is recommended and I'm very happy about it.

Taurine 2g - Taurine has been known to increase muscle mass, muscle strength, power, reduces muscle damage caused by exercise, accelerate recovery between workouts, and may also have an insulin-like effect in the body. Most of recovery products I've seen so far had this ingredient added. Two reasons for that ... it has some studies backing it up and it's cheap :P. The dosage of 2 grams is very standard in the industry.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I had the Fruit Punch flavor and it wasn't the best tasting product. It does feel like you are drinking a fruit punch flavor but it felt very waxy when I drunk it ... I'm assuming it's coming from the amount of sugar ... I don't it was bad enough to deter from having it ... but it wasn't something that I wanted to have just for the flavor.

Effectiveness

We all want to skip to this if we are not interested in the science ... and usually the first initial question is "does it work?". I can tell you that for me ... it absolutely did. I can also tell you that I was not at all disappointing with purchasing this product because of the positive affect it had on me. If you are frugal like me that you can understand what a compliment this is. While running on this product my aches and pains were numbed tremendously. I could walk without aching hard after 2 days. Stairs were not as unpleasant as before. I wasn't dreading legs day after I started taking this product. If that is not motivational enough than I honestly don't know what will motivate you to try this product.

Value

The value on this varies ... usually I think it goes for 35$ which is a hefty price to pay. Personally I would probably just grind my teeth and go through the pain and not pay that price. But, when I see a sweet deal like I did twice last year I didn't hesitate to pay the 16$. I thought for that price it was a steal ... that comes down to .80$ per serving. If you bought HICA alone 2 grams would cost you 86 cents, so to me this is fantastic.

Side Effects

None that I have experienced myself.

Conclusion

Definitely get this when it is on sale ... If you struggle with DOMS this is your go to product for sure. Since I have purchased this product for half the price that it usually sells for I just don't and can't purchase it at the regular price. I think if they lowered the regular price to something like 25$ it would make more sense and I would be praising it's value. Other than the price this is a really good product that does exactly what it's meant to do. I highly recommend it to those with the abundance of money and prefer to feel better. Thank you for reading my review and I wish you a wonderful day.

Quick Summary

You can't go wrong for a high quality protein powder that tastes great, is effective, and is probably cheaper than what you are buying right now.

Introduction

Hey what's up! I am new to SR so hopefully you like my reviews. Please give me feedback so I can be the best reviewer possible. More about myself, I am a 20 year old male college student. I workout 7 days a week (4 days lifting weights, 7 boxing, 3 yoga) and would consider myself to have high metabolism.

I don't just work out because it's healthy or to get bigger, I do it because I enjoy it! Something you need to know about me is that I am very selective on the products I buy. My priority is high quality/healthy products not lowest price.

Ingredient Profile

Whey Protein Concentrate (Milk), Sunflower Lecithin (Less than 1%).
Flavoring (Natural Flavoring Extracts, non-GMO Rice Powder, Gum Acacia, Stevia)

Whey Protein Concentrate is produced as a byproduct of cheese which undergoes a cold-water microfiltration process in order to remove unwanted fat and lactose. The resulting powder is a great-tasting, easy-mixing, and economic protein option for post-workout nutrition or as needed in your daily diet! True Nutrition's Whey Protein Concentrate is sourced from the USA, and is instantized using sunflower lecithin. Providing 24g of protein to help support muscle-building!

I love the ingredients, all very healthy and none of those unknown chemicals and crap like artificial flavors... why put something into your body if you don't even know what it is? If I had a Lamborghini you bet I would be using premium gas not standard gas - I treat my body like I would a high quality car.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Uses: Supports Muscle Building: Provides 24g of protein to help support muscle building!
Mix-ability: Mixes easily in shaker cup or blender.
Taste: Mild milky taste that goes great with most flavors!
Notes: Vegetarian, Soy-free, Gluten-free

I personally had a Strawberry Banana flavoring. I thought it tasted great. I will say I got a little sick of the flavor at the end but that doesn't mean it wasn't good - I would just try out something new.

Mixes just fine, some clumps here and there but I'v never had a powder that is 100% perfect

Effectiveness

I found this product to be of great use providing me the extra protein I needed. I would add this together with almond milk or water and take it everyday during my workouts. My stomach felt nice and full from it, no bloating issues, and I felt a little more energized. I would also mix this with my other supplements such as Creatine and Beta Alanine and they went really good together. The taste was not effected by the others and mixing it was easy. Overall, this product has helped me in my workouts and gaining muscle so I have been very happy with it. Last year I was 150lbs at 6ft tall and now I am at a nice 160lbs and am looking to bring that up even more!

Value

I feel like this product is a fair price for $9.79 lb especially considering it is a high quality product. Add $0.60 for flavoring which is a total of $0.69 cents per serving ($10.39 total) which is not bad. Compared to the popular Optimum Gold Standard Whey protein isolate product - that is priced at $30.00 for 30 servings ($1.00 per serving). True Nutrition runs at $20.78 for 30 servings which is over 30% cheaper. Now I know the Optimum is protein isolate but that means it should be more protein but it runs at 24 grams of protein for a 30 gram scoop which is the same as the TrueNutrition's Protein Concentrate - I don't think I would pay extra for the protein isolate.

Buy at TrueNutrition.com: Link provided below
https://truenutrition.com/p-935-whey-protein-concentrate-1lb-milk.aspx?

Side Effects

No side effects at all
Fills up my tummy, makes me feel strong and energized.

Conclusion

Great product. Totally worth it. Plan to continue buying the product for years to come

Quick Summary

Don't waste your time or money with this. If you are trying to add extra calories to your diet with a healthy product - do not take this. Heck, don't buy this whatever you are trying to do. I don't care that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of their endorsements - he's just in for the money.

Introduction

I was out in Europe over the summer for an internship and all my friends at work seemed to be talking about Herbalife. Herbalife, Herbalife, Herbalife, I had never heard of them before. I did some research online and found some extremely mixed reviews. However, I trusted my friends so I gave it a shot. I actually paid to become one of their independent distributors so I could get discounts on their products and be a part of their "pyramid scheme" network to make money. Basically when you refer friends/others to the product and they use your code - you get points and when your clients get clients you also get points. That sounds like a pyramid to me. Ultimately, this product turned out to be a big fat NO NO so I ordered a refund and got all my money back. I am trying to gain weight and bring more healthy calories into my diet but this product did next to nothing for what it cost.

Now my friends have shown good results and are very satisfied with the products but there are a few things that could cause this:
First off they live in Europe so the products there are a lot more regulated and Herbalife is actually non-GMO and more healthy. In the US, its a whole different world.
Second - they might have different standards than I do when it comes to supplements
Don't just take my word for it, go read online about Herbalife and what people think

Ingredient Profile

If you are expecting healthy ingredients for such a high price, think again...

Ingredients: Soy protein isolate, fructose, cellulose powder, corn bran, artificial french vanilla flavor, guar gum, potassium chloride, calcium phosphate, calcium caseinate, casein, rice fiber, soy lecithin, canola oil, medium chain triglyercides, carrageenan, DL-methionine, inulin magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, licorice flavor, natural vanilla flavor, giner root powder, psyllium husk powder, citrus pectin, proteases derived from aspergillus niger and aspergillus oryzae (from aminogen), honey powder, ascorbic acid, DL-alpha tocopheryl acetate, papaya fruit powder, blueberry ppowder, pomegranate powder, biotin, niacinamide, beta carotene, ferrous fumarate, sinc oxide, copper gluconate, calcium D-pantothenate, papain poweder bromelain, cyanocobalamin, folic acid, cholecalciferol, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, chromium chloride, sodium molybdate and sodium selenite

These are GMO products and the second ingredient being fructose just shows how "high quality" this is. It took me a dang 5 minutes to type all these ingredients down, there should not be that many things listed especially stuff that sounds like alien language to me.

Macros

This is for a 25 gram scoop (1 serving)
Protein = 9g
Carbs = 13g
Fat = 1g
Calories = 90

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

This product is 750 grams total - 25 grams per serving
I mean it tasted good and mixed well but that was it. The main reason I buy a supplement is to supply my body with the right amount of nutrients not to taste good. (1) Effectiveness (2) Price (3) Taste

Effectiveness

I took this supplement once a day for a month straight and didn't see much change. I gained only a few pounds throughout that time but that was clearly from water fluctuations in my body and other fluids. I wanted this product as a way to bring more calories and Macros into my diet but it didn't do anything. I would have been better off grabbing two slices of bread with some peanut butter and a banana.

Value

750 grams at 30 servings total for $38.82 on amazon is not worth it for me. Maybe if the product was better ingredients but its not. You are paying a premium for something that is average.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

If you have money to burn - burn it on something else.

Quick Summary

Just your normal BCAA product with EAA's added and some other goodies for hydration.

Introduction

First off I want to thank NutraBio for letting us troopers have the chance to give this product a try. When I heard this was coming out I was pretty excited about wanting to try it. Since this was only going to be available at brick and mortar stores I figured I would probably never get the chance to try this since I have no kind of brick and mortar store around where I live or close by. Also I figured this would probably not show up on the trooper list either and then it just happened to show up and I claimed it right away. Before this came out I heard a little bit about it and it really got my interested in wanting to try this. I will say it is kind of nice to change things up a little by having the EAA along with the BCAA's.

Ingredient Profile

This contains 14g of fully dosed active ingredients with no fillers, excipients, or additives. There are 10g of full spectrum amino acids, with 8g of all 9 essential amino acids and 6g fermented BCAA's with a 2:1:1 ratio. Here is a little better breakdown of what the other ingredients are and do for you.

Lysine HCl 850mg: Lysine enhances calcium absorption and helps maintain lean body mass in strenuous training. It's not in the majority of BCAA products that I have used, so I like seeing almost 1g on the album.

Threonine 850mg: used in the biosynthesis of proteins, mainly used in the absorption of protein, maintenance of muscle and important to good health

DL Phenylalanine 300mg: Boost your mood, support alertness, and maintain a healthy appetite

Histidine 100mg: This supplies an increased concentration of Carnosine in the muscle is particularly useful for bodybuilding. Carnosine is typically found in type II "fast-twitch" muscle fibers.

Tryptophan 75mg: an essential amino acid important in human nutrition for the synthesis of melatonin and serotonin, hormones regulating mood and stress

Methionine 25mg: It serves as a powerful antioxidant, assists in the breakdown of fats, and helps inactivate free radicals

Taurine 1200mg: It is known to help aid in blood flow and metabolism

Alanine 600mg: Helps in transferring nitrogen from tissue sites in the body to the liver. Alanine is also used by the body to draw upon blood sugar as an energy source.

Coconut Water Powder 500mg: Helps with hydration

Astragin 50mg: Astragin is like a supplement for your supplements. When i've taken it in higher dosages as a separate supplement it feels to me that it makes all of my other supplements better or more noticeable, like when taken with beta alanine for instance, it can increase your tingles with the same amount of beta-alanine being used as before.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

I got there new flavor cherry limeade. I thought it was decent. It was nothing real great but not horrible either. Depending on how much water I used really helped in how strong this tasted. I found I needed to us a lot of water with this so it was not as strong for me. Also depending how thirsty I was had a lot to do how this tasted for me. The limeade part I thought made this a little to bitter and tart for me. When I did not use enough water either it seemed a bit to sweet and a little tart for me. I have heard the blue raspberry is really good and even a little better than the cherry limeade and really wish I had gotten that instead.

Mixing was really good with this. Seemed to mix really nicely and had no left over sediment on the sides of my shaker cup. I would use just one scoop during my workout. It would have been kind of nice to have tried two scoops just to see how that would have worked because I think it would have been a really good.

Effectiveness

I feel the biggest thing I got out of this besides good recovery was how well this helped me endurance wise. There were a lot times when I would really feel winded after some of my much more intense workouts. For example on leg day I decided to change up my workout a bit and do a lot more reps and sets on leg press. I was doing 20-25 rep range on each set and doing fairly heavy weight. After each set I would feel really winded and felt really out of it and after using this I feel it really helped me to recovery a lot quicker so I could keep going and still be able to do all my sets. I would usually do about 5 or 6 sets of 20-25 reps. Also on some of my really intense back workouts I would start to feel rather winded also and feel this really helped calm my heavy breathing down and helped me to be able to keep going and be able to take a lot less time between my sets. So for endurance wise I feel this is really good at helping you with that.

I do feel my overall recovery from this was pretty good also. I noticed any DOMs I would get were very much reduced. I know on some days there were still noticeable but way less than if I would have not used this. I just seemed to feel a lot better each day when I would wake up which was nice. Any soreness I might of had did not seem to last very long which was nice. I feel this really helps to prevent muscle breakdown (catabolism) in your body. Also I feel this really helped keep me a lot more hydrated because I noticed I did not feel as thirsty through out the day to where I needed to keep drinking a lot of water. Also I noticed I did not need to fill my shaker bottle up as much with water and had no issues at all with any cramping. Also like the use of astragin to help with better absorption. So overall this will keep you feeling a lot more hydrated. Also I felt this was really great on my stomach and never caused me any upset stomach issues which was nice.

One thing I never knew until just recently is that your body can't produce EAA's you have take them internally. I do think having both the BCAA's and EAA's together is a really big plus and adds a lot more to your recovery product. Nutrabio has a regular amino product for intra workout called Intra Blast and the ingredient profile has a lot of the same stuff it in but Intra Blast has just a few more things in it. Not a lot of difference between the two so deciding which one you should use more so is a good question to ask. The big difference between the two I would say is the Intra Blast I would say should be used by someone that is more into serious lifting/bodybuilding and the EAA will help you more in the endurance part. Between the two of these products they are both really great just that the EAA is a little cheaper so if you don't have the extra funds to spend this is a great choice to go with. They also make this in an energy version which I think would have been really good also and would have gotten that instead but since I needed another intra workout product to use getting that with extra caffeine would have been to much since I was all ready getting a large amount from my pre-workout.

Value

It's looking like around $29.99 this is selling for but not for sure on that. This product can only be found at brick and mortar stores and since I have not been to any of those stores I can't really know for sure what this is selling for at these stores. If this around that price I would say that is not to bad considering you are getting a lot of other stuff besides just BCAA's. It would be nice at some point if they could expand this to other places along with their own website you could purchase this from.

Side Effects

Nothing I noticed.

Conclusion

With another new product from NutraBio they delivered just as promised and did not disappoint at all with this product. I was rather pleased with this product and how well it worked for me. I really liked the added EAA's in this for the extra benefits you can't get from just BCAA's alone. I feel this did everything I look for in an intra workout product. I think the ingredient profile for this is loaded with a lot of really good stuff in here and how well everything is dosed I think is pretty decent. I would highly recommend this product and for the price it's more than worth it. Like I said above if your a little low on funds this is still a good opinion if you can't afford the intra blast. The only down side is that you can only purchase this at brick and mortar stores so that does make it a little harder to find. I know for me it would be really hard to get again since I have no brick and mortar stores where I live or close by other wise I would be more than happy to use this again. Again I want to give a big shoutout to NutraBio for making this product and letting me have the chance to give this a try.

Quick Summary

YUM - They taste so good and allow me to easily add a good 200 calories to my diet in the blink of an eye plus 20 grams of protein. If you are ok with about $1 per bar, definitely try them.

Introduction

As a person with high metabolism, I am trying to find every way possible to add more calories to my diet. Protein bars seemed simple enough so I gave them a try after buying a pack of these boys at Costco. I also workout every day so I need to eat a lot of food if I want to gain any muscle from all my exercising.

Ingredient Profile

You get 3 flavors so a few ingredients are different but the majority are the same

This is specifically for the Chocolate Peanut Butter:
Protein Blend (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Conentrate, Whey Protein Isolate), chocolate flavored coating (maltitol, fractionated palm kernel oil, whey protein concentrate, cocoa [processes with alkali, calcium carbonate, natural flavors, soy lecithin, sucralose), carmel layer (maltitol syrup, nonfat dry milk, heavy cream [cream, milk, cellulose gel, milk solids, cellulose gum], water, milk protein concentrate, palm kernel oil, butter, disodium phosphate, carmel, natural flavor, soy, lecithin, carrageenan), hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, water, peanuts, natural flavors, soy crisps (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), sucralose, almond butter

Now I am not a fan of products with this long of a list of ingredients especially when I don't know what some of them are. With that said, I was willing to give these a try knowing that nobody ever died by eating protein bars. Most people aren't so picky with food like me anyways so this list of ingredients might not really matter to you.

Macros

This is for the 1.76 ounce bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter
Protein = 20g
Sugar = 2g
Fat = 6g
Calories = 190

Chocolate Delux
Protein = 20g
Sugar = 3g
Fat = 4.5g
Calories = 180

Chewy Chocolate Chip
Protein = 21g
Sugar = 3g
Fat = 5g
Calories = 200

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Oh my god.... those were delicious. I devoured them suckers eating 1 or 2 a day. All three flavors were great - chocolate peanut butter being my favorite. I will mention that these are protein bars with protein powder mixed in them so the texture is extremely dense. They were quite chewy but I personally had no issue with eating them. I might recommend some liquid though as your mouth can get kind of dry when eating them.

Effectiveness

For a way to add some extra calories to my diet, these bars did the job just fine. They were easy to carry around with me, they tasted great, and 200 calories in 5 minutes sounded great to me considering I can never eat enough to gain weight for the life of me. And I could basically eat them whenever I wanted wherever I was. I ate these once or twice a day, had 4-5 meals a day, and took my other supplements like whey protein and creatine daily. I was able to go from a 150lbs to 160 lbs in a few months. A fair amount of that being muscle. Definitely helped me gain weight overall.

Value

$1 dollar a bar might not sound too bad for some people but for me right now as a college student - every dollar counts. Otherwise, the price isn't too bad.

You can buy them off amazon at $16.24 for 18 bars total. Free shipping if you got amazon prime.

In comparison, you could buy 18 Gatorade Whey Protein bars with 20 grams of protein each for $22.79 - more expensive for a similar product
Or 12 Combat Crunch Protein bars with 20 grams of protein each for $19.40 - much more expensive considering you get 6 less bars

Side Effects

I felt it a little in my stomach as the bar was quite dense but no pain or anything really. I could just feel it all in my stomach slowly being digested.

Conclusion

Good protein bars that taste delicious. If you want to snack on something with high protein and calories, these might be a good choice for you.