Quick Summary

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

Introduction

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

Ingredient Profile

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

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

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

Effectiveness

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

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

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

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

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

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

Value

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

Side Effects

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

Conclusion

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

Quick Summary

I have used this product on many occasions for a long time and all I have to say is that I love it. The taste is on point, and there are so many extras included that it almost justifies the high price tag. However, it is a very high price tag that is hard to justify for most people.

Introduction

This product is a very high-end supplement. It is a protein blend that will feed your muscles in the short term as well as the long term.

Ingredient Profile

8/10
As I stated earlier, this is a protein blend. It contains Whey Isolate, Concentrate, and Hydrolysate as well as Egg protein for the timed release. It also contains some digestive enzymes. However, unlike most proteins that will just stop there, there is more. It contains greens, coconut water powder (for hydration), seeds (for omega 3 fats), and some added glutamine for extra recovery. This is not your average ingredient profile and it is not your average protein. I just wish the label was more transparent, like Nutrabio or Sparta.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

7/10
I have tried both the Mango and the Strawberry flavor and they are both delicious. The Mango is a nice and refreshing taste that is accurate. The Strawberry is more of a subtle flavor that I actually prefer over a strong strawberry. It is quite a welcome change. The mixability is alright. Because of the egg, it is a very thick shake that does not max all the way. There tend to be some syrupy chunks that are washed out when you clean the shaker bottle. As far as dosing goes, it seems to all be in order. I just wish that they would break down the amount of the different types of proteins and the amounts of seeds and greens. Brands like Nutrabio and Sparta do this very well. However, it all still works very well.

Effectiveness

9/10
I judge most protein powder's effectiveness on how well I recover and how it affects my stomach. This protein was my go-to protein (until I discovered Musclean) when I had super hard workouts and I know that I would be hurting bad the next day. I have never had a bad day after I used this product for recovery. It also fills you up, and I like that in a protein shake. The use of digestive enzymes also allows for nice and easy digestion. No complaints here.

Value

6/10
Its a loaded powder with tons of extras, but its 95 dollars at GNC for a 5-pound tub and only 48 servings. That is a lot for 48 servings. Now because it is a franchise exclusive, there may or may not be a 20% discount at all times on PMD products. I know whenever I go to my local GNC I get a 20% discount on all PMD products, so it may not be a bad idea to go ask. Even though I rate the value low, I personally think it is worth it. If you have the money, go buy a 2-pound tub and see if it is worth it for you. I know it is for me.

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

I think that this product is worth it, but not everybody will. It is not a budget protein and it is not a bang for your buck option. This is a high quality, high-end protein powder that has the price tag to match it. For me, it gets the results I want of increasing my strength over time, filling me up, and recovering beautifully from anything my workout throws at me. It also makes my stomach happy. This product, and brand is worth a shot.

Quick Summary

A true thermogenic that gives a multi-pronged fat loss attack

Introduction

Greetings!As I continue my never-ending quest to shred and build at the same time, I'm always looking for products that I feel may give me an extra kick in the pants to move me through plateaus, both on the muscle building and fat loss ends of the spectrum. Myokem's Pyroxamine has apparently been on the market for a few years now, and quite honestly, I don't know how it slipped beneath my radar. However, when the opportunity came for me to review it, I jumped on it, especially since the reviews on it are mostly positive. Thank you to Myokem for being part of the TROOP Program.

Ingredient Profile

To say the list of ingredients is comprehensive would be an understatement. Stevenz gave a pretty detailed description of how each ingredient works, so I'll just list them and say that they support fat loss, appetite suppression, and thermogenesis.

Caralluma fimbriata (125mg)
Olive Leaf {std. 20% Oleuropein} (100mg)
Caffeine Anhydrous (100mg)

L-Theanine (50mg)

Cognizin Citicoline (50mg)

TeaCrine Theacrine (50mg)
Bacopa monnieri extract 5:1 (50mg)

Grains of Paradise {std. 12.5% paradol} (40mg)

Evodia rutaecarpe {std. 95% Evodiamine} (25mg)

Theobromine (25mg)

Sacred Lotus (25mg)

Barley{std. to Hordenine} (25mg)-

Huperzine-A 1% (5mg)-

Bioperine (5mg)-

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Per the label directions, I took one capsule three times a day on an empty stomach with about 8 ounces of water 30 minutes prior to eating, which meant I took one in the morning, one around noon, and one prior to my early evening workout.

Effectiveness

I was quite impressed with how effective Pyroxamine was for me. I noticed a marked heating effect, which I suspect was due to the grains of paradise and evodiamine. This worked great in suppressing my appetited, however, it did cause me to be slightly nauseous from time to time. My weight dropped from 228 to 224, and I noticed more definition in my abdominal area; definitely increased separation. I didn't make any changes to my diet, and I've pretty much been an anti-cardio guy since my back surgery in January, meaning I probably could have seen some pretty amazing results with a lower caloric intake and increased cardio.

Value

Here's where I gave Pyroxamine its lowest marks. For best results, the label states to take 3 capsules a day. Each bottle contains 60 capsules, so you're looking at only a 20 day supply. Of course, you can stretch it to 30 days by taking 2 caps a day, but I'm not sure the results will be as impressive. Anyway, the lowest price I could find for Pyroxamine was on Myokem's website for around $50 bucks. Compared to other thermogenics, this is quite pricey, and although it works well, I'd have to budget so I could purchase an additional bottle for a 40 day run.

Side Effects

Occasional slight nausea

Conclusion

Myokem has a surefire hit on its hands with Pyroxamine. Because I'm balling on a budget, it may be a while before I actually take the plunge and shell out $100 for a 40 day supply. Nonetheless, if you can afford it, I say go for it!

Quick Summary

From the brand:

EAA Energy is an all-day recovery and energy formula designed to be sipped throughout the day to keep you in an anabolic state and give you a clean boost of energy.* We've include all 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) that are required to maintain and build muscle, a hydration optimizer to support muscle function and health, and an energy matrix for long-lasting energy.

Introduction

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

Thank you to the team over at NutraBio for their continued participation here on SR.com and allowing us TROOPers to try and review many of the products they offer. This review is going to be for one of their newest and most hyped product releases that I can remember from this company and that is their EAA Energy product. If you have followed their social media during the time leading up to the 2018 Mr. Olympia, you would have probably seen the "teasers" about something big going to be released at the Mr. O competition. This is also a bodybuilding.com exclusive product, which means it can only be purchased from that one website and nowhere else for the time being. As this will be my first experience with an EAA product, I'm very excited to see how this goes and compare the results and feelings to my usual BCAA supplementation. Here we go...

Ingredient Profile

As with every NutraBio product they produce, the label is COMPLETELY transparent, down to the amount of artificial sweeteners and natural colors that they use. In terms of the active ingredients included in each serving of EAA Energy, the fellas over at PricePlow.com did an amazing blog post breaking down all the contents of this product. Since those guys are much smarter than I about supplements, the ingredients and what they do; most of this section is attributed to their blog, which can be found here (https://blog.priceplow.com/supplement-news/nutrabio-eaa-energy). I have copy and pasted the information for those who do not wish to visit the separate website.

EAA/BCAA Blend 8.2g:
EAA Energy starts with an 8.2g EAA and BCAA Blend. The beauty of combining both EAA and BCAA is giving the consumer a full spectrum of amino acids needed for proper protein synthesis and repair. EAAs are called "essential" amino acids because the body cannot synthesize them on its own, so they need to be ingested via proper diet or supplementation.

Taurine (1.2g)
Taurine is an amino acid that promotes healthy electrolyte balance, insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, hearing function, and immune modulation. Although we can produce Taurine in our own body we still need to supplement to reach an adequate amount. NutraBio gives us a large amount of taurine at 1.2g, which will provide a strong dose to reap the aforementioned benefits of the amino acid.

L-Alanine (600mg)
L-Alanine is a nonessential amino acid that fights fatigue and stress imposed on the body. This was put into EAA Energy to give the body an extra push during training, or used as an everyday supplement for recovery. L-Alanine is a useful ingredient to lower blood sugar, assist protein building, and help supply energy to the body during periods of oxidative damage (cardiovascular activity). Regulating blood sugar, supporting muscle development, and improving our immune system are all perks that can help a trainee perform at an optimal level in the gym.

CocoPure Coconut Water Powder: (500mg)
Coconut Water Powder is the perfect addition to EAA Energy for restoring hydration and replenishing electrolytes during exercise. Electrolytes are minerals that play several important roles in the body, including maintaining proper fluid balance. During exercise, we lose amino acids and electrolytes and need to put them back.
Adding coconut water powder to EAA Energy lets us put back what we lose during training. Coconut water powder also provides benefits towards digestion and energy.
But there's a story behind this CocoPure. When NutraBio was looking for coconut water powder, they found it very difficult to find what they wanted. There was a lot of sugary stuff out there. Finally, they made it happen with CocoPure, a more highly-refined source of coconut water.

Infinergy (100mg Di-Caffeine Malate yielding 75mg Caffeine)
Infinergy is a combination of caffeine and malic acid put together to form di-caffeine malate. The duo is broken down into a 75% caffeine and 25% malic acid ratio by molecular weight. Due to the makeup of the ingredient, absorption is slowed down (as is the "energy curve"), digestion is easier on the body, and the longer release helps minimize the caffeine crash.
Due to this sustained energy release, it prevents less crashes then caffeine anhydrous. The mild form of caffeine helps to nullify the jitters one can experience from caffeine in stimulated supplements. The key benefits include reducing sedation by increasing adenosine, reducing fatigue, improving concentration, and boosting physical performance.

PurCaf Organic Caffeine (79mg Green Coffee Bean Extract, yielding 75mg caffeine)
PurCaf is a water-soluble organic caffeine source for natural energy drinks. This organic ingredient is extracted from green coffee beans and is 100% free of synthetically-created chemicals. NutraBio is known for making clean formulas and this is a major reason why it is included as a secondary stimulant to di-caffeine malate.
In comparison to synthetic caffeine anhydrous, the purity of the ingredient will provide similar energy and performance while only needing a slightly larger dose (since PurCaf is 95% caffeine by weight). PurCaf allegedly reduces stress on your adrenal glands preventing the body from burning out your central nervous system. Some attribute this to the chlorogenic acids provided in the other 5% part of the product.

AstraGin (50mg)
AstraGin is a plant-based compound to increase the absorption of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in intestinal cells. AstraGin increases the quality of nutrients, amino acids, and compounds to enhance training performance and recovery.
Studies have shown AstraGin to repair the health of intestinal walls, and improve ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) by 18%, increase insulin sensitivity by 38%, and glucose absorption by 57%.

Wow! This supplement is loaded, and as of this time, the most comprehensive EAA product I have seen on the market with a bunch of extras goodies to put it over the top. Since Mark Glazier and the people over at NutraBio are far smarter than I and know their science when it comes to ingredients and formulations, I have no recommendations on how this supplement could be made better other than just adding higher doses of what's already included.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Taste >> I requested and received their much hyped cherry limeade flavor and it is wonderful! I am a big fan of this flavor in supplements but some companies have really screwed it up in the past, even with products that had far less ingredients than EAA Energy. NutraBio knocked it out of the park for this supplement and flavor profile. I enjoyed the flavor when used with 16 and 24 ounces of water.

Mixability >>First off, be aware that this is a very fine powder, so be careful as it will get everywhere if you happen to spill some. This is where this product struggled a little bit during my use of the tub. Each scoop was always mixed in a metal shaker bottle (without the blender ball) with ice and cold water. No matter the amount of water used, there would always be some debris left on the sides of my shaker cup. If left to sit, there would also be some product that would settle at the bottom. Not sure if it was the coconut water powder, some aminos or a combination of both. Even with the debris that could be seen in the water, that did not affect the flavor or mouthfeel while drinking the product. There was also a little bit of foam present immediately after shaking but that went away quickly.

Dosing >> Per the brand: "Directions For EAA Energy: Mix 1 scoop with 10-16 ounces of water. Consume before, during or after exercise or sip throughout the day as a healthy energy drink substitute. Try adding 3 scoops in a gallon jug to bring with you wherever you go."

As a side note, I weighed out a level scoop of this when I first received the tub and it is right on the 14.5g listed serving size. More points to NutraBio for giving us accurate scoops in this product.

Effectiveness

As many supplement junkies know, a loaded ingredient profile and amazing taste is all well and good but the product must perform for those aspects to play a role in the decision to actually buy a product. As mentioned previously, this was the first EAA product that I have used during my many years of training and supplementation. With the current on-going debate between the BCAA and EAA camps, this was the perfect opportunity for me to see if I could notice a difference between the two. Please note that almost all of the servings were taken on an empty stomach.

EAA Energy performed well during all the different situations in which I used it. The first was as an energy drink replacement in the early afternoon. My normal go to would be a sugar free Rockstar or Monster when I am looking for this type of pick me up. A scoop of this was a great replacement for those and provided me with some additional benefits that the energy drinks do not. The flavor was just as good, if not better, than the energy drink and the only main difference was the lack of carbonation. Other than that, EAA Energy provided me with better ingredients from the aminos along with more hydration elements and longer lasting energy even though the caffeine count was lower by comparison. The cost per serving was also better, coming in at $1 each when most energy drinks purchased as singles would cost me between $2.00 and $3.00.

The second situation in which I used this supplement was before an early evening cardio session. If I did not have a scoop earlier in the day as described above and I felt like I needed a little kick in the pants to get through my cardio session, I would mix a scoop in 24 ounces of water and sip on it throughout my walk. This would give me just the right amount of energy and drive to push through the session without feeling run down or causing any negative side effects on my sleep later in the evening. Having the influx of aminos also gave me peace of mind that I was heading off muscle catabolism while staying hydrated at the same time.

The last situation that I can report on is when I used this supplement during golf outings. As I typically do not eat any food until later in the evening, my golf game can sometimes suffer if I have not planned properly the night before and the morning of. What I did during this time was have a scoop at the beginning of the round mixed with 24 ounces of water and I would sip on it throughout the first nine holes. I would then take another scoop at the turn mixed in 24 ounces of water again for the remainder of the round. In this instance, EAA Energy provided me with the perfect amount of fuel to stay strong and focused from the beginning to the end of my round. No muscle cramps experienced, even during relatively hot days and no feelings of dehydration while the supplement was in use. Plus it saved me money from having to purchase overpriced food or drink from the golf course if I hit a wall during the round.

With this being the caffeinated version of the EAA product from NutraBio, I did not use it as an intra-workout supplement mainly because I did not want or need the extra caffeine on top of what I received from my pre-workout. If you happen to use a lower caffeine pre-workout and would like a little extra boost part way through your training session, I could see this product working out perfectly for you. As most of the pre-workouts that I use contain between 250mg and 350mg of caffeine per serving, the extra 150mg from a scoop was unnecessary for me. My intra-workout supplementation stayed the same as before with just a standard non-caffeinated BCAA product being used. By not using this supplement intra or post-workout, I cannot specifically speak to its impact on muscular endurance and hydration during the workout or muscle soreness after the workout/next day. I will say that I did not notice a huge difference in my muscle soreness when I used a scoop as an energy drink replacement or prior to cardio. My soreness the following day was about the same in comparison to using a well-dosed BCAA product.

Value

If you are looking to purchase this supplement, there is currently only one place that you can go and that is Bodybuilding.com. NutraBio has partnered with BB.com to make this an exclusive product; which makes this section easy to write and the purchasing process even easier for anyone looking to pick this up. No need to search around the web for the lowest price or promo codes.

Each tub contains a true 30 one scoop servings and the current retail price is $30. During the use of my tub, I saw different promotions available for this product on the BB.com website. At one time, you were able to take another 20% off the price and at another they threw in a free shaker. I also believe some of the BB.com brand ambassadors have a discount code that may be able to save you some extra money.

In my opinion, this is currently to best priced, most complete EAA Energy supplement on the market. Another EAA product from a well-known company that many people have been talking about lately has less total aminos per serving, not as many "extras" and is priced at $39.99. NutraBio entered this market like a "savage" and claimed the crown for the best overall EAA Energy supplement, in my opinion.

Side Effects

No side effects experienced during my use of this product. Please note that I consumed almost all of my servings on an empty stomach and had no negative reactions or feelings of uneasiness. Only possible problems I could foresee are if you are allergic to coconut or beets. There are no artificial colors used, so no need to worry there. Also, do not consume too close to your bedtime since each serving does contain 150mg of caffeine.

The warning from the brand is: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. Contains 150mg of caffeine per serving, about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Do not use more than the recommended amount and avoid using with other caffeinated products or if you are sensitive to caffeine because too much caffeine may cause nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness and occasionally, rapid heartbeat. Consult your physician prior to using this product if you are pregnant, nursing, under 18 years of age, taking medication or have a medical condition. Immediately discontinue use and contact your physician if any adverse reactions occur. Discontinue use two weeks before surgery.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, I enjoyed my time with EAA Energy but cannot report anything absolutely amazing in relation to my first go around with an EAA formula, beyond the flavor in my opinion. We have a completely transparent label, that to my knowledge, no other company in the industry can match which lets me know exactly what I am consuming. The formula is the best of any EAA product that I have seen on the market and is loaded with the extras that make it unbeatable on paper. It was effective during all the different scenarios in which I used it and never caused any negative side effects. I did experience some mixability issues but those did not rise to the level of making this product unpleasant or hard to drink. My biggest disappointment during this time was the lack of noticeable effects from having a complete EAA formula when compared to my previous experiences of using just a standalone BCAA product. Maybe the effects of the additional aminos would be more prevalent to a person in a larger caloric deficit and/or someone in contest prep. Either way, this product includes a nice dose of BCAAs along with the added extras and still tastes great; so the inclusion of the other six amino acids has no downsides for me. The price from the current lone online retailer in terms of an EAA product is fantastic in comparison to others on the market. If you can get by with a simpler BCAA product, this is going to look slightly more expensive to you by comparison. With that in mind, NutraBio also manufacturers a standalone BCAA product that will provide you with a better value per serving.

Thank you again to NutraBio for sending me out this product to review and being a long term partner with SR.com

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

Quick Summary

Good Protein for a pretty good price! Shocked me from the start

Introduction

Let me start off by thanking SR and TBN labs for making this review possible. This protein makes it easy to get that quick protein in and fuel me up for the rest of my workouts! So with that being said....

Ingredient Profile

Low carb, Low cat and calories but decent amount of protein!

Calories 115
Calories from fat 14
Total fat 7
Sodium 35
Potassium 110
Carbs 5 g
Sugar 4 g
Protein 22 g

This product uses stevia as their sweetener... Also provided 22g of protein which includes Filtered whey protein, Filtered Whey concentrate, filtered whey isolate, egg albunim and casein. TBP derives this protein from ultra filtered whey concentrate, micro filtered whey isolate, egg albumin, and casein. The great thing about using all these different types of proteins is that you are constantly digesting it as it has casein which we all know is a slow digestive protein! The sources are gluten free and grass-fed.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Chocolate is the flavor I had and to be honest, I was expecting something that was gonna taste horrible. But I actually had quiet the opposite experience from this protein. It tastes extremely good and the mixability of this was perfect. I did experience some grittyness to it but no major clumps. I used a blender and almond milk. Just one scoop with about 8-10oz of almond milk and it hit the spot both pre and post workout! Sometimes I would take it in the morning if I wanted something quick and easy.

Effectiveness

Recovery played a huge role when taking TBN... Little to no soreness and I was up and ready to kill that body part again! It also provided me with some great natural energy throughout the whole day. I thank the BCAAs found in this for helping me out on that part. This did help me stay full for a good amount of time which helps prevent random snacking throughout the day.

Value

$34.75 for 30 servings which comes out to $1.17 which in my eyes is not bad for the quality of protein you are getting. Clean ingredients which is a plus. I feel like you usually find products like these in their $50s.

Side Effects

Some GI issues but other than that nothing crazy.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a clean protein that has little to no side effects and unecessary fillers. give this a shot! Might surprise you like it did me! Taste was spot on, if it did not give me back GI I would of loved to take this all the time.

Quick Summary

Demon Dust is a unique approach to getting a caffeine boost and fresh breath any time of the day.

Introduction

Hello all! First off, I would like to say is that I love caffeine. I also love to have fresh breathe as well. So when I saw that there was a caffeine product that you didn't have to mix with water and it also was minty, I was on board. I work quite a bit so I figured id give it a shot and see if I could maintain my daily boost.

Ingredient Profile

The only thing I do not care for on Insane labz products is the propriety blends that they use. I trust they know what they are doing, but I would love to see more of exactly how much of each is put into the mix. But with that said, Their stuff is pretty good.
Demon Dust consists of the following ingredients:

Vitamin B3(Niacin) 10mg
Vitamin B12(Cyanocobalamin) 5000mcg

Demon Dust Blend 770 mg
Beta-Alanine (muscular endurance)
Caffeine Anhydrous (energy)
Higenamine HCL (claims to reduce symptoms of asthma, but it's also believed to operate as a fat burner too.)
Choline Bitartrate (improve nerve communication)
Hordenine HCL (promotes fat loss)

Again, the exact doses are not known

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

The flavor that I chose was DCC Clown Mint. It was an extremely minty flavor that had a hint of spearmint and some other flavor that I could not determine. It was not bad at all.
Mixing was simple. It was a powder that you put under your tongue.
Dosing says you should take one scoop under your tongue and let it dissolve for 15-20 seconds before swallowing. Do not take more than one scoop in 24 hours.

Effectiveness

6/10
While Demon Dust was not as a pre workout or anything in that caliber, it did have a few positive effects on me. First off, my breath smelled fantastic. I could not have asked for a better smell. Secondly, the caffeine amount had me up and going throughout the day. I did not get any itchiness associated with the beta alanine that I feared I would get so that was also a plus. I noticed too that I had more of a focus on things as I went throughout the day. My energy levels and mental fatigue usually start effecting me around 8pm every night. So during my break, I pulled out a tub of Demon Dust and had a scoop. It took roughly 20-30 minutes before I started to notice any effects other than the minty breath. I did not notice any crashing from it either.

Value

8.0/10
I gave it a pretty good rank on the value meter due to the fact that you can find it for around 20 dollars for 50 servings. Again this is not a pre workout, but mostly a caffeine boost.

Side Effects

I had no side effects while taking this.

Conclusion

Overall 6.0/10

To conclude, If you have any interest in products that are intended to give you energy boosts and are sick of taking pills or energy shots, try out Demon Dust. The flavor is good, it is inexpensive and it does give you energy.

Quick Summary

Weight gainers have always been a big thing growing up skinny. I have heard about them all my life and especially when I started working out. Sooooo I decided to give it a shot and see what it was all about. Especially since I have heard nothing but great things from VMI Sports!

Introduction

I want to thank VMI Sports and TROOPers for making this possible. I was extremely excited to be given the opportunity to try this product especially since I am trying to bulk up right now!

Ingredient Profile

Serving size 2 scoops
Servings per container: 30
Amount per serving

Calories 250
Calories from Fat 45
Total Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 3.5 g
Cholesterol 58 mg
Sodium 125 mg
Potassium 187 mg
Total Carbohydrate 30 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 10 g
Protein 20 g

Ingredients: Other Ingredients: Protein Blend (Whey Protein Concentrate, Whole Milk Powder, Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Carb Blend (Maltodextrin, Legume-based starch derived from pisum sativum (peas) (as Carb10), Dextrose), Cocoa, Fat Blend (Coconut Oil Powder, and MCT Powder), Natural Flavors, Sucralose, and Enzyme Blend (Protease I, Protease II, Amylases, Lipase, and Lactase)

This is pretty damn clean if you ask me. Did not cause me any stomach discomfort. For me, I was looking for some clean lean mass and a mass gainer with a clean profile and BAM..... here it is. 10g of sugar does not bother me. I know some people steer away when they see some sugar listed on there.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

Ice Cream Sandwich is what was sent to me and man..... was it DELICIOUS. Mixed extremely well, used a blender and never had any clumps or grittyness to it. I always looked forward to drinking it down. They absolutely nailed it on the flavor! 2 scoops is what I always did. Every now and then I would go up to 3 or 4 if i needed the extra calories. I chose almond milk with this because regular milk causes me to break out and stuff but it still tastes great!

Effectiveness

I definitely noticed my weight go up a bit. nothing major but it was definitely noticeable... In combination of a good diet and this mass gainer you could definitely see some good results especially if you take it for a few months! I am looking forward to continuing this and seeing where I could get to! This gainer kept me full but never gave me an uncomfortable feeling. Was not hungry for a solid 2-3 hrs usually which helped out if I drank it before work... Kept me from unnecessary snacking!

Value

suppz.com they have it for $38.99 for 40 servings which seems to be the cheapest option available as of right now.

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

if you are trying to make some gains and go up in weight a bit I would definitely check this supplement out asap! It tastes great, profile is clean and best of all the price for it is pretty damn good! Pick one up and try it for yourself!

INTRODUCTION

Thanks to @Clipper83 for sending me 2 bottles of Hydroxycut SX-7 because he loves me. Well, he said it himself: "Original note from the rep: Because I love ya. -Clipper83" lol although I like to think that when he said that, he was dressed as a woman... but damn, I don't know which option is worse xD. Anywayssss, 2 bottles of this product with the intention of going down to 170lbs (from 180lbs) so my expectation was -10lbs, which would make it 5lbs less per bottle, doesn't sound impossible nor too difficult right? Let's see...

INGREDIENT PROFILE

Serving Size: 1 capsule
Servings per container: 70

- 400mg of C. Canephora Robusta. They say it's a blend but I don't see the difference in this: "C. Canephora Robusta Blend (consisting of standardized green coffee bean extract (as C. Canephora Robusta) supplying 45% chlorogenic acids and green coffee bean extract (as C. Canephora Robusta)". It's the same thing! Wtf MuscleTech!? Anyways, this is Hydroxycut's main and key ingredient. Most of their products use this ingredient. I talked about this ingredient in my Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite review so I'll copy-paste what I said there:

So what is this? It's a non-stimulant green coffee bean. From Hydroxycut.com: "C. canephora robusta beans are premium coffee beans that have not yet been roasted and, as a result, have a high level of chlorogenic acid. Hydroxycut uses a robusta coffee extract that has been produced to supply a standardized dose with 45% chlorogenic acid."

MuscleTech constantly cites this extract from a study: "In one study, subjects taking the primary ingredient (C. Canephora Robusta) in Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite for 60 days lost, on average, 10.95lbs versus the placebo group, who lost an average of 5.40lbs. Both groups followed a low-calorie diet. In a separate 8 week study, subjects using the same key ingredient lost an average of 3.7lbs versus subjects using a placebo, who lost an average of 1.25lbs. Both groups followed a calorie-reduced diet and performed moderate exercise." Here's the link of the full study on the ingredient where MuscleTech takes out the extract from: https://4ha771p5br4wqo0243sxihc9-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Dellalibera2006.pdf

Other 2 studies:
1. Decaffeinated green coffee bean extract attenuates diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24817902
2. Chlorogenic acid exhibits anti-obesity property and improves lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced-obese mice: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20064576

- 135mg of Caffeine Anhydrous. Also the same as Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite. Caffeine is for energy, alertness, focus, mood, etc. For more info and benefits of Caffeine, you can read here: https://supplementreviews.com/ingredients/caffeine Watch the Caffeine amount if you take other products with Caffeine.

- 100mg of Myristica seed extract (as Myristica Fragans). MuscleTech tells us it's "A nutmeg extract that contains a powerful premium compound called myristicin, which contributes to the unique sensory experience." Examine tells us "Nutmeg is a spice believed to benefit libido, the nervous system, the digestive system, and blood circulation." Nothing related to weight/fat loss but I don't think it's wrong to add an ingredient like this. I don't know if the dose is good enough though and considering this ingredient is not really important in this context... I'll just keep going.

- 75mg of Salvia Leaf Powder (as Salvia Officinalis). MuscleTech tells us it's: "Premium compound that synergistically contributes to the sensory experience." Examine doesn't have info of this ingredient, however, it takes me to the "Ursolic Acid" page, which is an interesting ingredient. However, the dose here probably is not related or added for that so... I'll keep going. Useless ingredient in this context (product).

- 50mg of Raspberry Ketone. This ingredient doesn't seem to work (maybe only in keto diets) and this small dose is ridiculous.

- 36mg of Ecklonia Cava Stem and Leaf extract (as Ecklonia Cava): Interesting studies on reducing blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol. Some use a dose of 72mg minimum. I think 36mg is a joke considering that even 72mg is still low. I expected at least a 100mg dose here.

- 8.5mg of Yohimbe Bark extract (as Pausinystalia Yohimbe) supplying 6% yohimbine. I don't know if that 8.5mg is a total amount of the bark extract and 6% of that is only Yohimbine or if those 8.5mg is already that 6% of Yohimbine. Apparently, it's the first thing I said, which would suck a lot because the other Hydroxycut (Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite) gives you the 56.3mg total amount and then it tells me it gives me Yohimbine and Rauwolscine (although it doesn't say the percent of each).

So we have 3 ingredients that will really help you with weight/fat loss directly and indirectly and then we have "accessory" ingredients to help with sensory experience, etc. As a comparison, Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite has 4 ingredients and 2 "accessory" ingredients. Hydroxycut SX-7 apparently expected me to count the Raspberry Ketones and the Ecklonia Cava but I highly doubt their low dose is going to have any benefits. I'm going to give it a 6/10 here. Selection of ingredients wasn't bad but their dose was. A good thing is the C. Canephora Robusta amount although I'm confused with that "blend" they mention. That confusion could be a big difference but I'm going to assume they are giving me 2x more the amount than Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite which gives me 200mg.

CAPSULES

- White colored capsules with red letters, small-medium size, easy to swallow.

TIMING

Hydroxycut SX-7 tells you to take 1 capsule 2 times daily, 30-60 minutes before your 2 largest meals of the day. I usually took 1 capsule 30-60 minutes before breakfast (which means I took it immediately after waking up) and 1 capsule 30-60 minutes before lunch. I sometimes moved 1 capsule to 30-60 minutes before dinner to see its effects considering that's where I suffer the most with cravings.

CLAIMS

"Powerful Weight Loss. Extreme Sensory. Explosive Energy & Enhanced Focus. Increases Thermogenesis. The most advanced weight loss & clean sensory experience. Hydroxycut SX-7 is the most advanced formula today with seven super-extreme cutting edge, premium ingredients. It truly goes above and beyond anything you've ever tried! The unique, unparalleled sensory experience was designed to be the very best you can get. One pill is all you need!"

EFFECTIVENESS

Inital Weight: 180lbs
Weight wanted at the end: 170lbs
Final Weight: 175lbs

The summary of my plan was low sugar amount, moderate calorie diet (not necessarily healthy), weightlift, some 15 min cardio after lifting.

In terms of energy, it did a good job obviously. I say obviously because it has Caffeine Anhydrous lol. It worked exactly like a 135mg of Caffeine Anhydrous is supposed to work. In terms of focus & sensory experience, it worked okay but compared to Hydroxycut Elite, the effects were less, probably because of the low Yohimbe. When I tried 2 caps at once, it improved a lot but take into account that's 270mg of Caffeine Anhydrous. In terms of thermogenesis, I think this effect was weak. Again, I'm comparing it with Hydroxycut Elite. One thing is energy and another thing is thermogenesis. It didn't make me sweat more, it didn't make me be hyperactive. In terms of Apettite control/reduction, it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either.

In terms of weight/fat loss, the numbers say I only lost 5 pounds in 2.5 months (2 bottles) and I lost way more with Hydroxycut Elite. But there are other factors you have to consider: 175lbs is close to my "ideal weight" so part of me knew it was going to be very difficult to reach 170lbs. Second, with Hydroxycut Elite I was taking Ronnie Coleman Amino-Tone during the day and sometimes a Liquid Carnitine for my cardio. Third, I was less disciplined with my diet during this run of Hydroxycut SX-7 than I was during my run of Hydroxycut Elite. Sometimes it's not about the scale number, it's more about your clothes and some of them were telling me I was getting skinnier. People also noticed it, unfortunately, some of them without empathy, telling me that I'm skinny! *cries* I also lost volume on my Chest and Arms, probably a mix of Carbs, Fat and unfortunately muscle too :( but well, for a person just looking to weight/fat loss, this is acceptable.

VALUE

Amazon has it for $14.90, Groupon has a 2 bottle promo for $15.99! Not widely available, probably because MuscleTech will discontinue the product (like they always do). Obviously, these prices were not their real prices back then but I have to judge it based on them because it's what they are right now. If you want to try this product, then go ahead before it's gone forever.

SIDE EFFECTS

None. I once took 3 capsules (split throughout the day) and I had some abdominal pain... but it only happened once and I don't know the cause. I tried it with 3 capsules several times and it was okay without side effects.

CONCLUSION

I repeat this: "A good thing is the C. Canephora Robusta amount although I'm confused with that "blend" they mention. That confusion could be a big difference but I'm going to assume they are giving me 2x more the amount than Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite which gives me 200mg." Assuming that, that's why I was a bit dissapointed.

Energy was good, focus and sensory experience was moderate, thermogenesis was weak, weight/fat loss in numbers was weak but moderate in physical body results. Overall, weak-moderate results considering I took 2 bottles and not only 1. The selection of ingredients is acceptable but their dose is not, most are underdosed (a little and a lot). The claims put by MuscleTech in this product (check the CLAIMS section) were far from true.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COMPANY

1. Clarify the real amount and ingredients of that "C. Canephora Robusta blend".
2. Remove the Salvia Leaf Powder.
3. Remove the Raspberry Ketone.
4. Increase Yohimbe.
5. Increase Ecklonia Cava.
6. Stop removing and introducing "new" products.

Quick Summary

C4 is a safe if not overwhelming choice for someone looking to try a pre-workout.

Introduction

I'm new to writing supplement reviews, though I'm not new to trying supplements or to working out. I've trained for general wellness and slow strength gains for about 15 years. I was the kid that was super-skinny growing up and have made a good amount of slow progress over the years. I'll never be mistaken for the biggest guy in the room, but I've not gone down any sort of needle-based route to shortcut any success either. I take various vitamin supplements and, from a workout perspective, I'm usually taking some combination of a pre-workout, creatine, BCAA and having a post-workout protein shake.

Ingredient Profile

While not going through the entire label, there were indeed a couple of things that I noticed. First, a 6.5g serving (one scoop) contains 1.6g of CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine. I noted above that I didn't get jitters or tingles with this and this dosage might explain why. WebMD suggested 3.2-6.4g when mentioning dosing of beta-alanine so, as other reviewers noted, it would be easy to argue that you're getting short-changed here.

I also noticed 150mg of caffeine anhydrous in a serving. Some people are very sensitive and/or opinionated when it comes to caffeine-based supplements. Critics are going to say that this is a low dosage. Advocates would simply say that this is a safe dosage. I don't drink a ton of caffeine during the typical day, so I'm fine with this amount even though others may say that it's too low for their liking.

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

There are probably a dozen or so flavors of C4 out there now. I've only taken the fruit punch (which is fair) and pink lemonade (which I would prefer of those two) in terms of taste. I'm not one to sip on a pre-workout, so I personally wouldn't discard a pre-workout on taste alone unless it were horrible! The packaging suggests one scoop with 6oz water, I typically take most of a scoop (maybe over 3/4, usually just short of 100% full) with 8-10oz water and I often mix in some flavorless creatine as well. I've never had any issues with getting it to mix easily with a few vigorous shakes in a water bottle. If you're using a shaker or blender, mixing should be very easy. I'm not a two-scooper, so you may have to check other reviews for feedback there.

Effectiveness

As noted earlier, I don't get the jitter/tingle effect... which is fine with me as I'm not usually after that. I've gotten pretty accustomed to taking a pre-workout and I do think that I get some added energy and focus when taking this product. I'm often trying different products and if I've had a bad experience with one, I come back to C4 as somewhat of a baseline. If you're looking for a product that makes you want to bend a bar in half or run through the wall, this is not that product. Again, I can't speak for those who like to double up the suggested dosage, but a single scoop is enough for me to know that I took something to help me through a workout.

Value

Like most of you, I buy it when I can find a decent deal and I usually go with the 60 serving size when purchasing. As of this writing, one of my favorite sites has C4 in the $40-42 range for the 60 serving size. I see that as a pretty good value for those in the single-scoop camp.

Side Effects

I've not experienced any side effects that I can quantify. In fact, I've attributed too-frequent kidney-flushing bathroom trips to other pre-workouts and I've not noticed C4 giving me any problems there.

Conclusion

If you're shopping for "C4" in the expectation of an explosion, you're probably going to be disappointed. If you're thinking of trying it out simply because it's a well-known pre-workout that has a generally good reputation for being safe and somewhat effective, then I'd say that you'll be pleased.

Quick Summary

A nice low stim appetite suppressant fat burner.

Introduction

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

Ingredient Profile

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

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

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

Effectiveness

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

Value

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

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

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

Quick Summary

An above average multivitamin.

Introduction

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

Ingredient Profile

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

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

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

Effectiveness

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

Value

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

Side Effects

None.

Conclusion

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

Quick Summary

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

Introduction

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

Ingredient Profile

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

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

Effectiveness

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

Value

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

Side Effects

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

Conclusion

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

Quick Summary

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

Introduction

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

Ingredient Profile

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

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

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

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

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

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

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

Effectiveness

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

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

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

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

Value

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

Side Effects

None

Conclusion

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

Quick Summary

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

Introduction

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

Ingredient Profile

A Mean O Daddy contains a simple profile.

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

Taste/Mixability/Dosing

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

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

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

Effectiveness

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

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

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

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

Value

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

Side Effects

none

Conclusion

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

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

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

WARMACHINE OUT!!!

GO PATS!!!