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Archive for the 'Supplement Reviews' Category
Thursday, October 12th, 2006
“Mass Meal is a weight gainer formulated to maximize lean tissue growth and minimize fat gain. Unlike other gainer powders, Mass Meal contains only the highest quality ingredients available. Mass Meal comes in Banana Cream, Chocolate Fudge, and Vanilla flavors
Protein Component:
The proteins in Mass meal consist of membrane filtered Whey protein Isolate (WPI) and Micellar Casein - nothing else!! No inferior whey concentrates or caseinate salts are used. This ensures not only maximum gains but also minimizes stomach upset and digestive disturbances. Mass Meal also contains extra glutamine.
Fat Component:
Mass Meal contains both sunflower oil and Enova© brand oil. Sunflower oil is a healthy source of essential fatty acids that your body needs to function properly and grow. Enova brand oil© consists of specialized fats known as diacylglycerols (DAGs). DAGs are clinically proven to be burned more for energy than stored as fat compared to regular oils (triglycerides)
Carb Component:
Mass Meal contains both simple and complex carbs (brown rice powder). This ensures both maximal insulin response as well as helping to sustain blood sugar levels to avoid rebound hypoglycemia
Insulin Potentiating Component:
For your muscles to fully utilize all the quality calories in Mass Meal you must ensure optimal insulin sensitivity. That is why we include effective dosages of both alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and chromium picolinate.
Digestive Aid Component:
To make sure your gut stays healthy and is able to efficiently break down the ingredients in Mass Meal we include Inulin and Aminogen. Inulin is a probiotic that is resistant to use by unhealthy intestinal microflora but supports the growth and vitality of beneficial microflora. Aminogen is an enzyme that assists in digesting protein - allowing you to fully utilize the valuable WPI and micellar casein peptides contained in Mass Meal.”
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ergo/mass.html
Taste: 10 out of 10
The reason why I ordered these was because I had bought some Blueberry GF-Pro a few months back and was impressed with the flavoring system. Here was my review:
http://www.forum.bodybuilding.com/sh…d.php?t=680345
It was spot on blueberry. Both the Banana Cream and Chocolate Fudge Mass Meals are absolutely exquisite. These are hands down the best tasting pre made meal replacements I have had thus far.
Mixability: 10 out 10
I mixed this stuff up in a shaker for about 20 seconds and it was really smooth. No clumps or grit.
Formulation: 8 out of 10
What makes this stand out from some of other MRP’s is the fat content. I know some are thinking what about Muscle Milk? This doesn’t contain nearly as much saturated fat as Muscle Milk which makes it a much better option. The fact that it contains EFA’s in a respectable amount is outstanding.
I would have scored this higher but the one drawback is the fact they used maltodextrin as the main carb source. Yes, it does contain brown rice powder, but I tend to shy away from the industry standard maltodextrin due to it’s high GI rating. Eitherway, it does help potentiate insulin respone which is what someone bulking would want.
Cost: 8 out of 10
The cost of Mass Meal is on par with most other MRP mixes with regards to cost. I think what may make it more cost effective is if they came out with a larger version with more servings. Since I use two servings at a time it would certainly help me out
Posted in Supplement Reviews
Thursday, October 12th, 2006
Over the years I have used numerous MuscleTech products with great success. These would include the old CellTech, the old NitroTech, the old ephedra based Hydroxycut, etc. However, over the past few years I have definately strayed from the product line because I am always looking for cheaper alternatives. What brought me back to their line of products a few months ago was when my dad suprised me with a bottle of Leukic. I thought to myself this looks cool and since it’s leucine based I’ll give it a go and review it for the forum. I was skeptical at first, but as I always do with supplements, I began to research it and was shocked at how much evidence there was to support it’s efficacy in existence.
About halfway through my unsponsored review I began to get questions about Anator. I didn’t know what is was because I don’t read muscle mags for the most part. These questions did perk my interest a bit as Leukic had been proving itself quite effective. I thought to myself I might give this a try down the road as I respond well to anything monohydrate based.
Fortunately, at the end of that review I was contacted by MuscleTech directly and asked if I wanted to review Anator because “I had a good handle on the science.” (Thanks Jason  ) I thought to myself this will be interesting considering no one does unsponored or sponsored MuscleTech reviews. Also, many forum friendly company reps so vehemently hate MuscleTech which has unfortunately influenced a lot members who look up to these people. I knew this would prove to be an interesting challenge. However, based on my success with Leukic and my past successes with their supplements I decided why not. Frankly, I’m not impressed by the reps most outspoken against MuscleTech and could care less of their opinion of me. I think for myself.
Anator’s formulation is based on research that focuses on the effects of insulin on post workout anabolism. The utilization of hyrdosylates, high GI carbs, phenylalanine, and leucine on post workout insulin spiking has proven much more effective then just normal whey protein and high GI carbs (van Loon 2000). This type of formulation was also further studied to maximize muscle glycogen resynthesis which is extremely important to a performance athlete such a bulking bodybuilder (van Loon 2000).
Another effect of heightened insulin secretion that often isn’t discussed is it’s effect on shutting down signaling pathways that effect atrophy or more commonly known as muscle wasting. This is where the relation of genetics and Anator comes into play. Anator puts you in an anabolic state by preventing the Forkhead family of transcription factors (FOXO) from entering the cellular nuclei to begin cellular apoptosis (Franch 2005). Also, this type of formulation counteracts catabolism by activating the PI3K pathway which limits MAFbx gene expression. When this gene is overly expressed it can lead muscle wasting (Dehoux 2005). As you can see, post workout insulin secretion is a potent anabolic factor not only by assisting with the absorption of nutrients, but by also shutting down catabolic processes.
The other aspect of the Anator formulation I love is the addition of creatine monohydrate. This is the only form of creatine academically tested and proven safe in healthy adults (Bizzarini E 2004). I also think it is extremely beneficial they added alpha-ketoglutarate to make the monohydrate absorption more efficient (Silber 1999). As a strong creatine monohydrate responder I did notice increased strength which only further shows how strong of a ergogenic supplement creatine is as it increases mean power output (Okudan 2005). If you are a creatine monohydrate responder and bulking you will not find a better formulation than this.
Orange Cooler Taste: 7 out of 10
I wasn’t really a fan of this flavor. It’s not horrible by any means, my palate just didn’t agree with it. Taste is pretty subjective.
Berry Blast Taste: 9 out 10
This flavor definately appealed to my taste buds more so than the Orange Cooler. I always have a stronger affinity towards berry/fruit punch flavorings.
Cost: 6 out of 10
This is the only area in which the product could be improved. Based on the effectiveness I will remain loyal to this product. However, the price will turn a lot of potential customers off which is a shame. I do know there will be other similiarly formulated products released shortly within the same price range. I also know some have compared this to already existing formulas, but their formula ratios are off and you would have to stack them other products to get the same effectiveness. Eitherway, I feel MuscleTech could dominate this niche in the supplement market if the price were just a little lower.
Effectiveness: 10 out 10
This is hands down the best post workout recovery formulation I have ever used. As a monohydrate responder I will continue to use this product for any future bulking cycles. I did adhere to the post workout nutrional protocol which is key in utilizing the effectiveness of this type of formula, which was based on my own research. As a result I gained 7 pounds of lean body mass (9 pounds total). I would even suggest for a true hard gainer to maybe utilize a 3:1 carb to protein ratio for the first post workout meal. One thing I would suggest to MuscleTech is to put some sort guidelines on the directions to optimally utilize the Anator formulaton. It would serve the customer a lot better and would ultimately build a stronger relationship with their customers as well.
References
van Loon, Saris WH, Kruijshoop M, Wagenmakers AJ. Maximizing postexercise muscle glycogen synthesis: carbohydrate supplementation and the application of amino acid or protein hydrolysate mixtures. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jul;72(1):106-11.
van Loon, Saris, Verhagen, Wagenmakers. Plasma insulin responses after ingestion of different amino acid or protein mixtures with carbohydrate. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 72, No. 1, 96-105, July 2000
Franch HA, Price SR. Molecular signaling pathways regulating muscle proteolysis during atrophy. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005 May;8(3):271-5.
Dehoux, Van Beneden, Pasko, Lause, Verniers, Underwood, Ketelslegers and Thissen. Role of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Decline in the Induction of Atrogin-1/MAFbx during Fasting and Diabetes.
Endocrinology Vol. 145, No. 11 4806-4812
Bizzarini E, De Angelis L. Is the use of oral creatine supplementation safe? J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2004 Dec;44(4):411-6.
Silber ML. Scientific facts behind creatine monohydrate as sport nutrition supplement. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1999 Sep;39(3):179-88.
Okudan N, Gokbel H. The effects of creatine supplementation on performance during the repeated bouts of supramaximal exercise. Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness. 2005 Dec;45(4):507-11.
Posted in Supplement Reviews
Thursday, October 12th, 2006
For many of us, the daily grind can often leave us stressed out at the end of the day. Whether it’s your boss coming down on you, pending school assignments in the back of your mind, or even trying to be a competative bodybuilder preparing for a show, these thoughts can undermine your well being and rob you of something none of us get enough of….. sleep.From personal experience, when I was a student, I always suffered from anxiety and insomnia around mid-terms and finals. There is nothing worse then going into an exam dead tired when you pulled an unintentional all nighter. I would just deal with it and wait till my exams were over to enjoy sleep only to dread the next round of exams only weeks away.
As I’ve entered the real world so to speak, getting a good nights rest is all the more important. I have to interact with associates at a high level. Being a bodybuilder doesn’t really make it any easier which requires my body to have a better quality of sleep and relaxation in order to recover properly. When you combine the two this can really tax both the mind and body so when I get a bad night’s sleep there is always hell to pay the next day at the office and in the gym.
I have friends who are prescribed anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax or sleeping aids such as Ambien. I have been offered these by my physician but frankly, I don’t like having to use perscriptions unless it is absolutely necessary, especially potent drugs which could possibly lead to addiction. I’d much rather have a more natural remedy and is why I’m glad I came across MRM Relax All.
This product contains a host of herbal ingredients which are proven to attenuate the effects anxiety in an effective synergistic manner. The first ingredient in this product which has the ability to combat anxiety are jujubosides. They have an inhibitory effect on the glutamate excitatory signal pathway (Zhang et al. 2003) which slows activity of the hippocampus. Enhanced activity of the hippocampus has been attributed to high anxiety (Rosen and Schulkin 1998) and jujuobsides handle this quite well in a temporary manner. Both magnolia bark (Kuribara et al. 2000) and theanine (Eshenauer et al. 2006) also exert anxiolytic effect (anti-anxiety) and further contribute to relaxation. The synergistic effects of this combination of herbs definately proved quite effective to me in the recommended dose.
There are also a few ingredients in Relax All which have proven to be effective at combating insomnia. The first constiuent of the formulation which contributes to this is valerian root. Multiple studies have shown the proven the efficacy of using valerian root to combat insomnia and to induce a more restful sleep (Wheatlley 2005). Combining this with phenibut proved itself to ellicit a powerful effect. Phenibut has properties as both a tranquilizer and nootropic drug (Lapin 2001) and is widely used in Russia to treat a host of psychological disorders. Combining these in a moderate dose honestly knocked me out and let me sleep a full 7-9 hours straight which is a rarity for me.
Effectiveness: 8.5 out 10
I tried both dosing variations of this product and both ellicited the desired effects. Because of this, I would recommend you have a bottle of this on hand if you are prone to occassional anxiety or insomnia. It’s definately not as powerful as perscription medications used for the same purposes but offers a nice alternative and a trip to the doctor’s office. As you can tell I have been a lot less fiesty on the forum as of late and I would attribute this to Relax All…….j/k. All kidding aside this is a cost-effective natural remedy and gets a double bicep pose from me.
Formulation: 7.5 out of 10
Given the effectiveness of this product I couldn’t really give it a bad score. However, I do feel adding one more herbal ingredient to the formulation could greatly improve it all around. This would be kava kava. Numerous clinical studies have shown that this potential ingredient exerts a consistent anxiolytic effect. I would have given this a 9-9.5 out of 10 for the formulation had this been included. You can definately stack some yourself to add a higher degree of potency to an already potent formulation.
References
Zhang M, Ning G, Shou C, Lu Y, Hong D, Zheng X. Inhibitory effect of jujuboside A on glutamate-mediated excitatory signal pathway in hippocampus. Planta Medica. 2003 Aug;69(8):692-5.Rosen JB, Schulkin J. From normal fear to pathological anxiety.Psychology Review. 1998 Apr;105(2):325-50.
Kuribara H, Kishi E, Hattori N, Okada M, Maruyama Y. The anxiolytic effect of two oriental herbal drugs in Japan attributed to honokiol from magnolia bark. The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2000 Nov;52(11):1425-9.
Eschenauer G, Sweet BV. Related Articles, Pharmacology and therapeutic uses of theanine. American Journal of Health System Pharmacy. 2006 Jan 1;63(1):26, 28-30.
Wheatley D.Medicinal plants for insomnia: a review of their pharmacology, efficacy and tolerability. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2005 Jul;19(4):414-21.
Lapin I. Phenibut (beta-phenyl-GABA): a tranquilizer and nootropic drug. CNS Drug Reviews. 2001 Winter;7(4):471-81.
Ernst E.Herbal remedies for anxiety - a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Phytomedicine. 2006 Feb;13(3):205-8.
Posted in Supplement Reviews
Thursday, October 12th, 2006
When I first heard Designer Supplements was releasing a protein powder I was very excited. This is a well respected company and all contact I’ve had with consultants, reps, and even the owner has been a pleasure. The products I have used by them, Xceed and Vigor, are top notch as well. Here is a link to the full write up for an in depth look into this product:
Formulation: 9 out 10
In the protein supplement market there are hundreds of powders to choose from and as an experienced supplement user I have tried most of them. Through trial and error I have come to learn that protein mixes utilizing both slow and fast absorption proteins are what work best for me in most situations. This contains both whey (isolate and concentrate fractions) and also micellar casein. For me this is ideal for meal replacements and also before bed. I can’t wait to get my hands on a full jug!
Mixability and Texture: 10 out 10
I split my sample in half and tried it in both milk and water. I used a shaker cup because that is what I use 95% when mixing protein shakes. Both in water and milk Sustain© mixed perfectly. There were no clumps whatsoever and the texture was smooth in water and creamy in milk.
Taste: 9.5 out 10
First off, I must admit that I’m a peanut butter junky and crave it sometimes. I eat it daily in the form of natural peanut butter while dieting, and when bulking I always have a large bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in my freezer. Needless to say, I have also tried most other peanut butter protein powders out there. In all honesty, this is the best tasting peanut butter and chocolate protein to hit the market. What I find hilarious is that it puts the peanut butter and chocolate Muscle Milk to shame despite not having the high amount of fats and sugars. Some of you may or may not know but I am also a big fan of ErgoPharm Gf-Pro. I feel Designer Supplements’ flavoring system could possibly give the ErgoPharm crew a run for their money if they decide to expand the Sustain© line. Bravo guys!
Posted in Supplement Reviews
Thursday, October 12th, 2006
Final Review
Once again I would like to thank uhockey and the Designer Supplements team for allowing me to do this review. I have been training and using supplements for over ten years now and did this review to bring a more experienced view of a CEE/NO2 product.
Taste: 9 out of 10
The overall taste of Xceed is very palatable compared to other CEE powedered drinks. I have used Xpand, Amped, and the Cell Mass Xplode stacks in the past and have to say the this is the best tasting out of all of them. My only caution is to not drink this right after brushing your teeth as this product contains citric acid and will taste extremely bitter if you do.
Cost: 10 out of 10
Xceed is one the most cost effective supplements out there. If you are looking for a CEE and NO2 stack this is the best value per serving. Once again, I comparing this to the White Blood/ Green Bulge stack, Xpand, Amped, Cell Mass and Xplode.
Energy: 8 out 10
The main energy ingredient in Xceed, glucuronolactone, provides a very clean energy boost. Unlike some products that rely on heavier stims, this doesn’t leave you jittery or full of anxiety. It is a nice boost which allows you to go all out in the gym, but once you leave the gym, you aren’t still racing. If you want a more powerful effect then a simple cup of coffee or a caffeine tablet would do the trick. It would give a similiar energy boost that you would feel with Omega Thunder, which utilizes glucuronolactone and caffeine.
Effectiveness: 9 out of 10
This is a very effective supplement for the individual wanting a CEE and NO2 stack. From day one my pumps were great and vascularity was up. These are cosmetic effects in my opinion, but nonetheless, it did what it said it was going to. As far as strength gains are concerned I did set a personal best on front squats while using this product. I really don’t train for strength as much anymore because I am very strong already. However, this along with a good diet will allow to pack on some mass and increase your strength.
Overall Quality: 9.5 out of 10
One of the first positive attributes that stood out to me was the fact that Xceed does not hide behind any proprietary blends. You know exactly how much of each ingredient you getting. I feel a lot of people don’t concern themselves with this but they should, especially if you are stacking with other supplements. Another reason why I feel this is a great supplement is becuase you have a great panel of company representatives to ask questions including a medical student. They are respectful and in my opinion, are not out just to make some money.
Posted in Supplement Reviews
Monday, October 9th, 2006
As you all know there a bunch of reps lurking on this forum for Thermolife International. When I first joined the forum I was extremely anti-rep and quite vocal about my feelings about blatant pimping. This often lead to some pretty serious flame wars and actually my first private message was from Nathan1 asking me what my problem was. We had a nice exchange of words back and forth behind the scenes which definately put Thermolife on my radar.
As time passed I began to differentiate between what I considered good rep and bad reps. I’m obviously not going to target anyone in this review but one particular rep really caught my attention. His name was Dito.
Now I’ve seen some pretty funny remarks on this forum but some of Dito’s simple quips top the cake so when I got a random Instant Message one day form him I was sure to reply. After this initial “positive” ice breaker, one by one I got to know all of them on some level and even ended up being cool with Nathan1. Needless to say, I soon realized that Thermolife is actually a quality company and the “Thermo Thugs” are a great asset to this forum.
I guess what really sold me on Thermolife is the fact the Ron Kramer (owner), as ornery as he is, stands for a lot of the ideals I stand for when it comes responsibility in the supplement industry. This shared perspective on creative but responsible formulation and quality supplements which don’t challenge labeling standards really impressed me and is why I have the utmost respect for Thermolife International as a company. I would consider them to be one of the jewels in the crown of responsible supplement makers which can often be tarnished by copycatting quick buck artists. Thermolife is a company which prides itself on quality and will not tolerate anything but high standard in all their supplements.
My Love Hate Relationship with Stimulants
I’m extremely fickle when it comes to stimulants loaded with caffeine. There are weeks that go by when I’m slamming Redline in the morning and enjoying a Turbo Tea before I work out. Then weeks will go by when I feel stimulants are the work of the devil and purge my sould of the need for speed. Eitherway, I have a lot of experience with them and most recently have discovered a new fondness for ABB Speed Stack.
I used to enjoy one or two of these before a workout when I was an undergrad and they were chocked full of ephedrine. I strayed from them for a long time because after the ephedra ban they clearly sucked. However, on a recent trip home I was at Gold’s and decided to give one a try and was fairly impressed. It was a pretty smooth rush and full of every possible powerful legal stimulant available. Needless to say, when I was asked to give ThermoLife’s Stizm a go I was pretty excited because it has a lot of the same ingredients.
- Caffeine anhydrous 250mg
- Theobromine 200mg
- Synephrine HCL 100mg
- Octopamine HCL 100mg
- Hordenine 100mg
- Tyramine HCL 100mg
- Phenylethylamine 50mg
The Effects
At a normal dose Stizm gets my motor running pretty well. It will definately wake your ass up but also doens’t leave you jittery or anxious like other energy products that contain yohimbine (i.e. VPX Redline, MuscleTech Hydroxy Cut Hardcore, etc). It’s a smooth stimulant and what I like most about it I never seem to experience any sort of crash. I even upped the dose by a pill just to experiment but thought it was stimulant overload. When I first tried this out I was a lean 218lbs and felt it was dosed appropriately.
The Downside
This is a great product. However, I personally feel it would be even greater if it came in a Ready To Drink (RTD). I know the logistics of creating an RTD are a nightmare but hopefully down the road as Thermolife expands off the successes of the impressive E-BOL and whatever products they have in the pipeline. I’m personally an RTD junky so I was actually cracking open the pills and dumping it in some Crystal Lite most mornings. This is actually a quite effective and much cheaper method of creating your own stim based RTD then buying a case of Redline, Speed Stack, etc.
Overall Feelings
Stizm is a nice alternative for those of you who like you caffiene jolt in the morning or before a workout in a pill. Its stimulant based formula offers a mild appetite suppressing effect and is great for a cutting application when your energy is down and you feel lethargic. I also want to say that these put any caffeine pill to shame. I know caffeine pills are much cheaper but often hand out a strong crash. This supplement offers a nice smooth ride but is no way mild either. Quite frankly, I know there are some other popular stimualants out their like StimX or Amp but I honestly don’t like the questionable effects they have or their ingredients. In Stizm you know exactly what you are getting and in what amounts. Good job guys on a great product.
Lastly, I feel all of you reading this should stop by the ThermoChat sometime. I’m a frequent flyer there and it is quite educational at times about the inside scoop on the supplement industry. Also, you can chat with folks who share a common interest in supplements and might even be suprised at what company owners decide to pop in or high profile supplements gurus let you pick their brains. It’s truly an experience.
-Des
Posted in Supplement Reviews
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