Nutritech definitely has a wide and vast array of products to choose from when it comes to the supplements they offer. In certain cases, Nutritech even goes so far as to give you a variety of products to choose from within a sub-category of supplementation. In this case, protein powder is the spotlight of variety for this review. I managed to grab hold of Proven NT Protein from Nutritech to see how this differs from other protein powder sources, even within their own ranks.
Art first glance, this looks like a regular protein powder, and some might even mistake it for a fancy version of a whey protein. However, it is much more than that… so much more than that; and I mean that in the literal sense.
Proven NT Protein is a combination of 6 different protein powders all blended into one. Yeah, you read that correctly. 6 various protein powder sources all mixed into a single source of protein powder. These protein sources are:
Additionally, there are 4.3g of a complete amino acid profile per serving of this powder.
As for the gluten-free crowd, you need not fear as this product has been stamped as gluten-free.
But enough of what it is. What does it do?
In truth, I was honestly confused as to why you would need to take 6 various protein sources and mash them into 1 product. Each of them does great on their own and addresses a different need in the market in terms of what people are looking for.
After carefully examining this product, I came to the conclusion that this protein powder aims to bring the best of all worlds of the protein powder sphere by giving you a complete amino acid profile from naturally occurring sources of protein and gathering them all into one single product. Generally speaking, each protein powder source will miss a thing or two here and there. However, it seems this protein product seeks to address that.
It also aims to replicate the slow releasing effects of casein while maintaining the elevated protein spike levels one would get from a normal fast digesting protein powder. It tries to do this by combing fast, medium, and slow digesting proteins and maximizing the digestive effects of each one into a single product. In other words, elevated protein spike but for a longer period of time instead of the slow releasing dim or the fast-absorbing spike.
Nutritech NT Proven Protein has a typical serving suggestion of 32g. This gives you approximately 28 servings per container which should last you around a month. In terms of dosing, everything here follows the same usual pattern as a standard pure protein powder and the calorie count is roughly in the same spot too.
This product gets a 3/5 from me. I love the innovation behind this and the attempt to achieve many things at once by bringing worlds together but there are too many unknown variables in the equation for me to say that it would actually achieve what it has set out to achieve. However, if you do want to give it a shot, it is a really delicious and complete protein powder.
To purchase theNutritech NT Proven Protein, click here.
]]>I once wrote a review on NPL products and the awesome way that they come out with products that have either individual profiles or individual ingredients that you can mix and match with other products like that in order to make your perfect combination. Cue today’s review NPL’s citrulline malate.
I’ve written several articles in the past on what ingredients to look out for in an effective pre-workout product and citrulline malate was in the top 5 of those ingredients mentioned. It is an amazing product that works well in both stim and non-stim pre-workouts.
Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that it can be produced in the body and does not need to be sourced externally for specific body functions. However, the amount produced within the body isn’t enough to be utilized effectively for any performance enhancing endeavours and, for this purpose, additional citrulline would need to be sourced.
The NPL Pure Citrulline Malate comes in a 240g container, which is a lot. This makes it a product that you can use even the high end of the dosing scale and still have the tub last you for about a month.
As I said above, citrulline malate is great as part of both stim and non-stim pre-workout cocktails. If you already have a pre-workout formula or product that you enjoy but want to kick up its effectiveness by a notch or two, then adding some of this product into that mix will definitely benefit you greatly. Additionally, what I used to do was purchase the individual ingredients for my own perfect pre-workout mixture and combine them to make my own pre-workout. NPL has a lot of these ingredients stocked individually so you could source from them. Obviously, citrulline malate would have to be on that list.
In terms of what it does, citrulline is able to help the body perform for longer periods of time. Thus, giving you the ability to keep pushing during a session without having to worry about crashing out from losing energy.
Citrulline also increases the bloods uptake in oxygen. This allows you to push a little harder every set without gassing out. As a result, your power output levels will increase, allowing to get stronger and make better gains
NPL 100% Pure Citrulline Malate has a serving suggestion of 6g. This is a decent dosage as the recommended dosing range is between 6-9g for performance specific purposes. You also get 240g per tub so it should last you for a decent amount of time even if you went to the high range of the aforementioned scale.
In terms of its usefulness, this product gets a 5/5 for me. I am a massive fan of citrulline, and its benefits and I think everyone would find that their performance levels will have that extra edge if they add it to their supplement arsenal.
To purchase the NPL 100% Pure Citrulline Malate, click here.
]]>This product is one that isn’t extraordinarily common or talked about in fitness circles. However, it is a relatively new product to the supplement market and one that has potentially potent effects. So, for this review, we will have a look at Nutritech’s Beta-Ecdysterone.
Beta-Ecdysterone belongs to a class of compounds that are fundamentally similar to androgens and is a substance that has been closely studied as a plant and insect growth contributor. It is purported that this supplement has the same type of biological effects in mammals when taken in orally. Additionally, some researchers have stated that the effects of Beta-Ecdysterone are similar to those of anabolics where they have supposed androgenic effects in insects, plants, and some mammals.
There is not much else on the substance as the research into this ingredient is still early days and solid conclusions are still being reached.
Going back to what was stated above, Beta-Ecdysterone has been purported to have massive anabolic effects due to its androgenic properties. Furthermore, they have a lack of androgenicity which means that they carry almost none of the androgenic side effects that come with androgenic products such as anabolic steroids. However, are they as powerful as anabolics? The jury is still out on this one. Due to their perceived potential and effects observed in animals and other creatures, there is a possibility for this substance to be just as useful and effective in growing lean muscle tissue as they are with animals and insects. But the studies done into this product haven’t yielded enough conclusive evidence to support this theory.
They do seem to have a wide variety of side-effects that are seen as healthy, per say. Beta-Ecdysterone does have the potential to lower cholesterol and blood glucose due to its properties and are seen as healthy for the liver and intestines by increasing protein synthesis rates. This creates protective effects on the neural tissue.
It is recommended that you take 2 capsules 3 times daily with your main, protein centred meals. This would be due to its potential anabolic effects and the need to take advantage of post-food anabolism.
This product gets a2.5 out of 5 for me. The potential for am extremely great product is there but without sufficient human trials and human based research, it is very difficult to say whether this product will do everything it was hyped up to potentially do.
To purchase the Nutritech Ecdysterone, click here.
]]>We bring you another one from the Vitatech books and this time we have a product that may not be as popular as the basic vitamins and minerals, but it definitely has its place in the household: Fulvic Acid.
Vitatech Fulvic follows the usual 30-tablet Vitatech container scheme and is definitely a product that has earned its place amongst the Vitatech range. Fulvic acid is a substance that has its roots in the use of human treatment dated all the way back to the age of traditional medicine where it was used to treat quite a number of illnesses and ailments. As a result, this long standing and generationally used ingredient has been upgraded and put into an easy and convenient pill form with a massive concentration of the active ingredient.
Ordinarily, fulvic acid is considered a humic substance. This means that it is an ingredient that is naturally occurring in mixtures like soils, compost, marine sediments, etc. Therefore, it is quite amazing that a product generally found in waste is able to be isolated and manufactured for human benefit.
When it comes to the use fulvic acid, its benefits are numerous. These benefits extend to the following areas of treatment:
There are a host of other benefits that fulvic acid may have an evidence from research has shown possible benefits from fulvic acid in the following areas:
As stated though, evidence on these isn’t conclusive but they do allude to these potential benefits from fulvic acid.
Vitatech Fulvic Acid provides you with one month’s worth of product. That is 30 tablets per container and at a serving size of 1 tablet a day. Each serving contains 300mg’s of fulvic acid which should be more than sufficient to reap the benefits of fulvic acid.
Vitatech Fulvic acid gets 3,5 out 5. It is a great product with great potential benefits, but it definitely dabbles in the realm of medicine. It is a great booster to one’s everyday life though and could potentially work really well as a preventative booster.
To purchase the Vitatech Fulvic Acid, click here.
]]>Mass gainers are the original go-to supplement for any hard-gainer looking to put on size and get the calories in that they need to supplement and support their muscle building pursuits in the gym. However, it is not only for the hard-gainers but can be useful for those on the bulk who struggle to eat a lot of meals and need to get a calorie dense replacement in instead. So, in keeping with the theme of using calorie stacked supplement, we decided to have a look at the Mutant Mass and give that a shot.
As always, it is prudent to note that this mass gainer is specifically designed with the task of loading you up with an extremely high and dense number of calories in one go. And that is a good thing if you are someone who struggles to put on size or just do not enjoy the idea of forcing down large meals in frequent succession. After all, with the right amount of stimulus, when the number of calories in exceeds the number of calories out, your body then has the materials need to build new muscle.
Like a typical serving of any mass gainer, you can expect to be getting in around 52g of protein and close onto 200g of carbs.
The use of carbohydrates here comes in the form of maltodextrin and waxy maize as well as other starchy ingredients such sweet potato powder and rolled oats. One might actually find this to be a weird mixture but there is an awesome twist to this make up.
Just to run off the last point, the iammutant.com website, which is listed on the product, sends you to webpage where viable recipes that use this product are up from their customers to use. The carbohydrate blend of this product makes it very easy to use this mass gainer as a key ingredient in making delicious, high-calorie, high-protein baked goods, amongst other tasty treats. Using the mass gainer in this way, will make it a lot easier and enjoyable to get those calories in a daily basis if you are looking to bulk up.
If you want to just have it as a shake or a meal replacement, I recommend using half the prescribed amount of powder and mixing it with milk for a creamy texture and sweet taste. You can also choose to use water if you wish, but it obviously won’t taste as delicious.
Furthermore, if you are someone who is on-the-go, using this a quick form of getting much needed calories would definitely be recommended.
Mutant Mass has a serving size of 4 scoops. This is quite clearly a bucket load of product and bombshell worth of calories. So be mindful with how quickly you want to put on weight and how much of this gainer you would like use at a time. The faster you put on weight, the faster you tend to put on fat. So, keep an eye out on what you look like and be careful not to bet too chubby.
This product gets a 4/5 for me. The taste is amazing, and the addition of useable recipes was a great touch.
To purchase Mutant Mass, click here.
]]>BCAA’s are largely used and known supplement on the market that has wide acclaim but not much is said about EEAs, how they are used, how they differ and what their benefits are in relation to BCAAs. We’ll have a look at the Mutant EEAs, give you some insight on this product and EEAs in general and how they work.
So, the Mutant GEAAR product is composed of EEAs, or essential amino acids. What makes essential amino acids ESSENTIAL is the fact that they are a string of amino acids that can’t be naturally produced by the body. In other words, you have to get them in either via various food sources or by supplementing them.
In comparison to BCAAs, EEAs contain most of the amino acid chain. So, where BCAAs generally only have Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine, EEAs have other amino acids from that chain. These include Threonine, Lysine, Arginine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Methionine, Tryptophan.
What makes GEAAR a pretty cool EEA product is that they have included an electrolyte blend as well which is key for optimising hydration support. So, you can expect that extra bit of liveliness from this product as well.
Mutant GEAAR has 4 flavours to choose from and I decided to go with the blue raspberry. The flavour is good and tastes quite sweet. The mixability was a bit a let-down as it became quite foamy and took a while to blend in nicely with the water.
In terms of its usage, like any BCAA product, this product would go best with people who are vegans, vegetarians or who are in severe deficits. Therefore, taking it in places of your day where you would essentially be between meals would help keep your protein synthesis levels elevated.
Remember, that both EEAs and BCAAs ACTUALLY do have calories in them so you would need to factor that into your diet.
A single serving of Mutant GEEAR is 12,6g of EEAs. This a rather generous serving of the ingredients that make up this product so you can be assured that you are not being skimped out of anything. Like I said above, taking an EEA or BCAA would work best in “eating gaps” of your day so space your servings out well.
Mutant GEAAR gets a 3.5 out 5 for me. It’s a pretty straight forward product that provides you with exactly what it sets our to provide.
To purchase Mutant GEEAR, click here.
]]>Your nutritional plan is most likely subpar and pretty much pointless if your body is unable to take in and digest the nutrients it needs to utilise for you make progress in any sporting or physical endeavour that you are pursuing. To address this, Nutritech has add yet another stack to it’s Vitatech range in the form of its gut health pack. So, let’s have a look at it.
]]>Your nutritional plan is most likely subpar and pretty much pointless if your body is unable to take in and digest the nutrients it needs to utilise for you make progress in any sporting or physical endeavour that you are pursuing. To address this, Nutritech has add yet another stack to it’s Vitatech range in the form of its gut health pack. So, let’s have a look at it.
The Gut Health Pack comes with 3 very distinct products that each play a powerful role themselves. These products are Digestive Enzymes, Probiotics and Selenium.
Starting with the digestive enzymes: your body produces a vast array of enzymes that it uses to break down carbs, fats and proteins and ensure that it is a lot easier for your body to take in and use where it needs to. When someone has digestive issues, these nutrients essentially go to waste as they are to entirely absorbed by the body and, as an outward manifestation, this results in a lot of gut discomfort. The digestive enzymes either fill in the gaps or help bolster your digestive capabilities by providing you with additional enzymes that are easy for your body to use.
Next, we have the probiotics: a host of “good bacteria” that live in your stomach and help the body break down essential minerals and vitamins to be for your body to take them in and use them in their simplest and most useful forms. Additionally, things like diarrhoea, constipation and other issues connected to poor digestion and waste disposal can all be mitigated and relieved with a daily boost of probiotics.
Lastly, we have Selenium: people with thyroid complications will be all too familiar with this amazing ingredient. Selenium plays a big role in ensuring that your body’s metabolic system is moving at full charge and that your digestive and nutrient utilisation systems are moving in a smooth and efficient manner. Additionally, it is a powerful antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress placed in your body from a lot of digestion.
Each of these ingredients alone work wonders in your system but using them a trio pack is actually quite a brilliant idea. By taking them altogether, you are pretty much leaving nothing up to chance and ensuring that you get the best out of your digestive capabilities and whatever nutrients you are taking in.
The pack comes with a 30 day/1 month usage cycle. You have 30 tabs of each product in this pack. Therefore, it will last you month if you are going by 1 tab a day. However, those who are in heavy gaining phases where a lot of calories are being eaten may find that taking more than 1 tablet a day is a necessary course of action.
Overall, this product gets a 4/5. The idea is good, the concept is good, and the ingredients are top class. The only issue I could find is the 1 tab a day of each which doesn’t exactly cater for a crowd who may actually need to use them in fuller and more complete doses. But other than that, it is an excellent product.
To purchase the Vitatech Gut Health Pack, click here.
]]>So, we have done a review of cream of rice previously but anyone who is in the health and fitness in South Africa knows that a new brand of cream of rice has been sweeping the nation by storm. And that brand of cream of rice is Crème Supreme. There have been an innumerable amounts of rantings and ravings on social media about the quality and taste of this product, so I just had to give it a go and test it out myself.
As most of you already know, cream of rice is basically white rice that has been thoroughly grounded into a fine powder like state. Once cooked with an adequate amount of water, it reconstitutes into a fluffy yet smooth white porridge/cereal mixture.
Where, Crème Supreme differs slightly is the fact that it has natural flavouring ingredients that allows it to be a variety of flavours that are able to choose from, and trust me, these flavours are really fantastic.
The only gripe I had with the product was that the ingredients listed on the product and on their official website seemed to differ, where maltodextrin was once present on the package but seems to be absent on the website. Also, there was a caloric difference between the label on the product and the website again. I would need to get a new pack of Crème Supreme to see if that has been addressed or not as mine could have been from a previous batch that hadn’t been updated or something like that. If you are a pedantic calorie counter, yes, this matters. If you have it purely for the enjoyment of the product, this doesn’t affect you in the slightest.
Firstly, the texture is absolutely fantastic. There seems to be very little to almost no lumps when making this as opposed to regular cream if rice.
The flavour has been nailed as well. I had the white chocolate raspberry flavour, and it was bang on. The sweetness and sharpness came through absolutely perfectly for the flavour it is meant to be (because sometimes flavours on the label yield products tasting something a little different).
The concern here though is whether you have an extraordinarily sweet tooth or not because it is quite common to mix your whey protein with cream of rice. However, because this brand of crème of rice already comes its own flavour profile that is able to stand on its own without the flavouring assistance of a cream of rice. So, if you add a whey protein to the cooked product, the overall dish becomes extremely sweet. Some people may find this off putting and others might be elated from the extra sweetness. It just depends on the individual and whether you are customarily used to mixing your whey with cream of rice or not and whether you can continue to do so or not without feeling weird about it.
In the event that that you are caught up in the conundrum I mentioned above, just buy their plain flavour. The texture has already been nailed so no doubt that the mixture will come out great.
The recommended serving size of this product is 50g. However, this is really all dependant on how much Crème Supreme you are feeling for or what your specific diet prescribes in terms of calories and macros. There is no upper limit to how much you can or should have. It really is just a simple and easy source of carbs to use at your leisure. Remember to take flavouring into account too.
Overall, this product gets 4.5 out of 5 for me. I have a massive, sweet tooth so this and my vanilla whey went together perfectly. It was extremely sweet though and not everyone’s cup of tea I would imagine. A few little grips and gripes here and there keep it from being a perfect 5.
]]>SSA Supplements brings you yet another version of a supplement that has been around in the supplement market for quite a number of years, but this time it has received a bit of an upgrade. We have had a look at ZMA supplements before and all their benefits. This time however, SSA takes it a step further and adds another powerful testosterone boosting ingredient to the mix.
Just to revise, ZMA is just the short form of the following ingredients:
Testoblast follows the typical make up of a ZMA with the ingredients ranging as follows:
However, SSA Supplements has added their secret ingredient to the mix, Tribulus Terrestris. This is a plant with an extract that has been shown to boost testosterone levels and increase sex drive.
Even though the jury is slightly out on the effectiveness of ZMA’s, there is still some reason to take their effects into serious consideration when looking to add to your supplement stack. With the new addition of Tribulus Terrestris thrown into an already purported powerful mixture of ingredients, your chances of raising your natural testosterone levels are raised that much more.
More importantly though, this product does have a usefulness that comes very handy in the hustle and bustle of the 21st century. People these days get very little sleep, and the sleep they do get is precarious at best. Testoblasts matrix of ingredients works to help improve the quality of your sleep, particularly when taken at night. If you are looking for real world evidence of recovery and muscle growth happening, then getting good quality sleep should be your first port of call.
Tribulus Terrestris has also been shown to not only boost natural testosterone levels but to improve sex drive as well.
Just like how SSA’s ZMA provides you with the recommended doses of each micronutrient in its make-up, Testoblast provides you with exactly the same plus 1000mgs of Tribulus Terrestris, which is more than enough to get the benefits of that ingredient alone. So, you can be sure that SSA isn’t shirking from giving you the appropriate dose of ZMA while still providing you with an additional boost all in one go.
This SSA Testoblast gets a good 4 out of 5. Besides getting in the recommended micronutrients that you should be getting daily, adding that extra edge in the form of Tribulus Terrestris really helps take an already great product up a notch.
]]>Our next pre-workout review is from Barbarian Nutrition. Their pre-workout formula called Untamed was really a lot of fun and quite enjoyable. It wasn’t over the top nor did it feel like a lacklustre powder mixture that was just thrown together
Untamed is pre-workout formula that is actually very straight forward and simple in its make up. It has 3 focus points of performance boosting and the relative ingredients to go with it.
Its strength and endurance focus portion is largely based on beta-alanine and creatine. Both are extraordinary ingredients in their own right and are a staple of any good pre-workout. The caffeine will ensure that your muscles are able to push heavier than normal while the beta-alanine will work at making sure that your point of fatigue is prolonged.
The Nitric Oxide (where you get your pump from) portion is fuelled by agmatine sulphate and beet root extract. Beet root extract is a pretty popular ingredient used in many pre-workout mixtures for excellent pumps.
The energy portion is provided by its focus point, caffeine. With 300mg of caffeine in this mixture, you can be sure that will have crazy amounts of energy to keep you going throughout your session.
Untamed has a unique flavour profile. It is somehow both strong and mellow at the same time. That intense powder flavour isn’t present that you’d find with most pre-workout mixtures. The serving portion is also really small, so you don’t have to lace this mixture with a lot of water in order to get a smooth consistency going. So, in terms of taste and mixability, this pre-workout is actually very consistent and easy to swallow.
Due to the high caffeine content, if you’re a light sleeper then I recommend that you try avoiding taking this pre-workout too late into the evening.
Additionally, because Untamed is actually pretty moderate with the rest of its ingredients, I would not put it past many to try double scooping this pre-workout every now and then. Just keep in mind that it is high in caffeine, so either you might get a headache from too much caffeine at once, or your caffeine tolerance will adapt really quickly to this, and the caffeine may lose its stimulating effects. Either way, just be careful and try not to double scoop too often.
Barbarian’s Untamed pre-workout has a serving suggestion of 1 level scoop. That is 7.3g of powder mixture. However, as mentioned earlier, double scooping once in a while may help if you need the extra kick. It says 15 minutes before training, but I would recommend a good 30 minutes at least. Digestion and absorption don’t happen that quickly.
This pre-workout is really designed for people who are looking for a moderate kick but aren’t looking for something is overboard. And that is great for the majority of population. It also leaves room to be double scooped if you want something extra as well. So, I give this pre-workout a rating of 3.5/5.
]]>In recent years, carnitine and all its forms have received quite a bit of spotlight in terms of its uses and its role in fat loss. The simple claim that had been thrown around was that it was this miracle fat loss tool that could melt away your fat like butter in a hot pan. However, a large number of critical supplement users and sceptics were quick to turn around and say that what had been claimed wasn’t the reality and that carnitine was a useless supplement for fat loss.
The first rather large benefit of L-carnitine is that it has been shown to really improve an individual's overall workout performance by lowering one’s levels of fatigue and blood lactate while simultaneously providing a slightly increased power output. While on the road to your leaner physique, this benefit proves to be extremely useful due to the fact that when you’re in a deficit for prolonged periods of time, your body will fatigue faster and your general performance output decreases. As a result of this, you burn fewer calories with each session due to lower energy levels slow down your fat loss. In other words, your lack of energy during sessions can be countered with this performance booster.
L-carnitine may also provide a marked decrease in delayed onset muscle soreness (or the dreaded DOMS, as we know them) and increase androgen receptor density in muscle cells. According to Dr Layne Norton, more androgen receptors in muscle cells may mean that your current levels of anabolic hormones like testosterone may work more efficiently, and your body can respond more appropriately to these hormones. Keep in mind that while on the cut, your testosterone levels are going take a dip as you gradually get leaner and leaner so keeping them a good level will play a key role in keeping your hard-earned muscle while you dial down.
Nutritech's Liquid L-Carnitine comes in a nifty little bottle that is quite easily measured out and even easier to take. Ever had a tablespoon of medicine? Same deal. Except this time, it does not taste as bad as medicine. The blueberry flavour was quite punchy but did have a nice aftertaste to it.
Additionally, there were no feelings of any “kicks” or temperature hikes that people claim to experience from taking liquid L-Carnitine, so you can trust this to get in and settle almost immediately. However, if you want to feel any kicks and/or temperature hikes, then taking this with beta-alanine, caffeine, or a pre-workout that has both would be an option to consider.
Other than that, there is not much else to talk about in terms of usability. It is all pretty straight forward.
This product has a recommended serving size of 1 tablespoon taken twice daily. The bottle does only house 13 total serving sizes (1 serving size being 2 tablespoons) but the price of the product does cater for the short number of servings, so it is entirely feasible to buy 2 bottles a month.
This product gets a 3 out of 5 for me. It does have its usefulness and definitely has a pleasant taste. But, as with any fat loss endeavour, diet and training have to be in order first for any product of this nature to assist you at all.
To purchase ThermoTech L-Carnitine 3000, click here.
]]>In running with the reviews of great meal replacement products, I decided to give to the USN Trust Crunch Vegetarian Bar a go just to see how it would square up with other protein bars. It is safe to say that I was actually quite surprised.
When we talk about protein bars or bar replacements, one never really considers if there is a vegetarian friendly option. USN made steps in taking this into consideration and created this Vegetarian version of their trust crunch bar. It is not entirely vegan, however, as there are milk products used to create this bar, but it does focus its ingredient concentration a lot around fruit products for its make up.
As for its nutritional values, USN Trust Crunch Vegetarian Bar comes in 60g bar. In this bar, you will get about 216 calories worth of goodness. The macros here are a little more spread out in comparison to protein bars from other products. You will get 18g of protein, 23g of carbs and 8.4g of fat per bar. This, however, does keep well within the theme of a meal replacement, ensuring that the macronutrients are spread quite evenly and that you are getting a decent spread of vital nutrients.
For a vegetarian protein bar, this product really manages to hold its own in the protein bar arena. It is quite tasty and there is a good mixture of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. To be fair though, it still falls a bit short in terms of the texture/taste combo when compared to its non-vegetarian counterparts. But it still does a great job as most vegetarian supplement products generally taste or feel like dirt. This one does not. At all.
The vegetarian bar only comes in one flavour, and this is the Raspberry Cheesecake. The regular non-vegetarian Crunch Bars have three different flavours but for the sake of this review, we will just stick to the Raspberry Cheesecake. It has a nice and sweet fruitiness and a subtle hint of creamy cheesecake flavour. In combination, it all works really well.
As for who can use this bar? Pretty much anyone who is not vegan or someone who suffers with serious lactose intolerance issues. Other than that, this bar is a great on-the-go snack that you can use to help fuel you during a busy or tiring day.
It is generally very difficult to find a great protein bar as most of them feel like ingredients that were mixed and frozen into the shape of a bar. However, this was made with careful consideration despite the minor shortfalls you will usually find in vegetarian products. As a result, I give this bar a 3.5 out of 5. If you are a stickler for vegetarian products, I can only imagine that you may give this a higher rating.
]]>As a lot of you may know, SSA Supplements has an entire array of pre-workout mixtures and cocktails that are designed to suit the needs of athletes and gym-goers from every facet of the performance sphere. The Hellfire series, for example, is pretty stacked. However, they are mostly stimulant based and some of the ingredients you would usually find in a stim-free pre-workout are not present. Both stim based and stim-free pre-workouts are amazing so it all boils down to what you are looking for. For the purposes of this review, we had a look at one of SSA Supplement’s stim-free pre-workout mixtures, Alpha Nitrox.
Alpha Nitrox is a very straight and to the point pre-workout that uses the effects of simple and straight-to-the-point ingredients. The two main components of Alpha Nitrox are Arginine and Citrulline.
Arginine is the ingredient that many will know as the “pump” inducing ingredient. Whenever you see a pre-workout with the title NOS, Nitro X, or Nitric Oxide, it usually refers to this ingredient. It works by assisting the blood vessels in relaxing. As a result, blood circulation within the body is improved and a host of benefits from that process soon follow suit (including things such as improved nutrient transport and so on). Mainly though, the improved circulation assists in giving sleeve-busting pumps and immense blood concentration in the working muscle groups.
The second ingredient, Citrulline, has a host of purported benefits including the ability to boost your overall performance in the gym. Additionally, it compounds the effects of Nitric Oxide build up within the body during stress and staves off muscle fatigue during rigorous exercise. It is an amazing pre-workout ingredient that really should be in every pre-workout cocktail.
If you are the type of person that is extremely sensitive to stim-based pre-workouts, then this workout will do you good. A dose or two of this will really help improve your overall performance in the gym.
If you are looking for the benefits of a Nitric Oxide boost or just want a bigger pump while using the energy stimulating effects of a Hellfire, for example, the stacking this onto Hellfire will give you an exponential boost in your performance levels. Your drive will already be boosted from the stims and the blood and performance boost you get from Alpha Nitrox will compound those effects. Essentially, this will make you stronger and help you push harder for longer.
A typical 4 tab serving of this product will provide you with 1000mg dose of both Arginine and Citrulline each. However, if you want to receive proper benefits from these two powerful ingredients, you will need to take at least 3 servings at once. This part of Alpha Nitrox is a bit wanting but the price is quite affordable for what you are taking and if you want to stock up on more.
SSA Supplements Alpha Nitrox scores a 3/5 for me. The ingredients are fantastic, but the dosing is sub-par. Needing to take a heap of tablet to experience the benefit from it will not be favourable at all to the crowd that hates pills.
]]>This is the second Insane Labz pre-workout I have managed to test and review. Like the previous one, Strain, this one packed a great kick but had a little more to offer in terms of its stimulant factor.
Like Strain, Psychotic has a very standard pre-workout make up, but it does, however, have more in it than its counterpart. Both are stimulant pre-workouts, but Psychotic goes a step further in terms of providing you with the ingredients needed for you to truly get more out of your training sessions.
Psychotic provides you with 4 main stimulant ingredients that are designed to help push you mentally and, subsequently, physically as well. In a similar fashion to Strain, Psychotic has caffeine and yohimbine as its main power duo. These two really work to give you one of the best rushes you can ask for to drive you in a workout that requires that level of intensity. However, the stimulant effects do not stop there. They are further compounded by an additional two ingredients. These ingredients are Dimethylamylamine (or DMAA) and creatine (yes, for the purposes of this review, we will consider creatine as a stimulant due to its direct conversion to ATP and the subsequent stimulant effects).
When it comes to ingredients that work directly to physically boost your performance, you have beta-alanine and creatine (yeah, creatine does it all). You get the effects of prolonging muscular fatigue and boosting muscular endurance and strength all at once. This will allow you to really have the edge in a workout.
Insane Labz has an eerily effective way of ensuring that their pre-workouts mix and go down smoothly. Strain was easy to handle, and Psychotic is really no exception. Obviously, you will feel slightly more of kick from Psychotic. The fruit punch flavour was actually quite tasty when mixed with a good amount of water. I personally tend not to enjoy pre-workouts that have an overbearing flavour, so I just use more water to dilute strong tastes. This one was not too overwhelming though, so it scored a decent number of points for that.
Disclaimer like with my Strain review - The beta-alanine concentration in here is quite high so expect a short bout of paraesthesia (commonly known as the buzz). But, if you are choosing to take this pre-workout then I am betting that this is something you are looking for or, at the very least, something you do not mind.
Psychotic has a serving size of 6g (which is one level scoop). This makes it a pre-workout that does not use a copious amount of powder to get what you need or to mix with large amounts of water. So, it is pretty easy to mix and get down. Again, if you struggle to sleep, try to avoid using this at night or you will be fighting your body to chill out and get rest. Douple-scoopers, this is a very stimulant heavy pre-workout mixture. You have been warned.
This pre-workout gets another solid 4/5 for me for its potency. This was another knockout shot from Insane Labz and since I was struggling with energy levels this week, this really helped me out.
To purchase Insane Labz Psychotic, click here.
]]>This one was an absolutely brand new one for me. Firstly, we all know that mass gainers are one of the prime supplements for calorie stacking in the supplement game. Secondly, vegan products have been taking the world by storm, and the supplement industry is not excluded in this. However, I have never come across a vegan mass gainer before, so I was quite interested to see what that product was made of.
Starting of with the constituents of this product, the fundamental three basics of a mass gainer were all present in this product: a good source of protein, fast acting high GI carbs and creatine for that extra strength and recovery boost.
The protein in this product was fundamentally sourced from pea protein and made into a pea protein isolate. With each serving of this gainer, you would be getting 28g protein which is a whole lot more protein than you find in any other 100g single serving of mass gainer out there.
The fast-acting carbohydrate element was filled using arguably the best and most efficient fast acting carb on the market, cluster dextrin (or otherwise known as cyclic-dextrin). Additionally, each serving is loaded with 69g of the stuff, so you could definitely be expecting fast absorbing action from this product.
Along with the 3g of creatine boost you get per serving. This product is stacked with all the most important minerals and vitamins to help keep those profiles stocked and check.
It goes without saying that there are generally going to be two groups of people who would opt to usen this product. Obviously, the vegan community would choose to use this product but for those who suffer with digestion and indigestion issues you get from normal mass gainers, this vegan mass gainer will be easier on your stomach due to the lack of lactose.
Now, for what you are getting, this product is great and is quite loaded on the fundamental macronutrients that you need. However, what I did find missing from this product was a list of the amino acid profiling that you would typically find on other protein-based products. This is a bit of a concern as vegan products are generally short on the amino acids necessary to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which is important if you are on the road to building more muscle. Supplementing the missing links with a BCAA product would be a recommendation here.
Nutritech’s Vegan Gorilla Gainer has a serving size of 100g. These tubs generally come in 1kg or 4kg loads. The price, however, is very reasonable so you will not be mowing through your budget to keep this product in your home.
As a mass gainer, I give this product a score of 3.5/5. I am all for vegan products and I thought this was extremely innovative. On the other hand, this would be a much better product if we had certainty on the amino profiles or if it were supplemented with the necessary BCAA’s in the event that those amino profiles are low.
]]>SSA Supplements brings you their version of supplement that has been around in the supplement market for quite a number of years. ZMA supplements have purported to have quite a number of extraordinary benefits that assist greatly in muscle building endeavours.
ZMA is just a shortened abbreviation for the individual ingredients contained within the supplement itself. In this case, those ingredients are the following:
The typical make up of each ingredient per serving is as follows:
SSA Supplements’ version of this is no different, so you can trust that you are getting the tried and tested make up of a well-beloved product.
There are many claims behind the use of ZMA’s and the jury is slightly out on how useful they actually are. Studies conducted on this product are inconclusive with some showing great results and others either showing placebo effects or very little practical effects.
In cases where people find that they have a deficiency in either zinc or magnesium (or both), their bodies may have a reduction in natural production of testosterone. We all know that testosterone is absolutely vital in the pursuit of building muscle and plays a pivotal role in IGF-1 production and growth and recovery.
In today’s day and age where a lot of food is quickly processed and fast packaged, getting an adequate amount of zinc and magnesium may be difficult. Getting in a solid dose of ZMA’s daily may help quickly remedy this shortfall, boost your natural testosterone production, and have the cascade of aftereffects follow, such as growth in muscle mass and boosts in muscular and athletic performance.
On top of these uses, ZMA’s may also provide benefits in helping your body optimize its immunity health, as well as improve the quality of your sleep. Both are necessary to ensure that you are always performing at your best so that you can work hard enough in the gym, stimulate new muscle growth, and recover well enough to see that muscular development.
The cool thing about this product this - experts recommend that you take up to 30mg of zinc and 400mg of magnesium a day to reap the full benefits of these ingredients. SSA Supplements ZMA provides you with exactly that, making sure you get what you need on a daily basis. The serving size is 3 tablets, and you get everything you need in that single serving. Additionally, the bottle contains 90 capsules so this product will last you for about a month.
This SSA Supplements ZMA scores a solid 3.5 out of 5 for me. Despite the claimed use of ZMA’s, this product provides you with the right amount of each individual ingredient and I am a very strong proponent of taking zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 daily for their individual benefits alone. SSA Supplements ZMA is also great value for money so it definitely will find its place in the everyday gym goers’ household.
]]>Vitatech brings yet another essential that should be part of your everyday stack. Zinc is a primary mineral that plays a vital role in helping optimize important functions that the body needs to perform.
Vitatech Zinc is a 30-tablet container that should be used to bolster your daily supplement routine. Zinc’s uses in functionality extend into the everyday sphere and is yet another member of the vitamin and mineral group that your body cannot naturally produce, making zinc an essential mineral.
Zinc is required for a number of processes in your body to be performed. These processes are things like various enzyme reactions, gene expression and DNA synthesis. Along with these, the body’s need for zinc extends into other areas of functionality as well, which we will explore below.
In terms of where we would find the most noticeable and practical use for zinc in our everyday lives, we would see benefits in the following area:
Vitatech Zinc provides you with one month’s worth of product. That is 30 tablets per container and at a serving size of 1 tablet a day. However, if you are consistently under heavy strain from rigorous physical activity, I would recommend taking two tablets daily.
Vitatech Zinc is a straight shot practical product that gives you pure zinc in its most useful form. This product gets a 4/5 for basic practicality and efficiency.
]]>If you are someone who is seriously into sports, fitness and performance, you know how important it is to get an adequate amount of protein into your daily nutrient regiment. Having a whey protein powder on hand is something that generally goes without saying. However, whey has a noticeable amount of lactose in it and not everyone could care too much for it. Those who opt to live the vegan and/or vegetarian lifestyle would still love to get the benefits and conveniences of whey while adhering to their lifestyle choices. Cue Nutritech’s Vegan Protein, a supplement that manages to fill this gap quite well.
If you haven’t already, be sure to have read a through the “Wheying Up Your Options” article on this page’s education article’s section for the full run down of how vegan plant-based protein powders work. For now, though, here are the quick points of this particular product:
This product really does a great job at matching up to a whey protein despite the general shortcomings of a regular vegan protein powder.
One of the main reasons why people generally opt to use Nutritech’s protein powders is because the array and assortment of flavours almost always taste good. And, if one flavour is not your preferred cup of tea, then there are still a host of either basic or eccentric flavours to choose from. With this plant-based vegan protein, the rule still applies. There are great-tasting flavours to choose from and they really deliver on that without messing with plant-based element of it all.
Additionally, the consistency far surpasses that of other plant-based powders on the market. It mixes well, goes down smoothly and really eliminates most of the “soily and sandy” texture and aftertaste that would generally find with other plant-based protein powders.
Nutritech Vegan Protein has a typical serving suggestion of 30g, like most whey protein powders. However, you are getting 25g of protein per serving which is extremely high compared to other plant-based and even whey protein powders on the market. Each tub generally comes with 28 servings which is enough to last you a month if you choose to go with a single serving per day. If you choose to go for more, it is still incredibly cost-effective.
This product gets a definitely earns a 4/5 from me due to the fact that it does a great job of substituting a whey protein without skipping a beat in terms of quality and flavour.
]]>It is time to circle back around and look at one of the most basic products that most newcomers to the gym scene first glance at – the mass gainer. Between various companies, the structural formula of a mass gainer is pretty much the same, bar a few slight differences here and there. So, for this one we decided to take a look at one of the OG’s of the mass gainer range – USN’s Hyperbolic Mass.
Right off the bat, it is important to note that this product is, by every sense, a calorie bomb (meaning that 1 serving of USN’s Hyperbolic Mass has whole lot of calories in it). However, by no means is this a bad thing at all. Calories means materials for growth and this product has all the right calories from good sources to make sure you have the right materials to build a great physique.
Per serving, you are looking at getting 52g of protein and well over 200g of carbs. Some may consider this to be a total overload on these macros but that will vary from person to person.
Additionally, this product comes loaded with a creatine matrix that is designed to support speedy recovery and additional gains in strength and volume. It also has a few amino acids that boost gym performance such as beta-alanine, which will markedly improve your fatigue levels and lifting endurance as well.
Alright, so who is this kind of product for?
Firstly, the caloric size of 1 serving of this mass gainer is absolutely immense. If you are on the bulk or are a skinny newbie, then a mass gainer would do you well but looking fluffy and soft is not the goal. Therefore, being vigilant while taking this product is absolutely key in making sure you do not just get fat. It is sometimes recommended that you partition the one serving and split it into 2 servings. However, this depends on each person’s individual metabolic nature. If you are having 1 serving a day and are still staying super lean and not growing, then bumping it up to 1 and half servings or even 2 servings may help. You just have to keep an eye on what you look like.
Secondly, mass gainers differ from whey protein. Whey proteins are far more calories controlled and focus on delivering a punch of protein while minimizing on the carb and fat content they have. That is not to say that you cannot use whey on a bulk. If you love food and would prefer to get your calories in through meals rather than a shake, then a whey protein will suit you just fine. However, some people really do not enjoy eating large meals frequently throughout the day, making a whey protein a better fit as a protein sparer during cutting cycles for individuals looking to maintain their har-earned muscle.
USN Hyperbolic Mass has a serving size of 4 scoops, which is where you will find that massive caloric bomb. However, as mentioned above, staying vigilant and keeping an eye on your condition is key here, so splitting it up or even taking a half serving can work out just fine for you. It all depends on the individual.
As a mass gainer, I give this product a perfect score of 4/5. Its taste great and, most importantly, it serves its function down to a T.
]]>TNT has released a joint support product that is quite unique and different from the usual suggested omega 3 prescription. The composition and make up is quite peculiar so we decided to give it a look.
TNT Hinge Joint Armor has 2 main essential ingredients that it uses as the power plays for its effectiveness.
The first is glucosamine. This is a naturally occurring compound that functions as a pivotal building block for a variety of functional molecules in your body. However, this substance is mainly known for developing and maintaining cartilage in your joints. One of its primary roles is to support the healthy development of the tissues between your joints.
Articular cartilage is a type of smooth white tissue that covers the ends of your bones where they meet to form joints. This kind of tissue, along with a lubricating liquid called synovial fluid, allows bones to move freely across one another, minimising friction and allowing for painless movement at your joints. Glucosamine helps form several chemical compounds involved in the creation of articular cartilage and synovial fluid. Some studies have shown that supplemental glucosamine may protect joint tissue by preventing the breakdown of cartilage.
Additionally, Glucosamine supplements are often used to treat a wide variety of bone and joint conditions. This molecule has been specifically studied for its potential to treat symptoms and disease progression associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. A multitude of studies show that supplementing daily with glucosamine may offer efficient and long-lasting treatment for osteoarthritis by providing a significant reduction in pain, maintenance of joint space and overall slowing of disease progression.
The second ingredient used in this product is Methylsulfonylmethane (otherwise known as MSM). The anti-inflammatory properties of MSM have been professionally researched and well documented. It is believed that MSM inhibits NF-kB, a protein complex involved in inflammatory responses in your body. It also reduces the production of cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-ɑ) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), which are signalling proteins linked to systemic inflammation.
Additionally, MSM can increase levels of glutathione, a potent antioxidant created by your body. For example, supplementing with MSM significantly reduced inflammation in mice with stomach ulcers by inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-ɑ and IL-6, as well as increasing glutathione levels.[1]
Put simply, the ones who will find this most product most useful would be the following people:
A product like this with two powerhouse ingredients working together like this would almost certainly help alleviate symptoms of joint damage, inflammation or even both at the same time.
TNT Hinge Joint Armor has a serving suggestion of 10g per serving. This will give you a month’s supply worth. Each individual ingredient has been sufficiently added to this core of this product, making it an very good value for money product.
This product scores in at a 3.5/5. It is an extremely useful product, but its usefulness is limited. However, it is necessary enough that a larger number of lifters and athletes could benefit from it.
]]>With the arrival of protein bars making their way onto supplement shelves as a go-to meal replacement, TNT has developed its own version of a protein bar – The Black Mass Protein Bar. I got a few a tried them out myself. Here is what I thought:
As a protein bar, talking about calories and macros is inevitably the first thing one would look at. The Black Mass bars pack a punch of approximately 350 calories per bar. In no way is this bar a low carb bar either as it has a macros split that is actually well-rounded – 25g of protein, 30g of carbs and 17 grams of fat. This bar is fully loaded on the nutritional side and definitely cannot be considered a low-calorie bar. However, it is one that will help you hit certain macro goals if you are missing meals in your day.
Secondly, the bar is a thick 100g bar. It is quite filling as well and is very chewy, making it an excellent meal replacement snack.
The Black Mass bar has a pretty decent consistency and texture for a protein bar. The bars that I had did not have any issues with melting out and sticking to the wrapper or anything of this nature. Due to the texture and thickness of this bar, it was easy to find the entire bar quite filling and satiating.
The flavour was fine as well for both the Choc-Nut Brownie and the Vanilla Caramel Ice Cream. Nothing was overtly over the top in terms of creating a balanced flavour and it went down smoothly as a result.
Finally, using it as a meal replacement seemed to work quite well, especially as an on-the-go snack. When I had these bars, it was a pretty busy period for me where I had to constantly be on the move from one place to another. So, whipping one out in the car while I was driving to another client, came in handy instead of having a full meal in the car.
For people who are extremely busy and struggle finding time to put something down that is both nutritionally filling and satiating, this bar would definitely come in handy.
I would give this bar a 3,5 out 5. It is not a low-carb, low calorie snack so it will not fit in well for people who are on low calorie diets. However, it does its job as a good meal replacement and the flavour and texture are pretty decent as well.
]]>A good multivitamin is a hard thing to find. Fortunately, NPL is one of the few companies that has developed a multivitamin stack that goes well over and beyond in terms of providing all the little the things that your body needs to function at its best.
The NPL Vita Pack is a complete combination of essential micronutrients that the body uses to perform at its best. Its primary constituents are made up of a multivitamin and a multimineral complex. Both of these contain minerals and vitamins that are dosed well beyond what you would find in a regular multivitamin which is great for high performance athletes.
Along with these powerhouse complexes, there is an antioxidant complex that couples with digestive enzyme support minerals. These ensure that you have what you need to support optimal blood oxidation and have the digestive support that your body needs to take in everything that it is getting on a daily basis.
Finally, you have extreme joint support in the form of Omega 3 fatty acids, MSM and glucosamine. The combination of these 3 allows for more intense joint support and to help give joints the right amount nutrient support that they will need to perform well and stave off injury.
There are some additional ingredients in the form of an adrenal support complex and some amino acids. These all make the cherry on the cake that is this overwhelmingly abundant product.
For the average gym goer, this product may be slight overkill. However, for any hardcore or high-performance level athlete, this pack would prove to be invaluable.
The number of vitamins and minerals used during strenuous activity would require a much higher than normal vitamin and mineral intake amount. Additionally, athletes of this level are generally eating in accordance with their goals and having a digestive and antioxidant complex would assist greatly in nutrient absorption as well as alleviate negative impacts of high blood oxidations from extended periods of hard training and activity.
The only downside one could see from this is that each pack contains a total of 8 capsules. This is everything you would need on a daily basis to perform at your best, but some people just do not care much for multiple capsules. So, if you are quite anti-pill then this product might be hard to swallow despite its immensely enormous benefits.
NPL Vita Pack has a total of 30 mini packs each containing 8 capsules with the full array minerals, nutrients and vitamins that were listed above. That is 1 for each day of the week before you have to replenish. It is highly recommended that you use the whole mini pack per day to get the most amount of benefit from this product.
This product scores in at a 4.5/5. The benefits from such an array of nutrients are absolutely staggering. The only slight issue would be the amount of pills you would have to consume if you are one that does not like pills. However, if this is not a problem for you, then it is well worth the cash.
]]>
NPL manages to do an amazing job when it comes to creating products that have individualized profiles. These include beta alanine, citrulline, glutamine, etc. The product we will examine today is NPL’s 100% Leucine – another individualized ingredient that is absolutely vital to the muscle gaining goal.
For those who are not sure, leucine is one of three branched chain amino acids. It is also the main component of this chain and an absolutely invaluable component in the muscle building formula. Leucine is an activator of the protein known as mTOR. As a result of this activation MPS or muscle protein synthesis is then induced. It is so vital for muscle protein synthesis that an amount of 5g of leucine is enough to outstrip the effectiveness of a regular 5g BCAA mixture.
Therefore, in terms of its place in amino acid pool, Leucine is considered to be the most valuable out of the main 3 that you will find in most products. Finding a BCAA product with a good ration of leucine is key when looking for a good BCAA, but if you eat a diet that is low on leucine (such as a plant based diet), you will need to supplement with leucine and a product like this would easily do the trick.
Many people will say that if your diet has enough protein in it, then buying a BCAA product is a waste of money. This is both true and false. If you look at the overall events in a day when talking about muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown, these two events happen almost simultaneously. If I oversimplify the end result, if your net muscle protein synthesis exceeds your net muscle protein breakdown, then you will gain muscle and vice versa (remember this is an oversimplification).
Muscle protein synthesis also requires an amount of 2.1g – 3g of leucine in order to reach its activation point. Once this activation point is triggered, muscle protein synthesis lasts for periods of about 3 hours before it dips below its activation point. If you are trying to gain muscle or even just retain it while cutting, then eating an adequate amount of protein as well as timing your leucine intake into these 3-4 hour periods, then you will most likely see a good steady flow of muscle protein synthesis.
NPL 100% Pure Leucine has a serving suggestion of 5g. However, if you are really serious about the game, I would suggest having 2-3g with a meal spaced out every 3-4 hours. This seems like a bit much but if you are buying 100% pure leucine then its safe to assume that you are serious about your goals in the gym.
In terms of its usefulness, this product gets a 4/5 for me. When done correctly, a product like this can serious give you the edge when it comes to gaining muscle.
]]>Most of us who have been in the lifting game for some time will remember the original Ganic-F that Supplements SA came out with back in the day. It was a massive pump producer and a great locally produced pre-workout. However, since the branding relaunch of SSA Supplements, many of the original products have been changed and reformulated. Ganic-F Pump was no exception to this. I was excited to give the new Ganic a shot and see how it squared up to the original.
Ganic-F has been renowned as one of SSA Supplement’s flagship pre-workouts for years and years. In particular, it was known for its massive pump producing effects. The pump production with this new formulation is mostly due to the combination of Glycerol, Betaine, Glycine and Citrulline. These four ingredients have been known to help produce amazing pumps during intense workout sessions. These work by creating increased volume in your blood cells and upping the blood flow into the muscle tissues being used the most.
Additionally, the new Ganic-F Pump formulation has been made with ingredients that are great for upping the training performance of its users. The two main ingredients that work for this purpose are creatine and beta-alanine. Creatine is nature’s superpower formula and helps increase strength and power during sessions while Beta-Alanine helps push back fatigue and create longer lasting training endurance in the muscles being used.
The problem with the original Ganic-F formulation was its poor mixability and taste. It never really blended well with water and as a result, it would muddle the taste it was trying to go for – making it difficult to swallow. The new formulation has largely addressed this and has produced a powder that mixed quite well with water and was so much easier to sip through rather than having to open wide and gulp down an entire serving just to get it in.
As for the gym pumps… Let’s just say that it was everything that you would expect from a pump producer and more. My training sessions were really quite intense and the pumps and vascularity I was able to produce was nothing short of impressive.
The only tiny issue I had with it was that the powder would be clumpy in some places but it really wasn’t too bothersome. Once it mixed with the water, it blended in well all the same.
A typical serving size of this pre-workout is 16g (or 1 scoop) and each container has around 37 servings in it per tub. This means that if you train 5 times a week on average, it will last you for just over 7 weeks. Obviously, there are those occasions where you may need a double scoop if you want to go hard and it is quite safe to do so with this pre-workout.
SSA Supplements really did a great job at revamping this golden classic of a pre-workout. The taste, the mixture and the pump were all really great. The only minor downsides were the small areas of clumped powder in the tub. But overall, I give the new Ganic-F Pump a 4/5.
]]>Finally getting to the third round of my July pre-workout review, we have TNT Intense Pump. Contrary to the other pre-workouts I have reviewed, this one is a stimulant free mixture. Let us get into it.
Right off the bat, I will say that Intense Pump was the strongest of all the three pre-workouts I trained with in terms of the pump it produced. As a stim-free pre-workout, Intense Pump has a very heavily loaded pump matrix which makes it great for users who are looking for great workout pumps.
Its constituents and their doses are definitely worthy of making it a top rate local pre-workout formulation. It has 6g of citrulline (which is exceedingly rare), 4g of creatine and 3g of beta-alanine. These three ingredients together in combination make this pre-workout excellent for training performance and endurance.
As a pump-producer this pre-workout has 2.5g of taurine, allowing users to get an insane pump from their sessions. The amino acid complex of this pre-workout does give it a high calorie count compared to other pre-workout formulas so if you are calorie conscious, you may want to take this into account.
Intense Pump has an extremely strong flavour. The serving suggestion recommends that you have it with 400ml of water. However, I would recommend having a lot more water with it as it tastes like you are having a concentrated juice mix if you use the 400ml of water. I am in no way bashing the taste of this as it tastes just fine. You just need to use more water to “dilute” it a little more.
It mixes well and is quite smooth going down the throat. But more importantly, this pre-workout definitely gave me a great workout and I felt energised throughout the entirety of my session. I had a great pump and I was able to push a little harder and for longer as well. Furthermore, I was able to use this pre-workout during a late afternoon training session and still have a great night’s sleep that evening.
Intense Pump has a serving suggestion of 27g, which is quite a lot compared to other pre-workout mixes. Just a reminder that you need to use more water than recommended if you are not one for extremely strong tastes.
As a stim-free pre-workout, this product gets a 4/5. It took a remarkably close second place next to Strain for me but simply because I prefer stimulant-laden pre-workouts. That being said, this is still an excellent product with amazing ingredients which are fully dosed.
]]>Nutritech is a brand that is well known for its rather diverse range of supplements. This is especially true when it comes to its protein powders and today’s review takes a trip down that avenue. I got hold of the Nutritech Heavy-Duty whey and decided to give it a shot to see how it varies from the other whey protein powders that Nutritech has.
First off, the base composition of this whey protein is a typical blend of whey concentrate and isolate. It has all the regular amino acid profiles that you would come to know and expect from a whey protein. In this sense, it is mainly no different than any other whey protein that you would typically take.
However, this whey does vary from others due to the fact that it has a few extra ingredients that have been thrown into the mix.
Firstly, we have a small amount of creatine that has been packed into this whey. As you will know, creatine is mother nature’s superpower formula and is easily the most useful and effective supplement on the market. That gives this whey an extra power and recovery kick that you will not find in your typical whey protein mixes.
Secondly, it has an additional amount of boron and glycine. Boron is a supplement which may give you an additional testosterone boost. Glycine is a great antioxidant and a component of creatine, giving the creatine in this whey an extra edge.
Now usually one would find that whey protein concentrates leave you feeling either bloated or a little unsettled. I did not get that once with this protein mix. It feels like it was refined carefully and made well. It mixed very smoothly with water and I never once experienced any clumps of powder not mixing with water.
As for its texture and taste, these were both absolutely first class. The mixture with the water was not too thick or too thin. It was exactly right and went down my throat quite pleasantly. The taste was great too. I used the vanilla soft serve flavour and it really was not too overpowering or sugary-tasting like other flavours of whey concentrate.
Nutritech Heavy-Duty whey has a typical serving suggestion of 32g. In this serving, you are getting 23g of protein as well as 2g of creatine, 2g of glycine and 5mgs of boron. If you take 2 servings a day, you will get a full daily dose of creatine and boron and a hefty amount of protein to help hit your daily protein goals.
The Nutritech Heavy-Duty whey was an absolute pleasure for me to use. I give this product a 4.5/5. Nutritech generally has a hit and miss score when it comes to their ambitions regarding various protein powders, but they really managed to nail it with this particular product.
This week I had the pleasure of sampling the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-workout and I must say that it was a real pleasure to give this one a whirl.
Optimum Nutrition really spares no expense in the creation of their products and ensuring that what they put out is pure quality. Their pre-workout is no exception to this standard.
Now, a lot of people would expect a pre-workout from such a renowned brand to be a raging inferno of hardcore ingredients that provide out of this world mental prowess and pumps that tear sleeves. However, this pre-workout takes a milder and more refined approach with its formulation and handling.
The ingredients are balanced but have exactly the performance enhancers you need. These include beta-alanine, citrulline, tyrosine and even L-carnitine. All these ingredients in combination work as excellent performance boosters for your session.
Furthermore, a healthy dose of creatine has been added in there to ensure strength and recovery are at their peak as well while a hefty amount of caffeine has been added to make sure your mental game is performing at its peak.
The thing that jumps out at you right from the get-go is how smooth this pre-workout is. Nothing is overdone and it honestly feels like everything has been balanced perfectly. You cannot even distinguish between its individual ingredients.
The flavour is quite refined and at no point does it feel like an additive was just carelessly tossed in there to give it flavour. Additionally, it mixes so smoothly. Once it has been mixed with the appropriate amount of water, the powder blends easily with the water. This gives it the perfect juice flavour and texture. Nothing sticks out or fights for dominance. It really works so well.
A typical serving of this pre-workout is 11g and the container has 30 servings. This should easily last you a month. For a pre-workout to pack all the essential performance boosters into a small dose like this is quite remarkable. The pricing for this pre-workout is also extremely affordable for the renown that is Optimum Nutrition.
Gold Standard Pre-Workout is a well put together pre-workout that really excels in its quality assurance. Its only pitfall is that it is quite a mild pre-workout that seems to cater for the individual that is looking for a gentle push rather than a powerful rush. This is the only reason I give this pre-workout a 4.5/5 rather than a perfect score. Otherwise, this one pre-workout that is definitely worth giving a go.
This product places itself a little differently from the products that have been reviewed before. SSA Supplements Enduro X is a supplement that finds its fit in the endurance performance world of sport and physical activity. Obviously, it can be used as intra-workout nutrition to help with long bouts of gym performance, so we will have a look at how it worked.
The ingredients for this product, right off the bat, set themselves up as a performance fueler for any form of strenuous activity that would seem to cause a loss of energy or induce some fatigue as the physical activity continued.
The fast acting carbohydrate mixture is comprised of the 3 greats of intra-workout nutrition: Dextrose, Maltodextrin and Waxy Maize. All three of these have found their place in the world of mid performance activity supplementation but brought together as one they way SSA Supplements does make them a lethal combination. Additionally, this carbohydrate mixture is blended together by a mild dose of BCAAs.
The final cherry on the cake, that is this supplement, is the electrolyte matrix coupled with the performance boosting ingredients like beta-alanine, taurine and glutamine.
The mixture of all these ingredients into one complete intra-workout blend makes this an intra-workout that really claims its name as a top notch supplement.
From reading the ingredients alone I knew that taking this product as mid-workout supplementation would really serve its name for endurance quite well.
As a mentioned above though, this product in not designed for just the working out in the gym. Sportsman could most definitely benefit from the product when performing at their craft. I have heard of a number of rowers who have used the product to really up their fuelling game for their practices and even matches too.
As for the taste and texture, SSA Supplements managed to nail it once again. Their powdered supplements really seem to be hitting that perfect mixture to water blend to create smooth and great texture. It makes this an intra-workout one that will not impede your training sessions. It mixes well with the water and goes down incredibly quickly and easily.
The typical serving of this intra-workout product is 30g or 1 scoop per serving. This is not a lot compared to other intra-workout the package comes in a tub that will give you around 25 servings per product. So, if you are extremely reliant on intra-workout supplementation then you may need to buy 2 of these products per month.
As an intra-workout supplement, I would give this product a 4/5. It really has great taste and a remarkably useful ingredient profile that definitely makes it top notch.
In this product review we are going to have a look at a very peculiar supplement called Coenzyme Q10, otherwise known as CoQ10. It is a supplement that not many people have heard of, but it does have a rather impactful number of purported benefits that can really help you. Let’s have a look.
Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient that is both found naturally and produced in the body. You will also be able to find this substance in many foods we eat.
How it works is that it acts as an antioxidant which then goes onto protecting cells from damage. Furthermore, it plays an essential role in aiding and assisting the functionality of one’s metabolism.
It is important to note that even though CoQ10 plays a key role in some of the vital functionalities of the body, most healthy people have enough CoQ10 naturally (which is why this supplement largely goes unnoticed). However, a few emerging studies have suggested that adding more CoQ10 in the form of CoQ10 supplements may have additional benefits in terms of its functionality and purpose in the body. They also assist in various conditions associated with ageing and some medical conditions which are linked to dropping levels of CoQ10.
Research has shown that CoQ10 has been used to treat many different conditions. There is some evidence that CoQ10 supplements can lower blood pressure slightly as well as help alleviate some symptoms of various heart conditions.
The benefits go beyond just heart health though. Some evidence has shown that the supplementing of CoQ10 has supporting benefits in mitigating the contraction of skin cancer.
People suffering from frequent headaches may find that CoQ10 can help alleviate this as well. Since CoQ10 has been shown to increase mitochondrial functionality and reduce inflammation, those who take this supplement seem to suffer less and less from headaches and migraines.
In terms of exercise performance, which is what most people look to supplementation for, the mitochondrial boosting functions of CoQ10 can help increase power during exercises as well as help reduce fatigue. It does this by lowering the oxidative damage taken during exercise. As a result, you will be able to train harder for longer due to the reduced fatigue.
A typical dose of CoQ10 would be anywhere between 50mg to 200mg a day. The VitaTech version of CoQ10 comes in tabs of 50 mgs and has a total of 30 tabs per bottle. Therefore, how much CoQ10 you would need to take in order to supplement is largely dependent on your dietary intake.
CoQ10 is a rather innovative product from the VitaTech range that will definitely find its place among the other beneficial products this range has. I give it a 3/5 for usefulness and effectiveness.
We are going to have a look at a surprise product this week. It is a product that is relatively new to the market due to its recent legalisation but also managed to absolutely smash its way into health and fitness stores with unprecedented popularity: Cannabidiol or better known as CBD. I got hold of the Pharma Freak version to get a feel of this product for myself.
Everyone knows of CBD as the marijuana product but what a lot of people do not know is that it is one of one of over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids from the marijuana plant. This makes it an incredibly unique compound with an extremely specific combination of effects.
It is made by extracting CBD from the selected marijuana plant and is then further diluted by mixing it with a carrier oil like coconut or hemp seed oil.
The Pharma Freak version of this product takes that extracted product and places it into individual capsules for easier consumption.
“Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis and causes the sensation of getting “high” that’s often associated with marijuana. However, unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive.” This quality makes CBD an appealing option for those who are looking for relief from pain and other symptoms without the mind-altering effects of marijuana or certain pharmaceutical drugs.
Unlike most cannabis products, this version of CBD from Pharma Freak carries no taste, no after taste nor any smells. It is a plain tasteless capsule that contains all the CBD oil you are looking for.
Additionally, CBD comes with a host of benefits that one can glean from. CBD has been known to help greatly alleviate pain. For lifters, there is nothing more annoying than walking with DOMS. CBD can help relieve the pain from these excessive bouts of exercising.
CBD has also been shown to help with the symptoms of depression and anxiety. This condition is something that is rife in our current world and climate. This makes any well produced CBD product a good assistance for these kinds of symptoms.
Along with these, there are also some more notable effects that CBD can have on its users. These range from: skin care, acne and heart health. It also contains neuro protective properties that help prevent and sometimes intercept the symptoms of brain diseases.
CBD Freak comes in a bottle of 30 caps with 10mg of concentrated CBD in every cap. The dosage recommended is 1 cap per day and after being taken for extended periods, its effects will begin to develop serious momentum. Furthermore, this kind of serving will allow the product to last for an entire month before you find the need to restock.
Pharma Freak’s CBD Freak manages to score a good 3.5 out of 5. It has a whole host of potential benefits and a good serving size. It is not a one stop cure all kind of product but it does do its fair share in helping out with common folk issues.