My Betancourt B-NOX Androrush Pre Workout Review First Look

I did deadlifts last night and bench press.

Both movements were not to my potential nor my performance from mere days ago.

This was annoying, and still is annoying if I am honest.

However, I ache today and feel like I was worked, plus my bicycle ride to work has worked my legs not to mention my resolve in these freezing temperatures.

However, tonight, I will do some shoulders and upper back while listening to the Christmas songs which seem to have all of a sudden started being played over all the music channels.

I will also shove some insulation up the disused chimney in the kitchen – the joy of adulthood.

However, first things first are my lifts.

This is my last sachet of pre workout that I have left on my desk and it is a biggie…

A big serving and lots of ingredients. That hopefully means we will experience some great effects…

Ingredients: The Science

>RELATED: We’ve tried and tested the best pre-workout supplement HERE!

Paullinia Cupana (AKA Guarana)

Studies note that 75mg guarana (9mg caffeine) was able to enhance cognitive scores related to memory and reaction time with a subsequent dose-response study noting that 75mg was more effective than higher (150-300mg) and lower (37.5mg) doses.

https://examine.com/supplements/paullinia-cupana/

Nettle Root

Good for reducing inflammation and an enlarged prostate but has no effect on testosterone.

https://examine.com/supplements/stinging-nettle/

Coenzyme Q10

Our body makes CoQ10, and your cells use it to produce energy your body needs for cell growth and maintenance.

It also functions as an antioxidant, which protects the body from damage caused by harmful molecules.

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/coenzyme-q10

Maca Root

This Peruvian strain of ginseng is great for lifting libido and mood, however, when it comes to raising testosterone levels it has no effect at all.

No significant influences on testosterone in any tested demographic I’m afraid.

https://examine.com/supplements/Maca/

L-Histidine

No conclusive evidence of testosterone being increased with supplementation.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-467-histidine.aspx?activeingredientid=467&activeingredientname=histidine

Glutamine

It is generally touted as a Muscle Builder, but has not been proven to enhance muscle building in healthy individuals; only those suffering from physical trauma such as burns or muscular wounds (knife wounds) or in disease states in which muscle wasting occurs, such as AIDS.

Taking glutamine by mouth does not seem to improve athletic performance according to studies.

https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-878-glutamine.aspx?activeingredientid=878

Beta Vulgaris (Beet)

Beet can also increase nitric oxide in the body. This chemical can dialate blood vessels and was popular with athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

This is also found in 4 Gauge which is rated as the best pre workout, however, it is not commonly found in many others.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-306-beet.aspx?activeingredientid=306&activeingredientname=beet

Glucuronolactone 

A component of many energy drinks, not great news considering there’s fuck all research on it.

https://examine.com/supplements/glucuronolactone/

Theobromine

Theobromine can reduce sleepiness and in large quantities produces a jittery sensation.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/podcast/CIIEcompounds/transcripts/theobromine.asp

Potassium

An electrolyte that helps your nerves function and muscles contract.

https://medlineplus.gov/potassium.html

Maltodrextrin 

A mixture of glucose, disaccharides and polysaccharides, obtained by the partial hydrolysis of starch.

This is a fast digesting carbohydrate.

http://library.njucm.edu.cn/yaodian/ep/EP501E/16_monographs/18_monographs_l-p/maltodextrin/1542e.pdf

More alarmingly it is also used as a pesticide…

http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en/Reports/2379.htm

Tribulus

Once again, the old tribulus raises its ugly head.

The problem is that because this has been touted about for so long as a bit of a miracle plant extract used by the mysterious Eastern Bloc Olympic Athletes during the Cold War people have started to believe the hype and it is an easily recognizable ingredient the ill informed will have heard about down the gym.

The issue is that it has not been scientifically proven to raise testosterone levels in any shape or form.

In fact, in studies using elite professional Australian rugby players as participants Tribulus did not produce the large gains in strength or lean muscle mass that many manufacturers claim can be experienced.

Avoid like a medieval plague if you are looking for muscular gainz.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17530942

https://examine.com/supplements/Tribulus+terrestris/

BCAA

BCAAs (typically a combination of  L-Leucine, L-IsoLeucine and L-Valine) play a critical role in muscle development because they are metabolized in the muscle rather than the liver.

Because BCAAs are metabolized in the muscle, they can be used for building new proteins or for energy.

However, Supplementation is not necessary if you eat eggs and meat regularly.

https://examine.com/supplements/branched-chain-amino-acids/

Zinc

An aphrodisiac and Testosterone Booster.

Zinc is also very important for the functioning of the enzyme, hormone, and immune systems.

In very high doses, zinc can act as an aromatase inhibitor and reduce estrogen levels.

It is also a potent antioxidant and can provide benefits for prostate issues.

https://examine.com/supplements/Zinc/

Creatine

A well regarded supplement overall!

Supplementation increases creatine storage and promotes a faster regeneration of adenosine triphosphate between high intensity exercises.

These improved outcomes will increase performance and promote greater training adaptations.

http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-9-33

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/creatine.html

Magnesium

Research into magnesium supplementation also increased testosterone production in men.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20352370

Caffeine

It stimulates the central nervous system (CNS), heart, muscles, and the centers that control blood pressure to give you an extra boost and hit that PB.

Caffeine Anhydrous is the purest form of caffeine so always look out for it.

This is found in 4 Gauge which is the best pre-workout.

It is also found in Instant Knockout which is the best fat burner available at present.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-979-caffeine.aspx?activeingredientid=979

Beta-alanine

Supplementation of this non essential amino acid aids the production of carnosine. That’s a compound that plays a role in muscle endurance in high-intensity exercise.

That said, studies have not exactly been positive nor entirely conclusive.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1222-beta-alanine.aspx?activeingredientid=1222&activeingredientname=beta-alanine

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 helps testosterone levels by stimulating androgen (a steroid hormone that acts as a precursor for testosterone) receptors in your body, making your testes produce testosterone.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6727359

L-Tyrosine

Tyrosine is taken for depression, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the inability to stay awake (narcolepsy), and improving alertness following sleep deprivation.

It is also used for stress, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS).

https://examine.com/supplements/l-tyrosine/

Black Pepper / Piper Nigrum (BioPerine)

The extract of piperine, called BioPerine®  in the patented form, has been clinically tested in the United States.

BioPerine®  significantly enhances the bioavailability of various supplement nutrients through increased absorption.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9619120

Taurine

It has been touted that Taurine can help mental performance.

Early clinical research suggested that taurine, in combination with caffeine, glucuronolactone, and B vitamins, can improve attention and reasoning in adolescents, but does not improve memory.

However, there is insufficient evidence to prove this is always the case.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1024-taurine.aspx?activeingredientid=1024

Dose

18,1000mg of ingredients in a powder to be mixed with water.

This compares very well to many of the best pre workout supplements which will offer over 15,000mg.

The flavor was strawberry lemonade which was very pleasant.

Pros

This offers a full twenty-two ingredients, that is much, much more than many pre workout supplements I test.

However, only sixty three per cent of these ingredients are proven to be useful

These that are beneficial are:

• Guarana – Can increase brain function
• Nettle – Anti-inflammatory
• Caffeine – Stimulates the central nervous system
• Tyrosine – Improves alertness
• Coenzyme Q10 – Produces energy
• B6 – Stimulates testosterone production
• Beta Vulgaris – Increases growth hormone boosts nitric oxide
• Theobromine – Reduces sleepiness
• Potassium – Help with muscle contraction
• BCAA – Help with energy and muscle building
• Zinc – Stimulates testosterone production
• Creatine – Numerous benefits including muscle strength
• Magnesium – Stimulates testosterone
• Black Pepper – Helps the body absorb the nutrients

Some of these ingredients feature in some of the best pre workout supplements available on the market or even the best testosterone booster’s.

That’s because they have proven abilities to benefit your performance or improve your hormone levels.

How Did It Feel?

I didn’t really feel any benefits.

I initially felt the Beta-Alanine along with the pleasant taste of strawberry lemonade but realistically I felt no more energized than if I had merely devoured an espresso or two before my workout.

Video

Cons

Of the twenty two ingredients it is disappointing to see that eight ingredients do not offer any proven benefit or can actually be potentially harmful or with very limited if any research.

Furthermore, much of the ingredients are actually within a proprietary blend which means we do not have any idea of how much of each of the listed ingredients is included.

This is necessary because legally a company can merely include trace amounts per ingredient and bulk it using an agent yet still list the ingredient on the information panel.

This is particularly important when we need to know how much certain ingredients include because they are dose dependent such as Creatine and Guarana.

While all of the ingredients are dose dependent (no point all being underdosed) Guarana for instance has a very narrow spectrum upon which it is beneficial.

Plus, I felt no benefits to my workout by taking this.

My Betancourt B-NOX Androrush Pre Workout Review Conclusion

This number of ingredients included in this pre workout should by all intents and purposes provide a stonking supplement that is able to provide the energy, pump,focus and aggression to achieve a new PB.

As it is, my experience suggests that many of the beneficial ingredients (and there are 14 of them) are hidden away in a proprietary blend meaning we have no idea how much of each is included and the minimal effects would suggest there’s very little in there.

Let’s also bear in mind that even though 14 ingredients are proven to be beneficial, there’s a total of 22…that’s 37% of the product that offer’s no proven benefit.

It also omits a few proven ingredients that are present in many of the best pre workout supplements.

This was absolutely clear when I tested it for my gym session I felt no effects at all. Absolutely nothing.

Due to the limited effects,the fact that it is missing the following ingredients and not being dosed adequately I would not suggest that you bother with this pre workout when there’s alternatives available:

• Coconut water
• Theanine
• Rhodiola
• Carnitine

There is a better product than this that will get you fired up and cause hell in your chosen sport.