T E S T O S T E R O N E J U N K I E

My Protein Dynamix DYNAMO Pre Workout Review First Look:

As I reached home yesterday I was absolutely shattered.

I could barely keep my eyes open and I pretty much resigned myself to an early night watching Top Gear in bed.

So, as I tried to write a bit for the website and make some updates I was keen just to try this pre workout from Protein Dynamix called DYNAMO that I had bought from the store a couple of days before.

I thought that if I just tried it, see how I got on and then maybe do some leg exercises.

So, with a great deal tiredness and after staring at my monitors for what seems like a lifetime and my eyes feeling dry and sore I head downstairs to measure out 1 and a half scoops of powder in to my mixer, then adding water.

I neck the wonderful liquid and head back upstairs to mainly stare as the freshly painted wall to see if it needs another coat. Probably is the conclusion, but I do not have enough time until the valuer arrives in a couple of days, plus I’m getting my kitchen refurbished, too.

However, as I was lost in my own world for a moment my face began to tingle.

Then my arms. I knew this feeling and I knew what caused it.

Then my mate called me. That put a halt to the gain train.

We talked about France for a good forty five minutes and the easiest way to get there with a bike, or to fuck the bike off completely and hire one.

Now, I’m pretty sure Eddie Hall is sponsored by Protein Dynamix (scurries off to find out), okay, there’s an Eddie Hall series of products by Protein Dynamix.

After the chat on the phone about sipping absinthe in Northern France and buying a train ticket from London to Paris (really cheap BTW) and booking the time off work I went in to the gym beneath my sitting room.

What can a pre workout really do?

The use of a pre workout supplement is traditionally to provide a more explosive and focused workout when you hit the gym.

This is achieved by providing high levels of stimulants to fight fatigue as well as increase the blood flow to the muscles and organs.

They can also include other ingredients that are known to help increase cognitive function so you can effectively zero in on your goal and help smash it.

However, they are no commonly used by students looking to concentrate while stay up late as well as gamer’s and even machine operatives or long distance drivers.

The main key benefits are:

• Increase energy – Smash your workout with more intensity
• Motivation – Get straight out of bed for an early morning gym session
• Improved focus – Zero in on your weights program or even revise harder
• Alert – Stay alert and improve concentration

However, not all pre workout supplements are equal, and some are downright terrible or contain potentially dangerous ingredients in dangerous doses, or concealed doses.

We analyse each one with an in depth review.

Ingredients: The Science

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

Creatine

This is 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.

There’s nothing that has been proven to be more effective than just plain old creatine monohydrate, regardless of what it says on the packet. So do not be fooled.

It is also useful for increasing testosterone levels as you can read here, and do not be put of by this is you are a woman, because women also require testosterone for important bodily function.

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

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

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

This has been recommended as a compound that will increase athletic performance.

However, results from studies have been quite unreliable thus far of Betaine and not exactly formidable.

However, with that said, a dose of 12,500mg has been linked to increased power output, very minimal increase of workout volume and slight endurance.

Then again studies have showed no increase of any of the aforementioned parameters.

https://examine.com/supplements/trimethylglycine/

L-Norvaline

L-Norvaline showed significant improvement in serum nitrates, urea, LDH, testosterone and testicular protein level in diabetic rats.

There seems to be lots of information on the web about L-norvaline being a wonder drug, however, very little can be found from reliable, scientific sources i.e websites that are not trying to sell it to us.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26671005

Ornithine

It seems to be effective in reducing fatigue.

https://examine.com/supplements/ornithine/

Arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG)

Tests on supplementation draw no real benefit that would not be found from resistance training itself.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21813912

Citrulline

This is used as a sports performance and cardiovascular health supplement. L-Citrulline supplementation results in reduced fatigue and improved endurance for both aerobic and anaerobic prolonged exercise.

An increase in growth hormone has been noted with exercise, but not at rest.

L-citrulline boosts nitric oxide production in the body.

Nitric oxide helps your arteries relax and work better, which improves blood flow throughout your body.

Supplementing can help lower blood pressure in people with pre-hypertension.

This is often found in the best pre workouts.

To supplement L-citrulline to enhance sports performance, take 6,000 – 8,000 mg of citrulline malate about an hour before exercise.

https://examine.com/supplements/citrulline/

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/l-citrulline-uses-and-risks#1

You can read more about Citrulline and its benefits for exercise, here.

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

Dose

One and a half scoops which is 7.5g.

However, it doesn’t compare very well to many of the best pre workout supplements which will offer over 15,000mg.

Price:

$31.53  / £21.99

Pros:

Well, it tasted pretty darn good, I will give it that.

So, what is it about these ingredients that can either make or break this pre workout?

For a start the design is eye catching and makes no mistake that this is to fire you up for a big gym session. It does call itself the ‘Extreme Pre Workout’ after all.

Caffeine is the big one here. Caffeine increases energy, focus and works as a stimulant of the central nervous system. Basically I was hardly awake when I reached home, after a big dose of this, I was wide awake.

Creatine, this is found in some pre workout supplements, but not all.

Traditionally creatine has been seen as a muscle builder that also helps you increase strength.

However, further study also proves that it increases natural testosterone levels and as of yet, there’s no long term reported adverse side effects from creatine.

Betaine can technically increase power output, but the required doses are much higher than what we are presented with.

Ornithine looks to reduce fatigue, handy if you are completely exhausted.

Citrulline is a great addition. However, it is dose sensitive.

When dosed correctly citrulline will increase physical performance, increase nitric oxide and promote growth hormone production during exercise.

However, we need to ensure there’s 6000mg per dose for the benefit.

How did it feel?

As already mentioned I certainly felt the Beta-alanine.

I was tingling all over which was a bit irritating when all I was doing was talking on the phone to my mate.

Then I needed a shit. So, still on the phone I went for one. It was explosive.

fifteen minutes later and still on the phone like a pair of teenage girls I had another big shit.

However, I was wide awake. Properly awake.

So, I went to the gym and smashed out five sets of upper chest and then five sets of leg curls.

I went to bed not long after but couldn’t sleep straight away. Nightmare.

However, apart from the caffeine and the Beta-Alanine that is all I felt no more vascular or anything like that.

Cons:

Apart from me needing the bathroom twice within a short space of time which will not be ideal during gym time there are a few other areas of improvement required.

Doses are a big issue, not because they are big but because they are too small.

Betaine is widely off the mark by about 12,000mg to offer any additional power increases.

Citrulline, again, is too far away from the required dose to be effective.

Norvaline seemed to have a bit of promise but then, reliable and reputable studies are few and far between offering any proof to illustrate how effective it can be.

Beta-Alanine at best seems to offer some psychological benefit. This is because it makes you feel like energy and aggression is coursing through your veins. Other than that there’s no real benefit.

AAKG doesn’t even offer that. It seems to be void of any real performance benefit.

The issue with this is that DYNAMO could have included far better and scientifically effective ingredients instead such as:

• Beet
• Carnitine
• Zinc
• Coconut water
• Theanine
• B vitamins
• Vit C

While this did waken me up and keep me awake, it seems to miss a trick in a few other areas.

Not unless that explosion is in your pants!

This is good for energy and focus, but there’s other, more rounded products that can help your physical performance.

Video:

My Protein Dynamix DYNAMO Pre Workout Review Conclusion:

This did wake me up, so as a way to feel fully charged this is great.

If you are a machine operative, gamer or drive long distances this could work well as quick fix to sort your head out and reduce fatigue.

Alternatively, as I used it, if you work long hours and are desperate to try and hit a quick gym session yet do not feel like you have the energy to do so, this will help.

You may just need to stay close to the bathroom.

However, it lacks in a few areas which could provide more benefit, and this is down to a few useful ingredients missing and doses being too low to offer the full benefit.

Any final word for this review?

Yes, as a quick, sharp hit of energy that will literally wake you up, this is great. However, if it is out and out heightened physical performance you want, there are better options.

There is another product that will get you fired up and cause hell in your chosen sport.