FAKtrition PRE CMPLX Pre Workout Powerhouse Review
FAKtrition PRE CMPLX Pre Workout Powerhouse Review First Look:
So here we go again.
Last night I was shattered, I managed to squeeze out some shrugs and bench press, both of which I had increased the weight which felt good. There’s no worse feeling than stagnation.
Tonight I performed squats, seated row, cable rows and shoulder press.
I needed it, I am quite pleased with my current progress since moving house and being able to sleep for more than 6 hours per night which helps with recovery and secretion of natural growth hormone.
Looking in the mirror when I get to the changing rooms at work after cycling in, plus eating a bit more healthier has started to get me back on track to a place where I feel more comfortable and satisfied with myself.
I simply could not bare not being able to eat properly, sleep properly or get enough weights or even cycling in to my schedule due to a massive daily commute.
However, what does help is a good pre workout. Even getting home an hour or so earlier and even after an invigorating bicycle ride you can still hit a slump once your foot gets through that door when you arrive home.
A good pre workout can help you re-focus, energize and get you back in to the work mode ensuring you can put your all in to those lifts. It is too easy to pass it off for tomorrow, then something else crops up etc and then you end up with 7 days minus weightlifting.
That’s not the way to go, bro.
This little number from FAKtrition is bright, a bit lairy and almost has a bit of an early nineties Reebok Pump Blacktop cool about it. I like that, it reminds me of school and pumping the tongue up in my sneaker until the circulation in my foot cut off.
Ingredients:
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
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
L-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
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
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.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-979-caffeine.aspx?activeingredientid=979
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.
A dose of 12500mg 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/
Agmatine – Agmatine is considered to be a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator.
The majority use agmatine injections, not oral ingestion and there is still no evidence that working memory is enhanced with agmatine supplementation.
https://examine.com/supplements/agmatine/
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
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
Higenamine – Data shows an increase in energy expenditure and kilocalorie expenditure. It also results in a moderate increase in heart rate and systolic blood pressure similar to caffeine.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24139127
Dose:
One sachet of this fruit punch flavored powder amounts to 16300mg which is a tremendous amount. This is great and reassuring.
The taste was amazing and I chugged this back quicker than a Jagerbomb.
Video Review:
Effects & Benefits:
Caffeine is probably the most well known ingredient found in here and its ability to give you a buzz and some energy is renowned, most used by people who work long hours or are hungover.
Beta-Alanine does nothing other than provide a tingling sensation which makes you think your veins are coursing with energy.
Betaine maybe able to increase performance…may be able to.
Citrulline dilates the blood vessels which means more nutrients and oxygen can be pumped around your organs quickly and easily feeding your muscles. This also means waste products can be transported away more quickly too.
Beet can also increase nitric oxide levels and dilate blood vessels too.
Higenamine has shown to increase energy expenditure and increase heart rate which will pumpo oxygen filled blood to the organs more quickly.
Creatine is probably one of the supplement worlds’ most reliable products, to this day it is great to increase muscle strength and size.
This also offers the required doses of certain ingredients to be effective such as Citrulline.
READ: Read about our favorite pre workout that turned me in to a beast on the rugby pitch
How did it feel?
It felt great. The doses of certain ingredients reflect this too.
I felt charged, full of energy and raring to hit the weights and when I did, I felt strong and composed.
I felt focuses and ended up lifting an additional 22lbs/10kgs on the shoulder press.
Happy all round with the experience.
Negatives:
Beta-Alanine offers little more other than a tingling sensation and I didn’t even experience that with this whereas I normally feel a sensation with most other pre workout supplements, that means we obviously get very little with this.
Normal daily supplementation of Creatine is 5000 – 10000mg, whereas this only offers 2000mg so would really need to be supplemented with tablets or powder form.
Taurine hasn’t been proven to increase mental performance even though we see it included in lots of supplements.
The results from studies of Betaine, Agmatine and Norvaline are still a bit sketchy and inconclusive.
FAKtrition PRE CMPLX Pre Workout Powerhouse Review Conclusion:
Overall I was really impressed with the performance offered by this pre workout from FAKtrition.
There were the required quantities available of effective and beneficial ingredients that many re workouts seem to omit.
This provided a good feeling and a strong weights session whereby I felt comfortable and eager to push myself to the limit rather than feeling despondent and lackluster after a full day at work and tired from cycling.
There’s a few areas of improvement required especially of the ingredients that have little conclusive research regarding their perceived benefits and effectiveness.
That said, there’s also some ingredients shared with the best performing pre workout supplements which you can read about further, here.
Score:
4/5
