Dynamo Extreme Pre Workout XT Review

Dynamo Extreme Pre Workout XT Review

Dynamo is marketed as a potent, high energy pre workout supplement.

Aside from a high caffeine content I see very few additional ingredients.

So is it effective or not?

LAST UPDATED: September 2019 by Ben.

Dynamo Extreme – First Look

As you may come to expect, this pre workout supplement looks just like many other pre workout supplements.

The packaging tries to make it look dangerous, crazy and hyped. It wouldn’t look out of place on the set of a Terminator movie with its metallic looking label with hazard tape bordering the tub.

Then there’s the industrial looking bolts and cogs. In fact it almost has a steam punk vibe.

I don’t really mind it so much, but probably appeals to a younger market than myself being 35.

However, for me, what really counts is on the inside.

Do the ingredients work? Can they improve my gym performance?

Who’s behind Dynamo Extreme?

That would be a company based in Manchester, UK. For those who are interested in soccer, they are not too far away from Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United.

However, that is the only relevant neighbor they have in the vicinity because the who area is very much considered industrial.

That’s not a bad thing, what do you expect for a large company that sells many different supplement products?

However, sometimes it is reassuring to see if they are located nearby research facilities and places where clinical trials may take place, such as a university.

That company by the way is Protein Dynamix.

If you have heard of that name before, it is because they sponsored the World Deadlift Championships and ‘The Beast’, Eddie Hall.

eddie hall 500kg deadlift

All Protein Dynamix products are produced in the UK, and they have a wide range of offerings.

They also have a membership plan which is an annual £10 fee. However, with that, you receive substantial discounts.

This plan, in a way, keeps you tied to the Protein Dynamix brand. Clever thinking.

I did a bit more research around the website. I found their about page and hoped for an inspirational story. There isn’t one. Just a bit of generic waffle about wanting to be the ‘best in class’.

You may have already seen a Dynamo reviews as well, and you would be correct. We reviewed their other pre-workout.

It basically looks the same, and pretty much called the same, but there are different nutrient profiles.

Dynamo Extreme XT Video Review

Dynamo Extreme Claims

There’s not actually a great deal of information regarding the product on the label itself.

One thing is for sure though, we are promised that it is potent according to a warning style yellow label.

However, where most pre workout supplements promise skin splitting pumps, and ferocious focus coupled with gorilla hyped aggression, Dynamo Extreme says it is an ideal boost for anyone involved in high intensity exercise.

They also mention that it includes some of the most advanced ingredients as well.

All-in-all, it is actually fairly modest. If I am completely honest, it doesn’t like much thought has gone in to this product at all.

It is all a bit lazy.

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Dynamo Extreme – The Ingredients

dynamo extreme xt pre workout ingredients panel

 

Beta-Alanine

You may have noticed that some pre workout supplements make your face tingle, a bit like pins and needles.

Some people like it, some other don’t.

One thing for sure though is that it can give the illusion that energy is coursing through your veins.

It can also make you feel quite hyped up as well. This is good for when we are about to hit the gym.

Aside from this sensation though and perhaps perceived benefit, there is also evidence that beta-alanine is also effective at increasing your physical performance.

In particular, beta-alanine has shown great promise to provide enhanced performance at the end of an exhaustive period of exercise. [1]

Niacin

This is also known as Vitamin B3.

It would be understandable to wonder why niacin is included in this pre workout supplement as it is often found in fortified cereal.

However, what is key about niacin is that a deficiency of it can lead to depression, confusion, headaches and feelings of fatigue. [2]

Animal studies have also demonstrated that niacin may help us live longer, yet much more research is required to prove this. [3]

Back to the humans, and there is growing evidence that niacin can be beneficial for cardiovascualar function. [4]

Creatine Monohydrate

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research concludes that creatine can increase power in high-intensity exercise and improve recovery.

Additional benefits also include improves energy and muscle mass. [5]

Furthermore, there’s also testosterone boosting benefits to taking creatine, but only when very large amounts are supplemented.

graph showing creatine effects of muscle mass versus placebo
Effects of weight training and creatine supplementation on muscle mass. Source: [6]

Citrulline

Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid.

Whereas we normally associate amino acids with building more muscle, we should really associate citrulline with increased anaerobic physical performance and exertion.

This can lead to reduced race times for running and cycling or even increased weightlifting performance.

Benefits can be a result of a reduction of fatigue, reduced blood pressure and a reduction of muscle soreness. [7]

These effects can be due to a variety of functions; such as being a precursor of nitric oxide production, the removal of ammonia from muscle cells and increasing plasma arginine concentrations. [8]

Arginine Alpha-Ketogluterate (AAKG)

There are mixed results and varying conclusions drawn regarding the effectiveness and benefits of AAKG supplementation in sport.

A study by Baylor University found that with 12g of AAKG per day if could positively influence their 1 repetition max bench press lift, but had no other effects on body composition. [9]

Yet on the flip side, a study involving Reserve Officer Training Corps’ Cadets saw no difference or benefit of taking 3g of AAKG prior to exercise. [10]

Therefore, at this point it does feel like the effects and benefits of AAKG are a bit inconclusive. Or at least, it is very dose dependent. Very high daily doses appear to have an effect, whereby lower doses do not.

However, I found an interesting study by the University of Hertfordshire that combined both AAKG and creatine due to the rise of pre workout supplements on the market.

They conducted a very thorough investigation that included recording before and after power outputs, fat free mass, total body mass, blood flow, bench press and half squat over an 8 week period.

The results concluded that only the bench press saw improvements compared to the control group. Every other parameter saw no significant changes. [11]

Caffeine

It is very hard to discredit the benefits of caffeine on physical and even mental performance.

This has been highlighted across numerous studies and research papers where its effects are highlighted across varying disciplines and has even sparked a discussion to make it a controlled substance in competition. [12]

It is even seen as a benefit to soldiers with evidence demonstrating that it can improve marksmanship tests under fatigue and stress. [13]

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Dynamo Extreme XT – Dose

Each dose is 10g.

This is a full scoop. We are warned not to take more than 1 scoop per 24 hours.

This warning is most likely due to the 200mg of caffeine per serving.

A tub provides us with 20 servings.

Banned Substances

These nutrient analysis leads us on to whether it contains any banned or controlled substances.

You will be pleased to note that none of the ingredients feature anywhere on the WADA prohibited substances list and you can take this during sporting events and competition.

Manufacturing

Protein Dynamix proudly mention on their website that all products are manufactured in the United Kingdom.

This is a good point as food and supplement manufacturing within the UK and Europe has to meet strict safety regulations to protect the consumers.

Price

You are looking around $20 or £17 for a tub of 2o servings.

This is cost effective, but does reflect the low daily dose and the low number of ingredients included.

Payment Options

If you are buying this direct and online from Protein Dynamix there are the usual payment options that we are to expect.

These include:

  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • Amazon pay
  • PayPal

Contact Methods

As with most companies, you can reach out to them on social media, but there is an email address and you could even send a letter in the post if you so wished.

If all of that is just a little bit too much for you, there’s even a contact form.

Additionally there is also a FAQ page.

This has a number of options to choose from on a drop down list. You click the questions and an answer should appear.

However, there’s a big issue…

Yes, by clicking the questions it just reveals unanswered questions in the form of nonsense. Clearly, this section is yet to be completed, as it merely filled with dummy text as Lorem Ipsum.

Protein Dynamix FAQ page screenshot
Protein Dynamix incomplete FAQ fields.

Testimonials

Unfortunately I cannot see any customer testimonials on their site.

While sponsoring international strongman competitions and the world record deadlift athlete is quite a prestigious feat, I cannot see any normal or regular users.

Pros

There are 6 ingredients within this pre workout, which is quite low when compared to some other pre workout supplements.

However, of the 6, there is a positive amount of evidence that 5 of the ingredients are effective for increasing performance. Be that cognitive and physical.

It is only AAKG that offers conflicting results.

The price is also competitive, particularly if you join the Protein Dynamix membership.

It must be noted that the manufacturing should be considered safe, and there are not any benned substances.

So this is all positive.

How Did It Feel?

Not particularly effective, if I am honest. I didn’t really feel any increase in focus, attention or energy.

The Taste

It is blue raspberry flavor but it is pretty non-descript and doesn’t taste very nice at all.

Side Effects

The only real potential issue to consider is the amount of caffeine per serving.

At 200mg it could cause jitters and maybe even trouble sleeping or fidgeting.

I personally drink a lot of coffee, so didn’t really notice any ill-effects.

However, some pre workout supplements offer even more than 200mg.

Cons

The worst part for me is that I did not feel any benefit, nor any positive effects.

But then, we could go on the low number of ingredients and the low doses.

Many of the studies published do include much higher doses for their results. This disparity is probably the main issue.

The taste isn’t very inspiring or good either. It helps if you actually want to drink it.

Then further analysis of Protein Dynamix itself sheds a bit of light.

On the site they mention that the products are priced low for great value.

However, I cannot help but think that a few corners are cut to attain these low prices, and those ‘savings’ are passed on to the customer with inadequate supplements.

There aren’t any customer testimonials and even the FAQ page doesn’t seem finished.

Dynamo Extreme XT Conclusion

Initially, I was not thrilled by the label and the way this supplement looked. I thought the design ethos was all a bit lazy.

The digging deeper, it all seems a bit too lazy to be forgiven.

The website seems unfinished, the product is low on ingredients and low on the dose.

The taste doesn’t seem like it was ever taste tested and  I felt no beneficial effects at all.

That said, I didn’t feel any effects.

While the majority of the ingredients have evidence backing their effects, the doses found in this product do not deliver.

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References

[1] https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/19276843

[2] https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/niacin

[3] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130930101836.htm

[4] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2730481

[5] https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/1996/08000/creatine_supplementation__its_effect_on_human.14.aspx

[6] http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/53/2/161/F3

[7] https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/FullText/2010/05000/Citrulline_Malate_Enhances_Athletic_Anaerobic.9.aspx

[8] https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/9/688.short

[9] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900706002425

[10] https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol6/iss2/2/

[11] https://uhra.herts.ac.uk/handle/2299/14537

[12] https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8a99/789e74876808e5e66d4d411593be7e7f02b1.pdf

[13] https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asma/asem/2005/00000076/00000001/art00007

Summary
Review Date
Reviewed Item
Protein Dynamix Dynamo Extreme XT Pre Workout
Author Rating
11stargraygraygraygray

Ben BA(Hons), PGCert

Ben established this site to be a free resource in 2015. Since then it has gained over half a million visits. He has always been interested in sport and he started playing rugby at the age of 6 represented his town, county and school. Ben also enjoys cycling, has started skiing and is in the Army Reserve representing his Regiment as part of the 150 Regimental Shooting Team. He holds a bachelor's and postgraduate degree in sport exercise & nutrition.

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