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

My Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout First Look:

I have just returned back fro a bucks party over the weekend and needless to say the last thing I feel like doing is hitting the gym.

However, with a house sale on the cards and nowhere as of yet for me to buy I have little spare time for the gym or very much else for that matter.

If I am honest I feel exhausted today after a full day at work and a long commute under my belt and while my cat seems content laying on my desk asleep I want two training sessions out of this week and to shift this feeling of not being motivated at all.

Therefore this evening is the perfect candidate to test a pre workout.

This one is from the widely known and well regarded Optimum Nutrition. This is also from their ‘Gold Standard’ range and is the cream of their crop.

Coming in a classy gold and black foil sachet this does look and feel premium, the taste is good too which helps and it isn’t overly gritty nor leaving any powdery residue that many do.

Ingredients: The Science

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

Niacinamide (Vit B3)

Higher amounts of niacin can improve cholesterol levels and lower cardiovascular risks and maybe symptoms for Alzheimer’s . However, the jury is out on these real benefits.

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/924.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

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D is a great Testosterone boosting vitamin that must be taken advantage of to trigger further production of Testosterone in your body.

However, there are two types of Vitamin D. There’s calciferol (vitamin D₂) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃) – we are only interested in cholecalciferol which is D3; this is the type our skin synthesizes from the sun and becomes a hormone which results in the increases in our testosterone.

Research by the US Library of Medicine has shown that testosterone productions are increased with Vitamin D3 supplementation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712348/

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

Helps the body’s cells change carbohydrates into energy. The main role of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and nervous system.

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002401.htm

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

Folic Acid (Vit. B9)

There’s many benefits of Folic Acid, treating kidney problems is one of them. Folic acid can also help produce more testosterone along with B12 but also necessary to form red blood cells and is also necessary in the formation of DNA.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1017-folic%20acid.aspx?activeingredientid=1017&

Vitamin B12

Studies show that people who are anaemic tend not to have high levels of testosterone because they cannot absorb vitamin B12.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2645631/

Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)

One of 8 B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which the body uses to produce energy.

These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body use fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver.

They also help the nervous system function properly and is critical to the manufacture of red blood cells.

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid

Creatine

A well regarded supplement.

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

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.

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

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/

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 been small and not entirely conclusive.

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

L-carnitine

Acetyl-L-carnitine helps the body produce energy. It is important for heart and brain function, muscle movement, and many other body processes. It is a very popular supplement and widely proven to be active drugs for the therapy of symptoms associated with male aging.

Although L-carnitine has been marketed as a weight loss supplement, scientific evidence is lacking.

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

AstraGin

It is a 100% natural food ingredient that has shown in cell, animal, and human studies to support the absorption of many essential life supporting and health promoting nutrients, such as amino acids, glucose, and vitamins into human cells.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)

Supplementation can provide a variety of health benefits, but may not actually prolong lifespan. It has a low bioavailability, meaning it doesn’t circulate well through the body after being ingested.

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/astragalus

Panax Notoginseng

An important herbal medicine for cardiovascular protection; nevertheless, it could also be used as an antihypertensive agent on the basis of clinical experience.

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/204840/

Citrus Bioflavonoids

Lemon contains antioxidants called bioflavonoids. Researchers think these bioflavonoids are responsible for the health benefits of lemon.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-545-lemon.aspx?activeingredientid=545&

Dose:

We are told to have 1 serving which works out at 11g.

However, I went apeshit and had 2 servings which equates to 22g. This made my head feel like there were insects under my skin.

The taste was nice but I wished for more of a sour/sharp hit.

Video Review:

Pros:

Considering I had a sachet rather than a tub of this pre workout I thought that it woulds be rude not to have the whole lot and double drop.

This hit me almost immediately…

The taste was nice enough, palatable and wasn’t gritty nor did it feel like I was swilling flour around my mouth so top marks for solubility.

However, not long after I had drank the lot my head started tingling a lot, in fact so did my limbs.

I liked it and it certainly got me up and out of this self induced hung over slumber that had arrived from work and happily sat down.

Although I think if anyone could see me I would have been mistaken for a meth head the way I was rubbing my face. Maybe something to consider if you head for a packed out gym.

I felt energized but it didn’t feel like I had any more performance within me so to speak…I didn’t feel a huge rush of power, energy or strength to lift a car.

But I certainly felt the effects of caffeine and Citrulline.

It is also good to see Vitamin D3 and the host of B vitamins which are all beneficial.

Cons:

While I did feel energized and certainly ready to lift some weights, I didn’t notice an increase in performance.

Let’s also consider that Creatine will have an effect but only if you have been taking it for about 2 weeks, not if like me, you only use a pre workout like this on a irregular basis.

The components of AstraGin do not seem entirely conclusive and nor does Beta-Alanine.

Lack of Nitric Oxide stimuli.

It is also quite expensive at $49.99

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout Review Conclusion:

While I didn’t notice much improvements in my gym performance I did feel alert and much more enthusiastic to leave the comfort of my chair and wander in to the gym to pump some iron even after a long bucks party weekend and day at work.

There’s also so me great and beneficial ingredients included too, but notwithstanding some that are not entirely conclusive which begs the question why they are present when other ingredients could have been put to the test.

The tingling sensation although mostly my fault for double dosing was a good, energetic sensation but some may find it uncomfortable and even shocking.

The lack of Nitric Oxide stimulus such as beet was a shame too.

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