Efectiv Nutrition IntraFuel

 

Overview

Here’s what Efectiv Nutrition have to say:

This is INTRA-FUEL, a unique amino and carbohydrate recovery fuel for athletes who perform at the highest level.

INTRA-FUEL uses Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (Cluster Dextrin) carbohydrates with a specific blend of Branch Chain Amino Acids, Vitamins and Minerals, to aid in recovery, and support the immune system during and after intense physical exercise such as competitive endurance activities.

Cyclic Dextrins are highly soluble and slow releasing carbohydrates delivering bioavailable carbohydrates, a requirement to replace muscle glycogen during and after exercise.

This unique formula contains carbohydrates which have a fast gastric emptying time due to low osmolality, which may be beneficial with carbohydrate intake around times of exercise.

Nutritional Information

Container Size: 908g
Serving Size: 1 Scoop (40g)
Servings Per Container: 23
 
Amount Per Serving:
Energy (kcal): 148
Fat: 0g
-Saturates: 0g
Total Carbohydrates: 30.9g
-Sugars:  0.8g
Protein: 0g
Salt: 0.7g

Vitamin B5: 2.5mg
Vitamin B6: 1.0mg
Vitamin C: 200mg
Magnesium: 60.0mg
Zinc: 2.5mg
L-Leucine: 2.0g
L-Isoleucine: 1.0g
L-Valine: 1.0g
L-Citrulline: 1.5g
L-Glutamine: 1.0g

Who likes to carb up during exercise? All of you. Excellent. This is pretty much a Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (HBCD from now on) product with a more marketable name. HBCD is used by a lot of professionals in the fitness industry at the moment – the craze started a few years back and hasn’t died off yet as the results can be so impressive.

The actual amount of HBCD is a bit on the low side in my opinion but double portions can be used safely. The vitamins and amino acids that have been used help the uptake of glycogen but would have benefited from the inclusion of Essential Amino Acids as well rather than just the BCAAs. Glutamine can be put in any product for any reason and it will always be a good thing.

Taste

IntraFuel tastes like weak orange juice. I really liked it, it was refreshing and has no unpleasant aftertaste. It mixes up almost instantly and never has any grit left.

Side Effects

None – taking more than one dose may cause an upset stomach in some people.

Price

£37.99 for a tub with 23 servings in. I have seen it as cheap as £23 though so it pays to shop around.

Results

I really like HBCD products – I tend to use them whenever I’m not reviewing an intra. They can be especially useful during a strength or mass phase. Efectiv Nutrition IntraFuel does exactly what you’d expect an intra product to do; its great for hydrating you, great for keeping your energy/strength levels high and can really help sustain an awesome pump. This product could be used in a cutting program as well but that will depend on how you handle carbs, personally I like carbs around the workout to help performance but I know some people are advocates of super low carb diets on a cut and have had success with this approach. As another bonus recovery times should decrease.

I think Efectiv have lightly dosed their HBCD but I imagine this is trying to fit into the majority of peoples needs – I personally would have like the dose to be nearer the 50–60g mark. You could take a double dose easy enough (use an empty 4pt milk container) but this is far from cost effective. Speaking of the price it is quite steep considering the get the full benefits of HBCD you will likely need to double the dose. If you shop around you should be able to find the product substantially cheaper.

Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin is great as an intra and should be used by anyone who wants to maximise their gains in the gym and IntraFuel isn’t a bad choice, its just a bit lightly dosed for the larger individual. If you can find IntraFuel at a good price then give it a go – you should be able to notice the different from the first serving.

7/10

You can buy IntraFuel here

Monkey Nutrition GRO

 

Overview

Monkey GRO incorporates amino acids combined with hydrochloride (HCL) molecules, to increase efficacy in the body's natural production of human growth hormone. These nutrients work in synergy to maximise the potential for the secretion of anabolic hormones, which control the replication and repair of DNA & RNA, protect the liver, boost immune function and ultimately stimulate the growth and repair of muscle tissue. Using Monkey GRO whilst in a rested state will further increase the production of naturally occurring growth hormones, which increases the body’s fat reducing ability, resulting in a leaner body composition.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

Arginine (L-arginine hcl) 400 mg  

Ornithine (L-ornithine hcl) 300 mg

Lysine (L-lysine hcl) 100 mg

Glutamine (L-glutamine hcl) 300 mg

Colostrum (bovine) 200 mg

Ornithine Alphaketoglutarate 100 mg

Glycine (L-glycine hcl) 100 mg

Sorry to disappoint you but there is no actual Human Growth Hormone in this just ingredients to help NATURALLY increase the production of HGH.

You will probably recognise Arginine, Glutamine, Lysine and Glycine but might not be familiar with the other 3:

Ornithine – amino acid that when combined with Arginine has been shown to improve strength and power

Ornithine Alphaketoglutarate – used for muscle growth

Colostrum (bovine) - cow's milk secreted during the first few days following calving. It is rich in immunoglobulins, growth factors, cytokines and boosts the immune system.

It seems like a good bunch of ingredients geared towards recovery more than anything else.

Taste

No taste or aftertaste with these capsules.

Side Effects

None

Price

£18.99 for 60 capsules (30 days supply)

Results

GRO is a bit of an awkward one to review because its results will vary so much from person to person. Please bear in mind that this is based off my personal experience with GRO and yours may differ.

I found GRO to be beneficial for recovery but not much else. The simple reason for this could well be that time scale that I used it for – only 30 days. Based on the nutritional breakdown there is no reason why you wouldn’t begin to see minor muscle growth if used for several months. You would of course have to still work in the gym – as always this isn’t a magic pill. Recovery times (and leg day pain) were noticeably decreased but I can’t say that I noticed any muscle growth or fat loss during the month – as I’ve said this could be due to length of the product trial.

I think GRO is priced fairly and in line with similar products. Since there are no side effects with GRO (although it won’t be kind to those of you who are lactose intolerant) if you want to take a gamble on it then it certainly won’t hurt you but if you want to see solid results beyond decreased recovery time then be prepared to use it for at least 3 months. It does come packaged with several of Monkey Nutrition’s stacks so that might be the best way to try GRO.

The fact that recovery times are noticeably decrease means that GRO is working away in the background which would give me enough confidence in the product to invest in the next bottle.

7.5/10

You can buy GRO here

Better yet buy a stack with it in! 

XBrain Protein Shot

Overview

Here’s what XBrain have to say:

XBrain’s Protein Shots are a revolutionary solution to post workout supplements. Created with the best Protein complexes in the world, and without harmful artificial flavours or sweeteners, the Protein Shots are the most convenient way of making sure that your body has the amino acids to fuel optimum recovery and muscle gain after exercise.

Nutritional Information

Since this is a “shot” there isn’t much to this product. It’s a nice convenient way to add 20g of protein to your diet. The protein itself is a mix of Whey Protein and Hydrolysed Beef Collagen – they have different amino acid profiles to give you head start on muscle building and recovery. The sugars in XBrains shot are from Stevia and there is nothing artificial included.

Taste

It’s called Tropical Explosion but there is no real flavour it just tastes a bit tangy and not very nice. Fortunately it’s a shot so there isn’t much to taste and there isn’t an aftertaste.

Side Effects

None

Price

£29.99 for a pack of 12.

Results

Convenience is the name of the game here. Whether you think that these are good value for money and essential or a rip off and a gimmick will depend entirely on how strapped for time and forgetful you are. Personally I like to have a ready to drink (RTD) supplement in the house – not for day to day use but for when I’m in a rush or travelling. They are really useful to keep in the glove-box for when you get to the gym and realise everything is still on the kitchen counter.

The nutritional profile is quite basic yet very clever at the same time. The inclusion of Hydrolysed Beef proteins is a good choice because hydrolysed proteins are absorbed very rapidly, so if you take a Protein Shot straight after your workout amino acid concentrations in muscle cells will peak at the same time as you experience a peak in anabolic hormones, allowing for maximum muscle gain/recovery. I have always liked XBrain’s commitment to keeping their products free from fillers, artificial flavourings and bad sugars, this product is no exception and the only “sweetener” is stevia.

Protein Shot doesn’t taste particularly nice and it’s fairly expensive but that all comes down to personal choice and how you value the supplements you take. There can be no doubt that XBrain Protein Shot is a good product and would be useful for any cycle. I don’t think anyone would use this on a day to day basis but as a backup in the car it could be a muscle saver.

8/10

You can buy XBrain Protein Shot here

Monkey Nutrition Primal26Pro

 

Overview

Here’s what Monkey Nutrition have to say:

Protein supplementation just got serious! Primal26 PRO is the upgraded version of the award winning Primal26 and one of the most advanced powders on the World market today. Fortified with a clinically tested, superior digestive enzyme complex, Primal26 Pro increases amino acid concentrations in the blood by up to 55 times, when compared with other fortified powders, allowing for more effective growth and recovery. The ProHydrolase enzyme complex helps to ensure smaller, non-immunogenic protein peptides are formed, reducing inflammation and the potential for gastric discomfort, which are often associated with protein consumption.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size 1 scoop (31g)

Calories: 110

Total Fat                      0.5g

    Saturated Fat            0g    

    Trans Fat                  0g   

Cholesterol                   0mg

Sodium                         50mg

Potassium                     180mg

Total Carbohydrate      2g

    Dietary Fiber            1g

    Sugars                      1g

Protein                         26g

Nothing overly special on display here – 26g of protein is a decent amount – the protein is Whey Protein Isolate. It’s Monkey Nutrition so you know the protein is of the highest quality. The carbs/fats are incredibly low. Stevia is used instead of sugar to further improve the nutritional content.

This nutritional breakdown is taken from the Chocolate flavour but its worth noting the Vanilla flavour has 0g of fat and only 1g of Carbs. I always preferred Vanilla anyway….

Taste

I used French Vanilla and it’s a massive improvement over the original Primal26. Its not the best tasting protein shake on the market but its not unpleasant to drink either. You have to drink it within 30(ish) minutes of mixing though or the flavour breaks down and it tastes horrible. Its quite "thin" so your out of luck if you like thick shakes.

Side Effects

None – no bloating, gas or any unwanted side effects.

Price

£39.95 for 868g bag (28 servings)

Results

So its all pretty basic, standard stuff right? Well no not quite. One of the main things that sets Primal26Pro apart from the rest is the addition of ProHydrolase. You’ll be forgiven for not having heard of it before – this is the first product we’ve seen that has added anything like it. It can be quite complicated to explain how it works so in fairly simple terms it’s a digestive enzyme that helps pre-digest protein so that amino acid levels experience a massive spike in the bloodstream. This makes the protein near enough 100% available to be used by the body. This, in theory, means you could only take half a scoop of Primal26Pro – 13g of protein – and you probably would have more protein available than if you took a 20g protein shake without the ProHydrolase.

The taste is alright I preferred the French Vanilla to Velvet Chocolate but both were drinkable. The catch here is you have to drink it when you mix it so it’s no good for people like me who like to premix all my shakes the day before. If you leave it for more than 30 minutes then the ProHydrolase will have broken down the flavourings and it tastes horrible! Primal26Pro works out at £1.42 a serving so its not a cheap investment.

Primal26Pro might be the definitive shake on the market at the moment but it does still come with a few drawbacks. It is a bit of an issue that you can't leave it mixed for more than 30 minutes so its no good for travelling with or preparing the next days shakes. It’s quite pricey in the smaller bags so it might be worth investing and buying the 2325g bag which brings price per serving down to £1.19.

9/10

You can buy Primal26Pro here

Monkey Nutrition X-Blend

 

Overview

Here’s what Monkey Nutrition have to say:

Monkey brings you precision bio-engineering in the form of Monkey X-Blend. This blend of 10 proteins is one of the most advanced protein formulations on the planet! Monkey X-Blend is a blend dominated by the finest quality whey protein concentrate, milk protein, whey protein isolate and egg white protein; leaving all other predominantly whey protein concentrate blends standing and making X-Blend the premium ‘time-release’ protein powder on the market today! Monkey raises the bar further by fusing lactoferrin and taurine into the blend and adding extra BCAAs and L-Glutamine.

Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein found in whole milk. It has a high iron binding rate; meaning it survives the initial stages of protein digestion, leaving the biological activity of peptides intact, this results in increased muscle recovery and heightened immunity.

Taurine is an amino acid that is integral to proper immune function. It also helps the cells to hold on to potassium; this improves the degree and frequency to which your muscles contract and allows for more productive growth.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving:

Calories:                       130

AMOUNT

Total Fat                      1.5 g                     

Saturated Fat                1.0 g          

Trans Fat                      0 g

Cholesterol                   25 mg    

Sodium                         105 mg                

Total Carbohydrate      4 g      

Dietary Fiber                1 g               

Sugars                          1 g   

Protein                         24 g                       

24g of protein from 10 sources (Whey, Milk & Egg and various derivatives) is more than enough to provide a nice time release protein hit to ensure your muscles are being fed properly until the next meal. The sugar is kept low and Sucralose has been chosen lessen the “damage” of sweetening a shake.

Along with BCAAs you also get some Essential Amino Acids – it has been proven that BCAAs are more effective when in the presence of EAA as well. You receive a healthy dose of Glutamine which has a myriad of benefits but muscle retention and recovery are among the best.  

Taste

I used the Chocolate flavour and it was very pleasant but it did tend to un-mix itself if left for a while are preparing it. When drank within about 20 minutes of making it then it had no issues.

Side Effects

None

Price

£17.50 – 14 servings

£31.95 – 28 servings

£67.99 – 75 servings

It is quite expensive when buying the smaller bags but with the biggest the price per serving reduces to 90p so much better value and well worth the investment.

Results

Protein blends can range from a cheap trick to hide poor quality to an amazing muscle building tool. This is the latter. X-Blend, in my opinion, is the best blend on the market at the moment. I can’t think of a better one – there are a lot of very good ones but for a pure protein punch this is leading the pack.

The nutritional breakdown is more or less what I expected, low fats, low sugar (sucralose), low carb and high protein. The protein 10 way split should drip feed you for a few hours and would actually make a very good post workout shake – not ideal for recovery or bulking but for either building or maintaining when dieting down it would be a great choice. From the look of the website it is only available in Chocolate at the moment – it tastes great but a little variety never hurt.

X-Blend is fairly filling which for a 130 calorie shake is quite an achievement so when you are on a cut and have restricted your calories X-Blend could be a diet saver. It is expensive if you are buying a smaller bag but if you are willing to invest and buy a 75 serving bag (should last between 2-3 months) then you are looking at 90p a serving which for the quality of this product is amazing value.

X-Blend is a great choice for every cycle, every goal, every time of day and every person. This should be your go to time release blend. 9.5/10

You can buy X-Blend here.

Medi-Evil Berserker

 

Overview

Here is what Medi-Evil have to say:

Inspired by the legendary warfare fury of the Norse Vikings. Medi-Evil Berserker was forged on the gym battlefields, and contains one of the largest profiles of the  highest quality active ingredients in a product of its kind.

Medi-Evil Berserker is formulated so as not to give the nasty jitters or post-workout crash associated with most pre-workouts.

Medi-Evil Berserker has in huge abundance innovative ingredients such as Vinitrox, Beetroot extract, Glycerol monostearate and BCAA’s in its market leading blend  which mixes easily with water and tastes great.

This great tasting pre – workout comes in two flavours:- Blood Orange and Wild Berry

Nutritional Information

Medi-Evil’s thoughtful approach to a pre-workout really ups the game with whats expected from a Pre. Along with the now standard Creatine, BCAAs, Caffeine, Beta-Alanine & Arginine we have several components that are a bit more unusual.

Beetroot Extract – improves oxygen delivery and helps with muscle pumps

Glycerol – helps with muscle pumps

Panax Ginseng – mood enhancer & testosterone booster

ViNitrox is what sets Berserker apart from other preworkouts. It is a unique and proprietary synergistic combination of apple and grape polyphenols. It offers a number of exceptional sports nutrition properties including enhanced and lasting performance. Nexira’s latest clinical study (See ViNitrox website) on 50 athletes, 25-45 years old, demonstrated that under intensive effort, 500 mg/day of ViNitrox improves physical capabilities :

Increases physical training time by 10%

Delays the fatigue barrier by 13%

Taste

We’ve used both flavours (Wild Berry & Blood Orange) and Wild Berry was the preferred option – this is obviously personal choice – both flavours are acceptable. No preworkout tastes brilliant but Berserker does mix well and doesn’t have an aftertaste.

Side Effects

None

Price

£39.99 for a 300g bag (50 servings or 25 if you use a double dose)

Results

Medi-Evil claim that Berserker won’t give you jitters or an energy crash but will help you in the gym. Well mission accomplished. None of our team had any jitters and we experienced no energy crashes after the product wore off….in fact we didn’t have any side effects full stop. Side effects can be a bit of a worry with preworkouts so it’s always a relief when they turn out to be completely safe – especially when dealing with a brand new to the market product. The caffeine content in preworkouts is predominantly to blame for the energy crash that some experience after a strong pre but due to Berserkers fairly modest 150mg per serving you are very unlikely to fall asleep at your desk a couple of hours later.

Berserker doesn’t deliver an energy rush but rather a sustained feeling of “you can do this” and you don’t feel it wearing off after 30 minutes. It lasts about a hour before slowly tapering off. The pumps are fairly good, not mind blowing but definitely present and noticeable. I think that endurance is the stand out quality of Berserker – you can almost always add 2 or 3 more reps per lift, even on heavier work.

The value for money depends on whether you use 1 scoop or 2 so that’s a decision you’ll have to make. I found 1 scoop a little weak, but I am fairly tolerant to preworkouts, 2 scoops did the job nicely, I was never tempted to up the dosage.

Berserker sets out to be a different breed of preworkout one with no side effects without compromising on the quality of the product. They certainly succeeded. Berserker is an exceptionally well made product that is sure to help you in the gym. 8.5/10

You can buy Berserker here

Monkey Nutrition Koba

Overview

Here’s what Monkey Nutrition have to say:

Contains Carnosyn Beta-Alanine: the most effective form of beta-alanine. Enhances mental & physical vitality. Revolutionary blend of nutrients designed to augment energy production, muscle protein synthesis and a more effective recovery process.

KOBA is a weapons grade pre-workout formula, which incorporates ancient adaptogenic herbs and nervines with the most potent of modern-day energy enhancing & muscle building nutrients such as Creatine, Betaine, Citrulline Malate and CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine. KOBA uses only the highest quality raw materials in their correct form and in serious doses. Processed using the latest technology and providing a 25.3g serving size, this pre-workout ain't no joke!

KOBA has been designed and built with nothing but quality in mind to ensure the best possible bioavailability, giving you an awesome workout and resulting in unparalleled gains!

Nutritional Information

Serving Size 2 Scoop (25.3g) Servings Per Container: 20
Amounts Per Serving

Calories: 15 Calories from Fat: 5
Total Fat 0.5g
Total Carbohydrate 1g
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 20mg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 60mcg
Calcium (Calcium carbonate / silicate) 150mg
Magnesium (as Magnesium citrate) 80mg
Sodium (as Salt) 150mg
Potassium (Potassium citrate) 150mg

Power Blend 7,000mg
(Creatine Monohydrate, CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine,
Betaine anhydrous)
Essential Amino Acid Blend 6,300mg
(L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, L-Threonine, L-Histidine,
L-Lysine, L-Phenylalanine, L-Methionine, L-Tryptophan)
N.O & Nutrient Absorption Blend 4,550mg
(Citrulline Malate, Taurine, L-Arginine Astragi
[Panax notoginseng & Astragalus membranaceous])
Focus & Energy Blend 2,500mg
(L-Carnitine L-Tartrate, L-Tyrosine, Caffeine, Rhodiola
Rosea Extract [Standardised to 4% Rosavins & 1%
Salidrosides], KSM66® organic Ashwagandha
standardised to 5% withanolides], Cordyceps)

Monkey Nutrition have not held back with their new preworkout – there are a lot of familiar ingredients but also some you might not have come across before. Coming in at only 15 calories per serving this preworkout isn’t looking to give you a sugar high and by using only traces of sucralose Koba is looking to be different.

The usual suspects are present Creatine, Amino Acids (inlcuding EAA's), Citulline Malate, Taurine, Caffeine etc. Where Koba shines is with the quality of these “basic” ingredients for instance Beta-Alanine, you know the one that makes you tingle, is included in a brand new form CarnoSyn which is designed to massively improve the delay of muscular fatigue.

Now Koba’s secret weapon is Cordyceps which is best described as a mushroom/caterpillar but try not to think about this while drinking it… Cordyceps has been shown to increase ATP production, boost testosterone levels, improve oxygen utilization – resulting in an overall improvement of exercise capacity and a reduction in the onset of exercise related fatigue. Cordyceps gives you a boost similar to caffeine, but without the jittery, over-stimulated side effects.

All this and I’ve still skimmed over some of the ingredients!

Taste

It currently only comes in Lemon and Lime flavour and it is a little bit strong but if you chill it slightly in the fridge its much better. There are definitely better tasting products out there but who drinks a Pre for the taste! It mixes perfectly but it does look a little bit like a nuclear by-product with its bright green appearance.

Side Effects

The new CarnoSyn Beta Alanine gets to work insanely quick and I got a (harmless) tingling in my lips straight after drinking it. No other side effects where noted.

Price

Currently its £35.99 for a tub with 20 servings in.

Results

Monkey Nutritions previous preworkout attempt Dynamite was praised by us for its effectiveness as preworkout but we didn’t like the amount of tablets we had to take – Koba is better than Dynamite in every way. If you’ve tried Dynamite you know that’s high praise.

Koba is awesome. I could leave it there assign it a score and move on but that would be selling Koba short. A preworkout needs to be your gym buddy, its needs to be the little voice in your head that pushes you to get that extra rep. You never get an energy buzz with Koba but rather you get an energy supply that never runs out. It took me a few sessions to realise that I had completed it in record time and with some left in the tank. The pumps are there but not huge, the difference I noticed with Koba is that you can feel the muscle contraction a lot more than usual you can actually feel the muscle firing on all cylinders. As for strength output your body will be working more efficiently so you will be able to lift more weight possibly for more reps. You will break PRs continually. 

Koba looks like The Incredible Hulks urine and doesn’t taste amazing but quite frankly none of that matters because Koba works as a very strong Pre. Monkey Nutrition haven’t given us a breakdown of individual ingredients but rather opted for blends, I always like to know the exact amounts of each ingredients that I’m taking but I imagine this won’t be an issue for anyone else.

As for which of the ingredients are working and which aren’t its impossible to say but what I can say is that together they have blended together to make one hell of a preworkout! Koba ranks among the all time best preworkouts. 9.5/10

You can buy Koba here

XBrain Organic Whey

 

Overview

Here’s what XBrain have to say:

XBrain Whey Protein is an organic whey protein concentrate derived from free-range, grass-fed and hormone-free cows. XBrain Whey Protein is as natural as you can get any whey protein powder, with 98,3% organic content, where the remaining 1,7% is flavour (aroma) and natural stevia.

Nutritional Information

 

All natural is the aim here and it is fully accomplished. This Organic Whey shake has 24.5g of free range, grass fed whey concentrate made using cold processing to retain the full benefit of the proteins profile so it can be better absorbed and used by the body.

You’ll notice that there seems to be a lot of carbs(18g) included but only 0.5g of that is Stevia and the rest is sugars from milk better known as Lactose. So this won’t be too great for the Lactose intolerant among you. Most companies remove the lactose from their whey products but XBrain don’t want to tamper with natures formula.

  

Taste

The banana flavour is very good and it doesn’t taste fake or chemically, it’s an actual banana taste. It’s consistency is a little watery even if you use a lot less water than advised its always thin. The flavour however is spot on and there is no aftertaste or grit.

Side Effects

None

Price

£29.99 for a tub with 18 servings in.

Results

I like what XBrain are trying to accomplish by making their products as “natural” as possible by ensuring that nothing artificial or no nasty chemicals get added in to their formulas. 98.3% of this product is organic and that is very impressive and to be applauded. The amino profile is excellent and although its not listed since this is all organic and the lactose is included it will have an excellent mineral profile as well.

The protein content can’t be questioned or argued with 24.5g of the highest quality possible whey concentrate is going to be beneficial for virtually everyone. The 17.5g of lactose is likely to be divisive amongst people some people thanks to years of conditioning that sugar is bad won’t want to see 17.5g of sugar in their daily shake (don’t worry this kind of sugar won’t make you fat!) others might have a genuine concern thanks to being lactose intolerant. XBrain have obviously opted for a very small amount of Stevia to help with sweetness which is a much better choice than sucralose. I think the profile is pretty great but it’s likely that not everyone will agree.

The taste is much better than I expected from an “Organic” product. It has a nice natural banana taste rather than a fake one with a sweet aftertaste. The price is a bit higher than I’d like to see coming in at £1.66 a serving means its not the cheapest but its not ridiculously pricey. If the organic label and top quality ingredients are important to you then I’m sure you’ll happily pay for the quality. 9/10

You can buy Organic Whey here

Scitec Protein Pancakes

 

Overview

Here’s what Scitec have to say:

It’s time to start thinking of pancakes as part of your fitness diet! Pancakes have never been so popular with athletes before, because of being carbohydrate-laden belly bombs. Our delicious PROTEIN PANCAKE was designed to support the high protein requirements of athletes, including bodybuilders and anyone with an active lifestyle. This product contains 30% of quality protein from multiple popular sources!

With the SCITEC PROTEIN PANCAKE you have more nutritious pancakes always easily available, because they’re quick to prepare. Once you taste our out of this world pancakes, you will never want to go back to regular, low protein pancakes again! As a primary benefit of PROTEIN PANCAKE, you can easily support your muscles with appropriate amount of faster and slower absorbing proteins (Whey, Egg, Casein) in a very pleasant way. 

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 37 g (1 scoop) Servings Per Container: 28
37 g
Energy	659 kJ		Carbohydrates	16 g
	157 kcal		of which Sugars	4.1 g
Fat	5.4 g		Protein	11 g
of which Saturates	2.3 g		Salt	0.62 g

11g of protein in pancakes! Not too bad. I have seen higher amounts in similar product but Scitec’s offering does have a fairly good carb/fat content.

The protein comes mostly from whey with a small amount of egg and casein thrown in. The carbs are fairly clean with the majority coming from Oats. The sugars are quite high at 4g though….

Taste

Phenomenal. That was simple. They really are delicious, it comes in White Chocolate Coconut flavour and it is out of this world. It’s so good that you don’t even need a topping on it.

They are really easy to make and have simple instructions that anyone can follow.

Side Effects

None

Price

£18.99 for a tub with 28 servings in. Each serving made about 2-3 pancakes for me depending on size.

Results

I mean what’s not to love here? Scitec have nailed the flavour here the White Chocolate Coconut is absolutely fantastic its so good I didn’t need a topping on it, although a chopped banana does make it even better! The nutritional content could be a little bit better but since this is a treat product rather than a daily staple that can be forgiven. Yes the protein could be higher and the sugars could be lower but it’s a damn sight better than an actual pancake. I think that this kind of product that encourages healthier options of cheat foods are great for keeping the diet on tract and even better for refeed days.

The price point isn’t too bad with each serving coming in at 67p. That’s 22p a pancake! With a price like that you really can’t complain about any of the slight shortfalls of Scitecs Protein Pancakes. One last thing…White…Chocolate….Coconut….Pancakes. 8.5/10

You can buy Protein Pancakes here

XBrain AminoCharged

 

Overview

Here is what XBrain have to say:

You’re Holding More than a BCAA Formula. You’re holding a BCAA formula that doesn’t follow the crowd. There are no useless filler aminos. No fake tasting artificial sweeteners. And no low-dosed, do-nothing amounts of the key aminos you need to help support improved performance and recovery. What you’re holding is a product that is CHARGED UP with the best, most trusted aminos in the World. We’re talking 9,125 milligrams of BCAAs to help support lean muscle growth and fatigue reduction. 3,650 milligrams of Beta-Alanine to help improve muscular endurance and power. And L-Glutamine and L-Carnitine Tartrate to help support faster workout recovery. Plus, Amino CHARGED™ provides XBrain’s breakthrough RNA Nucleotide complex, which may help to reduce cortisol and support a healthy immune system in athletes. Packed with vitamins, minerals and organic Acai for antioxidant protection too, you’re holding more than a BCAA formula. You’re holding the best, performance product on the market today!

Nutritional Information

 

XBrain have stuck to the tried and tested BCAA ratio of 2:1:1 rather than one of the fancier but unproven 4:1:1 or even 8:1:1 stacks. They haven’t skimped on the doses either you get a total of 9,125mg of the 3 BCAA’s whereas most products would provide between 5,000 – 7500mg. Glutamine is included as well because you can never have too much Glutamine in your diet!

L-Carnitine Tartrate has added in which helps with the transportation of fatty acids for fuel. XBrain’s signature nucleotides stack is included which helps suppress cortisol and promotes protein synthesis.

A surprising inclusion is Acai Powder which is a powerful antioxidant that is rich in vitamins and minerals and is considered a super-food.

Taste

It only comes in Acai Berry and its not bad tasting if you dilute it enough, if you take it with the recommended 250ml of water its very strong but in about 500ml it tastes quite nice and makes a great intra workout drink.

It mixes up well, doesn’t leave any grit or have an unpleasant aftertaste.

Side Effects

None

Price

£37.99 for a tub with 22 servings in.

Results

As with all XBrain products AminoCharged is meticulously dosed and contains more beneficial ingredients than you would expect. First as this is an amino product lets take the BCAAs. You get a massive dose of 9,125mg! That’s the most I’ve seen in a BCAA product. Then you have Glutamine, Carnitine, Nucleotides, Beta Alanine & Acai Powder. That is a powerful recovery, fat burning, cortisol suppressing, performance boosting stack of “extras” to be offering up. None of these are lightly dosed either. The Glutamine is a little bit lower than I’d like to see but as this isn’t supposed to be your sole Glutamine source that’s more than forgivable.

The taste isn’t bad but it’s not brilliant. It doesn’t bloat you or cause any distress. Whilst XBrain recommend a serving before or after training personally I quite liked it as an intra workout failing that I would use it postworkout rather than as a preworkout.

It might be priced slightly out of the majority of people budget at £37.99 for only 22 servings which is a shame because it is a good product. As with all the Xbrain products that I’ve tried this contains nothing artificial or “fake” which is an added bonus for anyone who is health conscious. 8/10

You can buy AminoCharged here

XBrain PreCharged

 

Overview

Here’s what XBrain have to say:

You’re Holding More than a Pre-Workout. You’re holding a “Pre” that is CHARGED with the BEST performance-enhancing ingredients in the World. Creatine, Beta-Alanine, BCAAs and Caffeine - they’re all inside, and properly dosed to help support explosive energy, massive strength, and greater muscular endurance. And that’s not all. You’re holding a “Pre” that’s CHARGED with innovation too. A “Pre” with 14 grams of pure MCT oil to help boost energy and support fat loss. A “Pre” that helps support healthy joints. And a “Pre” that may help reduce cortisol and support a healthy immune system thanks to our breakthrough RNA Nucleotide complex. With 22 naturally flavored and great tasting servings inside, you’re holding more than a Pre-Workout. You’re holding the BEST Pre-Workout you’ll ever use. Guaranteed!

Nutritional Information

 

Not relying on sugars or high amounts of caffeine to power you through a workout seems to be the aim of PreCharged. Providing you with great doses of Glutamine, BCAAs, Creatine.... along with some fat burning ingredients which is slightly unusual. We have Green Tea & L-Carnitine and healthy fats in the form of MCT oil. These should help draw energy from stored fat. There is a modest amount of caffeine to assist with energy but its not the sole or even the primary source of energy.

There is also a healthy amount of Glycine included which is often overlooked in pre and post workout supplementation. Glycine assists with energy production, acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and assists with the uptake of Creatine. A very important yet simple amino-acid.

  

Taste

It only comes in Organic Pomegranate it is an incredibly strong and distinct flavour. In smaller concentrations I found it too strong to drink but once it is sufficiently diluted I could manage it. It mixed up fine and didn’t have an aftertaste but I do think the flavour could use some work.

Side Effects

Slight tingling from the Beta-Alanine but that’s to be expected.

Price

£37.99 for 22 servings.

Results

XBrain really like to go all out on their formulas and this is no exception. Don’t expect PreCharged to be a “sugar rush” pre or a “caffeine buzz” pre, this is a complete preworkout. The formula is incredibly well thought out and meticulously dosed, which is fast becoming the hallmark of an XBrain product.

PreCharged is more about energy and muscular endurance than pump and that’s not a bad thing. With more energy and endurance you will likely find that you can add a few reps to most sets which will lead to a greater pump. The energy itself doesn’t hit you like some pre’s but rather gradually builds over about a half hour period before levelling out at a nice high rather than a spike and crash that overly caffeinated products can provide. The endurance was very good too, I very rarely ran out of energy and usually I some had some left in the tank by the end of the workout.

The taste isn’t great and neither is the price. They are the two down sides to PreCharged. The product itself is great, its well built, it has actual health benefits rather than a standard workout booster and more importantly it does exactly what it sets out to. 7

You can buy PreCharged here

XBrain CreaCharged

 

Overview

Here’s what XBrain have to say:

You’re Holding More than a Creatine Formula. You’re holding the BEST form of Creatine in the World. And, it has been blended with the BEST performance and recovery ingredients to help support your healthy and active lifestyle. In each scoop of Crea CHARGED™ you get a massive 8,395 milligrams of Creatine Monohydrate, which may help support a rapid increase strength, muscle mass, and sports performance. 6,530 milligrams of L-Glutamine is added to help support recovery, alongside the now legendary performance peptide - PeptoPro - which may help enhance physical performance, reduced muscle soreness, improved recovery and muscle growth. Plus, with 750 milligrams of XBrain`s breakthrough RNA Nucleotide complex NucleoChraged™- which helps to reduce cortisol , boosts testosterone and support a healthy immune system in athletes - you’re holding more than a Creatine formula. You’re holding a formula for success.

Nutritional Information

 

8.4g is a pretty high dosage of Creatine Monohydrate but since when has more creatine been a bad thing! In fact the standard 5g of creatine per day is a bit of an underestimate for the majority of male lifters out there. I love the inclusion of Glutamine (in a decent amount as well!) but what really makes this product stand out is the inclusion of Nucleotides and PeptoPro. Now you might not have heard of these but Nucleotides have been proven to lower the catabolic hormone Cortisol which is spiked by stress on the body post workout. PeptoPro is a little bit complicated but in short its peptides (chains of amino acids) from Casein which are readily absorbed into the bloodstream and can really help with muscle growth and repair.

So, yeah, it’s a pretty great post workout Creatine supplement!

Taste

The Organic Black Berry flavour is the only one available and it tastes ok but it is a very strong flavour. It reminded me a little bit of Ribena that hasn’t been diluted properly. You could always add a bit more water to make it a bit easier to drink.

It mixes up very well and doesn’t leave any grit. I never had an unpleasant aftertaste either.

Side Effects

None at all, Creatines is often associated with bloating but high quality creatines very rarely bloat you.

Price

£37.99 for a 400g tub with 22 servings in.

Results

I don’t believe in cycling off Creatine, some lifters like to only use it when bulking or on a strength program but have found it priceless when cutting as well. I often change the brand of Creatine or the form but I use a Creatine product year round. I’ve found the best time to take Creatine is post workout or in the morning if it’s a rest day and I’ve found that I prefer a Creatine capsule for no other reason than often I don’t want another drink.

CreaCharged made me re-evaluate my Creatine choices throughout the years. This almost isn’t a Creatine product, it’s a postworkout recovery product and that’s amazing. XBrain could have just given us Creatine but instead they choose to go one further and mix in quality recovery products to really make CreaCharged stand out in a crowd of supplements. Any product that includes Glutamine in any quantity over 5g automatically has my approval but to also add in peptides and anti-catabolic agents in the form of Nucleotides really shows Xbrains scientific approach to muscle gain. Whilst the anti-catabolic agents would be handy on a cut I would say that CreaCharged would be more effective on a mass gain cycle.

The scientific approach XBrain have taken does come with a  price though and that price is £1.72 a serving. Literally the only downside to this product is the price but you are paying for quality. If CreaCharged ever comes on sale then stock up! We love this product, it is fantastic and if your wallet can take the hit then please give it a go. 8.5

You can buy CreaCharged here

MyProtein Protein Pudding

 

Overview

Here’s what MyProtein have to say:

Protein Puddings are delicious, high protein desserts perfect for a sweet tasting snack to increase your daily protein intake throughout the day. Easy to put in your bag or lunch box, these great tasting puddings are a fantastic addition to anyone’s diet.

Protein Puddings are vanilla flavoured offering a smooth and velvety dessert. To add to the great taste they also boast an incredibly thick and creamy texture, making them perfect for a high protein indulgent snack at whatever time of the day.

These Protein Puddings provide 15g of protein per serving, sourced from milk protein which will contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass.

These Protein Puddings are particularly ideal for anyone looking for a high protein snack that is also low in fat and sugar. They are perfect for an evening protein snack or throughout the day to increase daily protein intake and are best served cold, straight from the fridge.

Nutritional Information

		Per Cup (125g)
Energy		447 kJ/106 kcal
Fat		2.9 g
	of which saturates	1.9 g
Carbohydrate		4.8 g
	of which sugars	1.2 g
Fibre		0.4 g
Protein		15 g
Salt		0.44 g

For what is supposed to be a treat this is a pretty amazing breakdown. The fats and carb content is low enough to be fit in most cutting diets. 15g of protein is fairly low but this is more of an addition to your diet rather than something you’d plan into it.

Taste

It only comes in Vanilla but that’s fine because it’s delicious – it’s surprisingly good a bit like angle delight in its consistency and taste. It’s not very big pudding but just enough o satisfy a craving.

Side Effects

None

Price

£8.99 for 8 pudding pots.

Results

I say it quite a lot but I love supplements that help you keep on a diet. These pudding pots taste great and have a much better nutritional profile than the taste would have you believe. They are pretty cheap, convenient to keep in the fridge for when a craving strikes and have I mentioned that they taste great? A few more flavour choices would be nice but the Vanilla tastes good enough to forgive that. I expected the carbs/sugars to be triple what they are which was a very pleasant surprise – it means that I could have these even on a low carb day which saved my diet more than a few times.

Treats like this fall under the non-essentials bracket, yes they are great but if you on a budget you’ll want to focus on the more important supplements. They do serve a purpose though they allow you to break the diet without doing any real damage to it. If you suffer from constant cravings for a dessert or struggle to keep to a diet then why not give these a shot, they just save you from yourself. 9/10

You can buy Protein Pudding here

XBrain Micellar Casein

 

Overview

Here is what XBrain have to say:

XBrain’s Organic Micellar Casein is a superior protein supplement produced with the utmost care from organic milk using only the gentlest heating and filtration processes. It is free from artificial sweeteners and preservatives, using the healthy, all-natural stevia for its excellent taste. Because of the unique, slow-release properties of casein, it will ensure that your body is in a constant anabolic state throughout the day, making sure that you don’t waste the muscle gain from your workout. It should definitely be added to the muscle gain strategy of anybody who cares about deriving the maximum benefits from their training. 

Nutritional Information

 

Obviously the protein source here is casein but at 18.75g the dose is a little on the light side for me. The carb and fat content looks perfect. XBrain have wisely opted for Stevia over artificial sweeteners.

XBrain clearly believing that less is more and choosing to not add in any extras and let the quality of their product speak for itself.

Taste

I had the Chocolate flavour (Natural and Vanilla also available) and I found the actual flavour very pleasant, not too sweet or sickly, but it was a little bit “thin” for my liking and even when I reduced the water content it still seemed to be thin. It’s a minor issue but I thought I’d mention it. It didn’t have any nasty aftertaste or problems mixing up.

Side Effects

None

Price

£42.49 for a 900g tub with 36 servings in.

Results

XBrain are looking to become the go to brand for all natural, organic and “clean” supplements. They certainly have put a great amount of effort into their Micellar Casein, from beginning to end this has clearly been built to be the best Casein on the market, from the quality of the milk used to using Stevia XBrain really has taken care to make this as “clean” as possible.

The nutritional profile is very good, using Stevia always wins points in my book, I do think the protein content is a little light but that’s not the end of the world. The carb and fat content are kept very low which means this can be easily slotted into any cycle and could have benefits for cutting or bulking.

The taste is pretty good, organic products tend to taste a bit worse than their unhealthier counterparts but it wasn’t too noticeable with this product. The main issue with Micellar Casein is the price point – coming in at £1.18 per serving is simply too expensive. I have virtually no issues with the product itself, in fact I think its very good, but I’m just not sure that I’d be willing to pay for it. If you place a particularly high value on a product being all organic then you might be willing to pay for it but it would be a deal breaker for me. 7.5/10

You can buy Micellar Casein here