So we all know how may pre-workouts are trying to separate you from your cash, but what separates the Mr Hyde Pre Workout from the thousands of its competitors, i have a closer look to find out in the Ultimate Hyde Pre Workout Review.

The Ultimate Mr Hyde Pre Workout Review – What do you get?

Like all good pre workout supplements, Mr Hyde pre workout claims to be “the most extreme and effective pre-workout on the market”.  It states that it is “Loaded with proprietary stimulant blends and the novel pump agent agmatine sulfate”.

I highlighted those two claims for reasons I’ll get to later. Just keep in mind that agmatine sulfate is the one ingredient that Mr. Hyde claims separates it from other pre workouts.

First, let’s start with the ingredients!

Supplement companies love to throw a bunch of ingredients into their pre workout supplements to make them stand out from the others (like “agmatine sulfate!”). Here’s a secret: The  ingredient in a lot of pre workout supplements that you are feeling the buzz from is caffeine. Plain and simple.  The fact is too many supplements are guilty of hiding behind scientific jargon and proprietary blend of ineffective ingredients that have been poorly researched and simply lack real world results. What might even be worse, many of the studies that show positive results are backed by the supplement companies themselves: Never trust anyone who has a vested interest in lying to you.

That’s not to say that caffeine is the only thing you should be looking for on the label.  There’s also plenty of effective vitamins, BCAAs, and legal stimulants that are going to improve your training sessions and gains in the gym. The thing to keep in mind though, unfortunately those ingredients don’t do much in the way of giving you that intense focus and buzz that high does of caffeine does.

They call their energy blend, “Caffeine Matrix,” which sounds cool, sure, but the only thing you have to consider is how much total caffeine there is: 419mg. The regular cup of coffee has about 100-150mg of caffeine, about the same as a can of Monster. One scoop of Mr. Hyde equals about three cups of coffee (or two and a half cans of Monster).

Believe it or not, for a pre-workout, that’s good news. That is, if you can handle it that much caffine in one hit.

It does, however, back up the Mr. Hyde pre workouts original claim that it’s one of the most effective and extreme preworkouts on the market.

But let’s look at their “novel pump agent,” agmatine sulfate. According to Examine, agmatine does not go well with creatine: “Creatine (on the assumption that creatine positively influences NMDA signalling, agmatine works in the opposite manner at the same site; they should not be antagonistic for muscle growth or nitric oxide boosting).” Also, agmatine does not go well with L-Citrulline: “(for some neurological effects; cardiovascular interactions not well elucidated).”

That’s right. Of the four ingredients in their “Strength Matrix” blend, three of them are basically opposing the positive efects of each other. Remember what I said about poor research? Still, when it comes to the most effective ingredient (caffeine), Mr. Hyde can’t be matched.

Looking at the Taste  for the Mr Hyde Pre Workout Review

Having to train after a day wat work, i have always been into my pre workouts, and have had a few tubs of Mr. Hyde over the years. From from experence trying most flavours, Wild Cherry flavor is the best. Talking to friends,  I’ve heard good things about pretty much every flavor except Watermelon. In fact, in almost every poor 1-star review that I’ve seen online, the flavor they bought was watermelon. Another flavor you should probably avoid is the Cotton Candy. It’s got a 6.6 review on bodybuilding.com :s .

My honest opinion when it comes to taste, preworkout is bound to be sweet as hell, and after a month or so you can’t tolerate that flavour you one could.

Price – Mr Hyde Pre Workout Review

You can usually find 15 servings for around $20 or 30 servings for around $30-35. So you are roughly looking at around the $1 per serve, which makes it a quite affordable pre workout.

Keep in mind Mr. Hyde has twice as much caffeine as most other pre workout supplements (C4, for example, has 150mg caffeine). You can take half a scoop of Mr. Hyde and it will be really effective at getting buzzing. Obviously If you want the full effects from the BCAA’s, Beta Alanine and creatine you will need to fully dose.

Side Effects – Mr Hyde Pre Workout Review

Mr. Hyde has a lot of caffeine. Some people have reported having to leave their workouts early because they felt like they were going to pass out. I’ve had that exact same feeling myself, although it was another pre workout. Beside obviously the potential of ruining your workout, it can also ruin your whole day. Best to start low and slowly increase your doses, also be aware that your body will respond differently when you have an empty stomach.

The Conclusion from the Ultimate Mr Hyde Pre Workout Review

Mr. Hyde is an effective  supplement with a pretty insane amount of caffeine (410mg!) as well as a pretty comprehensive BCAA stack and a reasonable amount of Beta Alanine, so it might come with some side effects if you have experienced caffeine sensitivity in the past. However, if you start with slightly less than the recommended dose and work your way up, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Are you looking for a quality protein product at a reasonable price? I have a closer look with our Body Fortress whey protein review to see how it really stacks up. You might be surprised, I was.

Body Fortress Whey Protein Review Nutritional Information

Nutritional Claim Body Fortress whey protein falls into the budget Lean whey protein category. The main claim from the marketers of the “Super Advanced” Whey protein is you will achieve improved recovery though 12G BCAA as well as a “Super recovery” blend. Another interesting claim is that it is “More Powerful than normal whey protein”.

Body Fortress has 30 grams of protein per 50g scoop, so its not too bad for a Whey Concentrate formula. As you would expect, it does have a little more Sugar (3g) and Fat (4g) that you would like but a 200Cals per serve, all but the most extreme dieters will be satisfied.

Where Body Fortress get a little “super advanced” is how it advertises on the packing as a 60g premium protein. What you will find when you flip over the tup and read the nutritional information is that you need to down a huge 100g (two scoops) to get that 60g protein hit. It’s not likely many users can down the 100g shake in a single sitting without entering a comatose state.

Reviewing The Taste of Body Fortress Protein

Body Fortress has a few different flavors on amazon, I could choose from chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and cookies and cream. I know that some companied have heaps of flavors, but as long as the few flavors they have are good, I’m satisfied.

But variety aside, how does it actually taste? It was pretty good, about the middle of the pack from my experience. I recommend chocolate if you are mixing with milk, or cookies and crème if you like to mix with water.

The warning sign of cheaply processed Protein in my experience is chalkiness and having a bitter aftertaste, but I didn’t get any of that with Body Fortress. The flavor is good enough to mask the aftertaste, and while I’ve tried better, it’s tasty for the price.

The Price

A two pound tub of this stuff goes for about $18.50, and has 27 scoops in it. If you take one scoop a day, it’s actually a decent value. You’ll be paying less than a dollar every day to get your protein fix, so it’s good if you’re on a budget.

Some protein brands offer bigger sized tubs for a better value, but the newest edition of Body Fortress does not seem to have that offer. Luckily, it’s still a good value, so no harm done.

What Are the Reviews Saying?

On its Amazon page, Body Fortress has received mostly positive reviews. There are 568 reviews with a total of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Customers seem to love the flavor, how much protein Body Fortress has, and the price. If you’re a bodybuilder on a budget, you may want to check this out. With that said, there are a few negative reviews.

Some are complaining about the formula changing. This is common in the world of protein supplements. The company changes the formula, and the customers preferred the old one. Sometimes, it’s the taste that changes, other times, it’s the texture, and sometimes the nutritional value changes. The complaint about this change is that the product now has less protein per scoop, thus costing more.

Another criticism is the quality of the protein itself. Recently, there has been some controversy about protein supplement companies using amino acids to make their products appear to have more protein than it actually has. Some are saying Body Fortress does that. I don’t know the truth about these supplements, but it comes around to getting what you pay for. This is a supplement for those on a budget, so the quality isn’t going to be as good.

Finally, there are some gripes about the amount of cholesterol in the powder. It gives you 27% of your daily value of cholesterol per serving, so if you’re watching your cholesterol, you may want to look elsewhere.

Body Fortress Protein Review – Pros

• A good value for those on a budget
• Product offers a decent amount of protein per serving
• The taste is good
• Low calorie

Body Fortress Protein Review – Cons

• The quality of the protein is a bit questionable, but you do get what you pay for
• There is a debate over how much protein you get per scoop
• High in cholesterol

Can I Recommend Body Fortress Protein?

Body Fortress is a decent choice if you are on a budget, and a better choice that going with a super budget no name supplier. The reality with protein is that you tend to get what you pay for, so you are not getting the highest quality protein if you’re paying $20 for a bucket of powder, but it still does its job if you need to supplement your protein intake.

It is a good alternative to some of the higher-priced blends. So I can recommend it if you’re low on funds.

Is it weird to call a supplement company sexy? Because BPI sports is a sexy company. Their website is beautiful, their packaging is excellent (seriously try and find any other packaging that is superior), their supplements all taste amazing, and they just ooze class. But does this make for a good supplement? Let’s find out in this 100% No BS 1MR Vortex Review.

1MR Vortex Review First Impression

Whilst the website is gorgeous and gives the impression of being open and honest, it is impossible to find out any information about the company. The owner’s name is nowhere to be found, their lab location is not mentioned, and no history is given. Now there is nothing saying that they need to provide this information, but the lack of it is always a bit of a red flag in the supplement industry.

The product we are looking at today is 1MR Vortex which is a pre-workout supplement, it’s always fun reviewing pre-workouts because 90% are made up of the exact same key ingredients however the companies try to disguise it. Normally by adding some root from South America that one study found to increase Testosterone but every other study found to be as useful as a chocolate teapot.

This isn’t a criticism, pre-workouts should include Caffeine, possibly Creatine, and maybe some BCAAs, anything else is just window dressing. That’s all that is required to improve your training, after that taste, cost, and serving size should be all that matters.

So what are the ingredients?

1MR Vortex contains Glycerol, Indigofera Pulchra extract, Caffeine, White Leadwort extract (root), Securinega extract, Yohimbine HCI, and 20mg of Niacin. So the usual … Caffeine and some weird roots! Well better take a look at the ingredients to see what they offer.

Niacin (20mg)

Whilst Niacin has been shown to increase HDL-Cholesterol (the good cholesterol) the benefits are usually found when taking 1g of Niacin, so much higher than the amount given. One of the side effects of supplementing with Niacin is the ‘Niacin Flush’ a completely safe side effect that causes the face to flush. It’s just a theory but it could be possible for Supplement companies to add Niacin for this effect, so that people taking it assume it is working.

Glycerol

Glycerol is added to pre-workouts to aid in hydration but will only work if you drink sufficient water, taking Glycerol without water would actually lead to dehydration and is used by Bodybuilders just before a show to look as shredded as possible.

Caffeine

Basically the only ingredient required for a pre-workout to be effective! Caffeine has a huge impact on performance. It lowers the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) making exercise appear easier [1], this could be due to it lowering reported pain during exercise [2]. It can also reverse the negative effects of circadian rhythms on training [3] and increase work load when sleep deprived [4].

It can also improve sporting performance [5], power output [6], and intermittent sprinting (HIIT) [7]. So you can see why Caffeine is necessary in a pre-workout. One of the downsides of caffeine however is that the body quickly builds up a tolerance to it, the way caffeine works is that it masks fatigue rather than giving you energy. A subtle but important distinction. The more caffeine you take, the less effect it has. This is why pre-workouts are notorious for having to increase the dosage to feel the results.

Your best bet is to remove all other sources of caffeine from your diet (yes it will be hard) so that you get the benefits from the caffeine. Also, only use pre-workouts for a limited time.

Yohimbine HCI

Yohimbine is a fat-burning compound that has a controversial reputation, it has been shown to decrease body fat in elite athletes [8] and is also a proven to help increase erections [9]. Whether pre-workout is the best time to be getting an erection is another matter entirely. The downside to Yohimbine is that it has been shown to increase anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure [10], not something that you want in your pre-workout if you’re not in great shape.

Indigofera Pulchra Extract

This is a very uncommon ingredient and as such the relevant information available is limited. The Indigofera is a type of flowering plant, and has been used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory. If it has any amazing fat-burning or energy given properties then it is hiding them pretty well!

White Leadwort Extract

According to (sigh) the Herbal Online Pharmacy, White Leadwort extract can be used to boost appetite and to lower blood pressure. The site warns that in high levels Leadwort can cause miscarriages in pregnant women, but that is in high doses and the supplement doesn’t mention how much is contained.

Securinega Root

As with the previous entry, there doesn’t seem to be much information regarding Securinega root. A trawl through the School of Chinese Medicine website unearthed the belief that it could cure impotence and strengthen muscles (though no evidence was presented for this).

The Verdict on 1MR Vortex

Caffeine good, Yohimbine HCI good, Glycerol good. The rest? Rare would be a good term to use here, unheard of in supplements would be another. There doesn’t seem to be much evidence at all surrounding these ingredients, and as a result it is hard to value them. The addition  of White Leadwort Extract makes this pre-workout border on the dangerous side (though no pregnant woman should be taking pre-workouts anyway) and even if it is in safe quantities, what is it achieving?

Taste 1MR Vortex

The reviews of 1MR Vortex are unanimous, this is one of the best (if not the best) tasting pre-workouts on the market. The flavours available include: Fruit Punch, Blue Raspberry, Sour Watermelon, and at least 3 others.

Some reviewers have complained of a lack of consistency in the products, with the same product arriving in different condition on repeat orders. On the whole though, the taste has been praised.

Pros & Cons

There are many pros to this product: Nice packaging, great taste, some decent ingredients, a fair price (currentl $17.94 for 50 servings on Amazon), and it doesn’t contain Creatine. This last one may not be a pro for many but if you are already taking creatine separately (as some studies indicate that caffeine and creatine should not be taken together [11]) then it is nice to have the option.

The cons are: Too many ineffective ingredients, and a lack of transparency over the amounts of each ingredient within the proprietary blend. This means that consumers have no idea how much caffeine, Yohimbine, or anything else there is in each serving. That’s pretty poor considering how important getting the right dose is for performance.

My Final Verdict from the 1MR Vortex Review

1MR Vortex is a pretty decent pre-workout at an affordable price. The lack of transparency is a big letdown though and needs to be addressed if BPI sports want their product to be taken seriously.

References

[1] Rodrigues, L., Russo, A., Silva, A., Picarro, I., Silva, F., Zogaib, P., Soares, D. 1990. Effects of caffeine on the rate of perceived exertion. Brazilian Journal of Medical & Biological Research 23(10): 965-8

[2] Bellar, D., Kamimori, G., Glickman, E. 2011. The effects of low-dose caffeine on perceived pain during a grip to exhaustion task. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 25(5): 1225-8

[3] Mora-Rodriguez, R., Pallares, J., Lopez-Samanes, A., Ortega, J., Fernandez-Elias. 2012. Caffeine ingestion reverses the Circadian Rhythm effects on Neuromuscular performance in highly resistance-trained men. PLoS One 7(4): e33807

[4] Cook, C., Beaven, C., Kilduff, L., Drawer, S. 2012. Acute caffeine ingestion’s increase of voluntarily chosen resistance-training load after limited sleep. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism 22(3): 157-64

[5] Burke, L. 2008. Caffeine and Sports Performance. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 33(6): 1319-1334

[6] Lane, S., Areta, J., Bird, S., Coffey, V., Burke, L., Desbrow, B., Leonidas, G., Hawley, J. 2013. Caffeine ingestion and cycling power output in a low or normal muscle glycogen state. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 45(8): 1577-1584

[7] Pontifex, K., Wallman, K., Dawson, B., Goodman, C. 2010. Effects of caffeine on repeated sprint ability, reactive agility time, sleep and next day performance. The Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness 50(4): 455-64

[8] Ostojic, S. 2006. Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players. Research in Sports Medicine 14(4): 289-99

[9] Ernst, E., Pittler, M. 1998. Yohimbine for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. The Journal of Urology 159(2): 433-6

[10] Sommer, M., Braumann, M., Althoff, T., Backhaus, J., Kordon, A., Junghanns, K., Ehrenthal, D., Bartmann, U., Hohagen, F., Broocks, A. 2011. Psychological and neuroendocrine responses to social stress and to the administration of the alpha-2-receptor antagonist, yohimbine, in highly trained endurance athletes in comparison to untrained healthy controls. Pharmacopsychiatry 44(4): 129-34

[11] Vandenberghe, K., Gillis, N., Van Leemputte, M., Van Hecke, P., Vanstapel, F., Hespel, P. 1996. Caffeine counteracts the ergogenic action of muscle creatine loading. Journal of Applied Physiology 80(2): 452-457

There are plendty of Muscle Pharm Combat protein reviews online, this because it is one of the most popular proteins on the market, So FitnessHacker.com decided to take a closer look and see if there is anything muscle heads and Bro science is missing.

Combat Protein Powder Review – What you get in the Bottle

MP Combat Proteins product major selling point is its propriety blend of Whey concentrate, Isolate and Hydroslate, as well as Miscellar Casein. This makes it a true “one size fits all” solution to maintaining macro consumption.

To understand the idea of “any time of the day” protein, we need to look at the idea of absorption rates, or commonly know as “release time”.

Although it can be a heavy debated topic about what form of protein is best, it is generally accepted that these different forms of protein are processed and absorbed by the body at different rates. Depending on what activity and what time of the day it is, our ideal absorption rate of protein varies. For example, immediately post workout we want to absorb the protein as fast as we can to help minimize muscle breakdown and maximize repair. However, when we have protein before bed to assist with recovery , slower realease protein that feed the muscle repair throughout the night is better.

On top of the protein blend, MP combat also includes a good BCAA stack, as well as a Digestive Enzyme blend that I found really stops the product feeling heavy on the stomach like most proteins do.

At 140 Cals per serve, it really is quite low. Compaints about 4g or carbs are quite common. Realistically this small amount of carbs would be of no concern before or after your workout. the only time 4g of carbs would not be ideal if you were on a calorie restricted diet and using Combat protein primarily as a before bed protein. If this is the case there are better protein blends available.

How does it taste?

Protein shakes are never going to be as nice as the chocolate and ice cream “50 teaspoons of sugar” milkshakes from places like MacDonald’s.  However, the combat protein shake formula has done a great job. Muscle Pharm has given you something, nutritious and guilt free, whilst still being, smooth, creamy and sweet (but not too sweet).

I love the chocolate flavor. It lacked that bad aftertaste a lot of protein shakes that I have tested are known for. It definitely tastes like chocolate, not some funky chocolate substitute. Unfortunately, non of us will ever mistake if for a 1,000 calorie milkshake. But Most importantly, end of my workout I am always looking forward to drinking it. The fact there is no shame attached, I think it makes it tastes that much better.

The Price

On Amazon, it’s available in two or four pound tubs. The four-pound tub is a better value than the two pound is as you would expect. The two costs $13.94 per pound, totaling $27.88 overall, while the four pounds will cost you $9.68 a pound, totaling $38.71.

In a four-pound tub, you get about 52 servings. Which is a really good deal! That’s way less than the benchmarks of $1.00 per serving! When it comes to value, it’s really hard to beat Muscle Pharm’s Combat Protein.

What is Everyone Saying?

Combat has almost 1,400 reviews on Amazon, with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. MP Combat protein seems to have a large repeat buyer base of users, with many claiming they have been using the product for years trouble free.

Most reviewer mention that they enjoy the flavor, weather it be chocolate, vanilla, banana or cookies and crème. Another point that most people are impresses with is that it mixes with tap water well. One user expressing their joy of having “No chunks of protein shoot down my throat”.

Negative Reviews of Combat Protein

However, there are a few negative reviews. No product is going to satisfy everyone, so there are some complaints. Like any product ever made to be put in your mouth, not everyone likes the flavor. In particular, that is chunky and too sweet. Of the few negative reviews, most are for the most part subjective and those making the complaints don’t seem to be on the side of the majority so are of little concern.

However, there is a legitimate complaint. Some reviewers have said that MR Combat protein has been protein spiked. Protein spiking, also known as nitrogen spiking, is a technique some companies do. Basically, there isn’t as much protein in the tub as the product claims there is, and they get away with this by adding amino acids that pass as protein, but the body doesn’t digest it as such. Currently there is a lawsuit against Muscle Pharm. It would be resonable to assume that some kind of shady practices have been taking place. A lot of cheaper products do use this technique, so beware. I’ll go further into this scandal as it develops, see the article here : https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexmorrell/2015/03/12/lawsuits-say-protein-powders-lack-protein-ripping-off-athletes/#6e0fb99b7729

Can I Recommend it?

Combat is definitely tasty, and is well priced per serve if you are on a tight budget. There is some controversy about protein spiking. If this is a concern to you, you might want to wait and see how the lawsuit plays out.

With so many positive reviews and experiences of long time users, I’m sticking with the notion of incident until proven guilty. For that reason, Combat Protein will remain my personal go to general purpose protein.