As many of you know creatine has been on the supplement market since 1993. Creatine is an amino acid metabolite produced endogenously in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It can also be obtained from red meats & fish. In fact you get approximately 5 grams of creatine from 2 pounds of raw meat. Creatine works by regenerating ATP, which is the primary energy source for fast twitch muscle fiber (and all cells). In the “what have you done for me lately” supplement industry creatine often gets sold short (have to be careful with that term these days with everything happening on Wall Street). There is not a supplement on the market with more peer reviewed studies proving its effectiveness. That being said creatine is kind of a victim of its own popularity it has more myths about it than a poem written by Homer. The genesis of these began when the medical community assumed the increased plasma creatinine levels were a sign of kidney dysfunction (creatinine is a marker used to measure kidney function; it is a mixture of two creatine molecules). Creatinine is also the by-product of creatine. Well the hysteria stopped when researchers discovered a proportional amount of creatinine in the urine of creatine users. This was accomplished by performing a creatinine clearance test which is used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (the standard test for kidney function). Aside from other silly “side effects” (I can’t stand the term side effects, as they are all effects whether intended or not) charged to creatine, many supplement companies have used creatine as an ingredient in their products but have tried to put their own spin on it.

We have seen numerous forms of creatine from the original form, creatine monohydrate to creatine ethyl ester with each company marketing that their’s does not bloat, is absorbed better, you get the idea, creatine has been marketed many ways. So many companies have continued to use creatine because of how effective it has been demonstrated to be. Many companies have been successful in spreading the myth that creatine monohydrate will bloat you but their unique, patented form will not. Really does creatine bloat you that much? It is not the same as sodium which increases subcutaneous fluid beneath the skin, as sodium sits outside the cell. On the other hand creatine draws water into muscle cells (making the cell more anabolic). Many users felt bloated from creatine because the first creatine products they took were MuscleTech Cell-Tech or EAS Phosphagen HP, both of which boast 35 grams of sugar per scoop. Taking in that much sugar (add in the “loading phase”) would bloat anyone with or without creatine. There are many more assertions charged to creatine that could fill a book, I guess it comes with the territory when you are the top dog.

Beta-alanine is the new kid on the block (a.k.a. the right stuff, forgive the reference I had do it). Beta-alanine hit the ground running when peer-reviewed studies demonstrated its effectiveness by increasing carnosine levels. Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is a di-peptide composed of the amino acids beta alanine and histidine. It buffers H+ (acid) and is needed for muscles to function properly during intense exercise. Specifically it must be present to maintain intracellular pH. Originally, supplemental carnosine was touted to increase carnosine levels. Later it was discovered carnosine was not being absorbed in its native state, rather it was beta alanine that was needed to increase carnosine levels. Many companies add L-histidine, but it is not necessary as the body has plenty to spare.

To further explain the synergy between creatine and beta alanine we must first cover the human energy systems:

The Phosphagen System uses ATP which is immediately available cellular energy. It is not stored ATP being used, as muscle cells can store only very limited amounts. Rather it is from energy stored as creatine phosphate. Since muscle cells have limited stores of ATP creatine is the golden nugget so to speak. Creatine is broken down in a rapid reaction to regenerate ATP, by donating a phosphate to ADP. The creatine used with this system is converted to creatinine (previously mentioned). A good way to think about the phosphagen energy system is a funny car racing down a drag strip for an explosive & unsustainable bout (~ 3 seconds).

Anaerobic Glycolysis is the primary system used in reactions that require short bursts of energy, i.e. fast twitch muscle fiber. As pyruvic acid builds up (later converted to lactic acid via fermentation), glycolysis slows down, this is the burning sensation felt in your muscles as you reach the lactate threshold. The lack of oxygen (oxygen debt) in glycolysis is the rate limiting factor as pyruvic acid must be metabolized aerobically. The tolerable oxygen debt is determined by ones fitness level, a.k.a. lactate threshold. A good a way to think about Glycolysis is a runner sprinting 100 meters at a pace unsustainable for much longer than ~15 seconds.

Aerobic metabolism is responsible for metabolizing pyruvic acid (the by product of glycolysis, see above), which is then processed through the Kreb’s Cycle to produce ATP (the details of which we will skip as we are focusing on anaerobic pathways). The waste products of aerobic metabolism are CO2 (carbon dioxide, which is an acid) and water. CO2 is released via exhaling and Oxygen (O2) is inhaled as glucose is burned which is then run through the Kreb’s cycle to produce ATP. Aerobic metabolism can run for a long time, akin to a marathon run or other long, paced endurance events. It is not used for explosive bursts as it is too slow of a reaction to function in such explosive movements. In other words the body does not have enough time to burn fatty acids and glucose for quick, explosive movements.

Please find below a couple of tables outlining the energy systems and how they are applied.

Muscle Fiber Explanations

Muscle Fiber	Energy System Used	Time to Exhaustion	Examples
Type I Slow Twitch	Predominantly Aerobic	2 Hours	10K Run or marathon
Type II Fast Twitch	Predominantly Glycolytic	15 Seconds	100 meter sprint
Type IIB Fast Twitch	Phosphagen	1 Second	5 meter sprint

Table 1

Most muscles are a combination of all of the above muscle fibers, the distribution of each is determined by the type of training one is doing. It’s important to note the energy systems used when training vary by not only what type of training one is doing but also one’s fitness level and genetic potential. Also most activities involve the use of a combination of the energy systems above (see the table below).

Creatine and Beta Alanine Training Applications

Power Output	Activity	Energy Systems	Creatine / Beta Alanine Effective
100%	Olympic lifts, high jumps, 5-yard sprint, vertical jumps (All performed at max effort)	Almost exclusively phosphagen	Both Very Helpful
80%	100 Meter sprint	Predominantly phosphagen	Both Very Helpful
60%	200 Meter Sprint	Mix of all three systems but predominately glycotic	Both Very Helpful
40%	400 Meter Run 100 Meter swim	Mix of all three systems but predominately glycotic	Both Very Helpful
30% 20%	4 minute mile run Elite Pace 5K	VO2 Max Range/Aerobic	Both help but not as effective with these systems
10%	Elite marathon pace Jogging Walking	Aerobic	Little to no effect

Table 2 Creatine And Beta Alanine Training Applications (Info adapted from H.G. Knuttgen, “Strength Training and Aerobic Exercise Comparison and Contrast,” Journal of Strength Conditioning Research 21 no. 3 (2007): 973-978.)

Creatine and beta alanine have been demonstrated to have a synergistic effect as creatine will regenerate ATP and beta alanine buffers lactic acid. As outlined above both factors can be rate limiting. In a study published by the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism creatine and beta alanine were found to increase lean muscle tissue, performance, and body fat composition than either supplement alone or placebo. In fact numerous peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of both of these supplements. This can’t be said of many other supplements on the market, as few can boast such a direct effect on performance which leads to increased muscle tissue. So next time you are looking for the next great supplement look no further than creatine and beta alanine.

Beta Alanine Supplements:

Optimum Nutrition Threshold $24.49

Primaforce Beta-Alanine $28.99

Molecular Nutrition Peak Beta $33.99

Creatine Supplements:

Gaspari Nutrition Size On $41.99

Kaizen Creatine Monohydrate $31.95

Creatine and Beta Alanine Supplement:

CNP Professional Pro GF $28.95

Lately, I’ve been on a mission to find the best pre-workout drink available (see my previous post on Maximize from IForce). Again, I am not a huge fan of nitric oxide products personally, but after getting an exhaustive amount of inquiries, I’ve concluded that I might actually be the only one on the planet who cannot claim to have had lengthy affairs with several of them. After watching an elderly gentleman get robbed by what appeared to be an unruly mob of NO-Xplode-toting 8th graders on bicycles from my office window, I have officially adopted the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mentality” (the pre-workout drink users, not the prepubescent bicycle gang, however tempting).

In either case, despite its purported effect, there is probably not enough of it to do anything at all. Was this the studied amount? Or did the study use something like 10g of ACTINOS₂IR, which would yield 40kcal, assuming it was purely amino acids? See the bait-and-switch here? Don’t fall for it. (*Note: if someone reading this has seen or can find the studies to perhaps clarify things a bit, by all means leave a link in the comments. I gave up after two hours.)

Taste/Mixability:

The powder both tastes good and mixes fine. You would expect something that contains 11g of carbohydrate per serving to taste good – they don’t need to use as many artificial sweeteners. It is when you try to flavor some of the lower/no-carbohydrate pre-workout drinks that you run into trouble. I tried the orange flavor and it was enjoyable, although, as mentioned above, I kept hoping for the drink to turn black as night when I mixed it due to the product’s name (it wasn’t – just light orange). I think that’d be hilarious to have in the gym with you – e.g. “what are you drinking, tar?”

If you guys want, I’ll make a product like that and sell it through Best Price. Imagine the marketing possibilities! “Unlock the anabolic potential of the color black! It’s like becoming a blind-man dropped into a black hole – instantly! You have to take it every other day because if you don’t, you will actually go blind! Our warehouse operators have to wear night vision goggles when we produce it!” You get the idea. Seriously, though, let me know. If not, I can always just sell it to MuscleTech.

Effect:

I did not notice any effect from this product. I may be slightly desensitized to caffeine at this point, but I still didn’t really “feel it”. Same with the beta-alanine - usually if you get a high enough dose of it you get a harmless tingling sensation on your skin known as paresthesia. I did not feel it.

Final Thoughts:

I think that the price of this product does not really justify its effectiveness. I’m trying to be fair in my assessment; I just feel that sometimes everyone is missing the forest for the trees with things like this. You’d be amazed how many people are not getting in enough protein, not getting enough essential fats, and not getting enough calories, and yet they keep going from one pre-workout supplement to the next because they feel like that’s the missing link in their supplement and training regimen. There is usually no protein in any of these supplements. You can’t synthesize new muscle tissue (which is composed of proteins) without ingesting protein. That’d be like me asking you to build a house without giving you any bricks. It doesn’t matter how motivated you are. If you still want to try it, go ahead. We offer the 20-packet size for only $18.99. I’m not trying to get you to NOT buy something from us. I just think there are better things available - in the pre-workout category and overall - and that’s my honest opinion. Feel free to call us at (800) 499 – 4810 and we can make some suggestions if you like, or hop on the live chat. The bottom line is that you should find something that you enjoy drinking and drags you off the couch if you’re a bit low on energy. If it tastes good and has some performance enhancing ingredients in it, it’s a win-win proposition. Just remember why you’re taking these products and what they do (and, perhaps more importantly, what they don’t do). I want your business, but I want you to come back, too. And the best way for me to do that is to make sure you’re buying things that work, and that help you meet your individual goals. And if you have tried the product before, give us a review! Here’s the links:

MRI Black Powder 20 Packets

MRI Black Powder 1.76 LBS

Citation:

HH Schmidt, TD Warner, K Ishii, H Sheng, and F Murad. 1992. Insulin secretion from pancreatic B cells caused by L-arginine-derived nitrogen oxides. Science, Vol 255, Issue 5045, 721-723.

IForce Maximize:

When I got my first sample packet of Maximize I was skeptical – that is, until I saw the ingredients. I can unequivocally say that this is one of the first products that I was legitimately excited about before I even tried it. Having been away from pre-workout products for several years due to my distaste for the vast majority of them, I’ll share with you why Maximize made me a believer and why I think it might convert you too.

Ingredients: Here is the bread and the butter, ladies and gentlemen. Maximize is actually the equivalent of roughly four products in one, and here’s why: It’s comprised of five “matrices”, (think of them as categories, unless you’re a Keanu Reeves fan, then think of them as Trinity in a black trench coat with her hair slicked back carrying numerous fully automatic weapons… wait, what?) at least four of which actually could be individual products in and of themselves. Furthermore, IForce actually discloses how much of each individual ingredient you are getting. Don’t think this is a big deal? Take a peek at the label of your current favorite pre-workout drink. See that word – “proprietary”? That’s the supplement industry equivalent of a big middle finger pointed your direction. Because whatever company chose to use that word doesn’t want to tell you how much of each ingredient they actually use. Sure, they’ll tell you they don’t want to disclose the amounts because they’re trying to protect their formula from their competitors – which might be a legitimate concern, but only to a point. What’s really happening is they don’t want you to know that they’re engaged in a practice industry insiders refer to as “pixie-dusting”. Pixie-dusting means that they sprinkle a very small amount of an ingredient into a product solely so they can put it on the label. The most frustrating part is the reputable companies will indignantly assure you that they’re not doing that, but how would you ever know? You couldn’t… until now. IForce actually tells you. There is no proprietary blend. In an industry where honesty is in short supply, it’s refreshing to see some. Anyway, this concludes my rant on proprietary blends (for now), moving on to the product.

1. The first matrix is the “plasma expansion matrix”. Dubious name aside, let’s take a look:

-Arginine Ethyl Ester HCL 2000mg

-Arginine Pyroglutamate 1000mg

-L-Ornithine HCL 500mg

-L-Citrulline Malate 500mg

Honestly, this isn’t earth-shattering, but for those that are chemically inclined, IForce did have the foresight to include all the intermediaries of the urea cycle, which produces arginine as a by-product. So as I am a bit skeptical how much you can actually manipulate your body’s homeostatic mechanisms to induce vasodilation to a greater extent than what is normal when you exercise, at least IForce is showing some base chemistry knowledge here. Trust me, just like honesty, you’d think it’d be a prerequisite to be in the supplement industry, but no dice.

2. The next matrix is the “creaplex matrix”. Only two ingredients here:

-Creatine Gluconate 2000mg

-Creatine Orotate 2000mg

I’m very pleased with two things – the amount of creatine in total (4g) and the two types of creatine used. Creatine gluconate gained its notoriety from Gaspari Nutrition’s Size-On product and is simply a creatine molecule bonded to gluconic acid (for our purposes, gluconic acid is basically glucose). Orotate is more of the same – creatine bonded to orotic acid. However, there is some evidence that orotic acid itself is ergogenic (performance-enhancing). One theory is that there is a chemical pathway that allows orotate to boost beta-alanine, and ultimately, carnosine levels. Here’s a visual aid so you know I’m not just making this up:

Now, I’m the first one to tell you that you don’t “need” novel creatine compounds and creatine monohydrate will do just fine, but the creatines in Maximize I do personally prefer over other novel creatines like Kre-Alkalyn and creatine ethyl-ester. In any case, at least you know you’re getting 4g of creatine, that’s the take home point. It’s nice to debate one form of creatine versus the other ad infinitum, but bottom line: get about 5g of creatine a day regardless of form.

3. The next matrix is the “muscle integrity matrix”. I like to think my muscles are upstanding and moral already (okay, bad joke), but let’s check it out anyway:

-L-Leucine 1500mg

-L-Isoleucine 750mg

-L-Valine 750mg

-Taurine 1500mg

-L-Glutamine 1000mg

Okay, so the first three are just good ol’ branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). Just to be fair, I’ll admit up front that I’m biased. I hate BCAAs. Look, I get it, they’re insulinogenic (i.e., they cause an insulin spike). Insulin’s a very anti-catabolic hormone. Great, let’s conclude BCAAs can cause a rise in blood plasma insulin levels, no argument here. They also can be metabolized directly by muscle tissue. Even better, right? But here’s the kicker, guess what else does the exact same things? It’s not some rare growth fraction found in virgin rabbit’s whey or an obscure herb that only grows in the Amazon during the winter solstice and is guarded by a cooperating team of panther assassins (actually, that would be awesome and now I’m disappointed). Nope. It’s carbohydrates! Whoa, earth-shattering stuff here.   Seriously though, my criticism is two fold:

1) They market BCAAs as if they will add 30lbs. of muscle overnight. Someone tell me how you can take 3 amino acids and make structures (proteins, and therefore tissues) that usually contain 10-20 amino acids. If I hired you as a chef and told you to make a fruit salad that contained at least 10 different kinds of fruit, but I gave you only bananas, oranges, and blueberries, could you do it? You’d quit that job.

2) Any quality protein is rich in BCAAs. That’s right, chicken, egg whites, whey; they all have BCAAs already in them. But hey, you can’t sell egg whites for $30 for a 1LB container, can you?

The nice part was, I recently spoke with an IForce representative and he didn’t make any of the claims most companies do, and he didn’t assert that BCAAs were superior to whole proteins. He said, “We used a small but clinical amount that has been shown to be sufficient to activate the mTOR pathway.” Okay. At least there are no lies in that statement. Does activating the mTOR pathway (like insulin does, among other things) result in greater net protein synthesis? I think the jury’s still out on that. So, what’s the take home point? There’s nothing inherently wrong with BCAAs. Just don’t market them as something they’re not. You can gain muscle without the BCAAs by themselves, but you can’t gain lean tissue without whole proteins. Draw your own conclusions.

Taurine is predominantly an osmolyte – something that affects osmosis. A cell volumizer, if you prefer. It pulls water into muscle cells, which is good. I’m on board. Glutamine does not need to be rehashed here. It’s the most abundant amino acid in the body. It can’t hurt. It doesn’t “decrease soreness”, but that’s a debate for another day. I’m neutral about glutamine.

4. Next up, the “cognitive blitz matrix”. This is another area where the product shines. It’s really akin to a “fat-burner” you would normally pay an extra $30-$50 per month for. Without further ado:

-L-Tyrosine 750mg

-Caffeine 200mg

-Acacia 100mg

-Synephrine 50mg

-Geranium Oil 25mg

Okay, 200mg of caffeine is just about right for me. Not too much, not too little (keep in mind I’m listing the amounts in two scoops, you can always just take one to assess your tolerance). L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that’s a precursor to your catecholamines, like adrenaline and noradrenaline. When combined with stimulants like caffeine, it seems to make them “kick” harder, which makes sense from a physiological standpoint. Acacia contains tryptamine alkaloids which have beneficial psychoactive properties in humans (e.g. focus, clarity). Synephrine is from the citrus aurantium tree, the fruit of which is commonly referred to as bitter orange. It has a stimulant effect. These are all pretty consistent with a typical fat-burner, as I noted above. My favorite ingredient, by far, is the geranium oil. Despite this not actually being a scientific term and just referring loosely to some extracts from the geranium plant, it makes you feel incredible. Intense concentration mixed with a floating feeling, if I had to describe it. It’s hard to explain, but I urge you to try it and see. The IForce representative described it as “tunnel-vision”, and I really do think that’s fair after using it a few times now. Let me stress that it is completely different from the typical caffeine buzz/overstimulation feeling.

5. Finally, the “phospho-support matrix”:

There’s really no need to discuss this one in depth, it contains calcium, magnesium, and potassium phosphates, along with phosphorous itself. You won’t cramp, and it will keep your mineral stores from being depleted from hard training. Narangin, if anyone is wondering, is the flavanoid found in grapefruit that helps absorption.

(And, not specific to any matrix on the label, there are assorted B-vitamins that help optimize the whole spectrum of metabolic reactions.)

Taste/Mixability/Drinkability: Right now, Maximize is only available in raspberry lemonade. The flavor is fine, actually surprisingly gentle, and really, are you taking these products because of how they taste? Add some Crystal Light if it’s a concern.

It mixes just fine, not a lot of sediment at the bottom of the shaker and what was there did not remain after some gentle re-shaking. It’s not heavily carbonated, like another popular pre-workout drink that will remain unnamed. I don’t feel nauseous or anything after drinking it, which is a problem for me with some other pre-workout drinks, as well.

All things considered, I highly recommend this product. You do not get overwhelming “energy”, but you do get a razor-sharp mental edge and a definite ergogenic effect. As with anything, the performance-enhancing effect is going to be largely individual. I notice greater endurance, less perceived need for rest between sets, less perceived fatigue, and increased blood flow. Don’t get me wrong, Maximize will give you that “wakey-wakey” feeling and clean-burning energy you need to get off the couch and in the gym, just not too much (which I appreciate). Given the choice between greater increased performance and a caffeine-headache, I’ll take the performance benefits, all day. Anyway, as someone who does not work for IForce and is not motivated to sell this product in particular (granted, I want you to buy something from our website), as well as someone who has tried pretty much every pre-workout drink available, this one is one of the best. As I said in the first paragraph, I had high expectations for the product and I was not disappointed.

Here’s a link to the product itself, where you can purchase it, leave a review, or see what others have said about it:

IForce Maximize $34.99

With the phenomenon of blogging sweeping the Internet, we have finally decided to throw our hat into the ring. Whether you’re a long-time customer or just a curious first-timer who followed a link here, we appreciate your interest in Best Price Nutrition. Never before have we been given the opportunity to clarify who we are or why we’re here on your computer screen – an opportunity we’re excited about. So, without further ado, Best Price Nutrition was founded in 2000 by a group of like-minded individuals with backgrounds in science and education. At the time, we were unable to find a value-based web service that had a knowledgeable, readily accessible customer service staff that was up to our standards. We know its cliché, but there was a niche, and we decided to fill it. We thought people might like to get their product fast, too, so we decided to never deal with unreliable middlemen and simply acquired our own warehouse because we wanted to control all the variables ourselves. You’d be surprised how many discount sites on the web are simply affiliates who don’t have their own inventory. This greatly compromises their ability to offer superior customer service. Suddenly, it was starting to look like a business model! The rest, as they say, is history, and our ten-year anniversary is fast approaching. It gives us a certain sense of satisfaction to look back and think about the sheer volume of people we’ve been able to reach. We have been cited with numerous accolades for this service, including being a 2008 Biz Rate Gold Honoree in the following categories: ease of site use, on-time delivery, overall satisfaction, customer service/support, products meeting expectations, and likelihood to shop again, and a 2008 Better Business Bureau Complaint Free Award. We strive for continuous improvement and fear complacency, so we’re constantly searching for new ways to add value to our service. This blog will serve as another mouthpiece for you to tell us how.

The origin of this blog, then, is similar to our origins – the desire to offer another unique, value-intensive service. It has also sprung forth organically from our distaste for the nonsense that many of the other health and fitness blogs spew forth without regard. This is, in large part, a “me too” industry riddled with copycats who think they can use inferior ingredients to imitate their way into a quality product. Call us crazy, but we have an affinity for hard data and clinically proven results. As mentioned above, we still cling to our science roots, so we’re sticklers for research standards and we will intensely scrutinize anything before we submit the results to you, the reader. Similarly, you won’t find any videos on the best new exercises that we’ve invented and named after ourselves or research that was conducted in our basements. What you will find, first and foremost, is useful and applicable information that is relevant to the industry. We’re also well connected, so stay on the look out for some guest bloggers with exciting content – both written and otherwise (videos, podcasts). Yup, we’re pretty important – kind of a big deal. We might even have a leather-bound book or two. All kidding aside, what we can promise you is to bring our intense passion for what we do to this blog, and we hope that you will reciprocate by making us a part of your daily Internet routine. We promise you won’t be disappointed.