| Nitric Oxide products have enjoyed a long history as | | | | ingredients" when in fact they are the binders that |
| premier muscle builders. Along with creatine, they | | | | hold the tablet together and don't do anything as a |
| define the pre-workout market! I am going to define | | | | supplement. It does have some cool things like NAD |
| "nitric oxide" a little differently than most, because I | | | | (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) and L-Citrulline |
| view nitric oxide products as ones that don't contain | | | | Monohydrate but the last ingredient, the L-Citrulline is |
| creatine. There is nothing wrong with creatine, but it | | | | last on the list, making it a very, very small quantity. |
| isn't a nitric oxide product just because it contains | | | | Too bad, because Citrulline is a very cool ingredient |
| some arginine. Most of these kitchen sink products | | | | that can help boost NO. NAD is an energy co-factor |
| on the market contain everything from neurotropics | | | | and a pretty cool ingredient, that can give you natural |
| to arginine to creatine in an effort to boost | | | | energy, which is a good addition. |
| performance, but to me they miss the mark | | | | The final product is Anadraulic Pump from LG |
| completely. I feel that mixing everything together in | | | | Sciences. It is a bit different, since it is a drink vs pills, |
| one big scoop just isn't effective! That being said, | | | | but it has some interesting ingredients for building |
| luckily there are true NO products on the market | | | | pumps and increasing focus. It includes the usual |
| that don't rely on creatine to boost their pumps and | | | | suspects for boosting NO, L-Arginine HCL and |
| use the power of arginine and arginine co-factors to | | | | L-Arginine AKG, but also L-Arginine Nitrate which is a |
| give you wicked pumps in the gym. Unfortunately | | | | new ingredient that combines the power of natural |
| the studies on Arginine products are not very | | | | nitrates in foods like beets with L-Arginine. It's pretty |
| supportive for their desired function, increasing NO2. | | | | new, so there is no true data on it, but the |
| First on the list is NO2 (R) from MRI, the company | | | | manufacturer of this particular ingredient swears you |
| that put NO on the map! NO2 is currently sold as | | | | can "feel" it. Anadraulic Pump also contains other |
| NO2 - Black and it contains the same basic formula of | | | | amino acids meant for increasing performance like |
| L-Arginine AKG as the original formula along with | | | | L-Taurine, L-Alanine, L-Aspartic Acid, all of which are |
| some new co-factors that help supposedly improve | | | | shown in the literature to increase athletic |
| the conversion to Nitric Oxide. NO2 - Black contains | | | | performance. Taurine is popular in energy drinks for |
| Arginine alpha-Ketoglutarate (A-AKG) 3000.00 mg | | | | its energy boosting benefits, L-Alanine is similar to |
| along with the NO2 Black Proprietary Blend 150.00 mg | | | | Glutamine, being used up when you exercise and |
| Alpha-Lipoic Acid (thioctic acid) ACTINOS2 Whey | | | | Aspartic Acid may increase stamina and physical |
| peptide Fraction. Let's look at these ingredients one | | | | performance. Finally it has Quercetin, which may |
| by one to discuss their role in NO production. A-AKG | | | | boost athletic performance and will also stop the |
| is a staple performer for NO products, it is simply | | | | body from reducing the enzyme responsible for |
| L-Arginine mixed with a krebs cycle intermediate | | | | destroying L-Arginine. This enzyme reducing effect |
| alpha-ketogluterate. It probably has some absorption | | | | should really help the conversion of Arginine to NOS, |
| benefits over straight L-Arginine, since I believe that | | | | which is the point of pump products. Finally, it |
| peptides are better than singular amino acids for | | | | contains Geranium Oil Extract #105-41-9, which is a |
| passing through the intestine. The other ingredients | | | | stimulant that will give you a natural energy boost |
| are a bit of a mystery. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a | | | | prior to working out. Being a powder, it has a flavor |
| great anti-oxidant, and is certainly good for you but I | | | | called "Citrus Blast" which tastes similar to weak |
| am not exactly sure how really benefits NO | | | | "Tang(R)" I suppose. It is pretty tasty and I actually |
| production. A quick literature search does show that | | | | looked forward to drinking it. |
| it could help with NO production in diabetic patients, | | | | Each product delivers on it's promise to give you NO |
| so it is possible it helps. The ACTINOS2 is a whey | | | | boosting Arginine, along with co-factors. I feel the |
| protein fraction that is supposed to help upregulate | | | | best are NO2 - Black and Anadraulic Pump, then it |
| eNOS, which is an enzyme that converts Arginine to | | | | comes down to whether you want the simple |
| Nitric Oxide. Unfortunately, I am not sure what this | | | | formula in NO2 or the more advanced powder on |
| fraction is, so we will have to take their word for it. | | | | Anadraulic Pump, specifically the inclusion of the |
| Still, NO2 Black is a solid choice for an NO product | | | | Geranium Oil Extract, that gives you a stimulant |
| and since it started the revolution it is the "champ". | | | | boost. If you want a pill, stick with NO2, but if you |
| Force Factor (R) is a brand that was completely born | | | | want a powder, with some cool free form amino |
| on the internet. They have some seriously | | | | acids and a razor sharp stimulant, you should try |
| outrageous advertising, but that aside, let's look at | | | | Anadraulic Pump. Both products have a healthy dose |
| the ingredients and see what they have to offer | | | | of Arginine, which can also help with fat loss and are |
| over NO2. It contains some very familiar ingredients | | | | consumed with lots of water during the day to make |
| such as Arginine alpha-Ketoglutarate (A-AKG), | | | | them active. There are lots of products with creatine |
| Arginine Ketoisocaproate (A-KIC), L-Arginine | | | | in them that take on the "NO" title, but I still don't |
| Monohydrate, which are all similar forms of L-Arginine | | | | feel that those are TRUE nitric oxide products, since |
| bonded to krebs intermediates. This I hate, they use | | | | they tend to have everything thrown together and |
| ingredients like Di-Potassium Phosphate, Calcium | | | | should be put into the creatine category. |
| Phosphate and magnesium stearate as "active | | | | |