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Gorilla Mode Nitric Pre-Workout is the most potent and comprehensive stimulant free pre-workout on the market in ALL aspects. All angles of saturating the muscle with blood and hydration have been addressed in this formula and are quite literally maxed out. https://youtu.be/iFlmwQXBs6U Gorilla Mode Nitric Supplement Facts Per Full Daily Dose: L-Citrulline – 10,000 mg Creatine Monohydrate – 5000 mg Betaine Anhydrous – 4000 mg GlycerPump™ (65% Glycerol Powder) – 4000 mg Malic Acid – 3000 mg Agmatine Sulfate – 1500 mg Nitrosigine® (inositol-stabilized arginine silicate) – 1500 mg Sodium Nitrate – 1500 mg VasoDrive-AP® (isoleucyl-prolyl-proline (IPP) and valyl-prolyl-proline (VPP) isolated from hydrolyzed milk casein) – 254 mg Gorilla Mode Nitric Vs. Other Pre-Workouts On The Market This is the most maxed out stimulant free pre-workout formula on the market in all aspects. It is also the most comprehensive formula that targets nitric oxide (NO), vasodilation and intracellular hyper-hydration from multiple angles, while maintaining top end dosages across all of those pathways. We completely saturate the traditional Arginine–eNOS–nitric oxide (NO) pathway with a massive 10 gram dose of L-Citrulline, 1.5 grams of Nitrosigine and 1.5 grams of Agmatine Sulfate. The often neglected nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway is also topped out with a 1500 mg dose of Sodium Nitrate. A high level of intracellular hyper-hydration is achieved with 5 grams of Creatine Monohydrate, 4 grams of Glycerpump and 4 grams of Betaine Anhydrous. We also addressed the enzyme angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) with VasoDrive-AP®, which acts as an ACE inhibitor and significantly increases vasodilation.  Finally, we have 3 grams of Malic Acid added in on top of the 10 grams of pure L-Citrulline to act as a Krebs cycle intermediary and counter lactic acid buildup during training. Some of these pathways are so maxed out that we could have easily just chosen one of them and sold the product for $39.99 and still had one of the most potent pre-workouts in the industry. Instead, I packed it all into one absurd product that clocks in with over 30 grams of efficacious active ingredients per full dose. It was incredibly expensive to create, but I am very happy with how it turned out, and I am not exaggerating when I say that this pre-workout is absolutely unmatched. Basically, I just included exactly what I would want to see in a stimulant free pre-workout, even at the obvious detriment of our margins. This product is even more potent than Gorilla Mode when it comes to pure pump and performance. The full daily dose is 2 scoops. Even a half dose (1 scoop) is still far more potent than the majority of other pre-workouts out there at their max dosages. This is another product I wanted to be head and shoulders, clear as day, superior to everything else in the industry. Just like in my description of how Gorilla Mode stacks up to other products in this industry, we can actually back up why our product is better than the rest. When (insert fitness influencer name here) launches their own supplement line, they will regurgitate the same story about how their products are effectively dosed, only use the highest quality ingredients, blah blah blah. They don't even know what they're selling half the time, let alone what combinations of ingredients work synergistically, or how to dose a product properly. They employ others to manufacture their products, or use a pre-made formula their manufacturer uses for every company where they just slap a different label on it and sell it for a huge margin. At the end of the day, most fitness influencers have no idea what goes into making an effective product. They don't know how their products work, they probably wouldn’t even use them if they didn’t sell them, they didn't formulate them, and they have to pay the overhead involved with having a team under them who is responsible for all of that. As you’ve already experienced with Gorilla Mode and Gorilla Mind Nootropics, it is me formulating the products, and they work because I actually put in them what I would want in a product and buy myself if I didn’t have a company. The same applies with Gorilla Mode Nitric. If I didn’t have this product, for an effective stim-free pre-workout I would probably be mixing up 6000-10,000 mg of L-Citrulline for vasodilation (with 6000 mg being the bare minimum of pure L-Citrulline, not Citrulline Malate, and would be dependent on my budget at the time), a saturation dose of Creatine Monohydrate (5000 mg), 3000-4000 mg of Glycerpump to hyper-hydrate the muscle with water, and maybe a quarter teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt. The fact that a significant amount of supplement companies will skimp out on Creatine Monohydrate and either not include it at all, or only include a subpar dosage, really sheds light on how scammy this industry can be. That is the cheapest ingredient they could easily dose properly, and even that they won't shell out the money for in their formulas. It’s not hard to put 5 grams of Creatine in a pre-workout, and it is actually pretty cheap to put in there. The reason is, they want you to go buy their creatine product, and will intentionally manipulate their ingredient profile to be deficient in several areas to make you buy more stuff from them. With my products, everything is turnkey. You don’t need to go buy a separate Creatine product from us, you don’t need to stack extra stims on top of our stim-based products, you don’t need to go buy something else to get the max dose of a certain ingredient in any of our formulas, everything you need is in each product at an efficacious dosage. Flavor And Mixability The flavor we chose to start with for Nitric was Mango Peach as it is a more mainstream appealing flavor than Tiger's Blood. Tiger's Blood and a fruit punch flavor will probably be next in the pipeline of flavor releases. Mango Peach is easily a 9 or 10/10 flavor, even for the pickiest of tongues. As there’s such a high concentration of ingredients in this formula we were really happy with how the flavor systems turned out. We were expecting something this potent to be nearly impossible to avoid tasting like ass. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. It also mixes very well considering the concentration of L-Citrulline, GlycerPump, and all of the other ingredients in this product. There is some grittiness, but that just comes with the territory with putting out a 35 gram serving size product with 10 grams of L-Citrulline and 4 grams of Glycerpump. You will just have to use a bit more water than you would with your standard pre-workout because there are simply more active ingredients in this product that will require more liquid to mix well. How To Dose Gorilla Mode Nitric Mix 1-2 scoops of Gorilla Mode Nitric in 12-14 ounces of water and consume 30 minutes prior to training. Vary the amount of water to achieve your desired flavor level. First time users should begin use with 1/2-1 scoop or less to evaluate tolerance. DO NOT EXCEED 2 SCOOPS IN ANY 24 HOUR PERIOD. Gorilla Mode Nitric Ingredients Breakdown L-Citrulline – 10,000 mg L-Citrulline is the most effective supplement you can use to boost nitric oxide (NO) in the body. Why Nitric Oxide (NO) Is Important Nitric oxide (NO) is made naturally in our bodies and plays a significant role in cardiovascular health. It dilates blood vessels (vasodilation), which lowers blood pressure and increases oxygen in the blood. https://youtu.be/EoYhQIHmKoE Nitric oxide (NO) acts as a messenger to signal blood vessels to dilate, or contract and relax. Sufficient nitric oxide is needed to signal blood vessels to contract or relax to ensure blood is able to flow to and from the heart effectively. Nitric oxide production decreases with age, consequently reducing the elasticity of the cardiovascular system, and impairing the body's ability to ensure sufficient amounts of oxygenated blood are reaching vital organs. Eating enough nitrates and/or supplementing with nitric oxide precursors is very important to ensure that your cardiovascular system maintains optimized function as you get older. In addition, maintaining optimal nitric oxide levels will make you more vascular, allow you to get a much better pump, increase muscle volume, enhance the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to working muscles, support recovery and improve overall physical performance. Increased Muscular Endurance Citrulline has also shown to significantly increase muscular endurance, with one study finding that compared to placebo, a single 8000 mg dose of Citrulline Malate increased the number of reps performed per set, on every set after set 2 [R]. The impact Citrulline had on performance increased the more sets were performed. During the last set performed, the group that took Citrulline had a 52.92% increase in the number of reps they could perform relative to placebo. It also decreased muscle soreness by 40% at 24 and 48 hours after the training session compared to placebo. Effect On Body Composition There isn’t much data on the direct effect Citrulline has on muscle growth and fat loss in humans. However, a rodent model assessed the effect Citrulline had on body composition and found that 20 month old rats that were given a diet that included the human equivalent dose of 160 mg/kg per day for 12 weeks had 13% less body fat and 9% more lean body mass relative to the rats fed a standard diet without Citrulline supplementation [R]. Visceral fat mass was also reduced by 32%. The mortality rate of the rats taking Citrulline was 0%, while the standard diet fed rats had a mortality rate of 20%. L-Citrulline is one of the most promising supplements on the market and has significantly more upside above and beyond its increase in vascularity and pumps in the gym. The Maximum Effective Dose Of L-Citrulline Citrulline is found in watermelons. You would need to eat 1.5 kg of watermelon every day to get 3 grams of L-Citrulline though, which is the minimum effective dose [R]. To get the maximum effective dose of L-Citrulline from your diet, you would need to eat 5.0 kg of watermelon per day to get 10 grams (10,000 mg) of L-Citrulline [R]. Obviously, nobody is going to eat that much watermelon, nor is it a good idea to begin with in my opinion when there are far better ways to allocate your macronutrient/micronutrient intake allotments. This is why L-Citrulline supplementation could actually be worthwhile. The Problem With Citrulline Malate In The Supplement Industry While L-Citrulline is a great supplement to have in your daily regimen, there is a red flag around L-Citrulline supplementation that you need to know about. I'm sure you've seen that some supplements have L-Citrulline in them, and some have Citrulline Malate. Some even say "L-Citrulline Malate". This is a cheap trick companies use to deceive customers. Citrulline Malate is composed of 50% Malic Acid, unless the ratio states otherwise. Authentic Citrulline Malate is produced by chemically bonding free-form L-Citrulline to DL-Malic Acid. When L-Citrulline is chemically bonded to DL-Malic Acid, the end result is Citrulline Malate, which has unique properties. But the problem with the Citrulline Malate in the supplement industry is that it doesn't have this chemical reaction. It's just Citrulline mixed with malic acid in a big mixing vat in the manufacturing facility. There is no chemical bond like there should be to create authentic Citrulline Malate. It's just the two ingredients being mixed together in a cheap blend, and it's sold as "Citrulline Malate", or "L-Citrulline Malate". The reality is that it's just Citrulline stirred up with malic acid. While this isn't a huge deal in itself, the problem lies in the labeling practices companies use to artificially inflate the perceived potency of their product. 6-8 grams is seen as the max clinically proven efficacious dosage in the supplement industry in general. At least, that's what companies will tell you in their marketing. First of all, we already know that the actual maximum efficacious dosage of L-Citrulline is 10 grams per day [R]. In addition, the main issue is that the "L-Citrulline" in their product is actually as low as half of the stated label claim. As mentioned, Citrulline Malate is just a mixture of Citrulline and malic acid. Somehow, companies are getting away with labeling their products with the chemically bonded form Citrulline Malate and claiming they have 6-8 grams per serving in their pre-workout, when they actually just have 3-4 grams of Citrulline and 3-4 grams of malic acid per serving. Instead of labeling the following: L-Citrulline - 3 grams Malic Acid - 3 grams These companies are labeling their products like this: Citrulline Malate - 6 grams Or like this: L-Citrulline Malate - 6 grams Making you think you are getting a high dose, when in reality you are getting the bare minimum efficacious dose per serving of 3 grams. Sometimes, companies will tweak the ratio to be a bit more in favor of a higher Citrulline content relative to malic acid, but this is rarely higher than a 2:1 ratio. So, if you see the following: Citrulline Malate (2:1) - 6 grams That just means that the company has 4 grams of L-Citrulline and 2 grams of malic acid per serving. This is the exact manufacturing process involved in producing the L-Citrulline and "Citrulline Malate" you get in pre-workouts in the supplement industry: As you can see, the Citrulline Malate manufacturing flowchart on the right literally just says, "mix". If this was authentic Citrulline Malate, you wouldn't need to mix L-Citrulline with malic acid, it would be chemically bonded together by the end of the manufacturing process. You're not really getting what you're paying for, and most don't realize this is a tactic in the industry to get better margins and artificially inflate a products perceived efficacy. Even if a pre-workout had what on paper appears to be a top end efficacious dose of 8 grams per serving, how much L-Citrulline are you actually getting out of that serving? 4-6 grams at most. I have yet to see a pre-workout formula actually hit a top end L-Citrulline dosage, and of the ones that get close, they use Citrulline Malate to inflate their label. In addition, even if you had the bonded version (which supplements don't), reacted Citrulline Malate will break apart into L-Citrulline and malic acid right away after its mixed in water. It's all just a trick to artificially inflate a products perceived potency on a label, as each ingredient should be listed separately. Most supplements have malic acid anyways in the "other ingredients" section, which is still an active ingredient that does have some potential performance benefits that you would get from the “Malate” portion of Citrulline Malate. L-Citrulline and malic acid work via a different mechanism of action. Citrulline bypasses the liver and gets converted to arginine, which increases NO levels in the body. Malic acid is a Krebs cycle intermediary that counters lactic acid buildup. How much do you need of each though? With Citrulline, we know where the top end data lies. Malic acid, we don't. There is research on Citrulline and Citrulline Malate, but not much data on supplementing with malic acid to replenish depleted levels as a Krebs cycle intermediary. I don't think we can make a generalized overview on how effective the malic acid component was in the Citrulline Malate research either because we can't determine if the results were derived from the malic acid, the L-Citrulline, or both. Considering this, I included an additional 3000 mg of malic acid separately in the Gorilla Mode Nitric formula as an active ingredient in the main ingredients panel. As mentioned, malic acid is most commonly used as a filler in supplements, and will be found in small amounts in many product "other ingredients" sections. The only other time it is used is by companies artificially inflating their perceived L-Citrulline dosage via Citrulline Malate. No companies are including a maxed out dose of pure L-Citrulline as well as malic acid separetely though. It is always a subpar amount of each. So, if there is some sort of performance enhancing benefit to having a high dose of malic acid, you are also getting it via Nitric on top of the maximum efficacious 10,000 mg dose of pure L-Citrulline. At the end of the day, for vasodilation you should concern yourself with is how much pure L-Citrulline is in your pre-workout supplement. I have yet to see a product with more than 6000 mg of PURE L-Citrulline. I have only seen a handful of products with 6 grams of L-Citrulline, and another handful of products with 8 grams of Citrulline Malate (which only yields 4-5 grams of actual L-Citrulline, with the remainder as malic acid). I put 10 grams of PURE L-Citrulline in Gorilla Mode Nitric, as well as 3 grams of malic acid separately, so you can get the full benefits of the max dosage of each ingredient and transparently see exactly what you are actually getting in the product. Even if you decide to only use a half dose of this product you will still get 5000 mg of pure L-Citrulline, and the formula is still top notch even when cut in half. Citrulline Vs Arginine One of the most well-known pump ingredients is Arginine. The problem with L-Arginine is that it is very ineffective at increasing Nitric Oxide synthesis. Logically, you would assume that taking Arginine would be the most effective way to increase Arginine levels in the body. However, this is not the case. Oral L-Arginine is taken up and metabolized by the liver so much that it does not actually effectively increase Arginine levels, and it may even be unsafe to use because of how much excessive urea it yields [R]. L-Citrulline bypasses the liver and passes freely to the kidneys where it is metabolized to Arginine [R]. The most effective supplement that can be used to increase Arginine levels in the body to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes is L-Citrulline [R]. L-Citrulline supplementation has shown to lower blood pressure and provide atherogenic-endothelial protection [R]. When it comes to NO precursors that significantly improve pumps, nothing beats an efficacious dose of pure L-Citrulline. Creatine Monohydrate – 5000 mg Creatine is the best studied and most effective performance enhancing supplement outside of exogenous hormones and drugs. Creatine’s Effect On Muscle Size And Strength Supplementing with creatine has shown time and time again to significantly improve strength, power output and muscle size [R]. Creatine’s effect on strength is facilitated by increasing the body’s stores of phosphocreatine, which is then used during high intensity exercise to produce ATP [R, R]. Creatine’s effect on muscle size is facilitated by drawing water into the muscle via osmosis, consequently increasing body weight and muscle size. In addition, with the increased strength creatine provides, heavier weights can be used in the gym which provide more stimulus for growth, consequently increasing muscle accrual in the long-term. Creatine supplementation also appears to increase the number of myonuclei that satellite cells will donate to damaged muscle fibers, which increases the potential for growth of those fibers [R]. A typical omnivorous diet provides about 1 gram of creatine per day, which isn’t enough to get the benefits you would from supplementation, and also isn’t nearly enough to support health status and methylation in those with genetic polymorphisms. Creatine’s Effect On Methylation And Health Status About 1 gram of creatine is endogenously produced in the body naturally in young healthy adults [R]. Most of the human body's total creatine and phosphocreatine stores are found in skeletal muscle, while the remainder is distributed in the blood, brain, and other tissues [R]. While there are a host of processes in the body that rely on creatine to be carried out optimally (and are often completely neglected), one of the most notable functions of creatine is neurological support [R]. In addition, the endogenous synthesis of creatine relies on a process called methylation. Arginine and Glycine are combined by an enzyme to form guanidinoacetate, which is then methylated into creatine. The problem is that this process is dependent on a mechanism of action that is commonly inhibited in the general population via endogenous Arginine deficiency, Glycine deficiency, or MTHFR polymorphisms. The MTHFR gene codes for an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase or MTHFR. This enzyme is needed for the production of DNA and methylation pathways that are essential for all bodily functions. Genetic variations in this gene results in reduced activity of the enzyme and has been associated with cardiovascular disease, neurological defects, some forms of cancer, and a myriad of other diseases and disorders [R, R]. Personally, I am homozygous for C677T of MTHFR, which results in a 80-90% decrease in my efficiency in processing folic acid. The direct reflection of that in blood biomarkers can be high homocysteine and low B12 and folate levels. I determined this via a simple 23andMe genetics test. Upwards of 45% of your body’s methylation demands are used to synthesize creatine. For someone with a MTHFR polymorphism, you can put a significant amount of stress on your methylation pathway and deplete far more methyl groups than you should be just to create the 1 gram per day that you endogenously synthesize. We lose up to 2-3 grams of creatine per day because it converts to creatinine and is then passed out of the body via urine. As you can see, adequate replenishment of creatine is probably not being accomplished if you aren’t consistently eating a fair bit of meat or fish. And for those with impaired methylation pathways, supplementing with exogenous creatine is likely the only way creatine replenishment can be achieved. One study found that supplementing with 5 grams of creatine per day lowered plasma homocysteine levels by almost 50% in the subject who is homozygous for C677T of MTHFR [R]. Creatine supplementation can significantly lower the body’s demands for methylation and prevent the depletion of methyl groups. This is why I personally supplement with 5 grams of creatine per day. Do You Need To Cycle Off Of Creatine? No, you do not need to cycle off of creatine. Your body does not get used to it, and long-term use has shown to be safe in healthy adults [R]. Betaine Anhydrous – 4000 mg Betaine, also called Trimethylglycine, acts as a methyl donor and an osmolyte in the body. Earlier in the creatine breakdown, I briefly outlined the importance of having a sufficient amount of methyl donors available for methylation processes in the body, including the endogenous synthesis of creatine. For some individuals (depending on PEMT gene variations) Betaine can substitute for folate and B12 in the regeneration of methionine and can be choline sparing via this mechanism. It can also provide additional needed methyl donors when over-depletion occurs in genetically predisposed individuals that do not supplement with creatine, or have other deficiencies. As an osmolyte, Betaine helps balance fluid levels inside and outside of cells. The main reason I included Betaine in this formula is for its ability to induce intracellular hyper-hydration. By improving hydration status in cells, Betaine increases the pump you get in the gym, and can help prevent dehydration during exercise. Research has also shown that Betaine supplementation may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as improve digestion and liver function [R, R, R, R]. In a performance enhancing context, Betaine supplementation has also shown to increase power, endurance, muscle growth and fat loss [R, R, R]. How significant will this effect on body composition be in practical application? Negligible in my honest opinion, but the enhanced pump made this ingredient worthwhile to add into the formula. GlycerPump™ (65% Glycerol Powder) – 4000 mg Glycerol significantly enhances pumps and performance by hyper-hydrating the muscle with water. Glycerol’s Effect On Hydration, Pumps And Endurance If you drink a lot of water with nothing else in hopes of hyper-hydrating your muscles, the fall in osmolarity in your body stimulates the kidneys to remove most of the excess water within an hour. If you add glycerol to the water, this prevents the drop in osmolarity and can extend the hyper-hydration of your muscles by up to four hours. By adding Glycerol to your pre-workout, you can hold upwards of an extra liter of water via this hyper-hydrating effect. Hydration is one of the most critical factors when it comes to performance. Aside from massive pumps, Glycerol use has shown to increase endurance by as much as 24%, as well as improve aerobic and anaerobic power and performance [R, R]. Only a 2% loss in fluids can result in as much as a 20% decrease in exercise performance. GlycerPump™ Vs Other Forms Of Glycerol We chose the trademarked GlycerPump because it doesn’t clump up nearly as much as other forms of Glycerol powder and it’s more stable. Glycerol is normally a liquid at standard temperature and pressure, and many supplement companies have attempted to create a powder form of Glycerol that is stable. Glycerol products get clumpy, have horrible viscosity and have a short shelf life. Because of this, most companies avoid this ingredient entirely, as it can cause severe clumping within just a couple months of being manufactured. Regular glycerol containing products only yield as low as 10% glycerol, which makes them ineffective, and higher yielding glycerol products can be unstable within complex formulas like ours and result in a clumpy product, or complete product failure. GlycerPump™ is created using unique spray drying technology, yielding a stable powder form of glycerol standardized to 65%. It is MUCH better than other alternatives and won't result in the powder turning into a rock. Keep in mind, while it is manageable, this is not a clump-free product, and there’s nothing I could do about that if I wanted to include the high concentration of ingredients that I did in Gorilla Mode Nitric. Store Gorilla Mode Nitric in a cool dry place, and if it clumps, that’s just what comes with the territory with a product dosed like this. If it clumps, just get out a knife or spoon and chop it up, and it will still mix fine once it hits the water in your cup. Agmatine Sulfate – 1500 mg Agmatine has shown to induce NO production via the same processes as arginine, but does it far more effectively [R]. This results in even bigger pumps in the gym and improved overall performance. Agmatine has also shown to be neuroprotective against excitotoxicity and stroke, and also has anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects that may enhance state of well-being and mood elevation with supplementation. Agmatine has also shown to manipulate pain receptors, which may result in an increased pain tolerance during intense training. Agmatine is a very misunderstood compound and is believed by some to antagonize other vasodilators. Agmatine works in a more selective way than other vasodilators, as it only increases one of the three Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms. It also decreases the other two NOS isoforms, which is where the hypothesis about it being vasoconstricting was raised as a legitimate concern. The three NOS isoforms include iNOS, nNOS and eNOS. They each play their own role in certain tissues to regulate vasodilation. iNOS (inducible) produces high concentrations of NO via an immune system response to kill harmful bacteria. In excess, iNOS can be inflammatory. nNOS (neuronal) regulates neurological health and facilitates communication in the brain across neurons. In excess, nNOS can inhibit the growth and repair of neurons. eNOS (endothelial) facilitates vasodilation in the lining of blood vessels to improve blood flow. eNOS is the main isoform that most are familiar with that increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure. It is also the main isoform that facilitates massive pumps in the gym. While NO is great for the gym and vascular health, it can be inflammatory in excess. NO production by eNOS has shown to play a protective role in cerebral ischemia by maintaining vascular permeability, whereas NO derived from nNOS and iNOS is neurotoxic and can enhance the neuronal damage occurring in ischemia [R]. This is where the selective activity of Agmatine shines, as data suggests that Agmatine's mechanism of action is facilitated by inhibiting iNOS and nNOS and increasing eNOS [R, R]. Agmatine has shown to selectively increase eNOS levels while simultaneously decreasing iNOS and MMP-9 protein expression [R, R]. Anecdotally, Agmatine does not seem to inhibit any of the positive effects of L-Citrulline or other vasodilators. On the contrary, it seems to complement other "pump" compounds very effectively. On paper, Agmatine sounds like the perfect ancillary compound to add to a pre-workout as it increases expression of the NOS isoform we want, while simultaneously inhibiting the isoforms that can be more inflammatory in excess. Nitrosigine® (inositol-stabilized arginine silicate) – 1500 mg Nitrosigine got some hype behind it when independent researchers from the University of Arkansas presented data suggesting that 1500 mg of Nitrosigine was almost as effective as 8000 mg of Citrulline Malate 2:1 (5333.33 mg L-Citrulline and 2666.66 mg Malic Acid) at increasing flow mediated dilation (FMD) [R]. FMD refers to dilation of an artery when blood flow increases in that artery. Because the primary cause of FMD is release of nitric oxide by endothelial cells, we can use FMD as a proxy for NO levels. To circumvent the lackluster efficacy of plain oral Arginine, Nutrition 21 (the developers of Nitrosigine) created a complex of bonded arginine and silicon. The inositol acts as a stabilizer and increases the bioavailability of the complex, consequently resulting in a potent NO boosting compound. Remember that the main issue with Arginine is poor bioavailability. The inositol stabilizer helps circumvent that issue [R]. Unlike plain Arginine, Inositol-stabilized Arginine silicate (Nitrosigine) has shown to kick in within 15 minutes and elevate blood Arginine levels for up to six hours after ingestion [R, R]. Nitrosigine has some impressive data reinforcing its efficacy, and it is purported to be much more effective milligram for milligram than other common vasodilators at increasing NO levels. On top of the increase in vasodilation and pumps, the developers claim that after a single dose Nitrosigine can increase mental acuity and focus by 33% within 15 minutes, with a compounding effect over time. In addition, they claim that Nitrosigine supports enhanced recovery by reducing markers of muscle damage [R]. Nitrosigine Vs. L-Citrulline Vs. Agmatine Sulfate In Vitro An in vitro study was designed by Nutrition 21 to compare the cellular production of NO of several sports nutrition ingredients. These ingredients included Nitrosigine, L-Arginine, L-Arginine AKG, L-Citrulline, Citrulline Malate and Agmatine Sulfate. Nitrosigine was dosed at a concentration of 1.0 g/L. Cell culture concentrations of the other compounds were dosed relative to a 1500 mg dose of Nitrosigine using the following doses: L-Arginine - 1500 mg L-Arginine AKG - 4000 mg L-Citrulline - 3000 mg L-Citrulline Malate - 3000 mg Agmatine Sulfate - 1000 mg As NO is unstable and rapidly converts to nitrites or nitrates, nitrite levels were measured as a proxy for NO production. At the doses used in this study, Nitrosigine significantly increased NO production over each of the five other compounds tested. There was a greater than 5X increase in NO production with Nitrosigine compared to the other tested vasodilators. In addition, of the compounds tested, only Nitrosigine significantly increased NO production versus control. While this looks very impressive for Nitrosigine, you have to consider that this is an in vitro study conducted by Nutrition 21 themselves. The results basically indicate that every single clinically proven vasodilator that we know works is useless as it couldn't increase NO production above control, meanwhile Nitrosigine somehow cranked it through the roof over 5x higher than the rest. While the results are certainly interesting, I would take this data with a grain of salt. Nitrosigine Vs. Citrulline Malate - Vasodilation Study On Young Adults Unlike the in vitro study comparing Nitrosigine to Citrulline Malate, another study in 2019 was apparently conducted independently from the company without their knowledge whatsoever [R]. This study was conducted on young, healthy, physically active adults, and provides more acceptable parameters for us to take seriously when it comes to evaluating Nitrosigine's efficacy in humans relative to a decent dose of the most widely used vasodilator in the industry, Citrulline Malate (assuming that the study was actually unbiased as is implied) [R]. 16 healthy young men and 8 healthy young women participated in the study. Each subject either received 1500 mg of Nitrosigine, 8000 mg of Citrulline Malate 2:1, or dextrose placebo. Keep in mind, this is Citrulline Malate 2:1, so the subjects are only actually getting 5333.33 mg of L-Citrulline. The study was randomized, double-blind, within-subjects design where participants reported for three trials, each preceded by a 7-day washout period. Baseline flow mediated dilation (FMD) measurement was obtained for each visit, followed by consumption of one clinical dose Citrulline Malate (8 grams), Nitrosigine (1.5 grams), or dextrose placebo (8 g). Following a 60-min digestion period, FMD was repeated. Supplementation order was randomized controlling for potential order effects. Basically, the subjects would show up, get their FMD evaluated, take one of the three options, and then get their FMD checked again to see how well the random compound they ingested increased their NO production. They would then take a week off, and come back and repeat, where they would then receive one of the remaining two compounds, with the same measurement process. This would be followed by another week off, and then a third visit where the subjects would receive whatever the third ingredient was that they hadn't yet tried, and the same measurement process was conducted. Nobody knew what they were ingesting during each trip, but by the end of the experiment every single subject had tried each ingredient, and their vasodilation response was evaluated for comparisons. Expectedly, Citrulline Malate and Nitrosigine yielded a greater improvement in FMD response than placebo. Citrulline Malate increased FMD by 34%. Nitrosigine increased FMD by 31%. Placebo decreased FMD by 2%. Allometric scaling of the FMD values was required afterwards to adjust the results to account for the body size of males relative to females. After allometric scaling of the FMD values, Citrulline Malate was shown to increase FMD by 25%, Nitrosigine increased FMD by 23%, and placebo increased FMD by 0.6%. Clearly Citrulline Malate isn't as useless as the Nutrition 21 funded in vitro data would lead you to believe. The results from this study suggest that the clinically efficacious 1500 mg dose of Nitrosigine is almost equally effective to 5333.33 mg of L-Citrulline mixed with 2666.66 mg of Malic Acid. Clearly Nitrosigine has a lot of promise as a pre-workout ingredient, which is why I included it in our formula alongside the massive dosages of other potent vasodilators we already have. Every single effective vasodilator we felt was worthwhile is in here at topped out dosages. While it would be nice if there was data we could refer to evaluating if there is a synergy between Nitrosigine and Citrulline, or Nitrosigine and Agmatine, regardless if the end result is 1+1 = 2 or if it's 1+1 = 3, my goal was to make sure this formula was air tight and ensure you are getting the maximum possible performance enhancing benefit from each and every ingredient. Sodium Nitrate – 1500 mg Sodium is one of the most critical and overlooked components of a diet designed to optimize exercise performance. But, keep in mind, you’re not going to get enough sodium in a pre-workout without it tasting terrible. Other companies will put a tiny dose of sodium in their product and then claim you will get all of the benefits of it. Personally, I just toss and wash a quarter teaspoon of a high quality salt 30 minutes pre-workout with Gorilla Mode or Gorilla Mode Nitric, and I take another quarter teaspoon with my post-workout drink. The reason I included sodium nitrate in Gorilla Mode Nitric is not for the sodium, it is for the nitrates. The nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway is a series of oxygen-independent and NO synthase–independent single-electron transfer reactions that ultimately facilitate vasodilation. The traditional Arginine–eNOS–nitric oxide (NO) pathway is what most NO precursors focus on. The nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway often goes completely neglected though, and is another pathway we can leverage to amplify NO levels to an even greater level. Nitrates found in food can be converted into nitrites in the body, and then reduced to NO via nitrite reductase [R]. Several studies have shown that nitrate supplementation can increase plasma nitrite concentrations, and consequently Nitric Oxide, which then enhances pumps, endurance, and all of the other benefits we use NO precursors for [R]. Nitrate Dosage - Sodium Nitrate Vs. Beet Root Powder Pre-Workouts Beet root is a very popular ingredient that has started to get a lot of attention over the past few years. The reason why beet root works is because it is a densely concentrated source of nitrates. However, despite it being densely concentrated relative to other foods, beet root still only contains 1-2 percent of nitrates per gram of raw material. This would require you to ingest an absurdly high amount of beet root to get the same amount of nitrates that you can get from the 1500 mg of sodium nitrate in Gorilla Mode Nitric. To put it in perspective, your standard beet root powder pre-workout supplement has around 4.3 grams of Beet root juice powder in it. The amount of nitrates in that 4.3 grams is about 43 mg. That means that you would need to chug the entire tub at one time to get the same amount of nitrate as you would get out of a 1500 mg dose of sodium nitrate. There is no feasible way to get a high dose of nitrates from beet root powder without ingesting massive quantities far higher than what you would get in a dietary supplement. By weight, sodium nitrate is the most highly concentrated source of nitrates among any dietary ingredient. Nitrates comprise 73 percent of the total weight of sodium nitrate [R]. The optimal dosage of nitrate supplementation appears to be between 6.4-12.8 mg/kg [R]. That equates to the following dosage protocols: 440-870 mg for a 150 lb person 580-1,160 mg for a 200 lb person 730-1,450 mg for a 250 lb person For every gram of sodium nitrate, 730 mg is from nitrate. The 1.5 grams of sodium nitrate in Gorilla Mode Nitric yields 1095 mg of nitrate. There are other nitrate based supplements in the industry like Arginine Nitrate, Creatine Nitrate, Betaine Nitrate that operate via this same nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway, however, none of them have as high of a nitrate composition gram for gram as Sodium Nitrate does. VasoDrive-AP® (isoleucyl-prolyl-proline (IPP) and valyl-prolyl-proline (VPP) isolated from hydrolyzed milk casein) – 254 mg VasoDrive-AP consists of 2 lactotripeptides: isoleucyl-prolyl-proline (IPP) and valyl-prolyl-proline (VPP) which are clinically proven to inhibit Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and significantly increases vasodilation.  Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) controls blood pressure by regulating the volume of fluids in the body. ACE facilitates this process by converting the hormone angiotensin I to the active vasoconstrictor angiotensin II. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) inhibit ACE, consequently reducing angiotensin II production. Reducing angiotensin II results in the dilation of blood vessels and a reduction of blood pressure. Bradykinin is also a vasodilator in the body that is degraded by ACE. Clinical data suggests that individuals who genetically have lower levels of ACE respond better to training and are at an advantage in endurance sporting events [R, R]. The more blood flow you have, presumably the more oxygen and nutrient carrying capacity you will have during exercise. VasoDrive-AP has shown in 30 clinical studies to date a potent effect on vasodilation and blood pressure reduction via this mechanism completely independent from the traditional Arginine–eNOS–nitric oxide (NO) pathway [R].  Ingredients I Didn’t Include In The Formula And Why Vitamin C Vitamin C is a very potent antioxidant and plays a crucial role in lowering blood pressure and regulating health blood flow. Supplementing a Vitamin C deficient diet can be very beneficial, except when you're dosing it pre-workout. Vitamin C is inexpensive and has tons of clinical data to back its efficacy, so it is often thrown in pre-workouts. The problem with this is that using Vitamin C pre-workout can blunt the hormetic response to the workout itself and hinder your results [R]. The point of working out is to damage the muscle, which then results in the body signaling repair processes to start that will help you recover and ultimately get bigger and stronger to adapt to the workload. If you manually decrease that hormetic response to exercise by ingesting Vitamin C pre-workout, you will reduce the damage done and ultimately prevent your body from stimulating as much growth. Personally, I don't take any vitamins, anti inflammatories, or powerful antioxidants for several hours before or after my workout to be safe. Antioxidants And Vitamins As mentioned, one of the worst things you can do is take antioxidants before your workout. The stress and damage induced by weightlifting or exercise is needed to facilitate muscular recovery and progress. The reactive oxygen species and inflammation produced during intense training assists with that process, and is also why drugs like Ibuprofen can inhibit muscle growth so severely. The inflammatory response to training is what we want in order to recover, and by inhibiting that with antioxidants, vitamins or anti-inflammatory drugs, you prevent your body from breaking down and recovering the way it needs to in order to grow [R, R]. A pre-workout formula with a bunch of vitamins and antioxidants in it is more likely to hinder your gains than help. Potassium I advise reaching your recommended daily intake of 4,700 mg through diet rather than through supplementation. It is not legal to sell Potassium in high amounts, and you will usually find that supplements have no more than 100 mg or so per serving because of this. For this same reason, supplementation isn't cost effective, and pre-workouts with potassium in them are including it solely to claim the benefits of potassium all the while knowing the dose in their product is next to useless. The amount of potassium in pre-workout supplements does next to nothing for you when it comes to helping you hit the RDA. S7™ S7™ is a blend of green coffee bean extract, green tea extract, turmeric extract, tart cherry, blueberry, broccoli and kale that has gotten some hype in pre-workouts recently. I was considering including it in our formula until I saw that the blend was comprised entirely of potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Turmeric is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory spices known to man, which is why it also shows such therapeutic promise via supplementation. However, the last thing you want to use pre-workout is a potent anti-inflammatory compound. Inflammation is what we are striving for during a workout, and using anything that significantly impairs this inflammatory response to training is something that should not be used pre-workout, and should be saved for taking far away from the peri-workout window. Beta Alanine Beta Alanine is the ingredient that makes your skin itchy and has you sitting there scratching your face between sets. I assume it is included in pre-workouts because you can blatantly feel something when you take it, so people associate feeling something with the product being potent. Personally, I can’t stand the itchy skin effect it has, and it can be bad enough that it ruins a pre-workout just based on that. In addition, it doesn’t have more than a negligible effect on performance at best. Acute sporadic bumps in Beta Alanine will do next to nothing if you are only getting your Beta Alanine dosage from your pre workout supplement a few times per week. If you were to take it correctly, dosing it multiple times per day, for weeks on end, at a high enough dosage, the impact on performance is notable, although still fairly insignificant at the end of the day. “The median effect of β-alanine supplementation is a 2.85% (-0.37 to 10.49%) improvement in the outcome of an exercise measure, when a median total of 179 g of β-alanine is supplemented” [R]. 179 grams (an amount nobody would end up getting in) for a 2.85% improvement in performance, and a ton of itchiness… “Although some laboratory-based studies show an ergogenic effect with beta-alanine supplementation, there is a lack of field-based research in training and competition settings.” “There was an unclear effect (0.4%; ± 0.8%, mean, ± 90% confidence limits) of beta-alanine on competition performance compared to placebo with no meaningful changes in blood chemistry. While there was a transient improvement on training performance after 4 weeks with beta-alanine (-1.3%; ± 1.0%), there was an unclear effect at ten weeks (-0.2%; ± 1.5%) and no meaningful changes in blood chemistry. Beta-alanine supplementation appears to have minimal effect on swimming performance in non-laboratory controlled real-world training and competition settings” [R]. Leucine Taking Leucine post-workout promotes muscle growth. However, taking Leucine in your pre-workout has shown to diminish muscular performance via the inhibition of glycogen to glucose conversion within muscle cells and insulin signaling. On top of that, Leucine can prevent the uptake of Tyrosine into the brain, consequently inhibiting dopamine production, which is the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish pre-workout. Should You Ever Cycle Off Of Gorilla Mode Nitric? Despite Nitric being stimulant free, I would still advise cycling your use of Gorilla Mode Nitric every once in a while. In general, I advise cycling your use of any supplement that isn't being used daily to replace a dietary deficiency. Interfering with balancing mechanisms in the body chronically long-term is almost always going to build up to some unintended negative side effect, and redlining your Nitric Oxide levels and vasodilation on a daily basis for long uninterrupted spans of time will probably be no different. How often you cycle it is ultimately up to your discretion as there is no tolerance build up with the ingredients in Nitric, and some of them actually have accumulative benefits. Personally, I use pre-workouts 4 days per week because I workout 4 times per week. Every month or two I will also take a full week off of everything except for my daily health supplements. How To Combine Gorilla Mode Nitric With Gorilla Mind Rush Gorilla Mode Nitric has no stimulants in it, so if you want the most potent combination of performance, energy, focus and drive pre-workout you can combine Nitric with Gorilla Mind Rush. Dose each product as you would normally dose them on their own, as there is no overlap between the two formulas. How To Combine Gorilla Mode Nitric With Gorilla Mode Gorilla Mode can be combined with Gorilla Mode Nitric to achieve a more middle road level of stimulants but with the maxed out vasodilation and hyper-hydration. The instance in which mixing the two would make the most sense is if you don't want to use a high dose of Gorilla Mode because the stimulant dosages are higher than you prefer or can tolerate, but still want to max out the benefits of the ingredients included for pump and performance. For example, if 2 scoops of Gorilla Mode contains too high of a dose of stimulants for you, you could use 1 scoop of Gorilla Mode with 1 scoop of Gorilla Mode Nitric. Or, a 1/2 scoop of Gorilla Mode with 1.5 scoops of Gorilla Mode Nitric. Alternatively, if you are using Nitric and want a little bump of stimulants but are too sensitive to the stimulant complex in Gorilla Mind Rush, then you might want to add a bit of Gorilla Mode to your Nitric dose as the blend of stimulants in Mode is a notch less aggressive than the stimulants in Rush. Mix and match at your own discretion based on your own stimulant tolerance and exactly what you are looking to get out of your pre-workout. Personally, I love combining Rush and Nitric pre-workout. Sometimes I will use Mode with Nitric instead though as the Kanna and N-Phenethyl Dimethylamine Citrate hits differently than the stimulants in Rush. It all depends on what I'm training, how well rested I am, and the effects I am shooting for. Conclusion - What To Expect From Gorilla Mode Nitric In general, you can expect a massive increase in nitric oxide (NO) levels, vasodilation, intracellular hydration and as significant of a boost in muscle strength and endurance as you can get from a legal non-hormonal pre-workout. This product is maxed out from all angles. The traditional Arginine–eNOS–nitric oxide (NO) pathway is completely saturated with an unheard of dose of L-Citrulline, as well as topped out doses of Nitrosigine and Agmatine Sulfate for good measure. Over a gram of nitrates also ensures that the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway is taken care of. Intracellular hyper-hydration is best-in-class too with a huge dose of Creatine Monohydrate, Glycerpump and Betaine Anhydrous to volumize the muscle and support performance and pumps. Inhibiting the enzyme angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) with a clinical dose of VasoDrive-AP® also checks off another pathway to push the boundaries on supraphysiological levels of vasodilation.  Finally, a high dose of Malic Acid was included for good measure to act as a Krebs cycle intermediary and support greater levels of muscular endurance. Try Gorilla Mode Nitric for yourself here and let me know what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Both Testosterone and anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) adversely influence the immune system, affecting leucocyte growth or activity, and antibody and cytokine production, particularly when used at supraphysiological doses, mimicking a condition of secondary immunodeficiency [R, R]. Secondary immunodeficiency, much more common than primary immunodeficiency (that is to say those caused by genetic defects affecting the cells of the immune system), is characterized by various factors that affect a normal immune system, including infectious, iatrogenic, metabolic and environmental factors. These immune deficiencies are manifested clinically with an increased frequency or unusual complications of common infections and occasionally with the onset of opportunistic pathogen infections. https://youtu.be/ceqSC6GYks4 Nandrolone And Anadrol Effects On The Immune System Nandrolone Decanoate and Anadrol directly induce the production of inflammatory cytokines Interleukin 1 Beta (IL-1β) and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) in human peripheral blood leukocyte cultures [R]. Testosterone and DHEA had no direct cytokine inducing effect in the same model. Nandrolone Decanoate also inhibits interferon production in NDV-infected mouse L-929 and human WISH cells. Winstrol And Trenbolone Effects On The Immune System Winstrol and Trenbolone were found to be genotoxic and cytotoxic to human lymphocytes in a dose dependent manner [R]. Testosterone, Teslac, Anavar And Winstrol Effects On The Immune System To evaluate how anabolic steroids affect the immune system, five commercially available steroids with various types of structural differences were studied in a rodent model [R]. Animals were divided into five groups and treated with Testosterone (group 1), Testosterone Propionate (Group 2), the steroidal aromatase inhibitor Testolactone (Teslac) (Group 3), Anavar (Group 4), and Winstrol (Group 5). Significant immunosuppression was observed with all groups. However, by day 10, the Teslac, Anavar and Winstrol treated group showed immunostimulation and actually exceeded baseline immunity while the Testosterone treated groups maintained immunosuppressed. To truly test the effects of endogenous androgens on the immune system a second experiment was then performed. Ten animals maintained in a similar manner to the initial experiment were either treated intact or were castrated and then treated for 8 days, with Anavar (1.1 mg/kg/day), Testosterone (1.1 mg/kg/day) or Anavar combined with physiologic amounts of Testosterone (15 μg/day). Anavar was selected because it has the greatest anabolic activity of all Testosterone analogues as compared to Testosterone (androgenic/anabolic activity = 1:13). In the intact animals after 8 days of treatment with Anavar, serum Testosterone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay on tail vein blood. Levels were either undetectable or very low, reflecting what would be significant HPTA suppression. Immune function (DCH responses) measured at the same time revealed a 41% increase over baseline. The Testosterone treated group experienced a 36% suppression of immune function. Further treatment for 8 days with Anavar combined with physiologic amounts of Testosterone eliminated the immune system enhancement provided by Anavar monotherapy and returned the DCH responses to levels that were not significantly different from baseline. The results were different in the castrated animals. Castration, resulted in an increase in immune (DCH) responses. The mean observed change was 90% greater than intact (pre-castration) baseline. That means that castrated rats had a 90% improvement above and beyond rats that weren’t castrated. Eight day administration of Anavar to these animals had an immunodepressive effect returning the DCH response to baseline. Eight day treatment with Anavar combined with physiologic doses of Testosterone produced an even greater suppression, 45% change from baseline. These observations indicate that immune alterations do occur with anabolic steroids which are immunosuppressive when the steroid nucleus is intact and immunostimulatory with nuclear alterations. How Steroids Influence Immune Function The hypothesis to explain the immune system responses to steroids is as follows. Exogenous androgenic anabolic steroids produce two effects on the immune system: (A) a direct early effect on immune function which is suppressive and, (B) an indirect delayed stimulatory effect mediated through the negative feedback on the pituitary. (B) results in inhibition of gonadal Testosterone through diminished LH release. A decrease in the synthesis of Testosterone results in low serum Testosterone level and immune stimulation. Castration, by abolishing the modulation of Testosterone secretion eliminates the effect of (B) but leaves (A) intact. In summation, the more suppressive a steroid is the more it can indirectly enhance immune function, simply by suppressing the endogenous production of Testosterone and its metabolites. However, anabolic steroids will also be genotoxic and cytotoxic to human lymphocytes in a dose dependent manner. So, the only reason anabolic steroids can enhance immunity is by being more tissue selective than Testosterone and by shutting down the HPTA, not by inherently being protective. They too will be inherently immunosuppressive, just to a lesser degree based on their tissue selectivity and magnitude of impact on endogenous androgen production suppression. At the end of the day, the data all suggests that the lower your levels of steroids are in the body, the higher level your immune system will function at in parallel. Are You Increasing Your Risk Of Viral Infection When You Are On Cycle? In summary, the vast majority of studies suggest that steroid use decreases antibody formation, Natural Killer (NK) lymphocyte activity, T and B lymphocyte maturation and stimulation resulting in immunosuppression [R]. Supraphysiological doses of common anabolic steroids have been shown to directly influence the production of certain cytokines, altering immune function. The results from both animal and human studies suggest that supraphysiological doses of AAS can negatively impact the immune system. The takeaway from all of this is that with an easily spread virus infecting thousands of people throughout the world right now, it would be prudent to reduce your exogenous AAS use at least down to therapeutic levels to support immune function during this time where having increased vulnerability to viral infection is the most risky. Regardless if you are young and believe you are invincible based on the mortality rate statistics showing that the elderly are the most at risk of being symptomatic or ending up in critical condition, you may still be increasing your chances of becoming an infected carrier who then transmits the virus to the elderly (including your parents or grandparents) as a result of self-induced immunosuppression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Arnold Schwarzenegger's steroid cycle from the golden era of bodybuilding is a topic that is often heavily debated. There's a lot of speculation around what kind of drug use the golden era bodybuilders deployed to get the physiques that are so sought after nowadays. While Arnold himself never detailed exactly what he took, we have a handful of credible sources of information that all seem to overlap in their descriptions of his steroid use. Despite this information being very accessible, it often goes overlooked because it is buried in the nooks and crannies of the internet. There is such an overwhelming amount of content on the internet now that this information has become increasingly more difficult to find over the years. While Arnold likely experimented a bit here and there, this article will detail what he built his physique on, and the staple anabolics he very likely used throughout his Mr. Olympia reign. https://youtu.be/Ap9I1ReF5KY Arnold Schwarzenegger Briefly Touches On His First Steroid Cycle In Arnold Schwarzenegger's autobiography "Total Recall - My Unbelievably True Life Story" he gives some insight into what his first steroid cycle consisted of, and when he started it. The first thing of note is that he discovered steroid use before the 1967 Mr. Universe competition while researching about the training methods of the East Germans and the Soviets. There were rumors that they were using performance enhancing drugs to get superior results from their weightlifters, shot-putters, and swimmers and he soon found out that steroids were the drugs that they were using. Arnold goes on to touch on how he went to a doctor to ask for a prescription of anabolic steroids. He simply asked: Can you let me try it? The doctor agreed, and he was then prescribed an injection every two weeks and pills to take in between. Keep in mind, this was Arnold's first steroid cycle ever. His dosages may have titrated up in subsequent cycles, and he probably experimented with different anabolics at some point at least once or twice. The more muscle you gain, the higher your requirements will become for increasingly high amounts of calories, training volume, and drug use to support additional hypertrophy above and beyond what you have already achieved. While Arnold didn't state exactly what he was prescribed, we get some useful insight into the administration practice of each compound (oral and injectable) and what type of drugs would probably fall into these two categories at that time when considering all of the other information from other interviews we have compiled over the years. At this point, we know he was using one injectable compound and one oral compound. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Interview About Dianabol Use In another interview Arnold more or less implies that he used 3 Dianabol per day. It is well-known in the community that Arnold was big on using Dianabol back in the day. https://youtu.be/szGZ0bMxcTg?t=7 Obviously he's not actually straight up saying "this was what my cycle was", but we can put two and two together based on his prescription for pills and an injection from a doctor, Arnold talking about Dianabol himself, and the widespread information that's passed through the grapevine reinforcing his Dianabol use. It all culminates to paint a pretty convincing picture that Dianabol was the oral steroid in question that Arnold used. What the injectable compound was is mainly what is debated about. After doing some digging, I uncovered some pretty convincing information suggesting that the injectable compound was Primobolan. Steve Davis Outlines Golden Era Steroid Cycles In 2012, Ric Drasin interviewed Steve Davis to discuss steroid cycles from the golden era. Both men trained at Gold's Gym with Arnold in the 70's and had personal insight into what golden era stacks consisted of, as they literally took the same stacks themselves. After prompting the topic of what golden era bodybuilders were using, Steve goes on to touch on what most guys were using: Steve: You know, in my era, it was 3 Dianabol a day and a shot a week. Ric: That's exactly right. Steve: And we heard that certain Austrians were taking 4 Dianabol a day and a shot a week. Ric: Yeah. https://youtu.be/31-kQbjtxDc?t=453 I'm sure both Steve and Ric actually had this conversation with Arnold at some point to confirm this, as they trained with him and bodybuilders were supposedly pretty open about their use back then. The standard protocol going around then was 3 Dianabol a day, and 1 shot of Primobolan per week. While some of the protocols definitely differed from person to person (e.g. Robby Robinson and Danny Padilla using Deca-only cycles), for the most part it seems like the majority of guys that trained with Arnold in Gold's Gym in the 70's were doing the same thing. Now, the question is are they underplaying their use to not undervalue their training intensity and diet adherence? Perhaps. It is very common for "open" individuals to talk about their steroid use, but basically just cut what their dosages are in half when speaking about what they took. Ric Drasin Details Golden Era Steroid Cycles In 2018 Ric Drasin circles back to the topic of golden era steroid cycles and outlines more specifics about what steroids the top bodybuilders from Gold's Gym were using in the 70's. Now I was there at that time, so I know exactly what everybody took. Without using names of people because I don't want to implicate anybody, but starting with the top bodybuilders, and some that you know, it wasn't that much use of steroids the way we think of today. Basically, it was Dianabol, Primobolan, Testosterone, Deca, Winstrol, and Anavar. Those are the main ones. There wasn't anything outside of that. Growth Hormone wasn't really known about then, so nobody really used it. I mean, maybe it was in some circles, but we sure didn't hear about it. Mostly tablets. The injectables were the ones I mentioned. The Winstrol, the Dianabol, and the Anavar were strictly tablets, there was no injectable at all of that sort. Dianabol was made by CIBA (C-I-B-A). It was a little blue pill. Came in 100 a bottle. If you bought it at the pharmacy, it was a prescription, it was $8 a bottle. Deca was $1.50 a vial, that's it. Testosterone. Let's say, 10 CCs of an enanthate was 10 bucks. Anavar, around the same price and down the line, nothing was really expensive. Now, you have to realize back in '69 and the 70's, steroids were not illegal. They were never looked upon as being illegal. There was a doctor's prescription. You could get it pretty easily if you needed it, and then you had it. There were those doctors that were affiliated with Gold's Gym back in those days that would just hand it to you. One was a pediatrician who was well-known. The other one was a medical doctor, who was well-known. If you needed something, you got it. Now, from the top of the line bodybuilders, the ones that were competing in the Olympia back then, from Gold's, their main routine was taking Primobolan, Winstrol, and Deca. Forgot to mention Deca. And not in any great usage. It was like a "CC" of each, maybe once to twice a week. That was it. People seem to think that some of these guys were taking like "10 CCs" a day, every day. I never saw it happen. No way in hell that ever happened. Dianabol, no more than three to four pills a day, at most. Anavar was weak, so six to eight pills a day. Winstrol was four pills a day. Now, I started on Dianabol back in the, maybe, late 60's. I had heard about Bill Pearl taking it. I got it from a pharmacy, CIBA, and I started doing two pills a day. By 10 days in, I had grown so much, it was ridiculous. This is when everything was real. I really grew from that Dbol and they quit making it way back. Maybe, the mid 80's. CIBA just went out of business and that was it. It became illegal. They said on the bottles themselves that these drugs would not enhance athletic performance. They had to label that on there. And, then they took it off of there. Primobolan coming from Germany, or Austria I might say, was probably one of the best things I ever tried. It was given to me by "one of our big bodybuilders" at the time. I had great results off that. I got so huge in two weeks, I could hardly fit into my Volkswagen. And I'm not kidding. That's how big I got just off that and the Dbol. I never took great amounts. 1 shot a week, 3 Dbol a day, maybe 2 Dbol a day. So, when you asked what these guys took, and how much did they take, and "did they take a lot?" No, it wasn't a lot at all. And I always felt that "less was more." You didn't need a whole lot to get big. If you took too much, it didn't really work that well. It wasn't any better than taking less. It was available pretty easy. Like I said, it wasn't illegal. Everybody had it. And that's how it was. But most of the results in training came from heavy-lifting old school style, and a lot of protein. https://youtu.be/j7BafGZt2RY?t=60 One of the "big bodybuilders" gave Ric Primobolan for the first time, and he was following the classic dosing protocol we've seen mentioned time and time again now. A few Dbol per day, and a shot of Primo per week. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dosage Titration Protocol A credible guru in the industry details what is purported to be Arnold's dosage titration protocol at the 37:18 mark in the following video: https://youtu.be/GVV_dCPKhho?t=2238 Arnold took Dianabol and Primobolan, essentially nothing else. An escalating dose, kind of culminating in about 100 milligrams of Dianabol a day and about 1000 milligrams Primobolan a week, a.k.a. about two total grams of drug and that was it. No aromatase inhibitor, no Tamoxifen, no Insulin or Growth Hormone, just two grams of high-quality anabolic. By the way, you didn't hear mentioned any Testosterone. Testosterone really didn't come onto the scene 'til the late 70's, early 80s'. I have no idea how factual that purported titration schedule was, but it still reinforces the likelihood that Arnold's steroids of choice were Dbol and Primobolan. Frank Zane's Semi-Cryptic Poem About Golden Era Steroid Cycles The nail in the coffin in my opinion is Frank Zane's poem. In Frank Zane's "Mind, Body, Spirit" training diary, one Reddit user actually found a poem that essentially breaks down in code what the top bodybuilders took in the golden era. Diana Bowl and Louie. Prima bowl on TV, both of whom worked as a team. Known for miles around as the best bowlers in town, Primo drove 100 miles a week combining 15 milly Gramola bars daily from Diana not worried about getting fat, you cannot not on that in those days. But that was then, this is now a growing cast of actors shove, share center stage all playing the same part at the same time I awoke amazed, wondering how this ridiculous play isn't dying by now. Obviously, anyone can see plain as day he's trying to allude to certain things in code here to outline what drugs guys were taking back then, as well as what appears to be his perspective on modern day bodybuilding as a whole compared to the golden era. The first thing, "Diana Bowl." Obviously, that's Dianabol. "Prima bowl on." Primobolan. "Primo drove 100 miles a week." 100 milligrams per week of Primobolan, which reinforces the one shot a week of Primobolan that Arnold supposedly got. "Combining 15 milly Gramola bars daily from Diana" 15 milligrams per day of Dianabol (Dbol) combined with the weekly shot of Primo. After the part where he talks about 100 milligrams of Primo per week and the 15 milligrams of Dianabol per day he says: "But that was then, this is now. A growing cast of actors shove, share center stage. All playing the same part at the same time. I awoke amazed, wondering how this ridiculous play isn't dying by now." I assume this part refers to his perspective of modern day bodybuilding compared to the golden era and how this generation abuses high dosages of multiple drugs, and how much of a travesty he believes bodybuilding has become. I believe it more or less stands for everything wrong with modern-day bodybuilding. The excessive mass chasing, the insane dosages of drugs, and him being amazed the "play isn't dying by now" perhaps alluding to the fact that bodybuilding has continued to remain popular despite an increasing amount of young bodybuilders dropping dead from drug abuse. There's a lot to take in from that poem. Dianabol (Dbol) And Primobolan Dosages Ric Drasin and Frank Zane both trained with Arnold and seem to be credible sources of information. Frank Zane is a Mr. Olympia winner himself and would know better than anyone what others from Gold's Gym were using. The cumulative evidence strongly suggests that Arnold was at minimum using a shot of Primobolan per week and 3-4 Dianabol per day. It is entirely possible that those dosages titrated up over the years, but in general we at least know that those were likely the compounds he used to build his physique. CIBA Dianabol was prescribed in 2.5 and 5 milligram oral tablets. All forms of Bayer Primobolan Depot were packaged in one milliliter glass ampules and contained 100 milligrams of Metenolone Enanthate. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Steroid Cycle Based on the information provided, we can assume that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s steroid cycle consisted of 15-20 milligrams of Dianabol per day and 100 milligrams of Primobolan per week. Those are very conservative dosages by today's standards, and this was reinforced by every one in the golden era who has spoke out about the steroid use in that tight knit circle of bodybuilders Arnold hung out with. Obviously they could be wrong or lying, but I think their stories line up too well with each other for it to not be at least somewhat true. Hopefully that lays some myths to rest and sheds light on what the golden era bodybuilders were actually doing to achieve the physiques that everyone strives for nowadays. Nowadays, guys abuse excessive amounts of drugs in hopes of achieving golden era physiques, when the golden era guys were actually using a fraction of what teenage kids are cycling on nowadays. Granted, there may be a huge disparity in product quality between the pharmaceutical grade products available in the golden era compared to the UGL stuff most guys are using now. However, I do not believe that to be the case, with the exception of product purity and complete dosage accuracy. Most top UGL's are pretty on point and aren't far off of pharmaceutical quality, so to me that point usually just comes across as an excuse that guys use to justify using massive dosages, or for their lackluster results. The golden era steroid dosages were far more reasonable than most would otherwise believe had they not seen this stuff, or heard it straight from the horse's mouth. I don't think you will find a more credible resource than Arnold, Frank, Ric, and Steve themselves who have opened up about the standard dosages used in that era, with their statements all lining up with eachother. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Gorilla Mind Smooth is the most potent and comprehensive stimulant-free Nootropic formula on the market. If you don't already know what Nootropics are, they are a category of compounds that can improve cognitive function. This can extend into many different specific benefits, but the main draw of Nootropics is their impact on productivity, concentration, creativity and information retention. Gorilla Mind Smooth is our stimulant-free version of Gorilla Mind that provides a smoother, much less extreme level of energy, but still maximizes mental clarity, memory, creativity and focus. Regardless if you're currently using stimulant-based products (coffee, energy drinks, pre-workouts, etc.), cycling off of stimulants, or just never use stimulants, Gorilla Mind Smooth is the most potent Nootropic formula you can add into your life to enhance cognitive function. https://youtu.be/Hcj8CinGG6s Reviews These are some of the reviews we've received from customers using Gorilla Mind Smooth: Gorilla Mind Smooth Supplement Facts Per Full Daily Dose: L-Tyrosine - 1000 mg Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium Erinaceus) (standardized to 25% β-glucans) - 1000 mg DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) - 750 mg Alpha GPC 50% (L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine) - 600 mg Kanna (Sceletium Tortuosum) - 500 mg Bacopa Monnieri (standardized to 45% Bacosides) - 400 mg L-Theanine - 200 mg Bioperine® (Black Pepper Fruit Extract) (standardized to 95% Piperine) - 10 mg Huperzine A (Huperzia serrata leaf standardized extract) - 400 mcg The original Gorilla Mind Smooth formula had PEA, Hordenine and Teacrine in it. Originally, I was trying to chase a stimulant-free energy boost in Smooth, which is why I had those ingredients in it. However, over the past year I've started to really lean towards reformulating Smooth to create an entirely Nootropic comprised formula that is 100% geared towards maxing out cognitive function, rather than chase a relatively weak level of energy that we already destroy with Gorilla Mind Rush. Anyone buying Gorilla Mind that is using it for the laser focus and massive boost in energy and productivity is buying RUSH anyways, not SMOOTH. Instead of wasting precious capsule space with things that achieve a subpar level of energy, I decided that space would be far better utilized with other Nootropics. This is what led to me creating the current Gorilla Mind Smooth formula, which now has 1000 mg of Lion's Mane mushroom and 500 mg of Kanna in it. These compounds are far more conducive to enhancing the SMOOTH formula by supporting actual brain health, creativity, mental clarity and memory formation. If you want ridiculous amounts of energy and drive, get RUSH. For those who want a true stimulant-free Nootropic formula, SMOOTH is even better now and I highly recommend you give it a try. Gorilla Mind Smooth Vs. Other Nootropics On The Market This is the most maxed out stim-free Nootropic formula on the market. The full daily dose is 6 capsules. Even a half dose (3 capsules) is still far more potent than the majority of other Nootropic formulas out there at their max dosages. I formulated Gorilla Mind Smooth the exact same way I formulate any other product. I put in exactly what I would buy myself if I were shopping for each Nootropic separately. If you thought the pre-workout market was bad for underdosed products, your jaw will drop when you see some of the top selling Nootropic formulas. This industry is even worse because it is so niche and new. Preying on unsuspecting customers with garbage formulas sprinkled with vitamins and completely useless dosages of Nootropics is even more common in this industry. Because Nootropics are relatively new and uncharted waters for many, the prices get pretty aggressive on these watered down formulas as well that promise the world, and deliver nothing more than placebo. What's baffling to me is how many people eat up the marketing and blindly buy products priced at $60, $70, even $100 that probably cost $4-5 max to make. When the cost of bottles, lids, and labels costs more than the Nootropics in your formula, there's a f*cking problem. Fortunately, my audience is comprised of intelligent individuals who actually know how to spot value. It would be so easy to make a formula with a couple hundred milligrams of cheap choline that doesn't even cross the blood brain barrier, 100-200 mg of Bacopa Monnieri, throw a bit of caffeine in there for a kick, put some exotic sounding ayurvedic herbs in there, maybe sprinkle a couple low dosed Adaptogens in there, add a useless pinch of vitamins to make my label look more impressive and confusing, and then slap a label on it like every other company and then aggressively smash people with ads and market a high priced subscription model to the masses, or put it up on Amazon to compete with all the other loss leader cheap and ineffective Nootropics on there. The fact that the hypothetical piece of sh*t formula I just made up as an example of what not to do is actually still better than most of the Nootropic formulas on the market just goes to show how much some companies are deceiving their customers. If the majority of a company's budget goes into ads and sponsorships instead of product formulation, or they have a high ranking product on amazon, you can almost guarantee without even looking at the product that it sucks. Unlike what most companies will lead you to believe, there is no Nootropic formula that will lock you in like Bradley Cooper from Limitless (great movie by the way). https://youtu.be/4TLppsfzQH8 Just like our other products, it is me making the formula, and I put in what I would want to use as a customer. I used to spend time every day in University measuring out all my different Nootropics that were in my "stack", and toss and washing random powders. Obviously it makes things much easier to just have it in ready to go capsules that are actually dosed properly. With my products, everything is turnkey. How To Dose Gorilla Mind Smooth Take 3-6 capsules in the morning, or spread throughout the day. Start with 3 capsules to evaluate your tolerance. While Gorilla Mind Rush requires more of a tolerance assessment and slow dosage titration over time due to the heavy hitting stimulants, you will more than likely be fine jumping head first into Gorilla Mind Smooth and tapering up to the maximum recommended dose relatively quickly. Gorilla Mind Smooth Vs. Gorilla Mind Rush While the foundation of Nootropics in both Gorilla Mind products are mostly the same, there are some key differences between the two formulas. The main difference is that RUSH has a handful of potent stimulants that completely change how the product feels. RUSH is best stimulant-based Nootropic formula on the market for really waking you up and giving you tunnel vision focus and productivity. The strong backbone of Nootropics in RUSH are the portion that can actually enhance information recall, creativity, etc. But, the stimulants in RUSH are the driving force of the product, and can really be a game changer in productivity. SMOOTH on the other hand is stimulant-free and has the same Nootropics as RUSH, but also has 1000 mg of Lion's Mane mushroom and 500 mg of Kanna. Lion's Mane is amazing for supporting cognitive health, memory formation and mental clarity, while Kanna is a potent mood booster and can also support improved focus and energy levels. Gorilla Mind Smooth is significantly toned down in the energy department, so if you have too high of a sensitivity to stimulants or simply want a smoother level of focus, this would be more ideal for you. How To Combine Gorilla Mind Rush And Gorilla Mind Smooth If you don’t want to pick between either having the giant burst of energy and laser focus that RUSH provides, or the cognitive enhancing benefits of the Lion's Mane and Kanna in SMOOTH, you can combine the products. By taking 6 capsules of either, you will be getting a top end dose of Nootropics. Even with 3 capsules of either product you will still get an effective dose of Nootropics, and with RUSH, many won't even be able to exceed 3 capsules because the stimulant blend is extremely strong. If you are not a stim junkie who needs 6 capsules of RUSH I would recommend getting both so you can strategically tweak how much energy you want to get from the Rush to not over-stimulate yourself, but also reach the maxed out mental benefit you would get out of the Nootropics in each respective version of the product. Rotating Gorilla Mind Smooth and Gorilla Mind Rush Use Gorilla Mind Rush on days that require the most focus, productivity and energy. By rotating RUSH and SMOOTH, you can keep yourself sensitive to the stimulants in Gorilla Mind Rush, and reap the maximum benefit from each product during each use. Do You Need To Cycle Off Of Gorilla Mind Smooth? While SMOOTH will not cause tolerance build up like RUSH, I would still advise cycling off of everything for a week every month or so. Alternatively, allocate a couple days each week to days you do not take anything, including RUSH. Gorilla Mind Smooth Ingredients Breakdown L-Tyrosine - 1000 mg L-Tyrosine is an amazing cognitive enhancing amino acid that acts by balancing neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Its primary role is as the direct precursor to thyroxine and to the neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. L-Tyrosine shines in its ability to improve mental sharpness, focus, energy levels, and cause mood elevation [R, R]. L-Tyrosine Vs N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine L-Tyrosine is the most bioavailable form of Tyrosine. In short, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is very inefficiently converted by the body to Tyrosine [R]. Even IV’ing N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine can’t elevate plasma Tyrosine levels to a significant degree, let alone via oral ingestion. Claims of increased water solubility and bioavailability are all marketing hype and were disproved easily by showing just how poorly N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is at converting to Tyrosine in the body. The graph above depicts arterial concentrations of N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (NAT) and Tyrosine (Tyr) during intravenous infusion of N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine. As you can see, Tyrosine levels barely even budge. This is the same kind of tactic used to try and market new and “improved” forms of creatine that at the end of the day do not yield any additional benefit, and just feature an inflated price tag. In our first batch of Gorilla Mind, we actually had N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine in the formulas based on these claims of improved water solubility and bioavailability by our manufacturer at the time. After delving into the data further, I realized the massive difference in bioavailability and swapped out the N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine for straight L-Tyrosine, found a better manufacturing facility, and all batches of Gorilla Mind products since then have featured L-Tyrosine instead. Organic Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium Erinaceus) (standardized to 25% β-glucans) - 1000 mg Lion’s Mane is a Nootropic and cognitive-enhancing mushroom that has been used for thousands of years by Buddhist Monks who believed that it enhanced brain power and improved their focus. The main reason it is so promising as a Nootropic is the effect it has shown to have on the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurogenesis. By enhancing neurogenesis and potentially even attenuating the negative effects of cognitive decline, Lion’s Mane may significantly improve mental acuity, information retention, and decrease mental fatigue. Most products on the market contain 250 - 500 mg of Lion’s Mane. We have a full gram (1000 mg) in Gorilla Mind Smooth to ensure you are actually getting an efficacious dose of Lion’s Mane in when you use it. Effect On Cognitive Function A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 50-80 year old adults with mild cognitive impairment to evaluate the efficacy of Lion's Mane as a cognitive aid. The Lion's Mane treated group showed significantly increased scores on the cognitive function scale compared with the placebo group [R]. Enhanced Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) Synthesis Results from animal studies support that Lion's Mane can enhance the synthesis of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) [R, R]. NGF is required by neurons in order to survive and appears to play a major role in cognitive function. When NGF decreases in the brain, memory formation and information recall becomes greatly impaired. By maintaining optimal levels of NGF one may be able to support brain plasticity for improved information retention, memorization, as well as general cognitive health. Effect On Beta Amyloid Levels And Cognitive Decline In a rodent model, Lion's Mane was shown to attenuate the negative cognitive effects of beta amyloid in the brain (what is believed to be the main cause of Alzheimer's) [R]. It was also shown to ameliorate Alzheimer’s disease-related pathologies in several other rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease [R, R]. Mood Elevation And Stress Reduction Lion’s Mane also contains erinacine and other bioactive compounds that may increase dopamine production and improve state of well-being. One study showed that Lion's Mane supplementation reduced depression and anxiety after 4 weeks of use [R]. DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) - 750 mg DMAE's mechanism of action isn't fully understood, but it appears to work primarily by stimulating cholinergic receptors and has shown to improve cognitive function, energy levels, focus, and act as a neuroprotectant [R]. DMAE users consistently report improved memory, attention to detail, focus and mental clarity. DMAE Vs. Ritalin Study One double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted on 74 children with learning problems compared the efficacy of DMAE to Ritalin for treating ADHD [R]. The children were either given 40 mg of Ritalin, 500 mg of DMAE, or a placebo every day for 3 months. Behavior rating forms, reaction time, and an array of other psychometric tests were given before and after treatment. DMAE showed improvements in these metrics of approximately the same magnitude as Ritalin. No major side effects were noted with either treatment with exception of 6 of the children on Ritalin noting appetite suppression. Alpha GPC 50% (L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine) - 600 mg Alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha-GPC) is the highest quality and most bioavailable form of Choline. Taking massive dosages of straight Choline has shown to have no cognitive effect in humans [R]. Alpha-GPC on the other hand has shown to cross the blood brain barrier and provide the brain with a rapidly absorbed form of choline. This then supports the synthesis and release of acetylcholine. The surge of quickly absorbed choline in conjunction with the release of acetylcholine helps support an array of cognitive functions including but not limited to memory, HGH production, physical performance, concentration, focus, and information absorption/recall [R, R, R]. Alpha-GPC has also shown to significantly increase strength and may be an effective ergogenic aid [R]. How Much Choline Do You Need Per Day? The Adequate Intake (AI), as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Institute of Medicine, for adults is 550 mg per day for men and 425 mg per day for women. We all know how brutally underestimated some of the AI's have proved to be in the past couple decades, and there is evidence suggesting that the AI for Choline is also far too low. One study showed that 2200 mg per day of Choline protected against the DNA damage that otherwise occurred in people consuming only 550 mg [R]. There are not enough studies on Choline, and it is a severely lacking area of research considering how important it is for brain health. I would shoot for at least 900-1200 mg of Choline per day. A big chunk of that can be achieved through regular liver and egg yolk consumption, but supplementation will help you hit that number with much greater ease. I eat 1 ounce of beef liver, 4 large eggs, and supplement with 600 mg of Alpha-GPC every day via Gorilla Mind. I also take extra precautions to support methylation, which I will delve into later in the methylation subsection. Alpha-GPC's Effect On Alzheimer's Dementia In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, patients with Alzheimer's dementia were treated with Alpha-GPC (400-mg capsules) or placebo capsules, 3 times daily, for 180 days [R]. In the Alpha-GPC group, assessed parameters consistently improved after 90 and 180 days versus baseline, whereas in the placebo group those same parameters remained unchanged or worsened. The results suggest that Alpha-GPC is a promising intervention for attenuating the cognitive decline that occurs from neurodegenerative disease. Alpha-GPC's Effect On Methylation And Health Status The MTHFR gene codes for an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, or MTHFR. This enzyme is needed for the production of DNA and supporting methylation pathways that are essential for all bodily functions. Genetic variations in this gene results in reduced activity of the enzyme and has been associated with cardiovascular disease, neurological defects, some forms of cancer, and a myriad of other diseases and disorders [R, R]. Personally, I am homozygous for C677T of MTHFR, which results in a 80-90% decrease in my efficiency in processing folic acid. The direct reflection of that in blood biomarkers can be high homocysteine and low B12 and folate levels. I determined this via a simple 23andMe genetics test. Normally your body creates methyl groups by recycling Homocysteine to Methionine, as well as by converting Choline to Betaine. When nutrient intake needs are sufficiently met, the body depends on these two mechanisms equally. However, if you are deprived of methyl groups or have poor MTHFR activity because of a polymorphism, you can change that and start to create a disproportional ratio of dependency on the Choline to Betaine pathway. If you can't create enough Methylfolate, your body will ramp up the use of Betaine and Choline for methyl groups. By ramping up Choline to Betaine conversion to support methylation, your body can become depleted of the Choline it needs to create Acetylcholine. Downstream, the depletion of Choline can eventually lead to impaired cognitive function, DNA damage, and can be deleterious to overall health. The prevalence of MTHFR polymorphisms and micronutrient deficient diets is so common nowadays that almost everyone could benefit from Alpha-GPC supplementation to maintain higher levels of Choline. I take 600 mg of Alpha-GPC every day on top of the Betaine and Creatine I get from Gorilla Mode (or Gorilla Mode Nitric when I am not taking stimulants) to support methylation, improve my health, and optimize my performance. Alpha-GPC Vs. CDP Choline Alpha-GPC raises choline blood levels much more than CDP-Choline. While there is some speculation around the fringe benefits that may come with the Cytidine component of CDP-Choline, in general, the main reason we would use either Alpha-GPC or CDP-Choline is to supplement our diet and raise our Choline levels. Alpha-GPC accomplishes this better than CDP-Choline. Our Alpha-GPC is 50% Choline by weight, whereas CDP-Choline is only about 18% Choline by weight. That means that you would need to use almost three times as much CDP-Choline to get the same amount of Choline as Alpha-GPC. Are any of the companies out there with CDP-Choline in their formulas putting 1600-1700 mg of CDP-Choline per daily dose in their products? Not even close. Many companies still use Citicoline (CDP Choline) in their Nootropic formulas, despite the fact that Alpha-GPC has shown time and time again to be more effective both anecdotally, as well as clinically [R]. From what I've seen, the most reputable anti-aging "biohackers" in the industry also prefer Alpha-GPC over CDP-Choline. I have personally tried CDP-Choline and never really noticed any enhancing effect like I seemed to with Alpha GPC. - Rhonda Patrick (Ph.D in biomedical science/expert on nutritional health, brain & aging) Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) - 500 mg Kanna supplementation has been found to effectively lower stress, elevate mood and increase focus. Personally, I notice a huge boost in my mood and I lock in a little bit more on whatever I am trying to concentrate on when I supplement with Kanna. Kanna was a huge success in our pre-workout formula because it also complements stimulants very well, which you have probably found out first hand if you have tried Gorilla Mode. Kanna works mainly via increasing the amount of serotonin available in the brain, and is typically utilized for its anti-anxiety and mood elevating effects [R]. This is an ingredient you will really feel, and can be especially useful for those days you need something effective that isn’t stimulant based. Anecdotally, a dose between 200-500 mg of Kanna has shown to be ideal for oral ingestion. Higher dosages between 1-2 grams have been associated with unwanted side effects like dizziness. Kanna has no addictive properties, and it is not hallucinogenic [R, R]. One thing to keep in mind with Kanna use is that it has a high affinity for the serotonin transporter. Therefore, it is plausible that Kanna can interfere with SSRI pharmaceuticals. Bacopa Monnieri (standardized to 45% Bacosides) - 400 mg Bacopa Monnieri is typically used as a memory enhancing Nootropic. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that Bacopa Monnieri can protect neurons in the brain from accumulative damage, reduce β-amyloid levels in the brain, and improve cognitive performance by modulating neurotransmitters [R]. The efficacy of Bacopa Monnieri has been reinforced in six high-quality randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials. The results suggest that Bacopa Monnieri not only has the potential to attenuate neurodegenerative disease progression, but it may also be a potent memory enhancing agent in otherwise healthy individuals. Improved Verbal Recall - Bacopa Monnieri Vs. Modafinil Study In a meta-analysis, long-term Bacopa Monnieri supplementation produced more consistent and noticeable positive effects than Modafinil [R]. Primarily, Bacopa Monnieri was shown to be very effective at improving verbal recall. This suggests that Bacopa Monnieri would be especially useful for memorizing long speeches, business presentations, songs, scripts, etc. Apparently Bacopa Monnieri was used by ancient Vedic scholars to memorize lengthy hymns and scriptures, which would reinforce the clinical findings. Improved Information Retention And Memory Consolidation A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted on 46 healthy adults assessed the efficacy of supplementing 300 mg per day of Bacopa Monnieri for 12 weeks [R]. 23 subjects received Bacopa Monnieri, and 23 subjects received placebo. A battery of well-validated neuropsychological tests were used to assess Bacopa's efficacy as a Nootropic. The Bacopa Monnieri treated group had significantly improved speed of visual information processing, learning rate, memory consolidation, and state anxiety compared to placebo, with maximal effects evident after 12 weeks. In another study conducted on 76 healthy adults aged 40-65, Bacopa Monnieri showed significant improvements in information retention [R]. Another study conducted on 81 elderly Australians found that a Bacopa Monnieri extract produced significant improvements in verbal learning, memory acquisition and delayed recall [R]. L-Theanine - 200 mg L-Theanine is most commonly used for its calming and relaxing effects. I find that it also promotes a high level of mental clarity as well. L-Theanine primarily works by targeting the neurotransmitters GABA, Serotonin, Dopamine, Epinephrine and Norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are responsible for feelings of attention, stress, arousal, relaxation and pleasure. By mitigating the over-activity of excitable neurotransmitters and enhancing the calming neurotransmitters, L-Theanine seems to help calm down the brain, reduce stress, and curb anxiety. This is why L-Theanine complements stimulants like caffeine so tremendously too, as it takes the edge off of stimulants that can cause jitters and over-stimulation. Stacking Caffeine With L-Theanine To Help You Get To Sleep And Smooth Out The Jitters If you get jitters even with low doses of caffeine, the L-Theanine in Gorilla Mind Smooth will really help curb that. The caffeine + L-Theanine stack is one of the most basic and effective Nootropic stacks to date. This is one of the main reasons why Gorilla Mind Rush won't send you off the rails despite having a very potent combination of stimulants in it (it also has a big dose of L-Theanine in it). If you love your coffee, green tea, or energy drinks and don't want the aggressive stimulant blend in Gorilla Mind Rush, Gorilla Mind Smooth will stack with your caffeinated drink of choice exceptionally well. One notable rodent model even showed that L-Theanine can partially counteract caffeine-induced sleep disturbances [R]. Improved Memory And Attention In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted on 91 people with minor brain damage, a combination of L-Theanine and green tea extract improved memory, attention span, and alertness during a memory test [R]. Improved Verbal Fluency And Executive Function In another randomized controlled trial, 30 healthy adults were given 200 mg of L-Theanine per day, or placebo. Verbal fluency and executive function scores improved after L-Theanine administration [R]. Stress levels also went down, and sleep quality also increased after L-Theanine administration. Improved Reaction Time In another study conducted on 18 healthy University student volunteers, 200 mg of L-Theanine improved attention performance and reaction time response [R]. Neuroprotection In a study conducted on elderly volunteers with normal or minor cognitive dysfunction, volunteers who ingested powdered green tea containing 47.5 mg of theanine per day showed significantly lower decline in cognitive function compared with that of the placebo group [R]. BioPerine® (Black Pepper Fruit Extract) (standardized to 95% Piperine) - 10 mg Bioperine is a trademarked form of black pepper extract standardized to 95% Piperine. Black pepper extract is a very effective CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein inhibitor [R]. These enzymes break down molecules like epinephrine and norepinephrine in the body. By prolonging the breakdown of the cognitive enhancing ingredients in this formula, Bioperine extends how long they work for, and can also significantly increase their bioavailability. Huperzine A - 400 mcg Huperzine A works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase in the brain, which is an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is not only a major regulator of cognitive performance, but it is also an important neurotransmitter needed for optimal muscular contractions during exercise. Huperzine A has shown to promote neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons in the brain) and act as a neuroprotective agent for existing neurons in the brain. In turn, Huperzine A has shown to enhance memory, focus and overall cognitive function [R, R]. Huperzine A is one of the most potent Nootropics that you can really “feel” and it complements the other Nootropics in this formula perfectly. Other Notable Compounds I Didn’t Include In The Formula And Why Noopept, Racetams, Other Synthetic Nootropics And Prodrugs Although they are effective Nootropics, Noopept, Racetams (class of drugs all named with the suffix "racetam"), prodrugs like Adrafinil,  and other synthetic compounds that cannot be found in nature or in the food supply are not DSHEA compliant and cannot be legally sold as dietary supplements, so we did not include any. If this wasn't the case, I probably would have included 30 mg of Noopept in the formula. I also like Phenylpiracetam. Vitamins Vitamins are often included in Nootropic formulas to make a supplement facts panel look more impressive. If a company is willing to sacrifice room in their capsules to inflate their ingredient profile with stuff you very likely already get from diet or a multivitamin, that is a major red flag. More often than not, the dosages included are next to useless and are just there to make a product look more comprehensive. The main issue with this is that you only have so much room in a capsule. Most Nootropic products use a "00" capsule size in their bottles. Each "00" sized capsule can fit about 735 mg in it. That is precious space, and including a useful amount of vitamins in a product can easily take up several capsules of space. If a company is wasting space with vitamins and only has a serving size of around 6 capsules, they are probably just trying to hide the fact that the actual Nootropics portion of their formula is watered down garbage. Conclusion - What To Expect From Gorilla Mind Smooth In general, you can expect clear headed mental clarity, as well as improved information retention, creativity, productivity and concentration. Gorilla Mind Smooth is not designed to jack your brain into high gear, as that is a stimulant driven mechanism. Rather, it is purely meant to enhance cognitive function and overall mental performance. Try Gorilla Mind Smooth for yourself here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of the minority of men taking steroids who actually get blood tests, 99% of them get inaccurate assays. Most doctors don't realize the importance of high sensitivity testing when it comes to men in general, and even more so in steroid users. The difference between high sensitivity testing and what you have probably been getting in the past can be the entire reference range, or in some cases, it may even be detecting metabolites or analogs of other hormones. This is not limited to just testosterone either. Measuring Estradiol via Roche ECLIA (Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay) instead of liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) has similar limitations, as do other hormone tests with insufficient analytical sensitivity. https://youtu.be/8mw-jZpmrsQ The Most Accurate Total Testosterone Blood Test The gold standard for accurately measuring total testosterone levels is high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS). Recent studies have shown that the current assays used in total testosterone testing lack the required sensitivity to produce accurate results when working with very low concentrations. This can be especially problematic when trying to accurately measure total testosterone levels in severely testosterone deficient men, normal or testosterone deficient women, and children. In addition, these tests have proven via my own personal tests to detect synthetic anabolic androgenic steroids as testosterone. This issue can be corrected by newer methods based on mass spectrometry. The Most Accurate Free Testosterone Blood Test The gold standard for accurately measuring free testosterone levels is equilibrium dialysis. Equilibrium ultrafiltration is also sufficient. A comparison of results obtained via equilibrium dialysis and equilibrium ultrafiltration found that the two methods correlated closely (r = 0.97) [R]. Direct analog enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is inaccurate and has shown in my own personal tests to detect synthetic anabolic androgenic steroids as testosterone. My Blood Test Results Comparing ECLIA And EIA Vs. LC/MS-MS And Equilibrium Ultrafiltration This is an example that very clearly shows how important high sensitivity testing can be. I went in for a blood test during a Nandrolone-only experiment. I had no Testosterone in my system whatsoever. Expectedly, by assessing my Total Testosterone level via liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) and my Free Testosterone level via equilibrium ultrafiltration, we can see that my Testosterone levels were crashed. Both the total and the free were lower than a healthy female. This is what you should see in your blood work if you’re on just Nandrolone. The only Testosterone being produced in my body was indirectly via the trace amounts of androgens produced in my adrenal cortex, which is why the value wasn't completely bottomed out at 0. I've mentioned many times the importance of getting high sensitivity testing done for hormone levels and how Nandrolone will register as Testosterone in primitive garbage blood tests. This is another great example of this. In addition to high sensitivity testing, I had the same blood tested using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for my Total Testosterone level, and direct analog enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for my Free Testosterone level. These were the test results using the exact same blood sample with the terrible default assays that doctors will use to determine how to treat you, and that labs will give you in the majority of your blood work panels. According to ECLIA and EIA, I had a normal Total Testosterone and Free Testosterone level. This just one example of why getting accurate hormone testing is critical. My Testosterone levels were actually in the gutter, but ECLIA and EIA couldn't even tell the difference between Testosterone and 19-nortestosterone in my blood. Where To Order Accurate Blood Tests Most labs offer total testosterone (LC/MS-MS), and some offer free testosterone (equilibrium ultrafiltration). However, very few self-pay labs offer free testosterone (equilibrium dialysis). Of the ones that do offer it, it is extremely expensive and it does not come in a package with a total testosterone test. If your doctor will write you a requisition for it, great. If not, just get equilibrium ultrafiltration. Personally, I drive to the US just so I can get LC/MS-MS and equilibrium ultrafiltration testing done. This is the exact test I order every time to accurately check my testosterone levels: Testosterone, Free, Equilibrium Ultrafiltration With Total Testosterone, LC/MS-MS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices