Review: AST’s Anabolic Rush Nitric Oxide Supplement
Note: Anabolic Rush has been discontinued.
Anabolic Rush is a new state of the art muscle-building and energizing formula that uses innovative breakthroughs in nutrient design and delivery technology to maximize muscle cell volume, mind-muscle energy, androgen receptor amplification, creatine absorption, muscle endurance and nitrogen retention…Anabolic Rush is to muscle growth what nitro-methane is to horsepower. There are plenty of supplements on the market but there’s nothing like Anabolic Rush.
This is part of the intro to “Anabolic Rush,” AST’s new pre-workout, nitric-oxide (NO) supplement. As common as NO-boosters are these days, I was still a bit surprised to see this one. I’m pretty familiar with AST’s product line, which features basic, no-nonsense supplements, such as micronized creatine monohydrate, protein powder, bars, a multivitamin, CLA, beta-alanine, L-glutamine, etc. A complex supplement like Anabolic Rush seems…I dunno, kinda out of character.
In more ways than one… I also recall a time—not so very long ago—when the company wasn’t too keen on nitric oxide (NO) supplements. For example, an article by Paul Cribb, AST’s Director of Research, called “Nitric Oxide Supplements—Big Claims—Zero Science: NO 2 ways about it” can still be found in various places on the internet.
Well, that was then and this is now, I suppose. Looks like AST’s changed its mind about complicated formulas…and nitric oxide supplements. Anabolic Rush is the company’s answer to NO-Xplode, SuperPump 250, NO Shotgun and other popular NO-boosters.
This is obvious by looking at the label…
Anabolic Rush™ Proprietary Substrate Matrix 23,935mg
C5MX™ – Creatine Matrix
Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine Alpha Keto Glutarate, TriCreatine Malate, Creatine Citrate, Magnesium Creatine Chelate.
MCXC™ – Muscle Cell Xpander Complex™
L-Glutamine, L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, Taurine, Methionine, Glycine, Glycocyamine, Manganese, Vanadium Chelate
Androgen Receptor Amplifier™
Carnitine L-Tartrate (LCLT), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Pyridoxine HCL (B6), Zinc, Cyanocobalamin (B12)
Mind-Muscle Energy Stimulator™
L-Tyrosine, L-Phenylalanine, Extenergen (Caffeine, Phenylethylamine HCL, Glucuronolactone, Picamilon, Nettle Root Extract, Magnolia Extract, Yohimbine HCL, Inositol Niacinate, Thiamine Disulfide), Trimethylglycine (TMG), Vinpocetine, Vincamine, Vinburnine
Nitric-Rush™
Arginine AKG, Citruline Malate, Arginine, Malic Acid
RepXtra™
Beta-X™-Patented Beta-Alanine
Hydro-InFuse™ – Sustained Electrolyte Complex™
Magnesium Phosphate, Di-Sodium Phosphate, Di-Potassium Phosphate, Di-Calcium Phosphate
It’s all there: the arginine salts, creatine, electrolytes and nootropics.
But the more, the merrier…and I like this genre of supplements, as they certainly help with focus, concentration and performance in the gym. So let’s take a closer look at each blend, and see how Anabolic Rush measures up.
C5MX™: This is a blend of 5 different creatine forms. The first, of course, is an old friend, creatine monohydrate. Most of the others are also well known, and—in the case of creatine citrate and magnesium creatine chelate—there’s even a little research available. Two points, however:
- there’s exactly zero published data to indicate that ANY alternative creatine form gives results superior to creatine monohydrate; and
- there’s exactly zero data to indicate that consuming multiple forms of creatine gives results superior to consuming a single form.
I feel like a broken record on these two points, but whatever…These days, EVERYONE’s doing this, so I can hardly blame AST for falling into line.
MCXC™: The “Muscle Cell Xpander Complex” contains the branched chain amino acid, leucine, which serves an important function as an initiator of muscle protein synthesis. The MCXC blend also contains several compounds known to modulate blood sugar and insulin: taurine (which also has antioxidant effects), glutamine, glycine, manganese and vanadium. Glycocyamine may as well, but there’s no human data to justify its use for this purpose.
Androgen Receptor Amplifier™: The primary ingredient in this blend is L-carnitine, which was shown to enhance androgen receptors in exercising men following a short term (21 day) feeding experiment. Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, zinc and Vitamin B12 are all nutrients identified as important for male fertility and reproductive function.
Mind-Muscle Energy Stimulator™: This is a pretty complex and diverse blend. Here’s the breakdown:
- L-Tyrosine: a non-essential amino acid synthesized from phenylalanine. Tyrosine is a precursor for several important physiological compounds, including thyroid hormone(s) and the catecholamine neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. Tyrosine administration has been shown to improve mood and performance under environmental and physical stress.
- L-Phenylalanine: an essential amino acid and precursor to both tyrosine and phenethylamine (PEA).
- Caffeine: a well-known stimulant found naturally in coffee, tea, guarana and chocolate.
- Phenethylamine HCl (PEA): the reputed “love drug” from chocolate, although its effects are limited as it’s rapidly broken down before it reaches the brain.
- Glucuronolactone: a naturally-occurring metabolite of glucose. Glucuronolactone is used in energy drinks as well as some pre-workout supplements as an energy booster. It’s also sold in bulk powder form. There are no studies on glucuronolactone that validate its use for enhancing mood or energy. Most people using the bulk powder, give it a thumbs up, however. I’ve tried it myself: it seems to give a mild boost.
- Picamilon: a niacin-bound derivative of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (it’s also spelled pikamilon). Picamilon has been extensively investigated in Russia, but little researched in the West. It allegedly increases cerebral blood flow and induces a state of relaxation, without drowsiness.
- Nettle Root Extract: “Stinging Nettle” (Urtica dioica) has been used as a traditional herbal remedy for centuries. Stinging nettle extracts are also used in modern medicine as an alternative therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate). In vitro (cell culture) experiments have shown that Urtica extracts can inhibit SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)—a protein that binds to testosterone and limits its bioavailability.
- Magnolia Extract: animal (and limited human) experiments have shown magnolia extracts or honokiol, the active ingredient, are effective for reducing responses to stress.
- Yohimbine HCl: a fat loss compound that stimulates lipolysis by increasing blood flow in adipose tissue and blocking the activation of a 2-adrenoceptors on fat cells…although it works better in theory than in fact. It’s also sold as a treatment for male impotence.
- Inositol Niacinate: “Flush free” niacin used as to reduce blood lipids and improve circulation.
- Thiamine Disulfide: an oxidized dimer of the B-vitamin, thiamine.
- Trimethylglycine: also known as betaine. Betaine is a “methyl donor” that can help reduce plasma homocysteine—a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It may also protect the liver against fatty liver disease.
- Vinpocetine/Vincamine/Vinburnine: alkaloids derived from periwinkle that affect cerebral blood flow, memory and learning.
I’ll say it up front: this is an odd-looking blend. It’s overly complicated, which always raises questions about dose. In addition, some of the ingredients are questionable: PEA breaks down too quickly to be of any real use; whereas yohimbine, nettle root extract and betaine—while useful in other contexts—just don’t have much of an impact on mood, focus or concentration.
Nitric-Rush™: Arginine and citrulline are “standard issue” compounds for any NO booster. Arginine/arginine salts are used to produce nitric oxide, and citrulline serves as an alternate source of arginine.
RepXtra™: Beta-alanine is one-half of the naturally-occurring dipeptide carnosine (beta-alanyl-l-histidine), which—among other functions—helps to buffer hydrogen ions produced during intense muscular contractions. Beta-alanine supplementation has been shown to increase storage of muscle carnosine, reduce muscular fatigue, and improve high intensity athletic performance.
Hydro-InFuse™ — Sustained Electrolyte Complex™: phosphate salts serve a dual purpose: to replace electrolytes lost in sweat, and as sources of phosphate for ATP production.
So there we have it…
On paper, Anabolic Rush resembles a typical NO-booster that should be interchangeable with other popular brands.
But the proof of that lies in the testing.
With that in mind, I put in my order and gave it a whirl.
The verdict? Uneven.
This also surprised me, as it had been at least a month since I’d used ANY NO product, and was expecting a pretty good rush.
I didn’t get one, however, even with two full scoops. It did make me feel more alert—like I’d had a cup of coffee—and produced a modest pump…but that was it.
Same deal over the next couple of workouts. The only time I really felt this supplement had an impact was at bedtime: I ended up tossing and turning for 2+ hours before finally dropping off to sleep. Since I need my sleep, I decided to cut the experiment short.
Anabolic Rush “works,” I suppose, but the experience wasn’t on the same level as other popular NO-boosters I’ve tried—there’s just something missing. I think it comes back to the “Mind-Muscle Energy Stimulator” complex. As noted above, there are potential issues with large, overly complicated blends. Personally, I’d prefer to see a blend with a few, well-chosen ingredients, vs. one with a lot of (potentially underdosed) compounds jumbled together.
In fairness, Anabolic Rush also contains ingredients that would be beneficial over longer-term use, such as creatine, beta-alanine and carnitine. In addition, it tastes pretty good and dissolves well.
In searching for reasons to prefer this product over others, however, these “pluses” aren’t compelling…creatine, beta-alanine and carnitine are easily obtained from other sources; and—like a lot of gym rats—I’ll happily trade taste for results. It’s the laser-beam focus and pump that I’m after, and—unfortunately—this is exactly where Anabolic Rush falls a bit flat.
