Isatori’s H+ Blocker Review: A Beta Alanine Supplement

Posted By Paul on Dec 30, 2012 | 0 comments

H+ Blocker is without a doubt the most exciting body building supplement I’ve tried in a long, long, time (probably since 1996, when I first tried creatine). In fact, H+ Blocker has been one of the few products I take religiously (along with the aforementioned creatine, as well as glutamine and NO supplements). I’ve got a few buddies hooked on it as well… it’s that good.

OK then… what is H+ Blocker?

It’s a carnosine-boosting supplement. It doesn’t actually contain carnosine, but a special combination of amino acids beta-alanine, l-histidine bonded with aspartic acid. Once in the body, these synthesize to form carnosine.

I know what you’re thinking… what’s the big deal about carnosine?

Well, here’s the thing… carnosine is stored in muscle tissues, and one of its jobs is to neutralize the hydrogen ions which are the by-product of anaerobic glycolysis. This is the process by which the body creates energy without the presence of oxygen. When you lift weights, you require dramatic amounts of energy for those explosive, powerful movements. This energy is generated by anaerobic glycolysis, since the energy requirements are too extreme to be met by aerobic means.

As contractions continue, hydrogen ions build up in the muscle, lowering its pH level, and thus increasing its acidity.

This is known as muscular acidosis — and its the reason for the increasing burn and the increased weakness you feel as you progress farther into the reps of your chosen exercise.

According to Stephen Adele, CEO of Isatori Technolgies…

“…there is a direct relationship between the amount of carnosine in muscle fibers and their ability to resist acidosis.

But what’s really great is that new science has unveiled that the more carnosine a muscle has stored in it, the harder and longer it can work before losing pH balance and shutting down.”

Typically, carnosine is more abundant in Type II muscle fibers (the fibers for strength) than Type I fibers (endurance muscles). It’s also found in higher concentrations in the muscle tissues of trained athletes than couch potatoes.

By now you see where this going. And here’s the good news… there is a direct correlation between carnosine levels in the muscles and athletic performance (J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Nov;19(4):725-9). Best of all, this is not completely restricted to activities primarily performed by Type II muscle fibers. In other word, aerobic capacity seems to be increased as well.

There’s also evidence that supplementation with beta-alanine increases levels of muscle carnosine (see Amino Acids. 2007 Feb;32(2):225-33. Epub 2006 Jul 28, and this animal study; Equine Vet J Suppl. 1999 Jul;30:499-504).

Incidentally, beta-alanine has also been studied and shown to be helpful for performance (see Nutrition Research, Volume 28, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 31-35, J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009; 6:5, J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008; 5:21)

This study concluded…

“β-alanine supplementation appears to improve submaximal cycle ergometry performance and TTE (time to exhaustion) in young women, perhaps as a result of an increased buffering capacity due to elevated muscle carnosine concentrations.”

Which confirms the argument that beta alanine supplements increase muscle carnosine levels, and subsequently, athletic performance.

OK, now that you know how it works, the question is…

Does H+ Blocker work?

As you can imagine from my enthusiastic introduction of this article… it works pretty darn well. While I recognize my own experience is anecdotal, the clinical evidence validates what I believe to be true; that for most people, a beta-alanine supplement like H+ Blocker is a worthwhile investment.

A word to wise though…

It can take beta-alanine supplments like H+ Blocker a few weeks to come into their own (as was the case with me). That’s because it can take some time to sufficiently “load” the muscle’s carnosine stores. Other folks will notice it immediately (I’ve received feedback from people who had dramatic effects right away). Regardless, during the first three weeks on this product, you’ll really notice the effects. From there up to the 7 week period (there is no reason to cycle off H+ Blocker), studies show muscle carnosine levels will continue to increase.

And what will be the noticeable effects?

Quite simply… more reps, longer time to failure, faster recovery, and greater adaptive response—all leading to increased muscle growth. H+ Blocker also contains enough caffeine to give you a nice boost (for the ultimate pre-workout stack, combine with 1 scoop of BSN’s N.O.Xplode or Gaspari’s SuperPump 250).

Are there any side-effects with beta alanine supplements like H+ Blocker?

Common ones include a blood-flow flush (similar to niacin) or the tingling in the extremities. This is normal and will dissipate within a few minutes. Within a few weeks of using H+ Blocker, you won’t notice it at all.

Bottom line?

In my opinion, H+ Blocker is a great supplement, and I highly recommend you try it for a month. I don’t make recommendations lightly, but I have absolutely no hesitation about recommending this product. Especially since Isatori, the makers of H+ Blocker will refund your money if you’re not 100% satisfied with the product (you have to buy the product direct from Isatori to be eligible for this guarantee. I’ll provide you with a link in a moment).

Sidebar: If you’re on a tight budget you can save a couple of dollars by buying beta-alanine in isolation (we recommend the AllMax Beta-Alanine from BodyBuilding.com), but since it’s not significantly cheaper, I’d recommend trying the H+Blocker, which seems to work a little better.

Regardless, if you do go for a simple beta-alanine supplement, make sure you take a minimum of 5-7 grams per day, which is the average amount used in the referenced studies.

Unlike other companies that offer “lip service” warranties (i.e., they promise satisfaction but make it impossible to obtain a refund) Isatori actually honors their guarantee. In fact, they were recently nominated for an award by a prestigious consumer advocate company in Colorado.

Plain and simple?

You don’t get nominated for an award like that unless you know how to treat your customers.

Anyhow, with this guarantee in place, you assume very little risk by trying H+ Blocker… and I’d be very, very surprised if you didn’t absolutely love it. Of course, anything is possible, so keep your receipt information in case you need to claim your refund…

You can order H+ Blocker direct from Isatori here!