Review: Pure Life U4EA

Posted By elissa on Jan 13, 2013 | 3 comments

“You Get Mood Enhancement, Stress Relief, and Increased Endurance—All in one product! Best of all U4EA is Safe & Healthy! U4EA contains only safe ingredients that work—quickly! Most users report feeling the effects in as little as 15–20 minutes.”

There’s another term for compounds that exert cognitive effects: “nootropics”. Otherwise known as “smart drugs”, they can help you feel a little sharper for that exam, or keep you focused while pushing out those last few reps.

Nootropic agents are pretty popular with bodybuilders, which is why they’re included in so many different supplement blends, from pre-workout stimulants to fat burners. They’re also sold as standalone products, although mostly as individual ingredients—which are then used to create customized stacks.

Experimenting with different compounds and combinations can be a pain, however…Thus, it’s nice to see some nootropic formulas coming onto the market. Ideally, these take the guesswork (not to mention the hassle of capping bulk powders) out of the equation.

Pure Life U4EA is one of those formulas. It comes in two, somewhat different versions, depending on whether you buy it in capped or in bulk powder form.

Serving Size: 4 Capsules Unique Proprietary Matrix 1820mg Phenibut L-Theanine L-Tyrosine L-Glycine Taurine Sceletium Tortuosum Bioperine®

Serving Size: 1 Teaspoon (tsp) Unique Neurotrophic Matrix 4000mg 2-Aminoethanesulfonic Acid 4-Amino-3-Phenylbutyric Acid HCL 2-Amino Acetic Acid Gamma-Glutamylethylamide Oxitriptan

Of course, the way the powder ingredients are written, the two look more than “somewhat different.” But this is only because they’re written in “chemicalese”—the ingredients in the powder are actually taurine, phenibut, glycine, theanine and 5-HTP. So the two forms share a number of common components, although it’s likely that the amounts/proportions differ.

So what are these ingredients, and what do they have to offer?

Phenibut/4-Amino-3-Phenylbutyric Acid HCL: This is a derivative of GABA—an inhibitory neurotransmitter that’s sold as a supplement in its own right. GABA has mild sedative effects that can aid in relaxation and sleep. Phenibut allegedly crosses the blood-brain barrier more efficiently than GABA does, and many consider it superior. This assessment is largely anecdotal, however. Although it’s used in Russia as an anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) and nootropic drug, most of the research on phenibut is published in obscure, Russian-language journals, and has not been subjected to the kind of critical evaluation typical of Western science.

It’s fairly popular stuff, though, so it’s reasonable to assume that it works. A common user complaint, however, is that tolerance to phenibut’s effects occurs quickly, so only sporadic use is advised.

L-Theanine/Gamma-Glutamylethylamide: A non-protein amino acid found in tea, l-theanine has relaxant and neuroprotective effects. It’s often added to fat loss supplements, primarily for its effects on mood/cognition (both alone and synergistically with caffeine).

L-Tyrosine: L-Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid synthesized from phenylalanine. It’s the precursor to 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-Glycine/2-Amino Acetic Acid: The non-essential amino acid glycine has a variety of physiological functions, including functioning—as GABA does—as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Supplemental glycine may improve sleep quality and increase growth hormone levels.

Taurine/2-Aminoethanesulfonic Acid: Taurine a sulfur-containing amino acid. It was originally isolated from ox bile, hence the name (the scientific name for the ox is Bos taurus).

Probably the best-known use of taurine is in “Red Bull” energy drinks, where it’s combined with caffeine and glucuronolactone. Red Bull itself has been studied, and reports confirm that it’s effective for enhancing mental and physical performance, but there is little information on what—if any—role taurine plays in producing these effects.

High dose experiments with rats and mice have shown that taurine can influence mood/behavior by acting as an anxiolytic. Currently, clinical trials in humans for controlling manic symptoms in subjects with bipolar disorder are currently being conducted, but there is little data available yet.

Sceletium tortuosum: Popularly known as “kanna”, Sceletium tortuosum is a medicinal plant used in South Africa for its mood-enhancing, stress-reducing effects. Certain psychoactive alkaloids have been identified (mesembrine, mesembrenone and mesembrenol), but it does not appear to have been studied very thoroughly. One of the alkaloids, mesembrine, may act as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which—if verified—would make it a natural antidepressant.

Oxitriptan (5-HTP): 5-HTP is a metabolite of the essential amino acid l-tryptophan and an intermediate in the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) as well as the hormone melatonin. 5-HTP is used as an alternative treatment for depression, and included in a number of supplements to improve mood and assist with appetite control/weight loss.

Overall, U4EA contains some obviously active compounds. I thought it looked pretty interesting, which is why I ordered a bottle from Bodybuilding.com to try for myself. The reviews looked promising and I was curious.

How did it go? Well, let’s just say that “interesting” is a good description. So is “unpredictable.” Truth is, my results were uneven.

First time I tried it, I took the recommended dose of 4 caps. I could actually feel it kick in…it was a reasonably pleasant sensation, but it didn’t seem to last long.

Next, I decided to test it as a pre-workout supp. Since 4 caps was a little underwhelming, I upped it to 5.

Wow. By the time I got to the gym, I was looped. I ambled into the locker room feeling vacantly happy and grinning ear-to-ear like a loon. Loved it…reminded me of my college daze. 😉

But once again—it didn’t last. The buzz disappeared within minutes of hitting the weights. And while my workout was decent, there was nothing special about it. There was no increased performance, focus or endurance.

Nonetheless, I figured it would be nice to recapture that happy buzz, so a few days later, I downed another 5 caps. I was at my computer, working on a blog post when it hit…only this time, it was in the opposite direction. It was all I could do to keep from face-planting on the keyboard, so I finally gave up trying to work, and crawled into bed for an extended nap—something I almost never do. Admittedly, I was fighting a cold and was short on sleep, but that definitely wasn’t the reaction I expected. Even worse, I woke up feeling distinctly hungover—ugh.

After that, I decided to experiment with smaller doses. Taking it during the day didn’t do jack for me, but I found that 2–3 caps before bedtime seemed to facilitate sleep. While I don’t generally suffer from insomnia, I do end up tossing and turning every once in a while. This strikes me as a pretty good reason to hold on to the rest of the caps.

As you can guess from the above, I’m “iffy” on U4EA. Of the claims made on the bottle, “Fast Acting” and “Promotes Positive Feelings” are the only ones I can vouch for. On the flip side, “Increased Focus and Performance” and “Improved Athletic Recovery” are problematic: I certainly experienced neither. For what it’s worth, however, user feedback is pretty positive—especially for those who are coping with higher-than-normal stress/anxiety. So it could be that I’m just not stressed out enough to really notice a difference, at least with doses under 4 caps.

All things considered, U4EA definitely “works”—if you take the right amount, you’ll feel it. Based on my experience, however, what you feel may—or may not—”work” for you…depends on the dose and context. Nonetheless, it’s a product that could be worth experimenting with, especially if you’re under a lot of stress, or could use a little help getting a good night’s sleep.