Review of AI Sports Nutrition's Red Raspberry RecoverPRO

My 42-serving tub of Red Raspberry RecoverPRO lasted me ~2 weeks. I started out using only a scoop per use, but quickly went to 3 scoops per use, using twice a day. I cannot say enough about the taste, and with BCAAs a STAPLE in my supplement arsenal definitely want (and will) continue using Red Raspberry RecoverPRO!


What is it?



* Faster Recovery and Lean Muscle Gains
* Unique 4:1:1 BCAA Ratio

For more information on the product, please review AI Sports Nutrition :: RecoverPRO.


Smell: 7/10. Smells like raspberries, but with a hint of something else almost artificial, like the smell/taste of a raspberry flavoured ice-cream, if that makes any sense.

Taste: 11/10. My #1 and favourite flavour of any product I have ever used! And the taste only gets better with use! THREE scoops as opposed to only one scoop (which my initial review was based on) is just amazing and you really notice the sweet tartness that real raspberries have come out! LOVE it!

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker - although bubbles and froth were left on top of the liquid, rapidly dissolving.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Recovery: 9.5/10. My recovery has been pretty great, considering. This does not get a complete 10/10 because sometimes I have been sleeping a lot more than usual - although, in saying that, longer sleep can mean better recovery, just not with me, and anything over ~6 hours of sleep has a detrimental effect on my overall performance and function.

Lean Muscle Mass Gains: N/A. I have actually been working on fat loss, not recomping as usual, or even gaining muscle mass. The first week that I used RecoverPRO, I gained 1% bodyfat, and the second week using RecoverPRO, I lost ~1.2% bodyfat, so there was no real overall change in lean muscle mass, maintaining what I have.

Overall: 10/10. The fact that BCAAs are a STAPLE product for me, and the Red Raspberry is the BEST flavour of ANY product I have ever used say everything

Would I use again? Absolutely! BCAAs are a STAPLE product in my supplement arsenal!

Would I recommend? Without hesitation. Red Raspberry RecoverPRO had become my #1 BCAAs product.

Initial Impressions of AI Sports Nutrition's RecoverPRO (Red Raspberry flavour)

What is it?



* Faster Recovery and Lean Muscle Gains
* Unique 4:1:1 BCAA Ratio

For more information on the product, please review AI Sports Nutrition :: RecoverPRO.


Smell: 7/10. Smells like raspberries, but with a hint of something else almost artificial, like the smell/taste of a raspberry flavoured ice-cream, if that makes any sense.

Taste: 10/10. Definitely tastes a lot better than it smells! Like red raspberries. There was also a hint of sweet tartness in there, like I get when eating real raspberries. Until now, Organic VitaBerry > GreenMAG > Green Apple Assault were my favourite flavours re products, but now I have a new #1 flavour of any product!

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker - although bubbles and froth were left on top of the liquid, rapidly dissolving.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water.

BCAAs are a STAPLE product in my supplement arsenal, so going to enjoy the time I have on this tub of RecoverPRO

Initial Impressions of Muscle Pharm's Assault (Blue Arctic Raspberry flavour)

ASSAULT (Blue Arctic Raspberry)


Smell: In the tub the Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault smells like bubblegum. When mixed with water, it has a slightly sweeter scent, but still like bubblegum.

Taste: The Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault tasted like a Bubble-O-Bill ice-cream (something we have in New Zealand - bubblegum flavoured ice-cream with a bubblegum nose). The taste could also be likened to the flavour of the Mixed Berry Powerade ZERO.

Solubility: The The Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault mixed well on shaking, even for only a few seconds, with no residue.

Texture: Like flavoured water/Mixed Berry Powerade ZERO.

Energy: The last few days I have not had much energy at all, forcing training as opposed to doing it because I wanted to be doing it. Today, I had a steady flow of energy, which was nice - training session was also not as long as what some of them have been lately, though - although just as intense, if not MORE.

Mental Focus: My mind rarely turns off, so thinking about multiple things at once, albeit still concentrated on training.

Pumps: My set/rep ranges were not so conducive to pumps today, but I had a little.

Vascularity: Vascularity during cardio was great, but it started hiding as I continued with my resistance training, only my forearms and deltoids veins showing through.

Endurance: Definitely had this.

Strength: I was lifting heavier deliberately for most exercises, and was surprised on a couple that I was actually able to move a weight I have not used in quite some time. Close-Grip Pull-Ups suffered, though - although there was only a minute rest between sets, and usually I use ~3 minutes for this exercise (and only this one).

Training Intensity: High - I was even able to keep it high during my post-weights cardio.

Recovery: My body is not sore, and I felt better AFTER training than I did before, which says something, especially considering my legs were not like jello after post-weights cardio.

Nutrient Repartitioner: Since I have no appetite at the moment and only had a liquid meal post-training (bad, I know), I can't comment on this factor..

Other Effects: No Beta-Alanine tingles experienced . . . A lot of sweating during pre-weights cardio (although, as I mentioned in my last post, this could have been a mixture of a fever and Assault . . .

Other Comments: Although I have an almost full tub of CreaPure, I have deliberately not used creatine (experimented a couple of times last year to see how my performance differed with and without creatine, and any other effects it might have on my body) since 14 December 2010, so it's been ~3 weeks without it, and also coincidentally the period of time that it takes one's muscle creatine threshold levels to return to baseline. Therefore, today was my first day back using a product containing creatine (and also one of the rare times when I do not dose creatine pre AND post-training), and, as I stated last year, I definitely notice the different when I am and not using creatine . . . Also note that I am not even using the BARE essentials of BC+EAA, Organic Vitaberry, and Muscle Gels re supplements right now (almost a first for me, but my body does need a small break from everything), so no stimulants or anything . . . I will give a more comprehensive review of the Blue Arctic Raspberry Assault when I have finished what I have . . .

Review of LG Sciences' Reformulated Watermelon-Kiwi BC+ EAA

I have NEVER stopped using BC+EAA since I used my FIRST tub of them in July 2009. I've used ALL the flavours, and are now trying the refolumlated versions of each flavour . . .


What is it?



* Increases Muscle Growth
* Prevents Tear Down
* Tastes Great
* High Ratio BCAA
* Hydrolyzed Amino Acids For Recovery

For more information on the product, please review LG Sciences: BC+EAA

Taste: 9.5/10. Definitely NOT a watermelon-kiwi flavour - even though there was a hint of watermelon re scent. Instead, exactly like it smells, but better. Like rock melon. Fruit flavours are always awesome when they TASTE like they smell. It was NOT sweet - like the original Watermelon-Kiwi flavour, which to me tasted like cordial and I did not like it. I now have a NEW favourite flavour re BC+EAA and it is the new Watermelon-Kiwi flavour!

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker - although bubbles and froth were left on top of the liquid, rapidly dissolving.

Texture: 10/10.Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Overall: 10/10. BC+EAA is a STAPLE in my supplement arsenal, and has been ever since I first used a tub last year. BC+EAA have become more important than ever to me, now that my body no longer handles protein powder at all - causing nausea and other upsets, no matter what brand or type of protein used - and so I no longer use it, sticking instead to food, BC+EAA, and Muscle Gels.

Would I use again? Definitely. BC+EAA is probably the most important product in my supplement arsenal!

Would I recommend? Yes.

Review of Primordial Performance's Organic VitaBerry

My first tub of Organic VitaBerry gone, and I can barely wait for my new one to get here!!!


What is it?



* 100% Organic Freeze-Dried Six-Berry blend
* Low Sugar : Maximum Phyto-Nutrients
* No Artificial Sweeteners or Flavors
* Makes bulk supplement powders taste like tropical punch

For the product write-up, please see Primordial Performance: Organic VitaBerry.


Smell: 10/10. Like Heaven: A fusion of raspberry, cranberry, and strawberry. It's a bit like MaliBobu - I could smell it all day! Absolute perfection!

Taste: 10/10. Exactly like it smells. Seriously the BEST tasting supplement product I have ever tried - and I've used quite a few products that have tasted great.

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water. The surprise was the berry seeds that were scattered throughout the solution - made me feel like I was drinking a drink of berries that I'd put in the blender! Added that extra touch that made me like, mmmm.

Mixing with Bulk Powders: 10/10. Organic VitaBerry goes with anything. When I first started using it, I mixed it with my EndoAmp Max, and it overtook the taste of the latter, making it nice. I still dose it with my BC+EAA, and it mingles with the Watermelon-Kiwi flavour of the latter to give a fresh, fruity/berry flavour. Definitely very versatile and can be mixed with anything.

Overall: 10/10. I loved Organic VitaBerry from the FIRST dose. Not only is it the BEST tasting supplement product that I have ever used, but it also provides many antioxidant and heath benefits. I never want this to leave my cupboard!

Would I use again? Yes. Organic VitaBerry is now a STAPLE in my supplement arsenal.

Would I recommend? Yes. Absolutely! If you haven't already tried Organic VitaBerry, you're missing out!

Initial Impressions: BC+EAA (reformulated Watermelon-Kiwi Flavour)

BC+EAA (reformulated Watermelon-Kiwi Flavour)

Smell: 9/10. Like rock melon, with a faint hint of watermelon. Love the smell of fruit.

Taste: 9.5/10. Defnitely NOT a watermelon-kiwi flavour - even though there was a hint of watermelon re scent. Instead, exactly like it smells, but better. Like rock melon. Fruit flavours are always awesome when they TASTE like they smell. It was NOT sweet - like the original Watermelon-Kiwi flavour, which to me tasted like cordial and I did not like it. I now have a NEW favourite flavour re BC+EAA and it is the new Watermelon-Kiwi flavour!

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker - although bubbles and froth were left on top of the liquid, rapidly dissolving.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Other Notes. BC+EAA is a STAPLE in my supplement arsenal, and has been ever since I first used a tub last year. BC+EAA have become more important than ever to me, now that my body no longer handles protein powder at all - causing nausea and other upsets, no matter what brand or type of protein used - and so I no longer use it, sticking instead to food, BC+EAA, and Muscle Gels.

Initial Impressions: CreaPure

CreaPure

Smell: 10/10. CreaPure has no smell.

Taste: 10/10. CreaPure is tasteless.

Solubility: 9/10. On shaking (albeit only a few seconds) there were some faint flecks of powder left swirling in the water.

Texture: 10/10. Like water.

Other Effects: 10/10. No water retention. No bloating. No nausea. CreaPure is straight creatine monohydrate, so I didn't expect anything different.

Initial Impressions: EndoAmp Max and Organic VitaBerry

EndoAmp Max

Smell: 2/10. EndoAmp Max smells like a chemical - hard to put my finger on, but almost like nail polish or varnish.

Taste: 2/10. Nasty. Worse than it smells. As bad as Vitamin B5 powder.

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Other Effects: N/A. Even though it smells and tastes like a$$, the taste will lessen as I get used to it to the point I will no longer notice it, and the product is highly beneficial and useful to me for cortisol control, so I am going to continue using it regardless.

Organic VitaBerry

Smell: 10/10. Like Heaven: A fusion of raspberry, cranberry, and strawberry. It's a bit like MaliBobu - I could smell it all day! Absolute perfection!

Taste: 10/10. Exactly like it smells. Seriously the BEST tasting supplement product I have ever tried - and I've used quite a few products that have tasted great.

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water. The surprise was the berry seeds that were scattered throughout the solution - made me feel like I was drinking a drink of berries that I'd put in the blender! Added that extra touch that made me like, mmmm.

Other Effects: N/A. But let me tell you, I am going to look FORWARD to using VitaBerry EVERY day!