REVIEW - SCIVATION XTEND 2.0 NEW FORMULA REVIEW

SUMMARY

OUR REVIEW

Scivation’s Xtend set the bar for an intra-workout Branched Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) supplement when it was initially released, and lead to a variety of copycat attempts by rival companies. However, despite their constant efforts to offer an improved formula, nothing has ever come close to Scivation’s original Xtend, at least in my opinion. However, enter 2011 and times have changed and Scivation has released an updated version of their original Xtend (Xtend 2.0), tinkering with the formula along the way. Does this new effort manage to succeed where so many others have failed in improving on its own original Xtend formula? I was keen to find out myself.

Taste

Xtend 2.0 comes in six different flavours paying homage to the tried and tested original options of orange, grape, green apple, lemon-lime, blue raspberry, and watermelon. However, with a new formula comes new taste… With fond memories of the much loved originals, when trying the new Xtend I wasn’t initially blown away, as a matter a fact I was a little shocked in wondering what Scivation have done to my much loved orange, watermelon and apple (the three I’ve tested). So while I was initially taken back, I’ll relieve everyone fears though and tell you that over time these flavours have really grown on me, so much in fact that I don’t really miss the old formula at all. All three easily capture the essence of the flavour they represent. In my opinion Apple has definitely improved here, Watermelon although different from the original is just as good and orange hits the middle of the road, but the original orange wasn’t my favourite either.

How Scivation manage to continue to make something that is sugar free taste this good is beyond me. As a matter a fact the only problem I typically have is trying not to finish drinking before reaching the halfway point of my workout.

Mixability

For those of you that remember the original formula, mixability (like most other BCAA supplements) wasn’t Xtend’s strong point. Well I’m happy to report with the new formula, mixability has been improved dramatically. I’m not sure it quite lives up to the mixability of a good whey protein, and each formula still suffers from the issue where you still get a few floaties remaining in the formula (orange is the biggest culprit here, with apple and watermelon fairing slightly better). However compared to the original, both the ‘floaties’ and the time taken for the formula to dissolve has been greatly reduced. My tip - mix it up in your Amino Z shaker at home or the office before leaving for the gym, and by the time you get there it should be pretty much good to go. All said and done, there is still some room for improvement, but much better than both the original and many of its competitors.

Effectiveness

Burn fat, build muscle and recover faster, Scivation’s Xtend 2.0 is still aimed around the three pillars that made the original such a success and there is still no doubt in my mind that Xtend allowed me to workout harder, longer and recover better. I’ve been testing out the new formula, both over my latest bulk and now into my current cut, and had success at both ends.

Over my bulk I managed to add a considerable amount of lean mass to my frame while keeping fat gains relatively minimal. Recovery was also greatly improved between sessions when supplementing with Xtend, both during my workout and even on off days. Now well into my cut, I’ve been keeping Xtend a staple both for my regular weight training session and now also for my added cardio. In general, I’ve found this has really helped me to slowly lean up, maintain my workout intensity (even when operating in a calorie deficit), and best of all minimise muscle loss when dieting. Put simply I was yet to find another BCAA formula as effective as Xtend and I’m finding that this new formula even surpasses the original in terms of my results so far.

Nutritional Analysis

Taking nothing away from the original formula, Xtend 2.0 still offers the precise scientific blend of L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine and again in the proven 2:1:1 ratio, not to mention L-Glutamine (2.5g), Citrulline Malate (1g) and Vitamin B6 (640mcg).

From the BCAA staples, L-Leucine can be considered as the granddaddy of the group, in that it forms the prime signaller for protein synthesis, helps preserve muscle tissue and muscle glycogen, and supplies the body with energy when under stress such as participating in both resistance or intense cardiovascular training. L-Valine has a stimulating effect and is needed for muscle metabolism, repair and growth of tissue while maintaining nitrogen balance in the body. L-Isoleucine aids in both the repair of muscle tissue and is also suggested to help improve endurance.

With the rest, Citrulline Malate is known to aid in nitric oxide production and reduce the buildup of lactic acid and ammonia which should assist in increasing blood flow to muscle, offsetting muscle fatigue during workouts. In addition, Citrulline Malate is also known to aid in recovery, meaning faster recuperation between training sessions and ensuring that muscles are primed for growth with the next workout. Like the original, the addition of Glutamine is still very welcomed as it’s a major component required for protein metabolism, and whilst the body can manufacture glutamine on its own, under high exercise intensities glutamine levels have been shown take several days to effectively resupply, so supplies here should ensure the body’s glutamine stores remain full. Finally, Vitamin B6 has known benefits for protein synthesis and fat metabolism and too has been shown to increase growth hormone levels.

So with the main components of the original formula still in place, what makes it a new and improved formula? Well besides the flavour changes, Scivation have also chosen to add an electrolyte blend into the mix, consisting of Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate, Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride. This is designed to help replace sodium which becomes depleted under intense workouts such as high intensity cardio conditions or typical weight training, which might also explain why I seem to find it much easier to sustain my workout intensity with this new formula, especially when cutting. In short, often overlooked electrolytes play an important role when training, especially at high intensities. So for those prone to burning out mid-session, this is a great addition to the formula.

Value for Money

In terms of a BCAA supplement, Scivation’s Xtend 2.0 is hard to beat, even if it’s priced a little higher than some of its competitors. Essentially it’s still got everything that made the original formula great and now has an added electrolyte blend. As a matter of fact, with the new formula being offered at a price that I believe is actually lower than cost of the original formula, this represents even better value for money.

Whilst some people consider BCAA supplements more of a luxury than a necessity, in my opinion for those serious about training and supplementation, BCAAs are a must to maximise both recovery and results. When you do the math, for a large tub of 90 serves at a cost that works out typically less than $1 per serve, and for something as effective and proven as Xtend 2.0, it’s one of the better value supplements out there.

Overall

Well many have tried but one has finally succeeded, and it’s taken the originator of Xtend to finally produce an intra-workout BCAA supplement that surpasses what was formally the best BCAA supplement going around.

For those who have heard of intra-workout supplementation but are yet to get on board, with Xtend 2.0 it is now the perfect time to take the plunge, and for those already using BCAAs but have yet to try out the new formula, it’s time to make the switch. Put short, Xtend 2.0 is the ultimate sugar-free, carbohydrate-free, BCAA formula on the market. Xtend it’s time to move aside, the new and improved Xtend (2.0) has arrived.