Amino acids have become commonplace in the world of fitness supplements and with good reason: science has been revealing incredible benefits that positively impact life at home and in the gym.

 

Agmatine sulfate is one such supplement. It is derived from the amino acid, L-Arginine, and it can be found in a variety of fitness supplements that support everything from your workout performance to your post-workout recovery.

 

If you haven't started using agmatine sulfate to support your workout goals, now is the time to start. Let's take a look at the benefits of agmatine sulfate and how it can help you achieve your muscle building, weight loss, and performance driven goals.

 

Agmatine Sulfate and Nitric Oxide

Have you ever been working out, pushing your muscles past the point of fatigue, and you feel the muscle pumping up? This tight expanding feeling where you swear you can feel the blood pooling into the muscle is amplified when you have higher levels of nitric oxide in the body. When your goals are building bigger muscles or increasing muscular endurance, this pumped up feeling is what you strive for time and time again.

 

Studies suggest that agmatine sulfate may be able to support nitric oxide production in the body. While it's strong on its own, agmatine sulfate is far more effective when combined with other nitric oxide boosters including beta alanine and L-arginine. (1-3)

 

Looking for an effective nitric oxide boosting supplement? Why not make your own? Now you can with the Amino Z Supplement Builder.

 

Inflammation and Agmatine Sulfate

If you've ever woke up sore after a workout, you know all too well about inflammation. This post-workout inflammation and accompanying soreness can limit your range of motion while keeping you from performing at your peak level. Aside from moving through a series of active stretches, you can also help to alleviate this inflammation by supplementing with agmatine sulfate.

 

A review published in the Journal of Medicinal Food demonstrated that not only is agmatine sulfate safe but it may also be an effective way to reduce inflammation and the pain related to it. (1-3)

 

Soreness, Pain, and Agmatine Sulfate

Continuing with the idea above, inflammation can trigger varying levels of pain and soreness throughout the body. If you're suffering from inflammation that's not related to exercise, agmatine sulfate may be able to help.

 

Studies suggest that agmatine sulfate can provide a degree of relief from common pain episodes such as with the lower back. What's more, agmatine sulfate has been suggested to be a useful anti-stimulant, providing a feel of calm in response to environmental stressors such as pain. (1-3)

 

How Much Agmatine Should You Use?

Since many supplements containing agmatine sulfate provide less than the recommended dosage per serving, we want to make sure you know exactly what to look for when purchasing agmatine sulfate.

 

It's recommended to use 700 mg of agmatine sulfate to maximize the benefits mentioned above; however, if you're a very active person then you'll want to increase this dosage to 1 gram (1,000 mg).

 

Looking for a high quality agmatine sulfate supplement? Why not create your own at the dosage level you need with the Amino Z Supplement Builder? Create your supplement masterpiece today and reach success faster!

 

References

1. Gilad GM, Gilad VH. Long-term (5 years), high daily dosage of dietary agmatine--evidence of safety: a case report. J Med Food. 2014 Nov;17(11):1256-9. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2014.0026. Epub 2014 Sep 23.

 

2. Aggarwal S, Shavalian B, Kim E, Rawls SM. Agmatine enhances cannabinoid action in the hot-plate assay of thermal nociception. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2009 Oct;93(4):426-32. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2009.06.004. Epub 2009 Jun 16.

 

3. Galea, E et al. 'Inhibition of Mammalian Nitric Oxide Synthases by Agmatine, an Endogenous Polyamine Formed by Decarboxylation of Arginine.' Biochemical Journal 316.Pt 1 (1996): 247–249. Print.

When you are working out in the gym, there's nothing like that intense feeling of the pump. When the blood starts pooling into the muscle and you watch as it swells, that is the highlight of the day for the most dedicated weight lifters.

 

The pump is a sign that you're doing something right and there is evidence to back this up. When a muscle is placed under the right amount of stress, the pumped feeling you get is proof that the muscle is firing on all cylinders. When your goal is muscle mass, this is the feeling you strive for over and over again.

 

Another way to support that feeling of the pump is by boosting nitric oxide production in the body. The best way to do that? Supplementation.

 

Let's take a look at the top 3 ingredients you need to use to promote an insane pump and a boost in nitric oxide production.

 

Agmatine Sulfate

Agmatine Sulfate is derived from the amino acid, L-Arginine, and it is one of the most popular ingredients to be found in N.O. boosters and supplements that promote that pumped up feeling.

 

Agmatine promotes blood flow in the body, which is the foundation of how it triggers several other benefits. By boosting blood flow, nutrients that support performance, recovery, and muscle building can reach their destinations faster.

 

Most notably, Agmatine may be able to significantly boost nitric oxide production and promote an intense swole feeling in the working set muscle groups.

 

Something else to note about Agmatine Sulfate is that it is an excellent post-workout supplement as it may alleviate inflammation and muscle soreness. (1-3)

 

Citrulline Malate

While it is not an essential amino acid, Citrulline Malate is commonly found in BCAA supplements because of the benefits it provides in relation to intra-workout performance and post-workout recovery.

 

On its own, Citrulline Malate may be able to significantly improve intra-workout performance and this has been demonstrated time and time again in endurance-based studies. Taken post-workout, Citrulline has been suggested to help to alleviate muscle soreness.

 

When Citrulline is combined with Agmatine Sulfate, the two form a powerful combination that promotes high level athletic performance and, most importantly, skyrockets that pumped up feeling that you chase during your workout. (1-5)

 

Why spend hours trying to find the perfect supplement when you can create your own?

With the Amino Z Supplement Builder, you can create your very own nitric oxide supplement to promote intense levels of pump and performance.

 

Caffeine Anhydrous

Last but not least is the famous Caffeine Anhydrous. Caffeine is one of the most widely used ingredients in the entire world. Whether you drink it via your coffee or you take it in a supplement form, Caffeine hosts a number of fitness-based benefits.

 

Everyone knows about how Caffeine can increase your energy levels. Most people also notice a dramatic improvement in focus and alertness. This is the main reason people drink so much coffee.

 

Caffeine is a powerful thermogenic that can support weight loss. It's also been suggested to support heart health while having no negative impact on diabetic users.

 

When you put Caffeine together with Agmatine Sulfate and Citrulline Malate, you have an incredible pre-workout formula that will boost energy levels, kickstart nitric oxide production, and promote an insane pumped feeling. (1-8)

 

Conclusion

When you want to feel that intense pump during your lifting session, you need the right workout program and the perfect supplement.

 

You can try to find the ideal supplement in your local nutrition store but wouldn't it be easier to create your own using the best and most effective ingredients?

 

With the Amino Z Supplement Builder, you can combine Caffeine together with Agmatine Sulfate and Citrulline Malate to create the perfect pumped up supplement. You can even add in a few more ingredients that are particular to your goals.

 

Try the Amino Z Supplement Builder today!

 

References

1. Gilad GM, Gilad VH. Long-term (5 years), high daily dosage of dietary agmatine--evidence of safety: a case report. J Med Food. 2014 Nov;17(11):1256-9. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2014.0026. Epub 2014 Sep 23.

2. Aggarwal S, Shavalian B, Kim E, Rawls SM. Agmatine enhances cannabinoid action in the hot-plate assay of thermal nociception. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2009 Oct;93(4):426-32. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2009.06.004. Epub 2009 Jun 16.

3. Galea, E et al. 'Inhibition of Mammalian Nitric Oxide Synthases by Agmatine, an Endogenous Polyamine Formed by Decarboxylation of Arginine.' Biochemical Journal 316.Pt 1 (1996): 247–249. Print.

4. Pérez-Guisado J, Jakeman PM. Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 May;24(5):1215-22. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cb28e0.

5. Suzuki T, Morita M, Kobayashi Y, Kamimura A. Oral L-citrulline supplementation enhances cycling time trial performance in healthy trained men: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled 2-way crossover study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2016;13:6. doi:10.1186/s12970-016-0117-z.

6. Acheson KJ, Zahorska-Markiewicz B, Pittet P, Anantharaman K, Jéquier E. Caffeine and coffee: their influence on metabolic rate and substrate utilization in normal weight and obese individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 May;33(5):989-97.

7. Daniel Borota, Elizabeth Murray, Gizem Keceli, Allen Chang, Joseph M Watabe, Maria Ly, John P Toscano, & Michael A Yassa. Post-study caffeine administration enhances memory consolidation in humans. Nature Neuroscience 17, 201–203 (2014) doi:10.1038/nn.3623.

8. David Furman, Junlei Chang, Lydia Lartigue, et al. Expression of specific inflammasome gene modules stratifies older individuals into two extreme clinical and immunological states. Nature Medicine 23, 174–184 (2017) doi:10.1038/nm.4267.

Pre-workout supplements are one of the most popular and purchased product next to whey protein and fat burners. We all know the feeling of waking up early, battling through a long 8 to 10 hour day then coming home to be reminded that it's Leg Day. This is where a pre-workout comes in handy. A quality pre-workout is packed with more than just a little bit of caffeine. It should contain a variety of energy boosters and nootropics so that both your mind and body are revitalized.

 

Platinum Labs DEFCON1 is said to be one of the most popular pre-workouts in the industry. Check out its ratings around the internet and it's a universally well liked product. Let's take a look to see if Platinum Labs DEFCON1 can hold up to its reputation.

 

PROS OF PLATINUM LABS DEFCON1

 

As soon as you turn the bottle around to face the label, you can already see the decent sized list that Platinum Labs DEFCON1 offers in the way of ingredients. As you scroll down, you'll see that all of the ingredients found within are popular and proven. Right away, Platinum Labs DEFCON1 has a great formula. At the top, it features Beta Alanine at 2 grams, L-Taurine at 1 gram, and Agmatine Sulfate at 750 mg per serving. These three ingredients are an excellent addition to any pre-workout formula. What's more, these are the ideal dosages for these ingredients.

 

Studies suggest that those three ingredients may be able to promote the following benefits:

• May help to boost energy
• May support intra-workout strength increases
• May help to reduce muscle fatigue
• May promote lean muscle mass gains (1-3)

 

Naturally, as a pre-workout, Platinum Labs DEFCON1 contains caffeine; however, it doesn't contain an obnoxious amount such as a supplement like Pro Supps' Mr. Hyde does, for example. (Click here to read more about and buy Mr. Hyde from Pro Supps) At 180 mg of caffeine per serving, that's a nice middle ground for those who are caffeine sensitive and for those who double up their pre-workout servings.

 

CONS OF PLATINUM LABS DEFCON1

 

While some ingredients have an ideal dosage per serving, others are lacking a bit. Creatine HCl for example is only provided at 750 mg per serving. While this may be a pre-workout, creatine is a vital part of the energy conversion process, supplying your muscles with ATP for fuel. (4) 750 mg isn't terrible but it's not even close to the standard 5 gram dosage. This same issue can be seen with Betaine Anhydrous and Choline Bitartrate. Again, we're happy they are in there but disappointed at the low dose.

 

With that said, these are the only ingredients that have a lower than normal dose. Everything else is great. An easy remedy would be to supplement with creatine in addition to DEFCON1. As a side note to Platinum Labs, the addition of Alpha GPC would make this a perfect pre-workout supplement.

 

The only other issue that may be a problem for some is the fact that Platinum Labs DEFCON1 contains artificial sweeteners and colouring. If you aren't too concerned about that, then you have nothing else to worry about.

 

SHOULD YOU BUY PLATINUM LABS DEFCON1?

 

Platinum Labs DEFCON1 is a very worthwhile buy and it's no surprise why it's a fan favourite. It contains a variety of well-chosen energy boosters, thermogenics, and nootropics, most of which have been provided to you at their ideal dosage per serving. Taken as a part of any disciplined training program, Platinum Labs DEFCON1 may be able to give you the energy you need to succeed. Click here to buy Platinum Labs DEFCON1.

 

REFERENCES

 

1. Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of ?-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012 Jul;43(1):25-37. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-1200-z. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

 

2. Yatabe Y, Miyakawa S, Ohmori H, Mishima H, Adachi T. Effects of taurine administration on exercise. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2009;643:245-52.

 

3. Ryan P Lowery, Jordan M Joy, Joshua E Dudeck, Eduardo Oliveira de Souza, Sean A McCleary, Shawn Wells, Robert Wildman, and Jacob M Wilson. Effects of 8 weeks of Xpand® 2X pre workout supplementation on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, lean body mass, and strength in resistance trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013; 10: 44. Published online 2013 Oct 9. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-44.

 

4. Kreider RB. Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Feb;244(1-2):89-94.