Tag Archives: post-workout

A post-workout supplement is one of the best ways to improve your performance while assisting in overall muscle recovery. Taking the right nutrients after demanding exercise helps to replenish muscle glycogen levels, increases protein synthesis and protects from the breakdown of muscle. After an intense workout, the body is exhausted and these post-workout supplements may help to invigorate the body as well as aid in the muscle building and recovery process.

Let's take a look at two of the best post-workout supplements from BSN (BSN Rebuild Edge and BSN Amino X Edge) to see which is superior to helping you achieve your fitness goals.

BSN Rebuild Edge

Where can I buy it?

• Here's where you can buy BSN Rebuild Edge.

Pros of BSN Rebuild Edge:

BSN Rebuild Edge aims to support your performance goals by increasing strength and improving muscle-building. The one feature about Rebuild Edge that really got our attention was the Myogenic Matrix which features 5.5 grams of a creatine blend. Creatine helps to replenish ATP stores and has been shown to be effective at promoting post-workout recovery. In this blend, you get the following four types of creatine:

• Creatine Monohydrate
• Creatine Hydrochloride (Patented C-HCl™)
• Magnesium Creatine Chelate (Creatine MagnaPower®)
• Creatine Anhydrous (1-2)

Rebuild Edge also features a solid line-up of 4 grams of BCAAs and 25 mg of ActiGin, which is Panax notoginseng. Overall, this is a perfect post-workout supplement to use on the way home from the gym.

Cons of BSN Rebuild Edge:

What negative thing can you really say about such a structured and open label post-workout supplement? Sure, we would have liked to have seen the BCAA dose at 8 or 9 grams but 5 grams is the industry standard.

Aside from that, the only other things that may be problematic are the artificial sweeteners, which are nearly impossible to avoid in this industry.

BSN Amino X Edge

Where can I buy it?

• Here's where you can buy BSN Amino X Edge.

Pros of BSN Amino X Edge

BSN Amino X Edge is hands down one of the best amino acid supplements that we have seen come across our site. Amino X Edge has the central aim of boosting your recovery in order to maximize performance. Plain and simple.

Sure, it has the standard blend of post-workout electrolytes but it's so much more than that. You get 10 grams of muscle building amino acids! Amino acids are the very building blocks of muscle so ensuring that your muscles have them immediately after a workout is critical. (3-5)

Aside from that, you can a revolutionary line-up of nootropics and energy boosters including Caffeine Anhydrous, Longan Extract, and Lindera Extract.

Cons of BSN Amino X Edge

The only issue with Amino X Edge involves the timing of your post-workout nutrition. If you are a nighttime lifter, then you may have an issue with the nootropic and energy blend. For those who work out in the morning or afternoon, you'll be fine.

Which Supplement Should You Choose

Both of them are equally great supplements and both work effectively to improve the body's performance as well as assist in the recovery process. The deal breaker for us would be WHEN you work out. As we mentioned above, if you're a night owl, it's best to go with BSN Rebuild Edge because it doesn't contain any stimulants or energy boosters.

The best thing to do is both of them and see which one works better for you. This would be especially useful if you are someone who performs doubles, or exercises twice a day.

REFERENCES

1. Kreider RB. Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Feb;244(1-2):89-94.
2. Robert Cooper, Fernando Naclerio, Judith Allgrove, and Alfonso Jimenez. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012; 9: 33. Published online 2012 Jul 20. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-33.
3. Blomstrand E, Eliasson J, Karlsson HK, Köhnke R. Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1 Suppl):269S-73S.

4. Norton, Layne, Layman, Donald. Leucine Regulates Translation Initiation of Protein Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle after Exercise. J. Nutr. February 2006 vol. 136 no. 2 533S-537S.

5. Negro M, Giardina S, Marzani B, Marzatico F. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Sep;48(3):347-51.

There is no doubt that the nutrients that you put into your body immediately following a workout are going to play a huge role in the results that you see in the mirror. Post-workout nutrition has been the center of attention for supplement companies, resulting in some of the biggest brands dishing out incredibly popular products. When recovery is your goal, you need a supplement designed specifically for repair. Let's review two of the biggest names in the industry, BSN Cellmass 2.0 vs MuscleTech Cell Tech, to see which one is worth the buy.

BSN Cellmass 2.0

Where can I buy it?BSN Cellmass 2.0

• Here's where you can buy BSN Cellmass 2.0.

Pros of BSN Cellmass 2.0

BSN offers an impressive line-up of pre-workout, intra-workout, protein, and many other categories of supplements but what about post-workout? BSN's response to the post-workout need is Cellmass 2.0. This amino-acid focused recovery drink is broken down into three major categories.

Recovery Composite

• Whey Protein Hydrolysate
• L-Glutamine
• Glutamine Peptides

Myogenic Matrix

• Creatine Monohydrate
• Creatine HCL
• Creatine Anhydrous

Insulino Interfusion

• Taurine
• Banaba Extract

Your body loves amino acids before, during, and especially following a workout. BSN provides you with a unique amino acid blend from whey protein and glutamine peptides. These amino acids may be able to help support recovery and lean muscle growth. Cellmass 2.0 also has three types of creatine. Creatine is an industry classic that may be able to support cellular energy levels, reduce muscle soreness, and boost performance. (1-7)

Cons of BSN Cellmass 2.0

Like many companies, BSN uses a proprietary blend. That means, you know what ingredients you're getting but you're not filled in on the dosage of each. This can be problematic because some ingredients only work at a specific dosage and if you're getting less than that dosage, you may not notice any benefit.

The other issue we have with Cellmass 2.0 is the lack of amino acids. Sure, you're getting some whey protein and glutamine peptides but there is a large spectrum of amino acids that BSN could take advantage of and they don't.

MuscleTech Cell Tech

Where can I buy it?

• Here's where you can buy MuscleTech Cell Tech.

Pros of MuscleTech Cell Tech

Cell Tech is an excellent post-workout supplement that has been specifically designed to be used following a workout. First up, you're getting important vitamins along with an electrolyte blend to support recovery. More importantly, Cell Tech gives you the essential amino acids L-Leucine, L-Valine, and L-Isoleucine, which have been suggested in numerous studies to boost recovery, trigger protein synthesis, and support muscle building. Finally, just like with Cellmass, you'll also be getting creatine and taurine. (1-7)

Cons of MuscleTech Cell Tech

The only issue with Cell Tech is that we would like to see the amount of essential amino acids be higher. You're getting 2 grams of BCAAs, which isn't bad but it could be a lot better for a recovery drink. One simple solution is to double the dose.

Other than the amino acids, the only other issue is the artificial flavouring and colouring but if you're no stranger to supplements, you know it's easier said than done getting away from this.

Conclusion

Both of these supplements are good but for completely different reasons. Cellmass 2.0 from BSN is more of an intra-workout supplement. Sure, you can definitely benefit from it post-workout but given the formula, we'd suggest using this as an intra-workout supplement. Cell Tech from MuscleTech, on the other hand, is the perfect post-workout drink. It contains the right amino acids, electrolytes, and vitamins for recovery. MuscleTech even threw in Alpha Lipoic AcidLeucine Regulates Translation Initiation of Protein Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle after Exercise. J. Nutr. February 2006 vol. 136 no. 2 533S-537S.