Gnar Pump: Broscience’s Hilarious(ly underdosed) Pre Workout

Gnar Pump is the comical pre workout from the Brofessor Dom Mazetti and his supplement company BroSupps.

The big boys of the supplement world have been dominating the headlines lately with lots of new pre workouts, intra workouts, and fat burners. We thought we’d set aside a little time today for one of the “little guys” who isn’t so little anymore!

BroSupps is the company headed by the internet’s most famous Brofessor Dom Mazetti. Fans of Dom love his light-hearted take on fitness as well as his wildly popular “Do You Even Lift?” video, as well as any of his comical videos that always find a way to make fun of CrossFit.

A while back, Dom released his very own pre workout, Gnar Pump, intended to deliver the ultimate workout experience in energy and performance. But does it?

Long story short:

• This product is hilarious…..ly underdosed where it matters
• If you want to support Dom and Broscience (he does deserve it), buy his T-shirts or just donate him money and go get yourself a real pre workout

We’ll reveal the gnarly label below, but first take a second to sign up for price drop alerts and check the best deal in case it is in hot deal mode:

Will it end up somewhere on our best pre workout supplement list? Well, unless we make a new section for funniest pre workout, the chances are slim.

Gnar Pump Ingredients

Gnar Pump employs a mostly open label and contains many of the ingredients we like to see in a pre workout that have actually been proven to work:

• Freak Beast Custom Blend

  • Creatine Monohydrate (1.35g)

    

    Gnar Pump utilizes a mostly open label, so you can see just how ridiculously underdosed this product truly is.

    Next to food, creatine is the oldest muscle building ingredient around. It’s been studied countless times and proven to be one of the few products that genuinely delivers results. Whether you’re looking to increase lean body mass, strength, or decrease fatigue, creatine is your answer.^[1,2,3]

    However, to get these effects you’ll need a minimum of 3g per day (and sometimes up to the preferred 5g per day) according to the researchers. Even at two scoops, you’re still going to need to supplement with some bulk creatine in order to hit your daily needs.

    1.35g is a very… odd… dose here. Do it right or don’t bother doing it at all, Dom.

  • Micronized Taurine (1.25g)

    Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid that’s predominantly stored in the brain, heart, and muscles of the body. This entails several benefits which can boost your workout performance.

    First, Taurine acts as a cell-volumizer by drawing water into skeletal muscle, thereby improving hydration. This leads to greater endurance, reduced DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and fosters “water-based” pumps.^[4,5]

    Second, Taurine supplementation also improves cognition and focus since vast amounts of it reside in the brain.^[6]

    Overall, we’re fans of taurine, but when it’s one of the most heavily-dosed ingredients in the formula, it’s not the best sign.

  • Beta Alanine (1.05g)

    

    Meet Dom Mazzeti, your reside Brofessor, and guru of all things “Bro.”

    Beta alanine is a PricePlow favorite for increasing endurance and eliminating the burn. This amino acid binds to histidine in the body and forms carnosine.^[7]

    Carnosine is a powerful intracellular buffer in the body that prevents the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle belly. This leads to numerous workout benefits including greater endurance, higher power output, and reduced fatigue.^[8,9]

    Yet again though, the dose included here doesn’t reach the clinically recommended dose of 3.2g, even at two scoops. To get the full amount, we’d recommend picking up some bulk BA for cheap and enjoying all the benefits of his wonderful amino.

  • Trimethylglycine (500mg)

    If you buy this, consider it a “charity buy”.

    Trimethylglycine (TMG) is a derivative of choline more frequently called Betaine. More importantly, it’s awesome ingredient that helps to increase power, strength, and endurance during your workout.^[10,11,12]

    TMG also happens to be an osmoregulator of creatine in the body. While this might not seem like a big deal, there is some research indicating betaine works with in tandem with creatine. Together, the two improve the body’s production of creatine, as well as help alleviate muscle soreness.^[13,14]

    However, the clinical dose is 2.5g, which this doesn’t even come close to. The caveat being that some researchers theoretically believe that 500mg is where you start to see some differences. But once again, you’ll need bulk TMG to hit the full dose…

    A pattern is developing….

  • Agmatine Sulfate (150mg)

    Agmatine is a well-known pump ingredient that’s become a standard ingredient in most new pre workouts. While Agmatine won’t directly increase nitric oxide levels, it does prevent its premature breakdown in the body.^[15]

    With higher serum levels of NO, you’ll experience longer-lasting, denser pumps during and after your workout.

    Additionally, agmatine also functions as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator that can enhance memory formation and cognition.^[16]

    Most pre workouts use the “standard” dose of 500mg, although we really like it at 1000-1500mg. Here however, you won’t even come close to the “standard” dose when using 2 scoops.

    Sadly, another poorly dosed ingredient…

• Indestructible Energy Complex (300mg)

  • Caffeine Anhydrous (150mg)

    

    Make sure to stay tuned to the Brofessor for all tips “Bro” to get you through your lifting life each week.

    Although the rest of Gnar Pump’s energy complex is hidden behind a prop blend, at least Dom doesn’t mind disclosing the amount of caffeine. If you’re in the market for a lower stim pre workout, this one’s for you. With each scoop only containing 150mg, stim sensitive fans will be right at home with this amount.

    Higher stim fans will most likely need 1.5-2 scoops to get a serious boost in energy.

  • Higenamine

    Higenamine, a.k.a. Norcoclaurine, comes from the Nandina plant and has traditionally used as an anti-asthmatic. Higenamine also functions as a mild beta adrenergic that increases production of noradrenaline.^[17]

    Beta agonists like higenamine ignite a chain reaction in the body that drives the “fight or flight” response. Thanks to this chemical reaction, you’ll experience improved concentration and focus during your workout, plus the added benefit of using stored fats for energy.

  • N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine

    N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) is the more expensive, but more bioavailable, form of the amino acid L-Tyrosine. that usually requires a smaller dose to be effective. Tyrosine supplements are often used to boost focus and cognition, but require much higher doses to be effective (1.5-2g) than NALT.

    NALT enhances the production of two big time neurotransmitters in the brain, dopamine and noradrenaline. More of these two neurotransmitters greatly increases your overall mood and focus, while simultaneously lowering signs of stress and anxiety.^[18,19]

    At a maximum possible dose of 75mg, this might as well not even be on the label.

  • Theacrine

    Our third stim in Gnar pump is Theacrine, which has started to show up more and more in pre workouts lately. This ingredient is chemically similar to caffeine and exerts many of the same benefits.

    The difference with theacrine is that it doesn’t have a tolerance build up like caffeine dose.^[20] What this means is that you still get the same great effects time after time with the same low dose and no need to constantly up it more and more like many have to with caffeine.

    Additionally, theacrine reduces oxidative stress in the body when used for at least seven consecutive days,^[21] and increases serum dopamine levels, just like caffeine.^[22]

    Best case? If there’s 30-50mg here (the maximum possible dose is 50mg, if the two above ingredients also have 50mg), which would provide some good feels here.

• Periwinkle Leaf Extract (20mg)

  

  Want to find the answer to this question? Watch the video below!

  Periwinkle leaf extract contains the powerful focus enhancer vinpocetine. A collection of studies demonstrated improvements in short-term memory after supplementation in patients with cerebral impairments.^[23]

  Outside of these early studies’ there’s not much else in the way of memory enhancement or concentration in humans, but these early findings give some interesting food for thought.

• Yohimbe Bark (20mg)

  Yohimbe Bark contains alkaloid that boost focus and cognition, in addition to providing a decent boost in energy.^[24,25,26] Extracts of Yohimbe come in various standardizations and Gnar Pump’s particular extract contains 8% Yohimbe.

  Basically, in a 20mg dose, you’re getting 1.6mg of yohimbe. This is a fairly mild dose as the clinical dose for yohimbine is 0.2mg/kg of bodyweight. So even with 2 scoops, you’re getting at most 3.2mg of yohimbine.

  BUT – this is one area where the “low” dosing is good. 1.5mg is where you can get some effects without getting too much nasty anxiety that higher amounts can cause. It’s what several fat burners use, and we enjoy it in the winters.

• BioPerine® (5mg)

  BioPerine® is the most popular trademarked brand of black pepper extract that guarantees at least 95% piperine. Black pepper extracts increase the absorption and utilization of certain nutrients by preventing their early breakdown in your body, thereby lengthening the time they are effective in the body..^[27]

Flavors Available

Gnar Pump comes in three different flavors: House Music Blue Raspberry, Komodo Dragon Fruit Punch, Optimus Lime. Each tub contains 30 servings of brotastic workout destruction.

Wrap Up

While we all love the great videos by the great Brofessor Dom Mazetti, we’re not entirely thrilled with this pre workout. Yes, it contains a lot of the ingredients we want to see in a pre workout, BUT the doses used here are laughable for several of the ingredients. Even at two doses, you’re not even close to clinical doses – especially of the actual pump ingredients.

If you buy this, consider it a “charity buy”. But in all honesty, there’s pre workouts that are twice as good at less the price, so you’re better off just buying his shirts or dropping him some PayPal donations and leaving this out of your serious stash.

Feel free to keep enjoying the jokes and ensuing hilarity of Dom, but do yourself a favor and give this one a pass if you’re looking for a real pre workout that actually delivers pumps.

References

1. Bemben, M; The effects of supplementation with creatine and protein on muscle strength following a traditional resistance training program in middle-aged and older men.; Neuromuscular Lab, Dept. Health & Exercise Science, U. Oklahoma; 2010
2. Hoffman, J; Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes.; Dept. of Health and Exercise Science, The College of New Jersey; 2006
3. Anomasiri, W; Low dose creatine supplementation enhances sprint phase of 400 meters swimming performance.; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University; 2004
4. Hoffmann, E.K., I.H. Lambert, and S.F. Pedersen, Physiology of cell volume regulation in vertebrates. Physiol Rev, 2009. 89(1)
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24383513
6. Alford, C., H. Cox, and R. Wescott, The effects of red bull energy drink on human performance and mood. Amino Acids, 2001. 21(2)
7. Hill, CA et al.; Amino Acids; “Influence of beta-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity ;” February 2007
8. Kendrick IP, et al. The effects of 10 weeks of resistance training combined with beta-alanine supplementation on whole body strength, force production, muscular endurance and body composition. Amino Acids. (2008)
9. Roger C. Harris; et al.; “The effect of a supplement containing β-alanine on muscle carnosine synthesis, ventilatory threshold and exercise capacity in Korean cyclists, during 12 weeks combined endurance and weight training“
10. del Favero S, et al Creatine but not betaine supplementation increases muscle phosphorylcreatine content and strength performance . Amino Acids. (2012)
11. holewa, J; Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone.; Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, Coastal Carolina University; 2013
12. Betaine supplementation enhances anabolic endocrine and Akt signaling in response to acute bouts of exercise.
13. Lee EC, et al. Ergogenic effects of betaine supplementation on strength and power performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. (2010)
14. Effect of betaine supplementation on power performance and fatigue
15. Lu Y, Christian K, Lu B; BDNF: a key regulator for protein synthesis-dependent LTP and long-term memory . Neurobiol Learn Mem. (2008)
16. Kalman, D; A clinical evaluation to determine the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of an inositol-stabilized arginine silicate dietary supplement in healthy adult males.; Nutrition & Endocrinology Miami Research Associates; 2014
17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2570842
18. Deijen JB, Orlebeke JF; Effect of tyrosine on cognitive function and blood pressure under stress . Brain Res Bull. (1994)
19. Dollins AB, et al; L-tyrosine ameliorates some effects of lower body negative pressure stress . Physiol Behav. (1995)
20. Cauli, O;Subchronic caffeine exposure induces sensitization to caffeine and cross-sensitization to amphetamine ipsilateral turning behavior independent from dopamine release.; Department of Toxicology and Centre of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari; 2008
21. Li WX, et al.; “Theacrine, a purine alkaloid obtained from Camellia assamica var. kucha, attenuates restraint stress-provoked liver damage in mice.“; J Agric Food Chem.; 2013
22. Feduccia A, et al.; “Locomotor activation by theacrine, a purine alkaloid structurally similar to caffeine: involvement of adenosine and dopamine receptors.”; Pharmacol Biochem Behav; 2012
23. Doxiderol; “Vinpocetine;” Retrieved February 2014
24. Mizuki Y, et al. Differential effects of noradrenergic drugs on anxiety and arousal in healthy volunteers with high and low anxiety. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. (1996)
25. Szemeredi, K; Simultaneous measurement of plasma and brain extracellular fluid concentrations of catechols after yohimbine administration in rats.; Hypertensive-Endocrine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 1991
26. Cameron, O; Effects of yohimbine on cerebral blood flow, symptoms, and physiological functions in humans.; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center; 2000
27. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21434835