It’s not very often that PricePlow covers a GNC product on the blog. However, with all the great things we’ve been hearing about Beyond Raw Pump, we had to try it for ourselves and of course, share it with all our readers! Despite the myths that retail is a thing of the past for purchasing supplements, GNC is still an industry monster, and we’re very confident that the team at GNC is ready for quite a turnaround.
It starts with products, and GNC’s latest lines (in both supplements and energy drinks) have been exactly what the store’s brand needed!
Not only do they feature their own line of exceptional and affordable products, they have several exclusive partnerships with some of the biggests names in the industry, such as Ghost, Alani Nu, and Arms Race Nutrition. This essentially means that the brands will only sell their products through GNC or direct-to-consumer online. These brands also have several exclusive products and flavors that are only available at GNC.
That business formula’s been working, but what about GNC’s supplement formulas?
Introducing Beyond Raw: GNC’s Most Popular Line
One of GNC’s best selling lines is Beyond Raw, which features some of GNC’s hottest products, including LIT, LIT Advanced Formula, Precision BCAA, and Pump. Not only do they have products with complete formulas, Beyond Raw also has a line of single ingredients that you can add to customize your stack.
The Beyond Raw line is not very new, but they’ve recently revamped their look, added new products, and tweaked old formulas to make them even better. Beyond Raw Pump is one of the newest products they’ve released, and we’ve heard nothing but great things. It features trademarked ingredients like Nitrosigine, FitNox, and Oxyjun, so we have a feeling it’s going to give you extreme pumps. Especially since we’re “Nitrosigine junkies” and overall fans of everything Nutrition 21’s been up to lately.
In this post we’re going to be covering Beyond Raw Pump to see what all the buzz is about and give our thoughts on the formula. But before we dive into another product analysis, make sure to subscribe to PricePlow to get access to exclusive deals, price comparisons, news, and reviews!
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Beyond Raw Pump Ingredient Analysis
Beyond Raw Pump has a robust formula with several trademarked ingredients designed to boost nitric oxide (NO) levels to give you an insane pump! PricePlow always likes to see a fully transparent label, so you know exactly how much of each ingredient is included in one serving. They split the supplement facts panel into two main categories: N.O. Intensifier and Muscle & Mitochondrial Energy Matrix, so we will stick with that theme for our analysis.
Here’s what one serving (14.36g) of Beyond Raw Pump will provide:
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N.O. Intensifier – 9.75g
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Nitrosigine (Arginine Silicate Inositol) – 1.5g
The first ingredient we’re going to cover is Nitrosigine, and Team PricePlow loves seeing this ingredient on any pump formula because of how effective it is.
Nitrosigine is a patented, compound of arginine, inositol, and silicon, constructed by one of the top ingredient suppliers in the industry, Nutrition21. Nitrosigine is also one of the first ingredients to feature CertainT, a molecular tracking system which helps ensure the product’s ingredient potency, purity, and safety.
The arginine we had always wanted
Nitrosigine was designed to increase blood flow, energy, and focus, to boost performance for up to six hours.[1] In research, it’s typically referred to as inositol-stabilized arginine silicate (ASI), because the inositol serves as a stabilizer, letting the arginine silicate carry out its effects more effectively.
Preclinical trials found that Nitrosigine was able to induce vasodilation of the blood vessels five times greater than arginine HCl.[2] A research study conducted in 2015 showed that 1.5g of inositol-stabilized arginine silicate increased perceived energy and induced hyperemia (excess of blood) after 72 hours of ingestion, compared to the placebo.[3] The hyperemia was likely due to vasodilation, thus more blood flow.
This same study also reported the group who received ASI supplementation had significantly decreased markers of muscle damage from exercise, as measured by creatine kinase.[3]
Another study showed Nitrosigine may be able to improve cognitive flexibility,[4,5] which means we will be better at adapting to new challenges in various contexts. Therefore, Nitrosigine can be beneficial for more things than just getting a pump!
As mentioned, PricePlow loves seeing Nitrosigine in a pre workout because it’s effective and highly bioavailable, since it’s able to prevent the metabolic breakdown of arginine.[6] This will give you body better effects because it will have more of the ingredient available to utilize!
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L-Citrulline Malate 2:1 – 6g (Yielding 4g of L-Citrulline)
Next on our list is another heavily-researched ingredient and common pre workout inclusion, L-Citrulline Malate. As you can see from the label this is a 2:1 ratio of citrulline to malate, thus it will yield nearly 4g of L-Citrulline. This is just above the clinical dose, so you’ll be sure to reap all the benefits, especially when paired next to the Nitrosigine powerhouse!
Citrulline Malate is great at increasing blood flow, and has been shown to be more effective than arginine supplementation.[7] The goal with taking L-citrulline is to increase arginine levels within the body, which will result in increased amount of nitric oxide (NO). Ultimately, NO is what we’re after because that causes our blood vessels to relax, thus creating more blood flow, nutrient delivery, and removal of metabolic waste products.[8-10]
Research shows citrulline supplementation can enhance recovery, nutrient uptake, improve exercise based oxygen utilization, and result in less fatigue and soreness.[8-10]
The reason that citrulline is more effective than standard l-arginine supplementation is because arginine gets broken down by the digestive system, before it can be actually used. As mentioned above, this is why an ingredient like Nitrosigine is so effective, due to its ability to stop metabolic destruction of arginine. Citrulline is another way to get a boost, so now we have a serious one-two nitric oxide punch.
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Glycerol – 1.5g
Note: The label doesn’t say so, but we’ve received confirmation that this is a trusted form of 65% yield Glycerol, which is very good news!
With Nitrosigine and Citrulline Malate enhancing blood flow, glycerol is here to deliver an even greater pump by promoting cellular hydration!
Glycerol serves as the backbone to triglycerides, however when supplemented it can increase osmotic pressure, thus resulting in more water uptake into the cells.[11] This is commonly referred to as a state of ‘hyperhydration’. Glycerol’s effects are due to its ability to be quickly absorbed and dispersed throughout the body’s fluid compartments. When consumed with a substantial amount of fluid, the cells will retain the water more efficiently.
Hyperhydration is great for increasing exercise performance as well as promoting a bigger pump. Research shows glycerol is an effective ergogenic aid that’s useful for both aerobic and anaerobic exercise.[11]
After just three ingredients, Beyond Raw Pump is off to a great start!
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Oxyjun (as Terminalia arjuna Bark Extract) – 500mg
The next ingredient included in Beyond Raw Pump is new to PricePlow, since we’ve never covered it in a blog article. Oxyjun is a registered trademark of Enovate Biolife, which features a potent extract of Terminalia arjuna (TA) bark.
Terminalia arjuna, also known as arjuna, is a tree that grows along streams, rivers, and dry bodies of water in India.[12] The bark of the tree has been shown to possess several pharmacological properties including inotropic, anti-ischemic, antioxidant, blood pressure lowering, antiplatelet, hypolipidemic, antiatherogenic, and anti hypertrophic.[12,13] Therefore, It has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for treatment of various heart ailments.[13]
Research shows TA bark can promote healthy blood pressure levels, and enhance VO2 Max, cardio performance, strength and energy levels.[14,15]
Oxyjun is one of the best forms of TA bark extract since it’s the only arjunolic acid-free and DNA-authenticated extract of Arjuna, clinically proven to improve heart health and cardio endurance.[14-16]
Although this is the first time we’ve seen Oxyjun, the research looks very promising, so don’t be surprised if it starts appearing in more supplements to serve as an ergogenic aid. 500mg is the clinically studied dose, so you can rest assured you’ll get all the benefits!
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FitNox (as Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract, Punica granatum Extract & Kaempferia parviflora Extract) – 250mg
FitNox is another new and exciting ingredient to enter the supplement market. It’s referred to as a plant based source of nitric oxide and was developed by Glanbia Nutritionals. FitNox consists of three plant extracts: moringa oleifera leaf, punica granatum (pomegranate), and kaempferia parviflora (black ginger), which are formulated to work synergistically to enhance NO production.
One study done in 2018, found only 250mg of FitNox was able to increase nitric oxide levels by 336% after just one dose, and the effects lasted at least 10 hours.[17]
Another study found that after just 22 days, 250mg of FitNox not only boosted NO levels, but also increased time to exhaustion and reduced markers of muscle fatigue, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde.[18] This study also found the participants’ dopamine levels were significantly increased,[18] which can help boost performance because dopamine is involved in motivation, reward, and cognition.
FitNox expresses its effects by not directly boosting NO levels, but by increasing the enzyme required to produce NO, called nitric oxide synthase. Thus, it’s helping your body use the nitric oxide synthase pathway more efficiently.
PricePlow is excited to see more research assess the effects of FitNox in the future. This is another ingredient we expect to see included in more formulas in the coming years.
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Muscle & Mitochondrial Energy Matrix – 1.06g
Alright, we looked at all the ingredients that will get you a massive pump by boosting NO levels, now let’s see what will give you more energy without any stimulants!
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Taurine – 1g
Taurine is a very underrated endurance supplement, it has several benefits and plenty of studies support its efficacy.[19] Taurine is an organic compound involved in processes such as calcium signaling, bile formation, and osmoregulation. It’s considered to be a conditionally essential amino acid, because it’s not used to build proteins, but it’s still crucial for a variety of other functions within the body.
A meta-analysis conducted in 2018 concluded that oral ingestion of varying dosages (1-6g) of taurine can enhance human endurance performance.[19]
So not only is Beyond Raw Pump increasing your pump, it’s having a positive effect on your performance.
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CoQ-10 – 50mg
CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, is a potent antioxidant that helps your cells generate energy. It plays a key role in mitochondrial processes, the mitochondria is where ATP is produced, which is needed for practically every physiological function.
Low levels of CoQ10 are linked to various health conditions including diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and cardiovascular disease.[20]
Thus, supplementing with CoQ10 not only increases your energy and performance, it can provide several health benefits as well.
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PureQQ – Pyrroloquinoline Quinone – 10mg
Last but certainly not least, Beyond Raw Pump has 10mg of PureQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ), trademarked by Nascent Health Sciences. PQQ is classified as a micronutrient and redox cofactor, which means it’s involved in reduction–oxidation (redox) reactions.
PQQ can be found naturally in plants, fruits, and soil. Within the body PQQ is able to influence neurologic functions and energy metabolism by interacting with mitochondrial functioning and cell signaling pathways.[21] Research shows it can serve as a powerful antioxidant and enhance mitochondrial functioning,[21] thus providing you with more energy!
In addition CoQ10 and PQQ may work synergistically to boost energy, because CoQ10 can improve the efficiency of ATP production via the mitochondria, while PQQ works to promote mitochondrial growth.[22] Therefore, it’s great to see both ingredients included in Beyond Raw Pump.
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Mitochondrial support behind a pump supplement? Brilliant!
What you ultimately have here is a nitric oxide boosting supplement with one of the best NO ingredients around (Nutrition21’s Nitrosigine) supported by a couple completely new ingredients, all backed up by a series of mitochondrial health boosters that are great to have regardless of your workout strategy. This is an interesting and new way to train, and one we can definitely stand behind.
Available Flavors
Beyond Raw Pump has delicious flavoring and no bitter stimulants to “compete” with, so you really can’t go wrong choosing any of them!
Below you’ll find an updated list of all Beyond Raw Pump’s available flavors:
Final Thoughts: Get Pumped with Beyond Raw Pump!
After assessing this formula, we can tell why Beyond Raw Pump has become so popular in such a short amount of time. It features several trademarked ingredients that are backed by research to significantly improve NO levels and performance. You know we love Nitrosigine, but they didn’t stop there either. GNC clearly took their time researching and testing which ingredients would yield the best effects, but also be new. PricePlow always likes to see a fully transparent label with clinically dosed ingredients.
Beyond Raw has a robust product line that’s continuing to improve and expand every year. We’re excited to see what they come out with next! They are definitely on the right track to make their line of products rise to the top, by using effective ingredients from industry leaders, such as Nutrition21. Beyond Raw takes pride in being built on science, driven by obsession, and elevated through innovation. Stay tuned more supplements analyses, reviews, and news from PricePlow!
Beyond Raw Pump – Deals and Price Drop Alerts
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Disclosure: PricePlow relies on pricing from stores with which we have a business relationship. We work hard to keep pricing current, but you may find a better offer.
Posts are sponsored in part by the retailers and/or brands listed on this page.
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