NutraBio PRE Extreme V5: A Serious Carb-Enhanced Pre Workout

NutraBio’s PRE Extreme is another in a wave of high quality effectively dosed pre workouts hitting the market in 2016.

Update: PRE Extreme has made it atop our 2018 Best Pre Workout Supplement List! Read on to see why!

Take a look at your pre workout supplement. How many carbohydrates does it have?

Chances are, it’s zero. But why?

Almost everyone loves their “zero-carb” pre workout supplements, but a serious majority of pre workout supplement users are also chasing both muscle gains and performance. In both cases, you want carbs around your workout!

So why not use a killer pre workout that puts them there?!

So today, we are back again with another stellar contributor to the market in NutraBio’s PRE Extreme V5.0, which is the carb-enhanced, yohimbine-enhanced version of the original NutraBio Pre Workout.

These two pre workouts are our top-rated ones, but truth be told, we think more people need to look at this one over the original for those carbs.

We got a hold of the label as well as got some inside info that went into the formulation of this behemoth, so get ready for the inside story, but only after you check PricePlow’s deals and sign up for NutraBio news:

PRE Extreme’s Ingredients

Just take a peek to the right at the picture and look really, really close at the serving size. One scoop is a whopping 44g – absolutely massive even by today’s standards! Of course much of that comes from the carbs, but there are a ton of actives in here and this is simply one hell of a formula.

There are two most important things to note:

1. This version has 15g carbohydrates

   This is discussed in detail below, and they come in an ultra-quick digesting form, but if you’re not into that, there is a carb-free version simply named “NutraBio PRE” (not extreme).

2. There is 350mg caffeine per serving

   This is also discussed in detail below, because it’s a mix of caffeine types to prolong the release. But if you need it stimulant-free, you’ll need to build it yourself with the stim-free NutraBio PRE and some Super Carb.

Point being… NutraBio has something for practically everyone, and many of their products are fully-loaded like this with a few options along the way.

But today, we’re talking about the stims and the carbs, so let’s get to it:

• Rapid Glycogen Pre-load System

  • Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin (15g)

    

    V4 was a monster of a pre workout, V5 keeps everything you loved about V4 and makes it that much better.

    Carbs fuel performance — that goes without saying — but they’re also great a creating a spike in insulin – your most anabolic hormone! This spike makes for an ideal way to transport nutrients into muscle cells. Many people have used dextrose, maltodextrin or waxy maize as their fast-acting carb of choice, but the problem with all of these is their high osmolality which slows down the gastric emptying and absorption in the small intestines.

    The answer to this problem is Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin, a.k.a. HBCD.

    It’s formed from the breakdown of a low osmolality, high molecular weight molecule called amylopectin. Once this enters the stomach, if shuttles right through and onto the intestines for rapid absorption.^[1]

    This is ideal in a pre workout carb! Passing through the stomach quickly to get absorbed by the small intestine and then onto your muscles supplying they with the necessary fuel and helping to shuttle in all of the other ergogenics we’re about to get into.^[2,3]

• Power, Strength, & Endurance Complex

  • L-Leucine (3.5g)

    Leucine is the undisputed “king” of amino acids and leader of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). It’s well-known for being the primary activator of mTOR, which triggers protein synthesis, but that’s not all. Leucine also reduces exercise-induced muscle damage, improving recovery time and supporting lean mass.^[4,5,6]

  • CarnoSyn Beta Alanine (3.2g)

    

    Beta alanine boosts how long athletes last, which then turns into more overall workload… which, if you eat right, means more gains!

    Better known for causing the “tingles”, beta alanine is a staple ingredient found in lots of pre workouts. It improves the muscles buffering capacity by increasing carnosine levels.^[7,8] Carnosine is a potent intracellular buffer that removes metabolic waste products that accumulate during exercise. This leads to better endurance and less muscle “burning” during exercise.

    Just be aware that this is a massive dose of beta alanine — the clinical dose used in studies across an entire day’s time all at once here – will almost certainly give you the tingles!

  • Creatine Monohydrate (3g)

    The “king” of creatines, creatine monohydrate no longer needs too much explanation. It’s a staple for athletes of all kinds and is highly regarded for its ability to enhance strength, power, stamina, and lean mass.

    PRE Extreme includes the recommended 3g dose, so there’s no need to get extra in during the day, unless you want to that is. But we’re not quite done with creatine just yet…there’s a bit more just ahead.

  • Betaine Anhydrous (2.5g)

    Betaine operates in a number of different roles in the body. As an osmolyte, betaine supports hydration, which can improve endurance and stamina. Betain also assists in methylation and converts homocysteine to methionine, a precursor for creatine.

    

    Beatine isn’t just for power, it also enhances the effects of creatine.

    In terms of tangible benefits, betaine can enhance power and strength, and also supports creatine production too.^[9,10,11]

    Just as we saw with creatine, you get the full clinical dose of 2.5g used in the research studies cited here.

  • DL Malic Acid (1.5g)

    Malic acid is a critical player in the Krebs cycle where it supports energy production. Deficiency of malic acid can hinder Krebs cycle function, which leads to faster fatigue while training..

    Most companies include citrulline malate, not NutraBio! They’ve used individual doses of malic acid alongside a whopping dose of L-Citrulline, which we’ll get to further down.

    Note that the malic acid helps with flavoring, so you may see different doses on different labels.

  • Creatine MagnaPower (500mg)

    Creatine MagnaPower is a chelated magnesium bonded form of creatine that offers better solubility than monohydrate. The original thinking was that this improved solubility leads to better results. That’s never been conclusively proven one way or the other, so we’ll count this as “bonus” and enjoy it more for the magnesium benefits than anything else.

• Nitric Oxide Pump Matrix

  • L-Citrulline (6g)

    

    The Citrulline Pathway

    Boom – your primary (but not only) nitric oxide booster in PRE Extreme.

    NutraBio uses a heaping 6g dose of pure L-Citrulline in each serving of PRE Extreme V5. Citrulline enhances athletic performance and endurance via ammonia elimination^[12,13,14] and it also provides some seriously massive pumps, which are sustained by our next ingredient.

    Note that 6g L-citrulline is a serious dose – we’re not talking about citrulline malate… this is the pure stuff, and it’s monster-sized.

  • Agmatine (1g)

    Frequently included alongside citrulline in pre workouts, agmatine is a potent arginase inhibitor that prolongs nitric oxide production in the body. This makes for longer lasting pumps that stay for long after you’ve finished training.^[15,16]

  • Nitrosigine (750mg)

    While standard L-Arginine has been cast aside as an altogether useless NO-boosting compound, Nitrosigine has gained popularity as a new age pump agent. This enhanced form of arginine boosts NO levels acutely, and when supplemented for several days in a row, actually keeps baseline N.O. levels elevated for up to 2 weeks following supplementation.^[17]

    You’re getting half of the clinically studied dose of Nitrosigine here, which offers excellent support to the previous two pump ingredients we’ve discussed.

• Focus & Stim Matrix

  • L-Tyrosine (1.5g)

    

    Need some extra fuel while training? Grab a tub of NutraBio Intra Blast, the premier intra workout on the market

    Yes – a whopping dose of Tyrosine!

    We’ve beaten the L-Tyrosine drum for a while as the more effective form of tyrosine, compared to N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and we’re relieved to see NutraBio switching to it here in a solid dose for V5 of Pre Extreme.

    Tyrosine is a precursor for the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.^[18] Increased levels of these important neurotransmitters reduce stress and heighten focus and concentration.

    Not only have they begun using it, but they’re using it in an incredible dose… and they’ve bumped up the dosage of the next nootropic as well:

  • Choline Bitartrate (500mg)

    Acetylcholine is known as the “the learning neurotransmitter”, and choline supplementation helps you get more. Anecdotally speaking, this ingredient is what provides for the “mind-muscle connection” when training.

    Choline Bitartrate isn’t our favorite form of choline when we’re looking to boost acetylcholine production due to its lesser bioavailability in the body compared to some other forms, but the dosage has been bumped up from 300mg to 500mg and that rounds out the L-Tyrosine perfectly. On top of that, there may be some help coming in the form of Huperzine A, which we cover a little further down.

  • Caffeine (350mg total)

    Now we start getting to the extreme part of PRE Extreme.

    Leading off the stimulant portion of this monster pre workout is a robust 350mg caffeine from a combination of anhydrous (250mg) and dicaffeine malate (133mg yielding 100mg).

    This is certainly more than enough energy to get even the stim-junkies going, but for those of you a bit turned off by this much caffeine, there’s some help on the way…

  • TheaPure Theanine (300mg)

    

    Infinergy helps prolong the initial stim kick from caffeine anhydrous and citrate giving you longer-lasting energy without any nasty crash.

    Found in camellia sinensis (tea) leaves, theanine is an amino acid widely supplemented for its relaxing properties. Theanine increases GABA production, which lessens feelings of stress and anxiety. But, when paired with caffeine, that’s where it really shines. Pairing the two together enhances the cognitive/focus effects of caffeine.^[19,20] As an added bonus, it also helps take some of the “teeth” out of the giant serving of caffeine discussed above.

    300mg of Theanine is no joke. It may be too much for some, but just right for others. We like it best when it’s dosed less than caffeine, which we have here, and like to have it around when there’s yohimbine and ‘bonus stims’ like NMT inside:

  • Yohimbine HCl (4mg)

    

    Here’s Mark Glazier, the man behind the brand leading the way for transparency and full disclosure in supplements.

    Yohimbine is a yet another powerful stimulant that offers an extra edge to the stim kick of PRE Extreme and a bit of fat loss benefits as well. Specifically, yohimbine is effective for blocking fat storage and suppressing appetite.^[27]

    4mg is right on the edge for most people as going over 5mg tends to lead to anxiety for many users, which is why it’s great to have that nice dose of L-Theanine up above. NutraBio wisely keeps below the “fearsome 5” dose and uses 4mg.

  • Huperzine A (100mcg)

    The final part of PRE’s focus and stim matix is the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, huperzine a. This potent nootropic prolongs the life and extends the focus-boosting properties of acetylcholine by inhibiting the enzyme that degrades it.^[21,22] The end result is more acetylcholine that lasts longer, making for better cognition and mood.

• Electrolyte & Hydration Optimizer

  • Taurine (2g)

    Taurine is an amino acid primarily stored in the muscles, brain, and heart. It functions as a cell volumizer, where it pulls extra water into tissues, leading to better hydration and endurance.^[23] When used alongside caffeine, as it is here, taurine also boosts focus and mental performance.^[24]

  • Calci-K (525mg)

    

    Taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids that helps draw water and nutrients into muscles that helps with endurance but also doubles as a focus booster

    Three of the most important electrolytes for athletic performance and optimal everyday functioning are calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. Calci-K provides a highly bioavailable source of these electrolytes to replace those lost while exercising.

  • Sodium Phosphate (189mg)

    The importance of sodium in an athlete’s diet can’t be discussed enough. Don’t ever believe the anti-sodium propaganda — you NEED it, plain and simple. Sodium is essential to optimal hydration, performance, and health. Triply so for an athlete.

    This mineral/electrolyte gets a bad rap a lot of the time, but if you’re training with great intensity… again, you must have it!

Now that’s one insanely solid effort from a company that’s really going to be storming the stores soon. We have ours on the way, and are pretty confident it’s going to work extremely well.

Flavors Available

PRE Extreme is currently available in 3 options:

• Watermelon
• Raspberry Lemonade
• Green Apple

The Quick NutraBio Story

Click the image to see more from NutraBio

If you haven’t heard of NutraBio, then get ready – these guys had been “lurking in the shadows” for nineteen years, building a massive brand outside of the typical retailer network that we deal with. And now they’ve been unleashed onto the world.

The long story is on our blog post titled “The NutraBio Story“, but in short, we started talking to them when their founder and CEO began commenting on our amino acid spiking articles — it turns out, they’ve been creating 100% open, non-proprietary formulas and railing against non-compliance and spiked products since way before it was cool. They’re now perfectly poised to launch into the forefront with their message.

Below we see what Mark’s got to say about the carb situation in PRE Extreme:

Carbs or No Carbs…

NutraBio also offers a carb-free version of PRE Extreme, aptly dubbed PRE. Most pre workouts on the market are carb-free concentrates made up of stims and other various ergogenics designed to enhance performance. Additionally, most people in today’s day and age are carb-phobic and will shun the precious energy source for fear of getting fat.

We went to the source again to find out why they are offering a version with carbs, and here’s what he had to say,

“Personally, if it were up to me I would only offer the PRE Extreme with carbs. Unfortunately, too many people hit their workout with insufficient nutrition, burn through glycogen and go catabolic too quickly. But there are a lot of carbo-phobes still out there that will be against it.

I add carbs to every pre-workout shake, and drink them intra workout as well. That’s what motivated me to make this version. I was mixing them myself and said why not offer it together, it will help more people stay in an anabolic mode.”

–NutraBio CEO

So there you have it! If you’re really wanting to maximize your performance in the weight room, don’t fret over the carbs in PRE Extreme. You’ll be well rewarded for including them pre workout.

And if you are worried about carbs, your best bet is to track them in a calorie counting app, and adjust them elsewhere in the day. Low-carb or not, it’s tough to argue with the platitudes of research that show carbohydrates helping with workout performance for most people!

Our Pre Extreme Review

CJ and Amin tried the new v4 Green Apple flavor, and unsurprisingly, it really did them well (you’ll realize why after seeing the label). Watch how swole Amin gets!

Insanely Open Formula

Don’t want carbs? Then there’s a product for you – it’s just not as EXTREME!

Take a look at the bottom of the ingredient label. NutraBio even tells you how much sweetener, color, and emulsifier is in there! This is known as full label disclosure. There for anyone, including you, to copy. That’s how confident they are in their brand. How can you not love that?

If you want to read more about that, then check out The NutraBio Story, a blog post detailing the history of Mark Glazier’s NutraBio!

Bring Quality Carbs back to your pre workout!

Whew, if you made it this far, then thank you! That was obviously a lot to go through, as we get with NutraBio’s monster formulas. They’re not the cheapest on the market, but once you start doing the math, you realize that you’re getting a hell of a lot more for not having to pay that much more, and all batches have their third-party lab tests published too!!

PRE Extreme V5 holds literally nothing back in creating one robust formula that will cover every single base you could hope to address in a pre workout. Are you ready to get real and start using carbs when they’re supposed to be used — around your workout?! If so, then this is the pre workout for you.

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