Cellucor: the Alpha Amino X -perience

[InfiniteRecomp]

BOOM!

First off - thanks to the Cellucor folks for the hookup (Mitch, Bob, Bryan... and I know I forgot someone). I got to try the new Alpha Amino X(treme^TM), which I'm really looking forward to. Why?

1. My prior experience with aminos has helped me with performance and body comp
2. I exercise in the morning almost exclusively and would like to see how the stims (though mild qty) play out vs. coffee or other stim products.
3. I feel better and have an easier time managing 'dem 'kros

I'm only on day two of the experience but want to relay some thoughts and notes as I go before writing up a complete review, evaluating a full week of workouts and other effects.

As you can see form the above pic -

1. THIS CAN IS BAD@SS! Love, love, love the dark chrome - seems more 'intense' than the usual '57 Bel-Air chrome
2. This can is delightfully filled, good sign y'all
3. As usual for 'Alpha' & Cellucor, this stuff mixes like a dream. This was 12oz water, a little ice, maybe 15 seconds of shaking, let sit ten minutes, 2 more shakes (any more and you're just playing with it) - NO RESIDUE.

What I've noticed so far...
Taste: freaking juicy! When I was asked if I wanted to give this a go, I considered begging for watermelon as that & blue raspberry are my go-to flavors; but, I let them decide, figuring that I'll see how one of my not-so-top flavors would do. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This grape turns out to be very 'juicy' tasting - not like your aunt's watered down kool-aid. How do I know? Your mom told me the other day!! HAHAHAHAH! Just had to get that in there.

'Side' Effects: In the two days so far, drinking two scoops, I've only wanted one cup of coffee instead of two during the day and wondering if I should grab a third.

That's it for now, but I leave you with this:

New stuff coming soon! #c4 #C4Alpha #C4OnTheGo #BOOOOMM @Cellucor

and some ingredients that we'll review in a bit.
http://www.cellucor.com/alpha-amino-xtreme

[The Solution]

Thanks for the initial review but you missed out on a lot of points
how much water did you mix this with?
Are you going to try 1 scoop, 1.5 scoops or just stick with 2 scoops? Trying all servings would be very beneficial for consumer feedback.
What did you notice right away or how long did the energy last?
Are you taking these fasted or fed? If fed how close to a meal are you taking it?
How do you like the small inclusion of the stimulant blend compared to regular alpha amino?

Be some great discussion and key points to address!

You could of just waited to write a full review when its all said and done instead of a taste test review bud! No rush for a proper and detailed review. We apprecaite everything so far!

[InfiniteRecomp]

Rest assured this will be a comprehensive review. I just had to get that first day pic in there

We will certainly cover all points as you indicated - and thanks for the tip. I will try 1.5 & 2 scoops. I'll also introduce little tidbits here and there before the week is out - the suspense is terrible! HAHHAHA

[The Solution]

Rest assured this will be a comprehensive review. I just had to get that first day pic in there

We will certainly cover all points as you indicated - and thanks for the tip. I will try 1.5 & 2 scoops. I'll also introduce little tidbits here and there before the week is out - the suspense is terrible! HAHHAHA

Appreciated big man!! Thanks again!

[yuncker]

Solid!

[InfiniteRecomp]

Welcome, Mitch!

I tried 1.5 scoops pre today. Thanks for the suggestion. Helped in some ways, made no difference in others. To be included in full report

[InfiniteRecomp]

oh yeah - final review coming as we speak. I must say, Bob's suggestions were interesting and I'm looking forward to sharing the details.

[The Solution]

oh yeah - final review coming as we speak. I must say, Bob's suggestions were interesting and I'm looking forward to sharing the details.

I hope it was for the better. But here is the thing, when you try different dosings and different timings you will really find what suits your body and works best for you! Sometimes going against the grain shows you the true merit of a product or something new about your body!

[InfiniteRecomp]

I hope it was for the better. But here is the thing, when you try different dosings and different timings you will really find what suits your body and works best for you! Sometimes going against the grain shows you the true merit of a product or something new about your body!

True - I certainly did. and I think I have a use for some of these different doses and timings. Hint: Nitrates!!

[InfiniteRecomp]

Here's some marketing info:


XTREME AMINOS
Alpha Amino Xtreme is a performance sports drink powder for next level competitors. Those who rely on amino acids to power their workouts will find Alpha Amino Xtreme provides them with that extra edge. Alpha Amino Xtreme is fully loaded with 14 aminos, including an Alpha BCAA Matrix and Alpha Amino Complex.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are known to support muscle maintenance, endurance and recovery.* Alpha Amino Xtreme features a well-studied 2:1:1 BCAA ratio, highlighted by a 3X Leucine™ Matrix for maximum performance. 3X Leucine™ includes instantized L-Leucine, Leucine Nitrate and Leucine Peptides to enhance the body's ability to fuel skeletal muscles, preserve muscle glycogen stores and reduce protein breakdown.*

A 360 VIEW OF ALPHA XTREME
• Extreme Energy for Performance*
• Helps Increase Endurance*
• Reduces Muscle Soreness*
• Promotes Muscle Growth*
• Helps Prevent Muscle Breakdown*
• Has Outstanding Flavor in Every Scoop*

PERFORMANCE ENERGY POWERED BY AN XTREME BLEND
The performance benefits don’t end with Alpha Amino Xtreme’s aminos—the formula also contains ingredients for extreme energy.* Alpha Amino Xtreme has a high powered blend of caffeine, B vitamins, as well as the clinically studied ingredient XCELICOR™. XCELICOR™ puts the X-factor in Alpha Amino Xtreme. It promotes long lasting, explosive energy for a profound impact on performance.*

BETTER HYDRATION, BETTER RECOVERY, BETTER PERFORMANCE*
Fast recovery is a cornerstone of athletic performance. Alpha Amino Xtreme features Chia Seed, Raw Coconut Concentrate and HydroMax�, combined with a unique blend of amino acids, to produce the ultimate recovery and hydration formula.*
Chia Seed Extract and Raw Coconut Concentrate have been in the spotlight for their ability to hydrate the body, while HydroMax� is a novel ingredient that has the ability to increase the concentration of fluid in the tissues of the body.*

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Product Presentation –
Freaking amazing! – the canister is a good size and was not ‘half empty’ – pleasantly filled. Refer to the pics in my original post. This looks like the darker side of Cellucor – and I LIKE IT! The black chrome container blends in with the label for a unified look – can barely tell it’s a wrapper – excellent job. I also appreciate the flavor ‘tag’ color matching the flavor. Since I was trying grape, I thought that the purple in the product name as a color/chrome reflection was matching as well. But when I went back and looked at some of the advertising it appears all flavors have purple on the product name. It might be a touch more money to produce (perhaps, perhaps not since they’re already doing it for the flavor), but that would have been the final touch to put this over the top. This would help me not to accidentally pick up a flavor I didn’t want, which has happened on all kinds of products. (I just bought a ton of soups the other day so that everyone gets the same and got duped! ). Other than that, the information is very clean with SuppFacts, Use & Warnings being the only ‘reading material’ and the Trade tags unobtrusively stamped on the front (GMP, HydroMax, G4 Chrome).

Score – 9.5/10! (minus a half point making me think the purple was color coordinated – haha)

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Ingredients –

Here’s what stands out to me:

BCAA Matrix:
Instantized & Micronized – don’t really get it, but sounds like ready to use as soon as you drink’em. It’s pretty cool that the Leucine is tied to a Nitrate, but I have to wonder when you separate them to be used, how much true leucine and how much true nitrate are you getting? I guess the results are more telling than worrying about the minutia of how much I’m getting.

Hydration formula:
HydroMax, coconut water, chia and electrolytes – tried and true – works for me.

AA Complex:
2.5g of various meenohs to fill out a total of 7.5g that I believe were a clinically studied dose. I’ve seen a few companies land at this number

The Xtreme Blend: Caffeine & B-vites.

Wanna make something BAD@$$? Throw in an ingredient that starts with an ‘X’ and contains ‘COR’ – XceliCOR just sounds like it goes 0-60 in 3.6!

Upside – the B-12 is the better and more expensive to use ‘methyl’ instead of ‘cyano’ – shows they were thinking of quality.
Downside – the caffeine is synthetic ‘anhydrous’ which makes me more jittery than other forms. Maybe that’s on purpose to give AA_x more kick.

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Taste – I couldn’t wait to try out AA_x knowing how Cellucor makes some of the best tasting stuff on the market. Grape hasn’t been one of my favorite flavors for supplements. As a matter of fact, something about grape flavored stuff tastes artificial to me and dries out my mouth. THIS WAS DIFFERENT! I really enjoyed it and do not regret at all not asking for watermelon to review. First dose – 10oz water and tasted spot on, juicy! Not manufactured or weak. I tried 8oz and was almost too much. However, when I tried two scoops I used 16oz water and was good to go. 1.5 scoops I think I used 14oz water and was fine. One other big plus is that although this has sucralose to keep calories minimal I didn’t get the lingering artificial sweetener aftertaste that I have on some others. AAx is also not quite as sweet as others as well, though just as flavorful.

Score – although I’m sure I’ll like watermelon even more, I gotta give this 10/10 for far superior grape taste ever!!

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Mixability – see pic – Most Amino products I’ve tried mix fairly easily but OHMAGAWSH! No residue; just shake 10 seconds or so and let sit a few minutes before consuming. Even when I shaked it and slugged it there was very very little residue that was still welcome when I refilled my cup for my intraworkout drink (usually water and apple juice).

Score – 10/10! Mixing Perfection!

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Side Effects – Two scoops preworkout – was a little hard on the stomach; but 1.5 was well tolerated. Also, taking more preworkout and following up a couple hours later with another scoop kept me running to the bathroom often. There were really no other side effects negatively. Good side effects will be covered in results.

Score – 7/10
Price – AA_x is a little pricey compared to other amino products that I see, but, what you’re getting is effectively a preworkout and amino all in one which brings on the value. In relation to price, I think that saving this for that preworkout focus/stim and having a canister of regular Alpha on hand for between meal recovery (or in my case holdover before food window opens [IF-ish]) would be cost beneficial as I don’t need the extra caffeine and would save me ~$10 overall. The BB store runs specials fairly often on Cellucor, so it would be nice to see an AA + AA_x combo. Also, I’m certain there have been some straight up brand, individual product, or stock-up sales, so be on the lookout. Even not on sale, AAs are choice, and I feel the combination of drinkability and effectiveness still provide value at regular price.

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Results –
1 scoop preworkout: focus was good enough to get me going, pumps were fairly noticeable, good energy to get through my circuit-style training. I drank a mix of water & apple juice intraworkout, therefore not entirely fasted.

1 scoop preworkout + 1 scoop intra: focus becomes sharper going through my workout, pumps a little more noticeable, good substitute for my usual mix of water + a little apple juice.

1.5 scoops preworkout: almost the same focus and pumps as 1+1, but used the water & juice mix intra; therefore 1+1 would be more desirable to stick to my ‘fasted’ protocol.

2 scoops preworkout: focus about the same as 1.5, but the pumps were INSANE! Almost hurt. Good energy, too; I believe some of that was pump induced as well felt so good it just drove me to keep going.

Most of my workouts were done with 1 scoop pre, none intra, and 1 scoop after. The other variations were for testing. Depending on the muscle group worked that day, I’d be tempted to do 2 scoops pre or 1+1; however, since I don’t eat for hours later and use one scoop as a holdover until then, it puts a strain on affordability, plus with the added caffeine I would be getting 300mg going that route. This is where a non-caffeinated amino would come in handy later.

Recovery: My first workout with AA_x I actually felt weaker, but I was coming off a combination of test-booster & GH support. So I can’t really say that performance was impaired using it. However, after a couple days I was back up and had increased my number of training sessions per week from 3-4 to include a sixth day (though smaller individual sessions) to add calves and more hamstrings. After my first calf day, I was debilitatingly sore almost all week, it was good pain. Beyond that, recovery was good, even on them calfsicles. I’d put the soreness and recovery one step below ecdy for me – and aminos are easier and cheaper to come by. If you don’t know – at least my experience has been that – with a good ecdy product (strong test boosters) I have almost zero soreness. On AA_x the delayed muscle soreness is minimal – much improved over baseline, and the perceived increased capacity as well makes it that much more effective.

Pump/Vascularity – 9/10

Considered grading this result an 8 because the hard-hitting pumps came at 2 scoops dosage; but this is primarily an amino product. The nitrates and pump qualities are secondary to the product.

Mood/Focus – 9/10

Same here. Most true preworkouts give a more intense focus, which would make this 7/8-ish; but again, this is primarily an amino product and focus is secondary.

Hydration - 10/10

The hydration blend really works for me as I can really get nauseous or winded when I don't feel it. Alpha consistently delivers there and I my body just feels really good after I drink some.

Primary Purpose – AMINOS : Recovery + Performance

Can’t really feel them instantly (not like beta-alanine) but I know they’re doing what they need to. For me they provide a pathway where I can maintain a later feeding window since I eat dinner late and don’t want to eat from sunrise to midnight. Also the over-time performance improvement from the recovery benefit and instant utilization over complete proteins is marked and helps me see improvement in my workouts.

Score – 10/10!

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Score Totals: 9.5 + 10 + 10 + 7 + 9 + 9 + 10 + 10 = 75.5 / 8 == 9.4


Thanks again, Bryan, Mitch, and Bob and the team at Cellucor for allowing me to review this. I'll post a store review link here as well in case anyone wants a shortcut to it.

[The Solution]

Usually nitrates are a 2:1 Bond
if you got 3g of nitrate that would give you 2g of the ingredient + 1g of the nitrate as a FYI

Around 5g of BCAA's per serving which is a great dose.

based off your feedback and you saying that the caffeine would be jittery you did not experience those side effects nor has anyone who used Alpha Amino Xtreme.

If you think Grape is a killer flavor wait till you see the next "Unique" Flavor we are going to bring to the market for Alpha Amino

I am glad you tried this in MANY WAYS not just one way to see the true benefit of the product.t hanks for your honesty and detail

[Amamahohotala]

Сellucor is making good stuff))) Loving it

[InfiniteRecomp]

Thanks, Chef! and yeah, the caffeine was positive - though anhydrous - it wasn't super-dosed, a good controlled amount. I've seen some products throw 325mg in there which is a little much for my nerves.

[InfiniteRecomp]

Store Review: Updated

I don't know why BB sells it as the same product... confusing for store reviews, much as my typing is for reading...