Green MAGnitude Review
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Intro
I've tried almost every Controlled Labs product, and this creatine matrix is my favorite. I think I owe it to myself, this product and the company to give a detailed and honest review for interested parties.
Taste: 8.5/10
The taste is Sour Green Apple and it does not disappoint. It tastes pretty much like candy! Think of a green Jolly Rancher in water. This product is a treat to drink. Best used with a good amount of cold water (otherwise it will be slightly sour.) It also tastes extremely well when mixed with Purple WRAATH, Xtend and Excell.
Mixibility: 10/10
I don't usually give out 10's but this mixes very well. It is a fine powder that has no problems or clumping, and stays mixed.
Value: 9/10
At 80 servings for around $33, it's hard to beat. You may even get more than that out of this product if you use the 2/3 scoop to make up for the settling issue. I've been on the same tub for months now, it's the never ending creatine. It's great when your trying to save money, which everyone always is!
Effectiveness: 8.5/10
I can't say much about creatine's effectiveness. We all know it's working on some level but when you've used things like superdrol and pheraplex etc, it's hard to say something gives you superhuman strength and stamina. But after a couple days using Green MAG and only Green MAG, I could definately tell a difference. My strength and endurance was higher. I was pushing more reps and I was fatiguing less.
Overall: 9/10
Overall this product was a terrific buy for me. I was looking for an "All-in-One" product for pre workout. After trying and being unsatisfied other products, I picked this one. The formula is complete - I've elaborated on it below. I also found the taste to be a treat for me. This is a creatine I will always use, I'm no longer "in the market" for a new product.
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Elaboration on Green MAGnitude
One of the most advanced creatines on the market today is Controlled Lab's Green MAGnitude. Personally, it is one of the best pre-workout volumizers I have ever used. The taste, cost efficiency and overall benefits of this product speak for themselves. But what makes this product stand out above the rest? We'll research the ingredients, dosage and synergestic effects in the following essay in hopes to find out!
The backbone of this product, as advertised in the name, is Magnesium Creatine Chelate (MCC). There also is a second type of creatine called dicreatine-malate. Both types of creatines are dosed @ 2.5g/serving. MCC is absorbed through the ligand-gated cation channel, wherein regular creatine monohydrate is absorbed through a sodium carrier. Whether or not this pathway is more effective than tradtional creatine has yet to be determined; however we know that it is essentially as effective (1), but anectodal evidence has been very positive for this compound. Meanwhile, dicreatine-malate is essentially creatine bonded with malic acid. The purpose of this marriage is that malic acid plays a vital role in ATP production. Healthcare professionals will recommend malic acid supplementation for muscle soreness and fatigue with little to no reported side effects up to dosages of 1600mg twice per day (2). This is the synergy that makes this product so great. You have dual-pathway creatine uptake along with malic acid bonded to the creatine for increased ATP production. Users report not only strength output increase, endurance and muscle fullness, but also recovery of muscular energy and a reduction of delayed-onset muscle soreness.
On top of the advanced creatine matrix this product contains, it has some more ergogenic additions. Containing 2000mg of Betaine Anhydrous, a vitamin derived from choline, is shown to cause fat loss by the oxidation of lipids, lowering homocysteine levels, promoting lean mass gains and appetite, and supporting general digestive function (3).
The next compound we explore is the widely used L-Taurine, dosed 2000mg. Taurine has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure (4). It is one of the most abundant amino acids found in muscles and the central nervous system, and is thought to regulate muscle contractions, water balance and energy levels. There is also various feedback on Taurine alleviating depression. It is safe and has little to no side effects for most users. Taurine has shown the ability to lower muscle damage from intense exercise, and improve performance. (5)
The final ingredient in Green MAGnitude is L-Tyrosine. Tyrosine is a precursor of Dopamine, which can promote mental alertness, focus and energy. There is also evidence to show it will help alleviate mental fatigue and depression. (6)
This product is a complete pre-workout formula to improve strength, decrease recovery time, and promote muscle stamina and pumps. The compounds and ingredients are safe, effective, and studied in both the medical fields, and, anecdotally in the bodybuilding community. Between the synergenic effects of dual pathway creatine uptake, increased energy from taurine, mental alertness from Tyorsine and overall health benefits from Betaine anhydrous, you can know that when you take this product it will enhance your body safely and take your workouts to the next level.
Note: Please consult your physician before starting any supplementation or exercise program.
1. Treatment with Super Malic: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot study. Russell IJ; Michalek JE; Flechas JD; Abraham GE; J Rheumatol, 22(5):953-8 1995 May]
2 Selsby JT, DiSilvestro RA, Devor ST. Mg2+-creatine chelate and a low-dose creatine supplementation regimen improve exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2004 May;18(2):311-5
3 Schwab U, Torronen A, Toppinen L, Alfthan G, Saarinen M, Aro A, Uusitupa M. Betaine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine concentrations but does not affect body weight, body composition, or resting energy expenditure in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Nov;76(5):961-7.
4 Nara Y, Yamori Y, Lovenberg W. Effects of dietary taurine on blood pressures in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biochem Pharmacol 1978;27:2689-2692.
5 Dawson Jr R, Biasetti M, Messina S, Dominy J. "The cytoprotective role of taurine in exercise-induced muscle injury." Amino Acids 2002;22(4):309-24
6 Romanowski, W, and Grabiec S. The role of serotonin in the mechanism of central fatigue. Acta Physiol Pol 25: 127-134, 1974.
