Tr1umph does so many different things that it can be hard to categorize it. It was designed to be an all-in-one natural muscle builder that covers a diverse array of the best ergogenic (athletic performance) aids currently available. Many people were taking a lot of these separately and/or in various blended products.
Olympus Labs put them ALL into one powerhouse of a supplement.
To answer your questions directly:
1. Think of Tr1umph the same way you think of creatine. It's a staple that works primarily through overall saturation of the included ingredients. You will reap its many benefits just by taking it on a regular basis. However, several of the ingredients do have acute effects, so it would be
best to take it ~1 hour before you workout. On non-training days, take it whenever, but ideally around the same time you would dose it if you were working out.
2. You would not take it
in place of your pre. While it will enhance overall energy, it does not contain stimulants. You would take it with your pre. Ideally, as mentioned, you'd dose Tr1umph 1 hour pre-workout, and then your pre 15-30 minutes pre-workout, (or whenever you like to take your pre), but taking them together would be just fine. I believe that's how 90% of people do it.
3. It will not affect your anabolic screening at work.
I'm sorry to hear ARA and ABE didn't do much for you. While some supplements can be hit-or-miss for individuals, the ergogenic power of Tr1umph is so well rounded I guarantee you'll see some very nice benefits by using it, especially if these ingredients are not staples for you already and
especially if you haven't tried Phosphatidic Acid (PA) yet.
Now, if you'd like some more info on just what, exactly, Tr1umph is, feel free to read on...
You've got your biggies,
Creatine and
Betaine, which are proven to enhance strength, endurance, and lean mass gains. They're particularly good to take together as they work synergistically, boosting the body's endogenous production of creatine.
You've got
LCLT, which enhances bloodflow, endurance, and reduces markers of post-exercise metabolic stress and muscle trauma, leading to better recovery.
Next up is
Stearoyl Vanillylamide, a TRPV1 agonist which enhances adrenaline secretion and intracellular calcium, which is critical for mTOR activation and thus...you guessed it, more muscular hypertrophy.
Then we have
Rhodiola Rosea, an adaptogen which reduces stress and fatigue, but also, thanks to the extract Olympus uses, has a good Salidroside content. Salidroside has been shown to increase expression of mTOR, so now we're really laying some solid groundwork for muscle building.
And now we move on to the Maximum Energy, Endurance, Focus and Recovery Ignition complex:
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L Alanine assists in using blood sugar for energy, (better energy), and thanks to this may help with insulin sensitivity. It also works synergistically with Glutamine as we'll see below.
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L-Glutamine which is known to increase power output and inhibit muscle protein breakdown, improving recovery. The problem? Supplemental glutamine has historically been worthless as it is broken down in the stomach before it reaches the intestinal tract. HOWEVER, when combined with L-Alanine, its bio-availability is notably improved.
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ElevATP has been shown to increase ATP levels in healthy human subjects, leading to improved performance, strength and output.
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Alpha-GPC, a great choline source, can increase power output and enhance focus and mood.