Written by justis berg
20 September 2010

 

JACK 3D by USP LABS “The ultimate nitric oxide pre-workout supplement”

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If you are looking for the ultimate pre-workout supplement that look no further than Jack3d by USP LABS.   So what makes JACK3d the best workout supplement on the market is that it is an extremely potent and effective pre-workout formulation, designed to improve workouts with improved focus, strength and power. Unlike other pre-workout formulas on the market, Jack3d lacks any artificial colors or dyes, while also eliminating the “fluff” ingredients or what manufactures called “fillers” that so many supplement companies typically use (e.g., magnesium, maltodextrin, etc.).

 

JACK 3D Often Imitated, Never Duplicated!!

 

Jack3d is the original & best ultra-concentrated pre-workout, despite everyone attempting to knock it off.  Sure, there are a couple of supplements that say that there product is the ultimate pre-workout supplement, yet in a recent user survey of Jack3d, many web user said they would definitely but Jack3d again.  Once you try it, you’re hooked on Jack3d!   This proves that the synergistic ingredients in Jack3d are what make it so special.  Jack3d is formulated to address three key areas:

 

The central nervous system (CNS) to help increase focus and potential strength output.

Buffering the blood’s pH of muscle to help combat exercise fatigue and ultimately improve strength and power output.

Increasing the ATP in the cells to increase muscle strength and power.

 

Ultimately, this is expected to increase the amount of weight used, the amount of reps performed and the frequency of training sessions, all of which, when combined, is expected to result in better gains in muscle and strength in the gym.

 

Here is a breakdown of the individual components in Jack3d:

Schizandrol A

This is an impressive adaptogenic compound which has been shown in humans to increase the capacity to perform physical work and force production, while also reducing fatigue levels during physical exertion. In many respects, Schizandrol A appears to be more impressive than Rhodiola rosea, a well-known plant used for such purposes. It was even studied in the Red Army soldiers and may have been used as a secret weapon in combat1, 2.   The Russians and in particular, the former USSR performed much of the original research on this compound in the 1940’s to the 1960’s after it was discovered for its use by Russian scientists performing ethnopharmacological investigations in the Far East region. They noted that local Nanai hunters were using the plant from which the compound is extracted, in order to aid them in hunting and to provide energy3. Consequently, the Russians began to research the plant and eventually figured out the constituent which was responsible for the beneficial effects of schizandrol A4.

 

 Beta-alanine

 Beta-alanine serves as the rate-limiting precursor of carnosine and as such, it has been shown that by supplementing with beta-alanine, you can greatly increase carnosine levels in skeletal muscle tissue. Carnosine is an extremely important dipeptide that is generally present in rather high concentrations in skeletal muscle, though it is also found in nervous tissue and other excitable tissues as well. It is so important because it acts as a buffer of sorts, preventing the increase of acidity or hydrogen ion accumulation in skeletal muscle; something which is thought to contribute to the fatiguing of muscles. Furthermore, there is evidence that by increasing carnosine levels, power output can be increased as well. In short, you are able to improve your power out, while also delaying fatigue. Simply put, you can lift more explosively and for longer periods5-7.

 It is no coincidence that the most explosive athletes (e.g. sprinters) have higher carnosine levels in their muscles. Looking to the animals of our world provides us with yet another example; the most explosive animals such as greyhounds and thoroughbred horses also have the highest level of carnosine in their muscle tissue as well.

 In short, beta-alanine supplementation has been shown to be an effect way of elevating carnosine levels in muscle. Consequently, it has been shown to increase the working capacity of muscle, elevate the buffering capacity of muscle, elevate the anaerobic threshold of muscle, endurance, delay fatigue during workouts, enhanced exercise training, and result in an overall improvement of muscle performance.

Caffeine

Caffeine was included because of it's able to stimulate the CNS, while also stimulating contractility of skeletal muscle, decrease fatigue and drowsiness, enhance the flow of thoughts, increasing alertness and improve intellectual efforts, while in some cases, producing a sense of euphoria or a sense of well-being8-11. All of these effects are why caffeine was included in very specific amounts in the formula. A recent report concluded that caffeine also can reduce muscle pain during exercise resulting in enhanced work capacity.

Geranium (1,3-Dimethylamylamine)

This plant contains a compound which is the second part of the CNS stimulant portion of the formula. It is included in very precise amounts with the caffeine to allow for a synergistic effect, allowing for increased sympathomimetic effects in the body12-14.

L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG)

This particular compound was included in the formula as it may increase strength and peak power performance as shown in one study. More interestingly, another study which combined AAKG with creatine monohydrate, found that the combination also increased peak power15-16.

Creatine Monohydrate

While the beta-alanine may negate the increase in Hydrogen ion levels in skeletal muscle by increasing carnosine levels, that only addresses the issue of fatigue via acidification of skeletal muscle. Yet, another way that muscles become fatigued is through depletion of energy stores in skeletal muscle and in particular, with ATP being converted to ADP. With creatine monohydrate supplementation, the product allows for the re-formation of ATP, hence replenishing energy stores in muscle. This too allows one to reduce fatigue and to increase strength as noted in a large number of studies performed on the compound17-20.

Why Creatine Monohydrate?

It’s very simple, those marketing the various new creatine derivatives and creatine formulations are all beginning with the flawed and unproven argument that creatine monohydrate has poor oral bioavailability due to lower aqueous solubility and consequently, low absorption from the small intestine. Yet, there are absolutely no published data to support the argument that creatine monohydrate has low absorption or oral bioavailability. In fact, it is just the opposite as the absorption of creatine monohydrate is nearly 100%. This begs the simplest question; if the oral bioavailability of creatine monohydrate is already close to 100%, how can it be significantly improved upon? The simple answer is that it cannot be improved upon.

Yet, just as important to consider is the fact that skeletal muscle can only absorb and store a limited amount of creatine. So, even if we were to ignore the fact that oral bioavailability of creatine monohydrate has little room for improvement, we must then consider the fact that the muscle can only transport so much creatine and tissue saturation is going to occur regardless at some point. So, regardless of which form is used, only so much creatine is going enter into the muscle and saturation is going to be reached at some point. For example, it thought that a 154 lb person has a total creatine content in skeletal muscle of approximately 115 grams, with a total creatine pool of approximately 120 grams. And for a specific example, a subject that was given 340 grams of creatine monohydrate over a 34 day period of time only retained 38 grams in the body. Or, in another subject that was given 270 grams, only 58 grams were retained. Studying the kinetics of creatine has provided support for this as well. In effect, this demonstrates again that skeletal muscle can only hold so much creatine and it isn’t too much higher than the baseline levels.

So, even if we were to ignore the fact that the absorption of creatine from the small intestine is thought to be close to 100% and believe the marketing from those selling these alternative creatine products, the higher levels of creatine in the bloodstream would make little difference as skeletal muscle can only absorb and store a limited amount of creatine. Consequently, higher plasma levels of creatine don’t mean that it will translate to higher levels of creatine in muscle. Ultimately, the level of creatine in muscle would need to be substantially higher in order for these creatine products to be classified as being superior to creatine monohydrate and most importantly of all; this higher level of creatine would need lead to a significant improvement upon lean body mass, strength and power. Yet, conveniently, a study comparing the effects of these creatine products and creatine monohydrate upon these parameters has not been sought out or published, and in the few cases which have, there is no superiority as suspected.

For more information about Jack3d, please visit: http://www.jack-3d.com/

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13. Swanson EE and Chen KK. Comparison of pressor action of aliphatic amines. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1946 88(1):10-13

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