PrimaForce Primal N2O (347g)

Primal N2O, The Final Pre-Workout Solution�, features scientifically-proven ingredients that support increased performance, promote skin-stretching muscle pumps, and support lean mass gains.

Primal N2O contains synergistic ingredients that work together to take your training and results to the next level and beyond. Let's take a more indepth look at Primal N20's ingredients.

N20 Drive� Blend - Creatine Monohydrate, Di Creatine Malate

Creatine is used in the high-energy phosphate or ATP-PCr system to regenerate ATP. ATP, the body's main source of energy, is a molecule of adenosine (adenine + the sugar ribose) linked to three phosphate molecules by high-energy bonds. Breaking of the two outer bonds results in the release of energy.

When the most outer bond is broken, the energy is released and ADP and Pi are left behind. Creatine, which is bonded to a phosphate ion, transfers energy to the ADP and Pi molecule by breaking its own bond. This regenerates the ATP molecule, which means one now has more energy to use. Skeletal muscle has a limited storage of creatine. Therefore supplementing with creatine increases your ability to form ATP and therefore increases the available energy for exercise (Casey et al. 1996 & 2000). Creatine is one of the most scientifically proven-effective supplements on the market, with creatine monohydrate being the form used in most studies.

CreaPrime� Blend - Citrulline Malate, L-Arginine Alpha KetoGlutarate 2:1, (Di-L-Arginine)-L-Malate, Citric Acid, (Di-L-Arginine) Orotate

The rate-limiting step of amino acid uptake into skeletal muscle is the transportation of the amino acids through the blood to the skeletal muscle, which is governed by blood flow (Wolfe, 2004). NO vasodilates blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow. This increase when combined with exercises means greater blood flow and greater amino acid deliver and uptake in the working skeletal muscle. Exercise itself results in an increase in NO production, and the increased blood flow created by exercise is believed to be linked to the increase in protein synthesis post workout (Douglas et al., 2004). Di-Arginine Orotate, AAKG, Di-Arginine Malate, and Citrulline Malate all increase NO production and blood flow to skeletal muscle.

Citrulline-Malate has been shown to increase the rate of oxidative ATP production during exercise and the rate of phosphocreatine replenishment post exercise (Bendahan, 2002). Increasing the rate of ATP production during exercise would increase performance and energy.

Citrulline-Malate also has anti-fatigue properties due to its ability to decrease ammonia levels and prevent against metabolic acidosis (Callis, 1991). Decreasing the sensation of fatigue would allow one to workout harder and longer, and thereby burn more calories and lose more fat.

Both Citric Acid and Malic Acid (Malate) are intermediates in the Kreb's cycle, which produces ATP. Adding citric acid and malic acid to N20 aids in ATP production.

H-Primer Blend - Beta-Alanine, NAC

It has been shown that skeletal muscle carnosine levels are correlated with performance during high-intensity exercise (Suzuki, 2002). Carnosine is an important metabolic buffer in skeletal muscle (Suzuki, 2002), which means it helps maintain the acid-base balance in the presence of high H+ concentrations. High levels of H+ during exercise cause fatigue and decrease performance. It is clear that current research shows Beta-Alanine to be an effective performance enhancer and enhances lean mass gains when combined with creatine.

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) is derived from the non-essential amino acid cysteine. Because cysteine is very unstable, supplementing with NAC allows one to get the benefits of cysteine. NAC is an antioxidant itself (Aruoma, 1989) and is also used to synthesize the antioxidant glutathoine. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and also regenerates vitamin C and E (Bounous, 1999)

Since intense exercise depletes glutathione (Sen, 1999), supplementation of NAC can is beneficial to increase glutathione levels. Oxidative stress caused by free radicals (H+), causes fatigue and muscular soreness. Supplementing with NAC will enhance athletic performance by scavenging these free radicals (Lands, 1999).

BrainDrive Blend - N-Acetyl Tyrosine, ALCAR, Caffeine

Tyrosine is a nonessential amino acids used to make the catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, thyroid hormones, and the skin pigment melanin. Stress, such as exercise, depletes the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

The amino acid L-Carnitine plays a vital role in energy metabolism, specifically the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria where they can be oxidized. ALCAR is the acetylated form of carnitine and is the most popular form of supplemental carnitine. ALCAR is a potent antioxidant shown to have anti-aging, cardio-protective, cognitive enhancing, and adaptogen properties.�

Caffeine, a plant alkaloid belonging to the drug class methylxanthines and is found in natural sources such as coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, and other plants, is the world�s most widely used stimulant.� Caffeine is a Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant shown to delay fatigue and improve cognitive performance. Caffeine acts as an adenosine receptor antagonist. Adenosine decreases the release of stimulatory/excitatory neurotransmitters (i.e. norepinephrine [NE]). Therefore, blocking the adenosine receptor allows a greater excitation to occur by increasing NE�s ability to activate the adrenergic receptors. Caffeine inhibits phosphodiesterase (PDE), causing a build-up of cAMP levels and greater effect of NE on fatty acid lipolysis. PDE blunts lipolysis; therefore inhibiting PDE allows lipolysis to proceed at an accelerated rate. The end result is there are more fatty acids available for oxidation after consumption of caffeine, which is one of the ways caffeine is believes to increase performance.