Pump Freak

PUMP FREAK Supplement Review

PharmaFreak Introduces PUMP FREAK to the Family

Go to any supplement store and you’ll see a bright yellow label greeting you on every shelf. PharmaFreak has been busy over the last couple of years, as it seems to be launching new supps every few months! Hot on the heels of the GREENS FREAK and VEGAN FREAK product releases this year comes PUMP FREAK, a hybrid nitric oxide pre-workout powder. Although the company already has SUPER FREAK in the pre-workout category, PUMP FREAK is substantially different in terms of its ingredient profile and the fact that it’s not stimulant based. If you’ve been playing the iron game for a while, the idea of a non-stimulant-based pre-workout doesn’t sound thrilling; however, what PUMP FREAK lacks in actual caffeine, it makes up for with sustained, natural energy from a variety of vitamins and herbs (see ingredient list below). So don’t worry about powering through a serious workout; PUMP FREAK has your back. It’s also free of artificial sweeteners—so that should sweeten the deal!

PUMP FREAK’s Unique Combination of Ingredients
PharmaFreak is renowned for using various “complexes” and “amplifiers” in its products. It’s transparent with its labels, so even though it says “Complex,” you still know what ingredients you’re getting. For example, PUMP FREAK has one ActiGin Patent-Pending Support Complex, which contains tienchi ginseng (Panax notoginseng) and chestnut rose, and it has an AstraGin Patented Absorption Support Complex, which has tienchi ginseng again, but this time paired with astragalus (a Chinese herb traditionally used to help protect the body against stress, physical or otherwise—and what’s training, if not stressful on the body?).

Pump Freak Under the Microscope

Ginseng: This is a recurring ingredient in the two PUMP FREAK complexes because it’s just that good. Ginseng has been used as a tonic, a stimulant, and an aphrodisiac for centuries; everyone’s mom and/or grandma has tried it at some point to improve their heart, health, and nervous system. But now it’s our turn. Ginseng is starting to catch on in the bodybuilding world because it can enhance both your mental and physical capacity when you’re tired or feel yourself starting to lose focus—and who hasn’t felt that during a late-night or early-morning gym session?

Red Wine Extract: Don’t get too excited; just because you read “red wine” doesn’t mean you read “alcohol.” Red wine extract delivers polyphenols, which can help your blood vessels relax and dilate (you may have seen competitors drink wine backstage to pump up). It also increases blood flow and nutrient delivery to working muscles. What this means is that more red wine equals bigger muscle pumps! This particular extract also contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which is important for heart health and to reduce the amount of free radicals in our blood (these are molecules that result from training, and can cause muscle damage).

Beet Root: This vegetable isn’t just for Dwight Schrute and Cousin Mose anymore. Beet root has recently begun popping up in many pre-workout supplements because of its extreme vascular dilating effects. Beet root is a source of nitrates that supports nitric oxide production via the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway. This pathway is ultra-efficient in terms of oxygen conservation; therefore, exercise and energy can be sustained and supported properly. Research shows beet root supports muscle contraction and exercise efficiency and can help reduce exercise fatigue and time to exhaustion.

Pump Freak Flavours and Sizes
Pump Freak comes in Grape and Fruit Punch flavours. Both are all-naturally sweetened using pineapple juice powder and stevia leaf extract, and the Grape flavour uses natural Concord grape flavour. There is no use of aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or sucralose, which is comforting and unique to see in the supplement market. Best of all, PUMP FREAK still tastes awesome! The bottle is 238 grams and contains 20 servings if you only use one scoop for serving. Having a small bottle is super-convenient, because this way you can just keep it in your gym bag all the time and not worry about having it take up space.

How to Take Pump Freak
The instructions on PUMP FREAK say, “As a dietary supplement, adults mix 1 scoop (11.9 grams) with 8 to 14 ounces of cold water and consume 15 to 30 minutes before training.” But we say, try one scoop to start. Adjust as needed. You may find that you need two or even three scoops to get yourself going, depending on your weight, your reaction, and how much of a freak you want to be in the gym. If you’re not “anti-stimulant,” you can always stack one scoop of PUMP FREAK with one scoop of SUPER FREAK pre-workout, or throw in a scoop of PUMP FREAK with AMINO FREAK for a killer intra-workout combo.

Final Thoughts on Pump Freak
In 2015, when every supplement company tries to outdo each other by adding more and more caffeine and stimulants just to get noticed, it’s refreshing to take a pre-workout such as PUMP FREAK that doesn’t get us jacked up and hyper. The flavouring was great, the pump was fantastic, and the slower release, sustained energy was just what we needed to avoid crashing and fatiguing mid-workout. A solid five stars for PharmaFreak’s PUMP FREAK.

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