Gaspari Nutrition Superpump Max Review

Gaspari Super Pump 250 Reviews (1)

Once in a while, a new type or category of supplement is introduced to the sports nutrition industry that's really considered revolutionary - for example, when creatine was popularized in the late 80's or early 90's, it was "the supplement" that everyone talked about in the gym. Soon afterwards, more groundbreaking creatine supplements were introduced that took it to the next level - supplements such as Muscletech Celltech (a carbohydrate creatine mix), or Kre Alkalyn creatine (pH buffered creatine), or CEE (ethyl ester derivative of creatine), and so on...

After creatine, there came nitric oxide, discovered in the 1980's, which was every bit on the same level as creatine in creating an entirely new line of sports supplements that greatly enhanced performance. At first there were pure NO (nitric oxide) supplements such as MRI NO2. Then NO matrix supplements came on the market such as BSN NO Xplode, which is a combination of NO, creatine, and typically with some form of stimulant such as caffeine.

Then, once in a while, a supplement comes on the market and delivers exceptional results, and the Gaspari Nutrition Superpump 250 is one such supplement that stands out among the many NO2 matrix supplements out there on the market. Share your review of Superpump 250 here.

Gaspari SuperPump250 Ingredients

Super Pump 250 claims to significantly increase lean mass and strength, while reducing body fat percentage at the same time; it causes rapid full body pumps, stimulates vascularity, improves acute mental focus, and is independently tested for its effectiveness. We'll cover these points in this review. Below is a list of the ingredients:

Gaspari Nutrition Superpump 250 Ingredients
Calories 24
Calories From Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0g 0%
Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Sugars 0g
Protein 0g 0%
Vitamin B6(as Pyridoxine HCL) 25mg 1,250%
Folate (As Folic Acid) 420mcg 105%
Vitamin B12(as Cyanocobalamin) 140mcg 2,333%
Biotin 500mg 167%
Phosphorus (As Sodium Phosophate, Potassium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate) 150mg 15%
Magnesium(Phosphate & Oxide) 100mg 25%
Sodium 135mg 6%
Potassium 90mg 3%
SuperPump250™ Proprietary Blend 14,701mg
[Gaspari Nutrition Novel Compound #250 (Patent Pending)]
Anabolic Signaling Complex™ (Patent Pending):
Glucose Polymer Blend, Creatine Monohydrate, NO2 Complex [L-Arginine, L-Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (A-AKG), L-Arginine Ketoisocaproate (A-KIC)], Guanipro™ (Guanidino Propionic Acid), Salicyclic Acid 15%, Panax Ginseng Extract.
Myogenic Transcription Factor/Agonist™ (Patent Pending):
Taurine, L-Leucine, L-Glutamine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine, L-Citruline AKG, Turkesterone (11,20 Dihydroxyecdysone From Ajuga Turkestanica Extract), Choline Bitartrate.
Lipolytic/Xtreme Focus Agent™ (Patent Pending):
L-Tyrosine, Methylxanthines (Caffeine), NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine), N-Acetyl-Tyrosine, Glucuronolactone, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract (Standardized To 5% Total Rosavins), Ginko Biloba Extract.
Insulin Secretagogue Complex™ (Patent Pending):
Indole-3-Carbinol, 4-Hydroxyisoleucine (From Fenugreek Seed Extract), Cinnamon Bark Extract, Bacopa Monniera.
IntraSORB™ Rapid Absorption - Myo-Hydration Matrix:
Potassium Gycerophosphate, Magnesium Glycerophosphate, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Bioperine.

Like most other NO / creatine supplements on the market, Superpump 250 comes with several different matrices each with a long list of ingredients. These "complexes" of Gaspari Super Pump 250 include (and are patent pending): anabolic signaling complex, myogenic transcription factor, lipolytic/Xtreme focus agent, insulin secretagogue complex, and intraSORB rapid absorption. Below, we'll look at some of the key ingredients.

As a standard ingredients, creatine and AAKG (arginine alpha ketoglutarate) are contained in the "Anabolic Signaling Complex". Not much more needs to be said about creatine, and you can read about creatine monohydrate in much more detail here. AAKG is a substrate for production of Nitric Oxide, which is what does the "Hemodilating" - dilating the blood vessel and allowing for more blood flow, which is what gives the "pumped" feel". Other benefits of AAKG includes improving muscle endurance and increasing peak power performance. While we have mentioned AAKG quite often in our reviews, we'll briefly bring up a few interesting studies here.

AAKG has been extensively studied involving human subjects with good results. In a Canadian (University of Saskatchewan) study done on creatine, AAKG, and amino acids effects on endurance and performance, 35 male subjects with average age of 23 years participated. They were randomized to either a supplement group, or a placebo group. Body composition, muscle endurance (bench press), and peak / average power output were measured before and after supplementation. They found that with the supplement mix, bench press reps increased significantly compared to placebo group. Peak power also significantly increased for the creatine / AAKG group compared to placebo. [1]

The above study was done on AAKG along with several other ingredients. In AAKG only studies, similar results are found as well. In a double-blind, randomized study involving 35 males aged 30 to 50 years old consumed 4g of AAKG three times a day, and then performed periodized resistance training for 8 weeks. The study found significant differences in plasma arginine levels and significantly improved 1 rep max bench press and peak power performance. [2]

L-Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, and is not abundant in our diet, but it also plays a role in regulating Nitric Oxide (NO). Citrulline also helps raise arginine levels more effectively. One study found Citrulline to significantly reduces the sensation of fatigue, increase ATP production during exercise by 34%, and increase phosphocreatine recovery after exercise by 20%. [3]

>> Click here for Gaspari Superpump 250 supplement

Gaspari Super Pump 250 & Bodybuilding

One very interesting ingredient of Gaspari Nutrition Superpump 250 is Turkesterone - no, it's not turkey testosterone. =) Turkesterone (ajuga turkestanica), is a plant extract harvested from Rhaponticum cathamoides - a thistle like plant that grows in Southern Siberia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and Central Asia. It is the most powerful beta ecdysterones discovered so far. Ecdysterones are plant sterols with anabolic effects with no known side effects.

Some of the effects of Turkesterone include [4]:

Increased production of both fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibres
Increased body weight due to improved muscle-to-fat ratio
Stimulates protein synthesis
Enhanced ATP and PCr synthesis
Increased muscle glycogen concentrations
Enhanced removal of lactic acid
No side effects at all have been observed [4]

With Turkesterone, there is a limited number of research done on lab animals. However, these studies have discovered some interesting effects of Turkesterone. Studies have found phytoecdisteroids such as Turkesterone stimulates protein synthesis and increases the rate of protein formation. [5] Turkesterone is found to have very similar effects to the anabolic steroid known as Nerobol. One study reviewing the effects of Turkesterone and Nerobol found that protein synthesis was stimulated in mouse liver tissue. [6] Another Russian study found that turkesterone caused a marked effect on red blood cell regeneration, and this ability of turkesterone to cause erythropoiesis (process of producing red blood cells) makes it very similar to the anabolic drug Nerobol. [7]

Gaspari Super Pump 250 also contains an ingredient called Glucuronolactone, which is a rather popular ingredient that's used in many energy drinks. It is generally considered safe by the European Food Safety Authority. [8] There are plenty of studies done on Glucuronolactone using human subjects to determine its effects - mostly in studies done on various energy drink mixes that includes this ingredient. Generally, the study results finds enhanced exercise performance, greater anabolic hormone responses, and better endurance as a result of consuming energy drinks that contain Glucuronolactone.

In a study involving 8 resistance trained men, the subjects were given either a placebo or a drink mix of amino acids, creatine, taurine, caffeine, and Glucuronolactone. They performed 6 sets of up to 10 reps of squats at 75% of 1 rep max, and blood was also taken before and after exercise. They found total training volume was significantly higher for the energy drink group compared to placebo, and serum growth hormone and insulin concentrations were also significantly higher - such that the energy drink with Glucuronolactone leads to an augmented anabolic hormone response in the subjects. [9] Other studies have found similar results such as reduced fatigue rate; elevated testosterone and growth hormone; improved high intensity endurance [10]; and also provided benefits of reducing sleepiness [11]. However, keep in mind that these studies were performed using energy drink mixes that included several ingredients and stimulants such as creatine, amino acids, caffeine, taurine, along with Glucuronolactone - so we cannot say that Glucuronolactone has all of these above listed benefits.

Rhodiola rosea extract - has its origins in Eastern Europe and Asia, and has been used in traditional medicine to stimulate the nervous system, decrease depression, reduce fatigue, and prevent high altitude sickness.

There are claims that Rhodiola can help weight loss by activating hormone sensitive lipase, which plays a key role in the break down of fat stored in adipose tissue; however, I was unable to find any studies to substantiate such claims. On a positive note, I did manage to find studies that support the claims that Rhodiola can improve endurance exercise capacity, which would lead one to think that this would enhance your workouts to promote more effective weight loss. Here's the study: Rhodiola rosea extract study

Here's the conclusion quoted directly from the study:

CONCLUSION: Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise capacity in young healthy volunteers. This response was not altered by prior daily 4-week Rhodiola intake.

Gaspari Super Pump 250 is one of the few supplements on the market that makes claims backed up by science and clinical trials. We mentioned some of the claims above, and in the next part, we look at one clinical study done on Gaspari Superpump 250.

>> Click here for Gaspari Superpump 250 supplement

Part 2: Garapari Superpump 250 Review & Study >>

1. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2008 Oct;18(5):493-508.
Creatine, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, amino acids, and medium-chain triglycerides and endurance and performance.
Little JP, Forbes SC, Candow DG, Cornish SM, Chilibeck PD.

2. Nutrition. 2006 Sep;22(9):872-81.
Pharmacokinetics, safety, and effects on exercise performance of L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate in trained adult men.
Campbell B, Roberts M, Kerksick C, Wilborn C, Marcello B, Taylor L, Nassar E, Leutholtz B, Bowden R, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Kreider R.

3. Br J Sports Med. 2002 Aug;36(4):282-9.
Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle.
Bendahan D, Mattei JP, Ghattas B, Confort-Gouny S, Le Guern ME, Cozzone PJ.

4. Turkesterone - The Most Powerful Ecdysterone So Far Discovered, Oct 12, 2009 - http://www.prlog.org/10372705-turkesterone-the-most-powerful-ecdysterone-so-far-discovered.html

5. Nauchnye Doki Vyss Shkoly Biol Nauki. 1984;(11):16-20.
[Mechanism of the anabolic action of phytoecdisteroids in mammals]
Syrov VN.

6. Vopr Med Khim. 1978 Jul-Aug;24(4):456-60.
[Effect of turkesterone and nerobol on the activity of the protein synthesizing system of mouse liver]
Syrov VN, Kurmukov AG, Sakhibov AD

7. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 1997 May-Jun;60(3):41-4.
[The results of experimental study of phytoecdysteroids as erythropoiesis stimulators in laboratory animals]
Syrov VN, Nasyrova SS, Khushbaktova ZA.

8. http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1211902328128.htm

9. J Strength Cond Res. 2008 May;22(3):874-82.
Effect of a pre-exercise energy supplement on the acute hormonal response to resistance exercise.
Hoffman JR, Ratamess NA, Ross R, Shanklin M, Kang J, Faigenbaum AD

10. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2007 Dec;17(6):608-23.
Effects of an amino acid/creatine energy supplement on the acute hormonal response to resistance exercise.
Ratamess NA, Hoffman JR, Ross R, Shanklin M, Faigenbaum AD, Kang J.

11. Physiol Behav. 2002 Mar;75(3):331-5.
Efficacy of a 'functional energy drink' in counteracting driver sleepiness.
Reyner LA, Horne JA.

June 2010