BRAND : INSANE LABZ™

With this COVID-19 pandemic thing and the gym closing, I have got into the bad habit of training late in the evening, even in the night. I am a great consumer of coffee, cafeine and stimulants (legal) in general, so I try to stop them around 5 pm, to avoid insomnia. Therefore, a stimulant free preworkout is a good option to keep the:motivation high and to feel a decent pump without a real training, because like the majority of you guys, I have to train at home with a limited home gym equipment : a few dumbells, one barbell, elastic bands, abs wheel, 1, 2, 5kg plates and that’s it. So I was looking for a fine stimulants free preworkout able to generate a huge pump, a pump which would remind me of the old days… when the gyms were open. And I heard about INSANE VEINZ™ by INSANE LABZ™ . Why not give it a try ?

INSANE LABZ™ is a relatively new brand, lauched in 2014 by a fitness and horror movies enthusiast, in Arkansas (USA). Their aim was to bring « the best products in the industry ». It’s a pretty high objective, but after all, why not. Their marketing is oriented towards the horror movies themes, with for example the Jason VORHEES hockey mask (Friday 13th) on the INSANE VEINZ™ packaging. I liked this marketing and state of mind, but a nice packaging without an effective formula is nothing, right ? So let’s check the ingredients :

For one scoop of INSANEVEINZ™ (4,2g, 35 servings per container) we have :

• 1,250g of agmatine sulfate

• a proprietary blend of betaine, beet root extract (1 % nitrates) and russiant tarragon extract (artemisia dracunculus).

Pretty short list, but 1,250g of agmatine sulfate per dose, not bad.

Agmatine is a metabolite of the essential amino acid L-Arginine, by the decarboxylation process (removal of a carboxylic acid group from the amino acid.). Agmatine is regarded as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator, mainly found in neurons, but also in the intestine and in the liver. Agmatin sulfate is a very promising chemical, but it was brought to the supplement market recently and if several studies have been done on human subject, all its action machanisms are not clearly established, and further research is needed. What we do know for sure is its action on endothelial cells, and its modulatory action on nitric oxide, by inhibition and activation of nitric oxyde synthase isoforms, and as a result a possible significant increase in NO concentration in the bloodstream.

Agmatine is also studied for its therapeutic potential due to its action on brain as a neurostransmitter (still being debated) and neuromodulator, and could enhance the production of peptide hormones like HGH, but again further research is needed.

INSANE VEINZ™ also contains beet root extract, which is rich in nitrates. Nitrates (NO3) consist of one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. They are commonly confused with nitrites (NO2 one nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms). Dietary nitrates can be found in spinach, aragula, and obviously in beet root. Beet root powder is one of my favorite additions to intra-workout shakes, because of its high nitrates content, and it is also the reason why INSANE LABZ™ has incorporated it into INSANE VEINZ™ formulation. It provides a slight but indeniable vasodilatation, and studies has shown several positive results regarding athletes and population in general.

Betaine is also a great addition to pre and post training shakes. Trimethylglycine or betaine HCL is a derivative of amino acid glycine present in plants, and originally discovered in sugar beets. Betaine has proved to be effective in body composition enhancement (promotes fat loss and muscle mass improvement), strength increase (by elevating the creatine levels in cells), as well as a general health support.

Last but not least, INSANE VEINZ™ contains a « Russian tarragon extract » (Artemisia dracunculus L), also known as estragon, which is an herb originally from central Asia. It’s a variation of tarragon, with less culinary value than the french tarragon, but with several health benefits including blood sugar control, reducing inflammation symptoms, improving central nervous system functioning and… improving blood flow. It’s a nice addition to this formula.

My eXperience : INSANE LABZ™ says about INSANE VEINZ™ that this product will give a « blood bursting vascularity » , an « unparalleled vascularity » to the users. I was expecting a huge pump, lasting for hours after my workout… and I was not desapointed. it was a very nice feeling to get the pump without being jittery, and to be able to sleep well a few hours after.

A preworkout with a short list of efficient ingredients, nothing useless, nothing underdosed, no arginine (which is known to impair the growth hormone production when taken before or during the workout), : agmatine/ betaine/ nitrates is a great combo. Citrulline could have been a good addition, but even without that INSANE VEINZ™ does what INSANE LABZ™ says. I was really surprised to notice the pumped veins on my forearms after my first training with INSANE VEINZ™. When you work hard in the gym (or at home during the isolation…) it’s so pleasant to keep this sensation hours after the last rep.

Conclusion :

In my opinion, INSANE VEINZ™ was definitely a good experience. I honestly can’t remember a stimulant free preworkout as strong as this one. The flavours (I only tried « fruit punch » and « grape », but « apple » and « unflavored » are also available) are delicious, « fruit punch » is clearly my favorite (with no sugar at all, but sucralose as sweetener). The only problem with this product is the addictive sensation of pump, and the difficulty in taking only one scoop. I personnaly liked to add one more scoop in my intra-workout with some BCAAs or EAAs , and it works just perfectly. You can also stack it with a stimulant preworkout at your convenience. I have no financial interest in this company, I don’t sell the product, but honestly the pump was truly INSANE.

Supplement facts :

Per scoop (4 ,2g)

Chloride (as sodium chloride) : 200mg

Sodium (as Sodium Chloride) : 200mg

INSANEVEINZ™ blend 2290mg

Agmatine sulfate (1250mg), Betaine anhydrous, Beet root extract (Beta vulgaris root 1 % nitrate), russian tarragon extract (Artemisia Dracunculus L)

Other ingredients : Citric acid, natural and artificial flavoring, silica, sucralose, calcium silicate, FD&C red #40

Not available in the EU.

RATING: 8/10