Nutrithority Mr. Fusion Pre Workout Review

Proprietary blends. Secret formulas. Undisclosed amounts. The majority of pre-workout supplements these days do not like to tell us, the consumer, how much of each ingredient is actually inside the shiny new container we just purchased. Why? While there are several reasons for why a company would not want to fully disclose what's in their products with an "open label" luckily, with Nutrithority's Mr. Fusion Pre Workout, we don't have to worry about that!

Nutrithority knows the current scientific research. With Mr. Fusion, they are straying from the current regression in the supplement industry (secret formulas); instead using AND listing beneficial amounts to help aid the consumer and lead the way in bringing supplements back to the future.

Per the directions, start with one scoop before your gym session and you’ll feel it working. We would suggest the 1 scoop serving as a trial if you are new to using a pre-workout, are sensitive to caffeine, and/or just need a slight pick me up. If you have a higher body weight or are an experienced user of other pre-workouts, you will probably be ready for the full 2 scoop serving like we were. Flat out--we loved it. It mixed easily and the flavor was just what we would’ve asked for; not too chemically or chalky. Just a generally good and pleasant tasting drink. We used around 10 ounces of water for 2 scoops and found that to be perfect. Some mixes you have to water down because they are too overpowering or sweet but we thought the blue shaved ice flavor was the right combination of subtle and delicious.

The directions state to take it about 30 minutes prior to the workout. If you have a pretty extensive warmup you may want to take it as soon as you get to the gym and you’ll start to feel it towards the end of your warmup and into your working sets. The first thing we felt was a slight tingle (from the beta alanine); not too much or distracting but just right. Then our minds became more focused and ready for the task at hand. The best part was how great the workouts were going; as soon as we got our heart rate up we didn’t want it to slow down! We continued super setting and pushing through the workout, not wanting to rest as much as usual. We didn’t receive a sudden, overpowering surge of energy but a constant supply that was readily available every time we started moving a weight. Just thinking about it again has us ready to hit the gym again tomorrow. As we got to the later sets we could feel the blood rushing to the muscles we were using. Even if you don’t usually aim to get a “pump” during your workout you will have one after taking Mr. Fusion.

Following the latest leg day, we decided to do some sprints before heading home. Even though our legs were pretty dead we felt our speed was decent, especially considering what we had been doing for the past 90 minutes. It wasn’t until we stopped sprinting and started cooling down that we noticed how out of breath we were and how fast our hearts were beating. Our rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was definitely lower than normal, and given the ingredients in Mr. Fusion that makes a lot of sense. Before we dive into the science of why this product worked so well, we just want to say that Mr. Fusion is phenomenal and is the right fit for high intensity and long duration training sessions.

Ingredients:

Citrulline Malate (8g per 2 scoops): The first ingredient in Mr. Fusion is citrulline malate. Citrulline is a nonessential amino acid, named after citrullus, the Latin word for watermelon. In the body, citrulline converts to arginine, which then can be converted to nitric oxide, a vasodilator. So why not just supplement with arginine and take out the middle man? The reason is because oral consumption of arginine doesn’t absorb well in the body, whereas oral citrulline consumption is absorbed much better. Bound to the citrulline molecule is malate, or malic acid. Malic acid is an intermediate in the Krebs cycle, which is one of the main ways we produce energy in the body. Combining the vasodilation from citrulline with the energy producing capability of malate is the main theory as to why this compound works so well when it comes to increased performance. One study found that after taking 8g of citrulline malate (CM) that the subjects significantly (p< 0.05) increased peak power and explosive power during a Wingate test, as well as increased grip strength (maximal and average) compared to a placebo. A recent 2017 study found a significant increase in repetitions in upper body and lower body exercises as well as a lower RPE score in women who consumed 8g of CM. Finally, yet another study found a significant increase in number of repetitions in bodyweight upper body exercises in males who supplemented with 8g of CM. The verdict? Multiple studies finding citrulline malate to be an ergogenic aid in males and females in both upper and lower body exercises. The majority of studies were done with CM being ingested 1 hour prior to testing. Using that information, along with personally testing out Mr. Fusion, we would recommend using this pre-workout for durations lasting longer than 45 minutes, as that will be more optimal for allowing the CM to do its job.

Betaine Anhydrous (2.5g): Betaine is derived from the amino acid glycine and can be found naturally in the body and in a variety of foods. It has been shown to lower blood and urine homocysteine in people who have elevated levels. More research needs to be done as there are many theories as to why betaine supplementation may be of benefit. Although we don’t exactly know why it works, there is promising research showing its’ effect on exercise. One study found that after taking 2.5 g of betaine anhydrous (BET) per day for 6 weeks subjects significantly increased arm cross-sectional area, bench press and back squat volume. A different study found that after 14 days of 2.5 g/day BET supplementation in resistance trained males there was a significant increase in total repetitions and total volume load in a 10-set bench press protocol. Lastly, another study instructed participants to take 2.5 g BET daily for 14 days. The subjects significantly increased their isometric bench press force, throw power, vertical jump power and isometric squat force. Personally, a maximal isometric squat force test sounds brutal so we applaud the participants for going through with it. It appears that betaine anhydrous may help in certain aspects of exercises, but results are after 14 days of use and not with an acute dosage.

Beta Alanine (1.6g): Beta alanine is an amino acid that combines with the amino acid histidine to form carnosine. During high intensity exercise, the body undergoes cellular respiration to produce energy. As a result, hydrogen ion byproducts are produced, causing the muscle to become more acidic. If it becomes too acidic it can cause muscle fatigue and shorten exercise duration. Carnosine is an intracellular buffer that decreases the accumulation of hydrogen ions, helping delay the muscle from becoming too acidic and allow you to keep training at a high intensity. Taking 4-6g daily has been shown to increase performance in exercises lasting 1-2 minutes, including faster sprinting times and higher training volume when performing 8-15 repetitions. Beta alanine is also responsible for that paresthesia (tingly feeling) that you either love or hate when taking most pre-workouts. If you love it you can add more beta alanine to Mr. Fusion and/or take it on an empty stomach. If you don’t enjoy that tingle sensation then you can take it with food. With only 1.6g of beta alanine Mr. Fusion has the right amount for most people to feel it without wanting to itch their face off.

Caffeine (300mg): Not much needs to be said about this little miracle. To make it short and sweet, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It has been shown to increase muscle power, vertical jump height, mood, and alertness. It has also been shown to decrease sprinting, endurance running, and Wingate times and RPE. The majority of caffeine in Mr. Fusion is caffeine anhydrous (200mg), the form that is used in most sports performance studies. The other two forms are caffeine citrate and di-caffeine malate (50mg each). These forms are relatively new to the exercise world and more research is needed to test out any differences. The advantage of caffeine citrate is the claim that it is meant to spike blood caffeine levels faster than caffeine anhydrous, approximately 30 minutes after ingestion compared to 60-120 minutes, respectively. Combined with caffeine anhydrous, this can cause a caffeine rise that arrives sooner and stays longer, exactly what you would want in a pre-workout. Di-caffeine malate offers the benefit of alleviating the digestive distress that some people get when taking caffeine. If you have a problem with frequent bathroom visits at the gym then this may be the answer you are looking for.

Nitrosigine® (1.5g): Nitrosisine® is the registered trademark of inositol-stabilized arginine silicate. Remember when we said oral arginine supplementation wasn’t beneficial? The reason being that it has a low absorption and bioavailability. Now that it’s bound to silicate (and stabilized by inositol) it has been shown to increase blood arginine levels. This means that now it can be converted to vasodilating nitric oxide in as little as 30 minutes, with a peak about 1 hour after ingestion. Another study showed that after taking 1.5g of Nitrosisine® for 4 days that the subjects had significantly higher energy levels before their workout, had a larger muscle pump at the end of their workout, and had less markers for muscle damage both immediately after the workout and during recovery. Combine this with the 8g of citrulline malate and you have a muscle pump arsenal in your veins.

Tyrosine (750 mg): Tyrosine is non-essential amino acid that is used to synthesize proteins in the body. It is also a precursor to neurotransmitters and hormones. The benefits of tyrosine appear to not be of physical performance, but cognitive. Studies have found that when taking large doses of tyrosine before an acute stressor (such as cold conditions or high altitude), that subjects increased working memory and cognition. If this can be transferred to a workout session then attention and focus could be improved.

Choline Bitartrate (750 mg): Choline has a wide array of uses in the body, including neurotransmitter synthesis, cell-membrane signaling, and methyl-group metabolism. It is recommended for men and women to get around 550mg and 425 mg of choline per day, respectively, with pregnant and lactating women requiring more. The higher amounts of physical activity that we do, the lower our choline levels can become. If they are not restored then this can lead to impaired performance. Studies have shown that choline bitartrate can improve marathon times, but you don’t have to be a marathon runner to have low choline levels. Chronic exercise with limited choline intake can also cause low serum choline. So, if you’re not a big fan of eating 10 oz. of chicken liver or 5 large egg yolks a day, Mr. Fusion has your back.

Norvaline (250 mg): Norvaline is simply valine, an essential branch chain amino acid, with an extra hydrogen molecule attached. This change in structure allows it to be an arginase inhibitor. What is arginase? Arginase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes arginine to ornithine and urea. With it being inhibited, and arginine levels being elevated from Nitrosigine®, arginine has the ability to produce more nitric oxide. Right when you thought Mr. Fusion had already given you everything that you needed to get a pump, it adds another team player to this very well constructed formula.

Theanine (200 mg): Another non-essential amino acid, theanine is found in green tea leaves. Taken alone, studies have found it to have a calming or relaxing affect, something most people don’t look for in a pre-workout. Taken with caffeine, theanine (100-200mg) has been shown to increase cognitive speed and accuracy more than caffeine alone. This synergistic effect means that you can get the increased alertness from caffeine without feeling easily distracted. Now you’ll be able to put all your focus and attention on the task at hand--your workout!

Final Thoughts

We have reviewed and supported many pre workouts over the years here at Modern Athletic Health, and while there are certainly many other great formulas from quality companies, for those of us who really appreciate the science and a well planned formula, Mr. Fusion is not to be overlooked. It is truly an impressive product that is worth giving a try. Be on the lookout for Mr. Fusion samples and other Nutrithority products coming soon to PROsampler.com as well!

Modern Athletic Health readers can use discount code MAH20 for 20% off at Nutrithority.com

It is safe to say we enjoyed using this product. With ingredients that work for short and long duration exercise in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, Mr. Fusion is a great choice for an ergogenic aid and pre workout. There’s no compromising flavor or of quality of ingredients here. While other companies may claim that they have paved the way for you, Mr. Fusion is already ahead of the game. Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads.