I’m guessing there are few among us who don’t take the advantage of pre-exercise stimulation from some source. Whether it’s coffee or a sports drink specifically designed to provide energy for athletes, the success of the market is clear. People love their energy supplements.
I recently had the opportunity to try AUX, the Auxiliary Energy Pre Workout Formula from About Time. This is a little jar of powder packed with ingredients designed to help you have the most energy and the least fatigue possible for your workout.
Among the ingredients are the aminos histidine, citrulline, beta alanine and an ester of carnitine that is believed to boost nitric oxide. Some herbal ingredients are in there as well, including red beet powder, which may help in the utilization of fat amongst a host of other potential benefits, and also yerba mate powder, guarana seed, and green tea extract, all of which are caffeine sources. Finally, there are some vitamins in there as well.
The powder comes with a small scoop and mixes very easily. You can get one of two flavors: passion fruit or watermelon. I tried and enjoyed both flavors. There is no sugar because the drinks are flavored by stevia. I don’t always love the flavor of stevia, but these were excellent, with a refreshing flavor that helped me wake up and get energized for a morning workout.
The only downside, flavorwise, was some bitterness. This was greater towards the end of each drink where there was some sediment, which I’m guessing was the guarana, since seeds tend to be a little bitter. This didn’t impact the flavor negatively for me at all, but it is worth noting for people who might be sensitive to such things. Because of the sediment I did have to regularly stir the drink as I went.
I definitely found the drink to be effective, especially when I went running. It gave me a great energy boost without any kind of crash. Since there is a decent amount of caffeine in this drink, just be aware of the company’s recommended limit of one dose, particularly if you are sensitive to caffeine. If you are, you may wish to start with a smaller amount to ensure it doesn’t make you jittery.
I enjoyed this product, and the only thing stopping me from buying all the time, honestly, is the price. At $60 a jar, it costs about $2 per serving. There’s a caveat, however, which is how much people regularly spend on coffee and other energy beverages. If you find yourself regularly indulging in caffeinated drinks, I’d recommend looking into switching to AUX. You might save some money and still get a nice energy boost and some vitamins to boot.
For those who don’t, you might find the price tag a bit much to swallow. That decision I’ll leave up to you. In terms of effectiveness and taste, this one scores high points with me.
Auxiliary Energy Pre Workout Formula is available at Amazon.
