Stimulants and idiots don't mix

STIMULANTS AND IDIOTS DON'T MIX

N4's Opinion on DMAA and stimulant use

As many of you may be aware, 1,3 dimethylamylamine, or DMAA for short, has recently come under fire from numerous institutions such as the FDA. Why? Well one MAJOR reason is because some people refuse to read and adhere to manufacturer warnings and decided they would abuse their DMAA containing supplements. For those who are unaware on DMAA or who have little insight into this stimulant, let me give you a crash course...

DMAA is a natural compound. It is a very strong stimulant. Stimulants are an UPPER. They can result in an increase in awareness, heart rate, blood pressure, alertness among a variety of other things. DMAA is serious stuff.

On to alcohol. Why alcohol you ask? Because SOME PEOPLE believe that mixing alcohol with a stimulant is a cool idea....Not sure if serious or just plain stupid. Alcohol is a DOWNER. Mixing high concentrations, let alone high-potency stimulants, with a downer is NOT advisable. What makes things worse is when people decide to use copious amounts of high-potency stimulants - in this case DMAA - with copious amounts of alcohol. This is essentially a recipe for disaster.


So how much DMAA is usually considered to be a 'single serve', if you will?

Generally, about 25mg is considered to be a standard serving size. Please take the time to read this until you understand things. A SINGLE SERVE is generally considered to be 25 MILLIGRAMS. This is a very small amount, indeed. Some products have ingredients listed but DO NOT give you the amounts. Why? Because they are listed under the heading of 'proprietary formula'. They therefore do not have to give the consumer the exact amount of each ingredient. The product you're consuming could have double this amount PER SERVE. Manufacturers also give WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS on their products to suggest ways in which the product can usually be used in a safe manner. The problem arises when some consumers FAIL to read such things. Either that, or they simply disregard it and believe that they are invincible. I guess we'll never truly understand the thoughts of some individuals...

Adding to this is the fact that many people will tend to use MORE than a single serve of a particular pre-workout at any one time. i.e. some people may like to use up to 3 serves of Jack3d before training. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The manufacturer will generally outline how much is considered to be fine/safe to use in a given time period. USP labs, the manufacturers of Jack3d, do this. Again, the problem arises when people continually use well above and beyond these recommendations and then mix these ingredients with other products which are outlined by the manufacturer as a big no-no i.e. alcohol.


A lot of the pre-workouts out there that contain DMAA also contain HIGH LEVELS of caffeine. Caffeine is possibly the most popular stimulant out there. Pre-workouts that contain caffeine usually have 100mg per serve (or more). In some cases, exact caffeine content, like DMAA content, is masked by the proprietary blend label. Russian roulette with stimulants anyone?




The media

Some of you may have seen a few articles floating about in your local newspapers or online. I woke up last Sunday morning to find an article in my paper. Upon reading said article, I was disgusted. The media, yet again, have FAILED to report the story in what would be deemed a manner free from bias. Basically, they interviewed three 17 year old boys who have no idea what's really in their supplements, let alone the side effects of certain ingredients. This is not entirely their fault one may argue. Furthermore, they may actually know exactly what is in their supplements and the potential side effects; it's just that the writer decided to misconstrue their comments. One of the boys mentioned getting a tingling sensation when using products that contain DMAA. For those of you with a basic understanding of supplements and or pre-workout ingredient profiles, you'll know that BETA ALANINE is usually present in most leading pre-workout formulations. It is usually THIS ingredient that causes said tingles. The article in question also finished with a statement from a representative from the Health Department who were considering making DMAA a prohibted substance because it could be "abused or misused"....Now I don't know about anyone else, but isn't alcohol abused AND misused on a DAILY BASIS??? So why is that not banned? Simple answer is TAX MONEY, in my opinion. Since DMAA is not really used by a large percentage of the population and is more of a niche market product, the government probably won't make as much money off of taxing this like they do alcohol. One of the boys also complained about throwing up after using DMAA. If you care to read and note his previous comments that lead to this incident, you'll notice that he specifically mentions taking DOUBLE THE DOSE coupled with TRAINING FOR THREE HOURS. Now, unless said boy is running sheiko or some other insane Russian program, I don't see why he'd be in the gym for 3 hours as it is.

A lot of people react differently to products. In the case of DMAA, some people have no real issues after use. Other people crash. Hard. In my personal experience when I first used DMAA, I was very impressed by it's ability to keep me awake and alert. I took a single serve of my pre-workout at 1pm. I could not get to sleep until 3 am. This is purely anecdotal and may also in part be due to a sort of placebo effect. The article also mentions two soldiers dying, with traces of DMAA being found in their blood streams. What the article fails to mention is WHAT ELSE was found in their blood stream or HOW MUCH DMAA was taken. Nor does it make any mention of any previous medical conditions of said individuals.

If you'd like to read the article yourself that I am referring to above, then please check this link: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/youths-muscle-in-on-party-powders/story-e6frea6u-1226397591821




So, can DMAA be used safely?

This is a somewhat subjective question. HOWEVER, in my personal opinion, it can be. Like most things in this world, there is a risks to benefits ratio. Hell, if you abuse certain vitamins and or minerals, it'll lead to negative repercussions! If you abuse something, chances are, it'll come back to bite you in the ass. DMAA is no exception to this rule. At this stage, it is looking like DMAA will indeed be banned in Australia. Likewise, different people may react differently to certain compounds. Before using ANY supplement, especially one which contains highly-potent stimulants, consult with an accredited medical professional. You should also know if you have any pre-existing medical issues. Certain medications probably shouldn't be mixed with stimulants. Alcohol really shouldn't be used with stimulants like DMAA.

Closing remarks:
Read and adhere to the label carefully. Research the ingredients using legitimate sources. Speak to your doctor and know your health.


Hope this helps!

N4J4R

CMO & Supplement Researcher at Spartan Supps

Train. Supplement. Conquer.

*Disclaimer: I am not a trained medical professional. All posts in this blog are my own personal opinion backed with what evidence I may have on hand. Before using any supplement, please check with your healthcare professional.