Review: Anabolic Innovations' Chaos Pre Workout Matrix

"Chaos is a preworkout powder that will rival all others for the throne of extreme workout, incredible pumps, and outstanding mental focus. We set out to put together a formula that creates a monster in the gym. It contains an effective mixture of various ingredients to take your workout to the next level."

Anabolic Innovations' Chaos is a pre-workout, combination nitric oxide (NO)/creatine/energy supplement. Like other products in this line, such as NO-Xplode or NO Shotgun, it combines arginine, a source of creatine, and various stimulant/nootropic compounds to increase strength, produce a pump and enhance focus/concentration. Chaos is much simpler than these products, however: minus the additives, there are only 11 ingredients.

The "scoop" on what you get in each scoop is as follows:

Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE): CEE has a somewhat checkered history. When it first hit the market, it was hailed as the latest and greatest creatine ever, thanks to its (alleged) increased stability, high solubility and improved absorption.

As it turned out, there was more smoke than fire. Tests by Dr. Mark Tallon demonstrated that—contrary to claims—a significant amount of CEE is degraded to creatinine during digestion. In addition, a comparative test performed by the Ohio Research Group found CEE was less effective than a different creatine product (Gaspari Size On, which contains a creatine blend).

To make a long story short, it looks like CEE "works"—but there is no evidence that it works better than creatine monohydrate.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine: Carnitine is an amino acid-derived compound that's essential for fat metabolism.

The acetylated derivative is marketed as an anti-aging nutrient, as it has neuroprotective effects and—in combination with alpha-lipoic acid—has been shown to reduce oxidative stress and mitochondrial decay associated with aging.

Di-Arginine Malate: As Paul notes in his reviews on nitric oxide and NO supplements, NO is synthesized from arginine, a conditionally-essential amino acid. It causes blood vessels to relax (vasodilation) and increases blood flow—which is felt as a "pump" in the muscles being worked. According to research, it's doubtful arginine makes any real contribution to lean mass gains, but the pump feels good (which counts for a lot in the gym) and may contribute to strength gains.

Citrulline Malate (CM): Citrulline is converted to arginine in the urea cycle, so it's an alternate source of this amino acid for NO production. Current research suggests supplemental CM can promote aerobic energy production and reduce muscle fatigue during exercise. Part of this is due to the citrulline, which enhances the clearance of (toxic) ammonia, and part to the malate. Malate is an intermediate in the Citric Acid (or Kreb's) Cycle, and has been shown to improve physical stamina and reduce muscle damage in animal experiments.

Glucuronolactone: Glucuronolactone is a naturally-occurring metabolite of glucose. It's used primarily as an ingredient in energy drinks and pre-workout supplements, but is also sold in bulk powder form. While there are no studies on glucuronolactone that validate its use for enhancing mood or energy, most people using the bulk powder form give it a thumbs up.

Taurine: Taurine is a non-protein amino acid that has a number of diverse physiological roles. It's often used as an ingredient in energy drinks and creatine transporters. Supplemental taurine may affect mood, enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce oxidative stress.

Guarana: Guarana is the fruit of a South American shrub used as a "natural" source of caffeine in supplements and energy drinks.

Chocamine: Chocamine is a proprietary cocoa extract produced by RFI Ingredients. It contains methylxanthines (caffeine and related compounds such as theobromine), neurotransmitter-related biogenic amines and flavonoid antioxidants.

N-Acetyl-Tyrosine: Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that's a precursor to the neurotransmitters epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and dopamine. In larger amounts, it's useful for enhancing mood and improving cognitive performance under stress. N-acetyl-l-tyrosine is thought to be more bioavailable and potent than the free-form amino acid, although this has not been proven.

Caffeine: Caffeine is a familar and popular stimulant found naturally in coffee, guarana, tea and chocolate. It's a well-known ergogenic aid and possesses mild thermogenic properties.

Rhodiola rosea: Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb used in Russian folk medicine. Positive effects on physical/emotional stress have been documented in several animal studies and small human clinical trials.

Overall, this looks like a pretty solid formula. Truth be told, Chaos contains several compounds that I've used as stand alone supplements (Rhodiola, acetyl-l-carnitine, Chocamine, glucuronolactone, tyrosine, caffeine), so I know their worth. From an energy/focus/stamina point of view, they complement each other rather well.

Naturally, this made Chaos an attractive prospect for a test drive. I ordered the "Pink Lemonade" flavor, which arrived in a resealable foil pouch rather than the usual plastic container. Admittedly, I had some initial misgivings after I opened the package...it was filled with a thick, brownish powder that smelled like lemon-scented herbicide.

Dissolving it in water didn't improve things either—it resembled rust dissolved in battery acid. To my relief, however, the taste was surprisingly decent...not too sweet, but otherwise drinkable enough. I've had worse, for sure.

Workout-wise, it definitely made the cut. The energy, focus and pump were all there.

It just goes to show you that a pre-workout supplement doesn't need a long, complicated list of "scientific" ingredients to get the job done. I like the fact that Chaos has a relatively simple formula: there's less than half the "stuff" found in competing products.

Another plus is that there are no proprietary blends: the amount of each compound is clearly stated on the label. Even better, most of the ingredients are well-characterized, fairly useful, and provided in physiologically relevant amounts.

In short, this is a well-made supplement that I'd buy again...if you're in the market for a pre-workout energy/NO product, consider giving Chaos a try—it's available at BodyBuilding.com, our recommended online retailer!

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