ZMA Supplements

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ZMA Supplements – Cyclo Z Mass and Z Mass

 

pm ReviewWhat Is The ZMA Formula?

 

You may have heard of ZMass pm and Cyclo Z Mass. Both products are based on the ZMA anabolic mineral support formula. ZMA consists of Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, and vitamin B-6. It’s a natural product that helps increase anabolic hormone levels leading to greater muscle and strength gains.

Through stress and exercises, Zinc and Magnesium are depleted from your body, which can lead to decreased testosterone levels. The ZMA formula supplements your body with good amounts of both Zinc and Magnesium.

 

Some ZMA Clinical Studies

 

Take note: don’t be fool when you see marketing material claiming “athletes gained 250% more muscle strength than placebo group using ZMA”. While this is true findings from a study done by Lorrie Brilla PhD, it’s really not as impressive as it sounds. Why? In the studies done on a group of NCAA football players, the ZMA group showed 250% more muscle strength gain than the placebo group, but in actual strength gains, the ZMA group showed 11.6% compared to 4.6% for the placebo group.

This just means the ZMA group got 11.6% stronger overall, which is 250% more than the placebo groups 4.6% gain. Don’t be fooled into thinking the ZMA athletes got 250% stronger than the placebo group.  Even so, the extra gains are quite impressive indeed.

Studies have shown ZMA supplements to effectively fight off Zinc and Magnesium loss. Here are some benefits of using ZMA based products:

• Faster healing and recovery from workouts and injuries
• Increased testosterone levels
• Increased strength, and endurance
• Decrease in muscle cramps and pulls
• Better sleep

 

ZMass Reviews: 2 Recommended ZMA Based Supplements – Z Mass pm and Cyclo ZMass

 

Two of the more popular and well know ZMA formula based supplements are Cytodyne’s ZMass pm and Cyclo Z Mass. Both ZMA based products have very similar (almost identical) composition. After all, they are both based on the ZMA formula.

The only significant difference is that Cytodyne ZMass pm contains 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-H), and Cyclo Z Mass doesn’t. 20-H is a natural occurring phytochemical that studies have found it to help stimulate protein synthesis in cells. It’s proven to improve nitrogen retention, and also enhance endurance.Other than the addition of 20-H in Z Mass PM, there’s almost no difference between the two ZMA based supplements.

It’s going to cost you around $40 bucks for a bottle of Z Mass pm and around $30 for a bottle of Cyclo Z Mass (at retail prices). But if you buy these ZMA supplements online, you can save $10 bucks on Z Mass PM, and save $6 bucks on Cyclo Z Mass.

Note:

 

ZMA based supplement do not show immediate result like creatine or other supplements. Many people fail to see the results of taking ZMA supplements simply because they don’t stay on it long enough.

Yohimbe Bark, Yohimbe Extract

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Yohimbe Bark, Yohimbe Extract What Is

 

Yohimbe Bark Extract?

 

Yohimbe is a tree that grows in Africa, and the natives there have used the crude bark and purified compound to enhance sexual desire and performance. Yohimbe has been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac. It has even been smoked as a hallucinogen. Nowadays, Yohimbe bark extract is mostly used to treat impotence for men and women.

When ingested, Yohimbe is assimilated into the blood stream, and Yohimbe’s energizing effects come from its ability to increase blood flow to the genitals – and this applies to both men and women. Aside from its aphrodisiac effects, new research also show that Yohimbe has powerful antioxidant effects.

 

Yohimbe Bark Extract Benefits

 

Take a quick look at some benefits of Yohimbe.

• Yohimbe is an aphrodisiac for both men and women
• Yohimbe bark extract can be used to fight impotence
• Yohimbe is shown to be a powerful antioxidant
• Yohimbe bark extract also helps prevnet arteries from getting clogged
• Yohimbe extract helps sexual performance, increase libido
• Yohimbe has also been shown to help prevent heart attacks

Now, that’s a long list of benefits.

 

Yohimbe Side Effects

 

Of course, as good as it sounds, it does have a few side effects: listed below.

• Yohimbe can cause some anxiety
• Yohimbe can also increase blood pressure and heart rate
• Can cause dizziness, and headaches
• Yohimbe can cause nausea and upset stomachs
• Yohimbe can increase body temperature and sweating

 

Individuals should also be cautious and not take Yohimbe if they have a medical condition including hypertension, diabetes, heart problems, or taking any kind of medication. You should speak to your doctor just to be safe.

 

Yohimbine Research

 

Yohimbine is a FDA approved drug to help erectile dysfunction. If you’re confused about Yohimbe and Yohimbine, here’s a quick explanation. Yohimbe is the name of a bark, and yohimbe bark contains about 6% alkaloids, and 10 to 15% of that is Yohimbine. Most research is done using Yohimbine and not Yohimbe bark.

In a double blind study involving 182 men with erectile dysfunction, 42mg of yohimbe was administered daily. Within one month, 34% of the participants reported full recovery of sexual function, and 24% reported partial response.

In another study involving 48 men experiencing impotence, 46% reported improvement in sexual functioning, and in a Stanford University study on Yohimbe, the subjects experienced 90% increase in sexual desire in less than one hour.

Finally, in an older, 1977 german study done on Yohimbe using 86 patients with erectile dysfunction, 30mg of yohimbe was administered each day for eight weeks. 71% of the participants responded positively with an overall improvement in sexual function and libido. Below, we have 2 more studies done on yohimbe.

 

Yohimbine in the treatment of orgasmic dysfunction.

 

Adeniyi AA, Brindley GS, Pryor JP, Ralph DJ.
Institute of Urology and Nephrology, London W1P 7EY, UK.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of yohimbine in the treatment of men with orgasmic dysfunction. 29 men with orgasmic dysfunction were given 20mg dose of yohimbine, and the outcome and side effects were subsequently assessed. 52% of the men participated due to fertility problems, and 48% participated because they wanted to experience the pleasure of orgasm. The patients were classified into three groups of orgasmic dysfunction: primary complete (13), primary incomplete (8) and secondary (8).

Of the 29 participants, 16 were able to reach orgasm and were able to ejaculate. Of these patients, 2 men have subsequently fathered children, and 3 other men were also cured. The study concluded that Yohimbine is a useful treatment option in orgasmic dysfunction.

 

Yohimbine treatment of organic erectile dysfunction in a dose-escalation trial.

 

Guay AT, Spark RF, Jacobson J, Murray FT, Geisser ME.
Center for Sexual Function, Lahey Clinic Northshore, Peabody, Massachusetts 01960, USA. Andre.T.Guay@lahey.org

This study measured nocturnal penile tumescence (penile erection during sleep) with the RigiScan monitor, hormone profiles, answers to the Florida Sexual Health Questionnaire, and clinical responses at baseline and after two different doses of yohimbine in 18 nonsmoking men with erectile dysfunction.

9 of the 18 men successfully completed sexual intercourse in 75% of the attempts. Men with less severe erectile dysfunction were more responsive to yohimbine treatment. They study concluded that Yohimbine is an effective therapy to treat organic erectile dysfunction in some men with erectile dysfunction.

Twinlab makes a Yohimbe Fuel supplement which you can get online for around $18.

Xyience Xenergy Review

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Xyience Xenergy Review Xyience Xenergy

 

Supplement

 

The Xenergy drink by Xyience supplements is a sugar free energy drink that has zero calories. It’s marketed as an energy drink that helps to improve mental focus and increase physical endurance. Unlike some of the other more training oriented drinks like Endorush or Endurox, Xenergy is meant to be taken anytime during the day for any situation – be it for work, studying, or sports.

As well, its bottling design is not really optimal for a workout energy drink. Xenergy comes in tall, sleek looking tin containers that holds 473ml. I don’t imagine anyone would want to carry one of these with them around the gym when there are other more convenient drinks available.

As well, it doesn’t quite measure up to the massive energy boosting effects of BSN Endorush, nor does it offer the caloric input of Endurox or Accelerade for your workouts. Hence, Xenergy has its place as a zero calorie energy drink that helps improve mental focus and endurance.

 

Xyience Xenergy Nutrition Facts

 

Serving Size: 16 fl. oz.

Calories: 0

Niacin 40 mg (as Niacinamide)

Vitamin B6: 10 mg

Vitamin B12 10 mcg

Sodium 400 mg

Proprietary Blend 2.7 g: Taurine, glucoronolactone, caffeine, guarana extract,

panax ginseng extract, inositol, l-carnitine.

 

Xenergy contains some pretty standard energy boosting ingredients such as caffeine, guarana (caffeine), ginseng, and taurine. Caffeine in humans ia central nervous system stimulant, that helps ward off drowsiness, and improves alertness. Guarana is the herbal form of caffeine. It’s a plant with large leaves and clusters of flowers.

Ginseng is one of the most highly regarded energy tonics of Chinese herbalism. It is an herbal adaptogen, helping the body to adapt to a variety of stresses. Many Ginseng supplements combine the extract with pure root insures all the important compounds of ginseng are captured, for a broad range of ginseng activity. Qualities of the Panax Ginseng include boosting immune system, promoting blood circulation, and improving mental and physical alertness and endurance.Taurine is a semi-essential amino acid, and it plays an important role and is found in the heart muscle, white blood cells, central nervous system, and skeletal muscle. Some benefits of taurine include lowering blood pressure, improves immune system, and plays an important role in nitric oxide production.

 

Xenergy Flavors and Taste

 

I’m generally wary of artificial flavored drinks, mainly because I don’t like the taste of artificial sweeteners and seem to have a keen pick up on their unpleasant after taste. (But, that’s just me.) So, being a zero calorie drink using sucralose as the sweetener, I wasn’t expecting it to taste all that great…

Xenergy comes in a variety of flavors including Cran Razz, Big Apple, Clear, mango guava, and pink lemon. I’ve tried the Big Apple and Cran Razz flavors. Cran Razz is a decent tasting drink – better than I had anticipated, and served chilled, it’s quite refreshing.Big Apple flavor was quite good, and I enjoyed it slightly more than Cran Razz. It’s also a very refreshing drink (served chilled), and you can taste the light natural apple flavor. Every gulp of this drink made the stomach feel distinctly warm inside. Taste-wise I’d give both drinks 4/5.

However, being artificially sweetened with sucralose,. To sum things up, Xenergy is a nice energy drink for any time or any situation throughout the day, but if you’re looking for something more “hardcore” to get you through your grueling workouts, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

White Flood Reviews

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White Flood Reviews Controlled Labs White

 

Flood Supplement

 

White Flood by Controlled Labs is a pre workout supplement that was designed to be fast acting to help increase endurance, energy, pumps, and strength for your workouts. It is also a carb free supplement containing zero calories. One of the major draws of White Flood is its cost effectiveness, and when you compare its cost per serving to similar products in the market, you’ll see that it offers very good value for what you are paying, and I think this is a big factor many people put to consideration when choosing supplements. You can get 100 servings of this stuff for just a tad over $40, which works out to just $0.40 per serving. This was a definite big plus for me.

Value and cost effectiveness is definitely something I consider seriously when deciding on what supplements to use. After all, we all want to stretch our hard earning dollars as much as we can. While I’ll try most supplements at least once, whether I use those supplements again depends largely on its effectiveness, and its cost and value. And Controlled Labs White Flood is one of those supplements that I like to use time after time, simply because it gives great value, and it is an effective pre-workout supplement.

 

Below is a list of White Flood ingredients:

 

1 Serving Sample (Powder)

Serving Size1Packet

Servings Per Container1

Amount Per Serving % DV*

Calories 0

Calories From Fat 0

Calcium(as Calcium Silicate) 113mg 11%

Potassium(as Gluconate) 18mg 1%

Folate(as Folic Acid) 125mcg 31%

Selenium(as Selenium Amino Acid Chelate) 50mcg 71%

ENO Flood Complex™ 1,500mg †

Arginine AKG (1100 Mg), Ornithine AKG (400mg)

FlooDurance Complex™ 1,200mg †

Beta Alanine (850 Mg), L-Tyrosine (350 Mg)

Energy & Antioxidant Flood Complex 1,913mg †

Inosine, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), Glucuronolactone, Natural

Caffeine, Potassium Gluconate, Cocoa Bean (Extracted For 99% Theobromine),

Evodia Rutaecarpa (95% Evodiamine Extract), L-Norvaline, Sugar Cane

(Extracted For 60% Octacosanol), Coenzyme Q10, Vinpocetine, Alpha-

Carotene, Zeaxanthin, Cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Folic Acid, Selenium, Huperzia

Serrata (Extracted For 99% Huperzine A)

 

White Flood Controlled Labs Review

 

If you look at the ingredient list of White Flood above, you’ll see that it contains 0 carbs and 0 calories. Some of the key ingredients of this supplement include Arginine AKG, Beta Alanine, GABA, and Glucuronolactone. Arginine is beneficial for the production of Nitric Oxide (NO), which works to dilate the arteries leading to increase blood flow. Because of this, AAKG is widely used in bodybuilding supplements to support NO production and also to help increase the “pumped” feeling during workouts.

Beta Alanine is something that I like to use often in my own supplement stacks for its amazing effects of reducing muscle fatigue, which allows for superb recovery times during your workout sessions. Beta alanine in White Flood helps boost carnosine levels in your body. There are high concentrations of carnosine in the human skeletal muscle, and increasing carnosine levels helps delay the onset of fatigue. There are many studies that have been done on Beta Alanine which have repeatedly highlighted its fatigue reducing benefits. For example, one study looked at how a 4 week supplementation program with Beta Alanine affected carnosine levels in the calf muscle and how it affected exercise performance in 400 meter sprints in 15 well trained and competitive athletes. 4.8 grams of beta alanine or a placebo were given. The researchers found that Beta Alanine supplementation increased the carnosine content in soleus and gastrocnemius (calf) muscles by 47% and 37% respectively. They also found that dynamic knee extension torque during 4th and 5th bouts were significantly improved. They concluded that Beta Alanine was effective at increasing muscle carnosine levels, and this significantly attenuated fatigue in repeated bouts of exhaustive dynamic contractions.

GABA is also known as gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is one of the most important and abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It acts as a balancer for the brain, and it is also responsible for the regulation of muscle tone. GABA is also found to help increase the amount of human growth hormone.

Glucuronolactone is a widely used ingredient in various energy drinks. It is a naturally occurring compound that is generally regarded as safe by the European Food Safety Authority. It helps to improve focus, concentration, reduce fatigue, and increased energy and endurance.

 

My Review of Controlled Labs White Flood

 

For a supplement that delivers great value, White Flood also delivers very good results. First of all, the taste is nothing to boast about. Depending largely on personal preference, you may or may not like the flavors. It comes in three flavors including Lemonade, Fruit Punch, and Raspberry. I’ve tried all three and my comment is that the taste is bearable. The lemonade was probably the best out of the three flavors I tried. All 3 flavors mixes and blends easily with water. Give it a little stir, and it’s good to go.

While I know that arginine helps increase NO production and improve pumps, I seem to not have much luck with most arginine supplements. So it was not surprising for me that I noticed just minor increases in my workout pumps. Nothing earth shattering here. However, what was extremely noticeable and fantastic was the focus, energy, endurance, and greatly reduced recovery times I experienced during my workouts. While taking White Flood, I never felt lethargic, and always focused on the task at hand. The energy and endurance increases were noticeable, and I almost never felt tired. The Beta Alanine is one fantastic ingredient for this purpose.

With White Flood, my recovery times were dramatically shorter during my workouts. Typically, I’ll rest around 1 to 1.5 minutes, sometimes 2 minutes with really heavy sets. But with this supplement, my rest time between sets were cut down to around 1 minute or less. After completing each set, I just didn’t feel tired, and was very focused and eager to get on with the next set.

 

White Flood Side Effects

 

Generally, most people shouldn’t experience much side effects with White Flood. Personally, I never had any problems with taking White Flood, but everyone is different. The only side effect of White Flood is skin flushing and tingling sensation. However, this is really just because of the Beta Alanine. Studies have found that doses of over 800mg of Beta Alanine can lead to this skin flushing and tingling sensation. White Flood contains 850mg of Beta Alanine, so it’s not surprising that I experience skin tingling sensations on the back of my hands, forearms, and forehead. But this is not bothersome at all. I’ve taken much higher doses of Beta Alanine, and with higher doses, this tingling sensation can get a little uncomfortable. Other than that, I had no other side effects from using White Flood.

For an effective supplement that offers such great value, Controlled Labs White Flood is something that I’ve used many times. If you’re looking for an effective pre workout supplement, then give White Flood a try. You can get 100 servings for around $40.

Waxy Maize Starch Review

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Waxy Maize Starch ReviewWaxy Maize

 

Bodybuilding – Carbohydrates and Nutrition

 

It is well known in bodybuilding circles that consuming a high carbohydrate drink immediately following workouts is essential for replenishing depleted glycogen stores during intense workout sessions. A protein meal (shake) is taken within 15 to 20 minutes after a workout, and followed shortly by a post-workout meal. More recently, the bracketing method has become a popular method of timing your supplements that helps deliver the needed nutrients at the most optimal times. The bracketing method simply involves consuming a high carbohydrate drink typically with a serving of creatine, and sometimes with protein, glutamine, BCAA’s or a few other key supplements. This is taken right before a workout, and then immediately after the workout – hence called the bracketing method.

Most probably know that intense exercise depletes your body’s glycogen stores, and it is important to restore the lost glycogen stores. Delaying your consumption of carbohydrates post workout will result in reduced muscle glycogen storage, and because of this, it is standard for most serious athletes to consume a high carb drink immediately post workout. However, when it comes to carbohydrates, there are different types of carbohydrates, and not all carbs provide the same level of benefits of restoring glycogen.

Different carbohydrates will have different rates at which they enter the blood stream and cause a rise in insulin levels. For this reason, the Glycemic Index (GI)of foods is used to rate carbohydrate foods. The higher the glycemic index a food is rated, the faster it affects your insulin levels. Dextrose, also called d-glucose has a GI of 100, and because of this, is has been the carbohydrate most commonly used in a post workout carb drink. It is commonly used in creatine delivery mixes such as Muscletech Cell Tech, and you can see our rather old (many years) recipe of making your own homemade Celltech – simply using dextrose and creatine monohydrate.

This brings us to the key issue of this review – Waxy Maize Starch, also known as Amylocel. This is a type of carbohydrate known as a high molecular weight (HMW) carbohydrate that has gained popularity and recognition for its benefits as a post workout carbohydrate. Its cost is well above the old standard carbohydrate dextrose, so we will discuss the costs and benefits of Waxy Maize starch in this review with some interesting studies.

 

Waxy Maize Supplement for Post Workout Shake

 

So, what’s the deal with the so called “High Molecular Weight” carbohydrates compared to something like dextrose? High molecular weight carbs have low osmolality rate, a much lower osmolality rate compared to high GI carbs such as dextrose, which have a much higher osmolality rate.What does that all mean?

Osmolality simply means the concentration of particles in a solution. This is probably not the most scientific definition, but most of the scientific definitions are barely understandable. A solution that has a lower osmolality than blood is referred to as being Hypotonic, which means that a low osmolality solution passes through the stomach faster as compared to a high osmolality solution. What this simply means is that a high molecular weight carb such as waxy maize starch will pass through the stomach much faster into the small intestines than other carbs such as dextrose – in a nut shell, it will get to your muscles much faster.

To put things in perspective, a “high molecular weight carbohydrate”, typically has a molecular weight of around 500,000 to 700,000. While dextrose has a molecular weight of about 180, and maltodextrin has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to 10,000 [1]. As you can see, the difference in molecular weight of a HMW carbohydrate (such as Waxy Maize) and a high GI carbohydrate such as dextrose is huge! Studies have determined that the osmolality of a carbohydrate drink will influence the rate of resynthesis of glycogen in muscle after depletion after exercise. See the study below:

 

Muscle glycogen resynthesis rate in humans after supplementation of drinks containing carbohydrates with low and high molecular masses.

 

This study looked at the rate of muscle glycogen synthesis during 2 and 4 hours of recovery after depletion by exercise using two energy equivalent carbohydrate drinks. the C-drink has a molecular mass of 500000 to 700000 with osmolality of 84, and the G-drink has a molecular mass of about 500 with osmolality of 350.

13 healthy and well trained men took the drinks after glycogen depleting exercise – one drink at each test occasion. Total carbohydrates consumed was 300g given in 75g doses in 4 settings – immediately after exercise, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes after exercise. Blood glucose and insulin concentrations were recorded every 30 minutes of the 4 hour recovery period.

The study found that the glycogen synthesis rate was significantly higher during the initial 2 hours for the C-drink compared to the G drink, leading to the conclusion that osmolality of the carbohydrate drink may influence the rate of resynthesis of glycogen in muscle after its depletion by exercise.

 

Waxy Maize Starch Review

 

Because of its high molecular weight and low osmolality, Waxy Maize is able to basically bypass the stomach and get immediately absorbed in the small intestines. Because of this property, waxy maize also helps to improve the absorption rates of various supplements such as creatine and amino acids. Studies have found that HMW carbohydrates such as waxy maize raises insulin levels about the same as dextrose; however, because of its low osmolality, it bypasses the stomach, and you will not experience any stomach bloating that you might experience with dextrose. What’s more noteworthy is that HMW carbohydrates leads to increased glycogen resynthesis post workout – as mentioned in the study above. So what you have is a carbohydrate that gets to the muscles fast, does not cause stomach bloating, increases nutrient uptake, and also increases glycogen synthesis post workout.

Another study of Waxy Maize found that supplementing a HMW carbohydrate results in a more sustained glucose and insulin response. [2] Furthermore, because of Waxy Maize’s ability to increase glycogen resynthesis post workout, it is found that consuming a HMW carb improves performance for subsequent exercises. In a study involving 8 healthy men, the subjects cycled to exhaustion, and were then immediately given a one litre solution containing either a placebo, a 100g low molecular weight carbohydrate, or a 100g high molecular weight carbohydrate. A 2 hour rest followed the consumption of the drink, and then a 15 minute time trial was performed on a cycle ergometer. The study found that ingestion of the very high molecular weight carbohydrate resulted in faster and greater increase in blood glucose and serum insulin concentration compared to the low molecular weight carb and the placebo. The HMW carbohydrate group had a greater work output during the 15 minute time trial, suggesting that HMW carbohydrates such as waxy maize can help optimize performance by “facilitating rapid re-synthesis of the muscle glycogen store during recovery”.

Aside from scientific studies, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that Waxy Maize is an optimal carbohydrate to consume immediately post workout. I won’t make any assumptions based on what I read from other users, but personally, after some lengthy testing, I can say that I experienced no stomach bloating at all, my muscles felt fuller, and there was noticeably less muscle soreness in days following the workout – although I can’t say if this is a direct result of using waxy maize starch or not. Regardless, I’ve been very happy with using waxy maize compared to dextrose.

Generally, there are two methods of taking waxy maize and other supplements. The idea is that because waxy maize is absorbed quickly, it will help improve the absorption of other supplements as well; however, by adding in too much of the “other” stuff, it could affect the absorption of waxy maize, so it would be best to simply keep the addition of other supplements to a minimum to only include some of the essentials such as creatine, glutamine, leucine, and some BCAA.

Some like to mix everything in one post workout shake – by mixing in waxy maize, creatine, glutamine, and 2 scoops of whey etc. But by mixing in so much extra stuff with the waxy maize, the overall mix of the drink may slow down the absorption. For me, I prefer to keep adding extra ingredients to a minimum, and take my whey separately from my waxy maize. I take 35g of waxy maize, 5g creatine, and 5g glutamine before workout. For my post workout shake, I take 70g waxy maize, 5g creatine, 5g glutamine. After 15 to 20 minutes after my waxy maize drink, I take 2 scoops of whey protein.

While Waxy Maize would appear to be a more optimal carbohydrate for post workout, its costs are also higher compared to dextrose. One pound of dextrose generally costs in the range of $1.50 to $2.50 per pound. Comparatively, one pound of Waxy Maize will cost in the range of $3.50 to $5.00 per pound – so roughly double the cost of dextrose. If you ask me if the extra cost associated with Waxy Maize is worth it, I would have to say it depends. After all, dextrose still works relatively well, and it is very cheap. If you’re on a budget, then perhaps dextrose might make more sense in the overall scheme of things. On the other hand, while waxy maize costs a bit more, it is not going to break any budgets either. For me, I’ve really liked my results using waxy maize so far, so my plan is to use it as my post workout carbohydrate from now on.