Muscletech has brought forward two new pre workouts going into the start of 2016. We’ve already reviewed Anarchy, which you can see via this link. Now, we’re going to review Shatter SX-7.
Like Anarchy, Shatter SX-7 is a micro-dosed pre workout. Each serving comes out to about 6 grams, and after you cut the carbs out your down to 3 grams of active ingredients. That’s a very condensed formula, but we must admit that it is an effective stimulant.
Shatter SX-7 Ingredient Breakdown
Of this 6 gram formula, you can see that the primary components are carbohydrates, beta-alanine, peak ATP, caffeine, and ‘other ingredients’. Here we will go over the value of some of these ingredients as well as the lesser used Nutmeg seed, Brown Algae, Holy Basil, and Grains of paradise.
Beta-Alanine 1.2 g
Beta-alanine is used heavily in pre workout supplements due to its breakdown into carnosine. Carnosine, is responsible for combating rising lactic acid levels in the body and aids in metabolism. There are a lot of different perspectives on Beta-alanine supplementation, including different times and quantities. You can learn more about this ingredient with this Beta-Alanine Guide.
Peak ATP 200 mg
Peak ATP is marketed as quite the muscle builder and power enhancer, but its still pretty early. Eventually, we will know if Peak ATP is bunk or real. But in the mean time, the guys that make the stuff do recommend 400 mg per serving versus the 200 per serving here.
Caffeine Anhydrous 160 mg
Caffeine is by far the most common and expected ingredient in a pre workout supplement. Back in the beginning of bodybuilding, caffeine was often the stand-alone pre workout. However, now days as you can see there is a wide variety of ingredients used for enhancing performance and muscle growth/fat metabolism.
In Shatter SX-7, you get 160 mg of caffeine per serving. This is a great dosage for the average person, and is enough to provide awesome energy in the gym, while being low enough to burn off come time for bed.
A lot of companies go pretty nuts with caffeine content in their supplements. You can check out how much caffeine is in your pre workout here, or see some of the strongest stimulant pre workouts here.
Nutmeg seed 100 mg
Nutmeg seed, known also as Myristica fragrans is an interesting and questionable addition to Shatter SX-7. While some research has found this addition to increase energy, reduce depression, and promote libido; it is also an ingredient that can be used to produce hallucinations at high doses.
Brown Algae 36 mg
Also known as Ecklonia Cava, brown algae is an antioxidant containing algae that can act as an anti-allergic as well as a hair nourishing product. The staff at BWSB isn’t quite sure why Brown Algae is included. Muscletech says it’s for the phlorotannins, but we can’t find any substantial connection between them and workout performance.
Holy basil extract 20 mg
Holy Basil is known as an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body cope with stress. This stress can be either emotional or physical in nature. It’s worth noting, that Holy Basil is also a strong anti-fertility herb.
Grains of paradise extract 20 mg
Related to ginger, Grains of Paradise may aid in fat metabolism as well as calming of the stomach and intestines.
Other Ingredients
Something unavoidable yet manageable in pre workout supplements is the dreaded “other ingredients”. This is the area that’s below the standard supplement facts on the back of your bottle. This is essentially where a company puts all the things they either don’t consider relevant, or don’t want you to notice. A large part of Shatter SX-7’s serving falls under this grey-zone.
How effective is Shatter SX-7 in the Gym
In the gym, Shatter SX-7 has some power. Primarily, this pre workout offers a great sensory experience that increases your energy to a very focused level. We’ve supplemented at both 1 serving, and 2 servings as the directions recommend and found the 2 serving dosage to outperform the latter.
To compare Shatter SX-7 to other pre workouts, it is very similar to Anarchy and C4 Neuro by feel. There really isn’t a pump present, or BCAAs to boost endurance – but the sensory energy rush is present and strong.
It’s worth noting that while the stimulants in Shatter SX-7 are not through the roof, once you up your dosage to 2 servings, it can interfere with sleep. So, if you are sensitive to this kind of thing, be sure to hit the gym before say, 3 pm.
Final Review on Shatter SX-7
For the new-to pre workouts guy, Shatter SX-7 is going to be awesome. But, for the experienced lifter – Shatter SX-7 is just an energy pre workout. While that energy is powerful, you’re going to find yourself adding BCAAs on top and looking for a pump supplement. At least, that’s what we were thinking while taking this product.
