Charged-AF is a pre-workout supplement made by Steel Supplements.
It’s a high-stimulant formula, designed to increase energy and performance during workouts.
Steel Supplements are based in the United States.
Ingredients Label
Active Ingredients
Citrulline
Citrulline is an amino acid that’s known to boost nitric oxide levels.
Nitric oxide can increase vasodilation, a widening of the blood vessels that improves blood flow, pumps, and endurance levels during exercise (1).
Beta Alanine
Beta alanine is an anti-fatigue compound.
The body uses beta alanine to make carnosine, which gets rid of free radicals and acid build-up during exercise. This allows you to work out harder, for longer (2).
The effective dose is between 2-5g.
Betaine
Betaine is naturally found in sugar beets, and has been shown by research to improve power output. It may improve body composition, too (3).
An effective dose is about 2.5g.
Tyrosine
Tyrosine is an amino acid that reduces stress hormone levels.
It’s been shown to significantly increase performance in people with stress or fatigue (4).
The effective dose is 500-2,000mg.
Eria Jarensis
Eria Jarensis is a plant in the orchid family.
It contains an active ingredient called n-phenyldimethylamine, which is claimed to have similar effects to the banned stimulant DMAA, as well as the mood-booster PEA.
Research is lacking on this ingredient.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant which is known to increase alertness, energy, and even performance (5).
The formula also contains a slower-releasing form of caffeine called dicaffeine malate.
Orchilean
Orchilean is a herb that comes from the “Noble Orchid” plant.
Although it’s commonly marketed as a strong stimulant, there is no research on it that mentions stimulant properties.
More research needs to be done on orchilean.
Theanine
Theanine is an amino acid with relaxation and focus-enhancing effects (6).
It is commonly used to take “the edge” off caffeine and other stimulants.
Higenamine, Synephrine and Halostachine
All three of these compounds are similar in either structure or effects to ephedrine, a now-banned fat-burning compound.
This is also accompanied by stimulant effects, which can increase energy and heart rate. (7, 8).
N-Methyltyramine HCl
N-methyltyramine HCl is another stimulant, which slightly increases the release of noradrenaline (9).
Huperzine-A
Huperzine-A is a brain-boosting compound, found in a plant called “Toothed Clubmoss”.
Research shows that it can improve mental energy and brain function (10, 11)
An effective dose is 50-200mcg.
Who Takes It?
Athletes wanting to boost their energy levels and athletic performance may benefit from using Charged-AF.
How to Take
Mix 1 scoop (14g) with 250mL water, and consume 30 minutes before working out.
Side Effects
The stimulants in this formula may cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, and/or trigger anxiety if taken in excessive doses.
Some of the ingredients in this formula are not well-researched, and may be accompanied side effects that are not yet known.
Pros
- Range of stimulants included
- Includes some new and exciting additions
- Effective doses of the performance-boosting ingredients.
Cons
- Proprietary blend hides doses of the stimulants and nootropic ingredients
- Some of the ingredients are not well-studied, and so their effects and safety are not yet well-understood
- No pump ingredients.
Conclusion
Charged-AF is a high-stimulant pre-workout, which also harnesses the power of some well-known performance-boosting ingredients.
It combines a whole range of stimulants, new and old, to create a formula with a strong kick for anyone needing an energy boost for their workouts.
Ingredient doses are hidden for these stimulants, however, and it would be nice to see just how much of each we are dealing with to assess safety and effects.
There are no pump-enhancing ingredients in Charged-AF, but Steel Supplements have this covered with Pumped-AF, a stimulant-free formula that can be combined with this one.