White Flood is a pre-workout supplement made by Controlled Labs.
It’s described as a “nitric oxide energy enhancer”, with ingredients designed to provide benefits to pumps, strength, energy, and endurance.
Ingredients
Active Ingredients:
L-Citrulline Malate
L-Citrulline is an amino acid shown to improve fatigue-resistance during both cardio and weight training. It’s also said to decrease soreness and increase muscle growth and repair.
In the body, L-Citrulline is converted into a compound called nitric oxide. This is a vasodilator, which means it causes blood vessels to open wider, increasing blood flow.
This is what helps give that “pump” during a workout.
Each serving of White Flood provides 3g of L-Citrulline Malate, which is an effective dose (1).
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is the most simple and widely-used form of creatine in supplements.
It works by increasing the rate of production of ATP in the muscles – ATP being the primary energy source for our body. This increase is clinically shown to boost both strength and performance (2).
The dosage of creatine in White Flood is 2.5 grams, which is about the optimal daily dose for an 83kg athlete (0.03 grams of creatine per kilogram of bodyweight).
Note that creatine should be dosed daily to have any profound effects. You should use a secondary creatine supplement for rest days that isn’t in a pre-workout blend.
Beta Alanine
Beta alanine’s advantage is in its ability to form carnosine in muscle.
Carnosine is an amino acid that reduces acid build-up during exercise, and neutralises free radicals. The acid and free-radicals impair a muscle’s ability to further contract over the course of a workout, which leads to muscle fatigue.
Carnosine holds this fatigue off for longer, allowing you to work out harder and for longer.
Beta alanine has also been shown to work synergistically with creatine in the production of carnosine. This means the blend in White Flood should work nicely for boosting muscular endurance.
The 1.6 grams of beta alanine per scoop is a little less than the recommended daily dose range of 2-5 grams. For maximum effect, it may be best to take a second or third dose of beta alanine at other points during the day.
Betaine
Betaine has been shown to stimulate muscle growth and repair, as well as improve overall body composition.
It helps in producing more methionine in the body, which is important in the body’s own creation of creatine.
Standard dosage is about 2.5 grams daily, taken in two separate doses (3). White Flood contains 1.5 grams – sufficient for one of these doses.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid shown to have a similar effect to creatine.
It can increase cell volume and nutrient uptake in skeletal muscle cells, which further enhances that same pump-effect provided by the creatine and L-citrulline malate combination (4).
This gives White Flood a great 1-2-3 combo for pump-inducing ingredients.
The 1 gram provided per scoop appears to be an effective dose (5).
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutryic Acid)
GABA is an amino acid shown to improve mood and focus.
It has been shown to stimulate the production of human growth hormone (HGH) when used in larger amounts, but a lower dose has been used here.
GABA has been used as a sleeping aid, which suggests it can have the opposite effect of a stimulant (6, 7). This makes it an interesting inclusion to a pre-workout, and may be the reason for the small dose.
Caffeine/Dicaffeine malate
White flood has a combination of both regular caffeine and dicaffeine malate.
Dicaffeine malate is a form of caffeine that is easier on the digestive system than regular caffeine. The compound is a mix of about 75% caffeine and 25% malic acid, which makes it a slower-acting stimulant than caffeine on its own (8). The blend of the two forms of caffeine provides a longer-lasting caffeine hit, without upsetting of the stomach of more sensitive users.
The total caffeine dosage in a scoop of White Flood is around 263mg, equal to roughly 2.5 cups of black coffee.
Who takes it?
White Flood is designed for the serious lifter that wants to get more volume out of his or her workouts, rather than a pure stimulant kick.
It allows longer workouts, rather than just giving a temporary initial buzz.
How to take it
Mix one scoop with water, and consume 30-60 minutes before working out.
Side effects
Beta alanine and GABA have a well-known tingling effect throughout the body, which gives White Flood an effect the user can “feel”.
The combo of caffeine and GABA may also produce an increase in heart rate and breathing rate.
Conclusion
Controlled Labs is onto something with this White Flood formula.
The L-Citrulline Malate, creatine, and taurine, are a great mix of pump-inducing ingredients. These are complemented by a blend of other amino acids and stimulants that enhance energy, mood, and endurance.
The one drawback is that several ingredients are not at their optimal dosage, which means you may want to supplement further for maximum results.