Can 1st Phorm Help You Achieve Your Perfect Form with 1-Db Overdrive?
1-Db Overdrive is one of two thermogenic fat burners produced by 1st Phorm, the other is 1-Db Goddess. Overdrive is targeted at male athletes and Goddess to female athletes. So, they’re a bit like Coke Zero and Diet Coke.
We’re not going to be drawn into the gender stereotyping debate right now though, we’re here for SCIENCE.
Table of Contents
About 1-Db Overdrive
Marketed primarily as a thermogenic fat burner, 1-Db Overdrive also claims to help you better utilize carbs for increased energy and focus during your workout and throughout the rest of your day. It promises to maximize fat loss, control your appetite & food cravings, elevate your mood and provide extreme energy & focus.
Whew! That’s quite a bit to pack in, does 1st Phorm manage it with 1-Db Overdrive? We’re going to find out.
Key things to note before we dive into our detailed review;
- 1-Db Overdrive delivers huge volumes of B vitamins, which is great for cellular energy production and mood.
- There is a good balance between stimulants and more gentle nutrients that should provide a combined short-term turbo-boost with after-effects that sustain your energy, mood and focus for longer periods.
- The reliance on proprietary blends means we don’t know the doses of most ingredients, and we have more serious concerns over the use of synephrine alongside multiple sources of caffeine.
We’ll give you all the info and answer all your questions below. Well, all of them apart from one – so before you ask, no we don’t know what the ‘Db’ stands for.
1-Db Overdrive – Supplement Facts
Directions for Use
IMPORTANT: 1st Phorm recommend what they call a ‘tolerance assessment phase’ before you start taking 1-Db Overdrive and when the manufacturer recommends something like this, you’d better listen closely and follow their instructions.
Take one capsule in the morning on an empty stomach, at least 45 minutes before you eat. Wait 5 hours. If you feel good, you can take another capsule, again on an empty stomach no less than 45 minutes before food.
If all is well, you are good to start to start taking 1 or 2 capsules twice per day. Doses must be 5 hours apart and it is recommended that you drink 8oz of water with the capsules and take them 45 minutes before eating still. Also drink at least 120oz of water throughout the day.
Got all that? Good. Now let’s have a look at what’s in the formula that justifies such stringent instructions.
What’s in 1-Db Overdrive?
The ingredients of 1-Db Overdrive can be divided in to 2 categories; B vitamins and blends. The blends account for most of the weight, but of course we don’t know exactly how they break down in terms of individual doses of the ingredients.
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) 25mg
First under the microscope is niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that is found in many foods. It’s soluble in water which means your body is not able to store it. Why is this important? Well, because one of the primary effects of ingesting niacinamide is the production of adiponectin, which in turn prompts your body to produce energy through the normal means of breaking down carbohydrates.
The result of taking 125% of the RDA of niacinamide in one go is a pronounced and sustained increase in energy production via enhanced utilisation of glucose stores, as well as some useful secondary effects such as improved metabolism of fatty acids and increased metabolic rate.
Vitamin B3 in this form can support most of the effects that 1-Db Overdrive is said to produce – helping to burn fat and giving you more energy.
Vitamin B6 (Pyrodoxine HCL) 20mg
Often under-appreciated (we know how you feel buddy) – vitamin B6 is a core component in the production of two chemicals; serotonin and adrenaline. It also plays a role in around 140 different metabolic processes within your cells. Because it is so crucial in the mitochondrial energy production process, it could help to make you feel less hungry by optimising your cells to get maximum benefit from the food you’re eating.
But does it support any other reported benefits of 1-Db Overdrive? Well, it helps improve your mood by helping to create neurotransmitters that regulate happy chemicals like dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Deficiency of the vitamin has been linked to symptoms of depression and it has been proven to help alleviate these symptoms.
Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin) 125mcg
Like B6, B12 is central to the production of energy on a cellular level, enhances your mood and promotes good overall health and wellbeing. A key benefit of B12 is its support for iron absorption, helping your red blood cells to transport oxygen around your body effectively and keeping your energy levels up. Anaemia is the most common side effect of B12 deficiency.
GSD Complex™ 374mg
A proprietary blend containing Caffeine Anhydrous, L-Theanine, Theacrine, Sulbutiamine, Synephrine, CDP Choline and Huperzine A. This blend appears in the formula for 1-Db Overdrive and 1-Db Goddess, a similar supplement aimed at the female market.
The ingredients generally support the benefits of 1-Db Overdrive but it’s hard to know to what extent because the exact ratio of ingredients is not clear. Let’s run through them quickly.
Caffeine Anhydrous is a straightforward stimulant designed to provide a burst of physical energy and enhanced mental performance that is significant but can be short-lived. Caffeine has been shown to increase metabolism, which means it can help with fat loss.
L-theanine is widely accepted to be an effective weight loss aid that helps to control your appetite, improves cognitive performance and provides greater mental focus.
Your sense of wellbeing and mood will be enhanced by theacrine, which can also help support physical and mental performance, similar to caffeine but without the potential after-effects of grogginess.
Sulbutiamine is an effective cognitive enhancer that promotes positive mood as well, but evidence of these effects in humans is limited and it’s unlikely that an equivalent human dose would fit in to the 374mg serving of this blend.
The active ingredient in bitter orange, synephrine is on the list of substances banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and has been linked to some very worrying side-effects when taken in isolation or in combination with other stimulants, particularly caffeine.
These side-effects include fainting, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks and other similarly serious complications. This is a massive red flag, especially considering we don’t know how much synephrine 1-Db Overdrive contains.
Choline, on the other hand, is safe and beneficial to mental performance and mood.
Thought to be an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s – Huperzine A is derived from a Chinese herb and has been linked to improvements in memory and cognitive ability.
If it weren’t for the synephrine, this would be a good blend, combining a strong stimulant (caffeine) with complimentary components like theacrine and L-theanine. We may have found the reason for the strict tolerance test instructions though – synephrine.
See the #1 Rated
– Fat Burner This Year –
BioTherm™ 128mg
Another blend that leans heavily on stimulants, BioTherm also appears in multiple 1st Phorm products and contains Green Coffee Extract, Green Tea Extract, Coleus Forskohli, Hordenine, Evodiamine and Cayenne Pepper Extract.
Green coffee extract comes from coffee beans before they are roasted. In this state they contain higher levels of a substance called chlorogenic acid which has been shown to help fat loss in studies on animals. It’s also a source of antioxidants, which don’t necessarily support any of the benefits of 1-Db Overdrive, but who doesn’t love antioxidants?!
Extract of green tea provides a 3rd source of caffeine, though not much, and l-theanine, but more importantly is a source of catechins. Although they sound like a new breed of Pokemon, catechins have powerful thermogenic effects, are proven to support weight loss in humans and are known to synergise effectively with caffeine.
What’s the highlight of the formula so far, you ask? Catechins, we choose you!
The plant Coleus Forskohli has been positively linked to reductions in body fat while preserving muscle and slightly increasing testosterone levels in overweight men, but the effects on healthy individuals are decidedly less significant, so a bit of a dud ingredient here perhaps.
Research into the effects of the alkaloid hordenine is limited, though it is similar in structure to synephrine (which we touched on above) and tyramine (which has also been linked to side-effects including huge blood pressure spikes). We have reservations about the inclusion of this compound alongside the other stimulants in the formula – the potential benefits may not outweigh the risks.
Evodiamine has not been fully studied but early evidence suggests that it can help to reduce body fat with few adverse side-effects.
Rounding out the BioTherm™ formula is cayenne pepper extract – the active ingredient here is capsaicin and it is a known thermogenic that can help suppress appetite, increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories.
Frustratingly this is the second proprietary blend in the 1-Db Overdrive formula that looks mostly solid apart from one red flag- this time it’s the hordenine.
Like the GSD Complex™, because it’s a blend we just don’t know how much of this potentially dangerous ingredient you’re getting and that’s a real concern.
Balance Blend™ 100mg
Completing the trio of prop blends in the formula, Balance Blend mixes it up with Ashwagandha, Diindolylmethane and Rhodiola Extract. While the other blends provide a gut-punch of stimulants, Balance Blend focuses on more ‘natural’ ingredients to support mood, energy and focus.
First up we have ashwagandha and it seems like there is almost nothing this little wonder herb can’t do. It helps to reduce stress and improve your mood, makes you stronger and can improve reaction time and mental focus.
However, most studies are conducted at doses in the 400-500mg region and because the ashwagandha here is blended and only part of a meagre serving of 100mg, it’s unlikely that you’ll get any of these benefits.
Diindolylmethane has been found to be effective at smaller doses, but in a limited number of studies on mice, there’s not a lot of evidence available for the effect on humans. It’s got promise though and is thought to trigger many interactions that could support healthy weight loss.
Finally the flowering herb Rhodiola Rosea helps to combat stress and fatigue, sharpen mental performance and provide a boost of energy that can help you exercise for longer.
This is a simpler blend containing mostly effective ingredients, we just wish there was more of it in the overall formula mix!
See the #1 Rated
– Fat Burner This Year –
Formula Analysis
Oh boy where to start? We’ll go from the top, shall we?
The B vitamin complex supports the mood enhancing potential of the formula and will support your energy levels throughout the day, although we’re not sure how necessary it is to provide 10 x and 20 x the RDA for B6 and B12 respectively.
The rest of the formula is made up of blends and the mix of ingredients throughout the 3 blends is weighted equally towards the 4 main benefits of the product, which raises the question of why the B vitamins are necessary at all.
Yes, they help mitochondrial energy production, which the rest of the formula does not do, but if you’re following a good diet then you’re probably getting enough of them already.
Also, who doesn’t take a multivitamin these days?
If we ignore the B vits then we just have the blends and 2 out of 3 of these contain constituent ingredients that could cause some very harmful side-effects. This alone is enough to cause concern, but the fact that they’re part of a blend means we don’t know how much synephrine or hordenine is in there, so we don’t know how worried we should be.
Ideally, we’d like to see a greater portion of the formula devoted to the Balance Blend™ and less to the others.
Aside from that there is some good synergy across the formula, for instance between the caffeine and theacrine and extracts of green coffee and green tea.
There are plenty of proven thermogenic compounds and multiple ingredients that have been proven to aid weight loss in different ways. If we put our concerns aside for a second, it’s about as scientifically sound as any thermogenic supplement we’ve seen yet.
1-Db Overdrive Benefits
There are many potential benefits to 1-Db Overdrive and 1st Phorm do a good job of including ingredients that support the 4 main benefits of 1-Db Overdrive which are;
- Maximize Fat Loss
- Control Cravings
- Provide Energy & Focus
- Elevate Mood
If you take 1-Db Overdrive then you will more than likely get these benefits, and others including; higher metabolism, better carb & calorie burning efficiency and perhaps increased performance during workouts.
BUT this is potentially a very high risk, high reward situation.
Who Takes It?
If you want to maintain your workout intensity, energy levels and positive mood on a calorie deficit or controlled diet then you should consider 1-Db Overdrive, but do so with caution and stop using it if you feel in any way like you are at risk of complications.
Consult a doctor or physician before starting a course of 1-Db Overdrive, or any supplement.
Any Side-Effects?
Well, yeah, probably. Just to be clear – there are potential side-effects associated with using this product and they are severe.
These side-effects include heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, severe headaches, breathing difficulties, convulsions and kidney damage.
You may experience some of these when taking 1-Db Overdrive, or you may not. We must advise you of the risks though.
See the #1 Rated
– Fat Burner This Year –
1-Db Overdrive Summary
Pros:
- For the most part, a very lean formula with relatively few dud ingredients
- Helps to maintain energy levels and workout performance even on a calorie deficit
- Supports positive mood and greater mental focus meaning you have the best chance of hitting your goals when the going gets tough
- The benefits of the formula are strongly backed by available scientific evidence
Cons:
- Very heavy on the stimulants, which won’t please everyone (but then again, nothing will)
- Potentially dangerous interaction between synephrine and caffeine
- Reliance on proprietary blends means exact doses are not made clear
- Potentially dangerous side effects from hordenine
1-DB Overdrive Price & Where to Buy
1-Db Overdrive is available from the 1st Phorm website and costs $69.99 for 80 capsules, which should last you between 3 and 6 weeks depending on your tolerance.
Final Word on 1-Db Overdrive
Overall 1-Db Overdrive is a powerful thermogenic which will shift stored fat, help you get more from your meals, keep you feeling fuller for longer after meals, help you focus more and keep you energized and upbeat.
The formula could do with some tweaks here and there (more Balance Blend™ please, in case we haven’t said it enough already) but 1-Db Overdrive is certainly effective in all the ways it promises to be.
As you know by now though, it’s not without risk. There’s a saying that goes “no one ever achieved greatness by playing it safe”, and if you agree with this then maybe 1-Db Overdrive is something you should try.
But we’d be lying if we said there aren’t alternative products out there that offer similar benefits with less risk. If you prefer to play it a bit safer, or don’t want to rely too heavily on stimulants, then 1-Db Overdrive is probably 1-Db Overkill for you.
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