When we look for tools we often shop for those that can do plenty of things in one package.
A good example would be the Swiss-Army knife. It has a wine opener, a knife, a can-opener, scissors, a saw, even a screw driver. Heck, some even have spoons and lighters!
When it comes to PWOs, we’re also looking for one that functions like a Swiss-Army Knife IN THE HANDS OF MACGYVER… and we might just have one here
GNC’s Beyond RAW® RAVAGETM looks to be the go-to PWO when it comes to maximum utilization as it comes with not one, not two, but five freakin’ blends that seem to cover all bases for training and recovery. Let’s check it out, bro.
Table of Contents
About Beyond RAW RAVAGE
RAVAGE is billed as an “advanced hybrid pre-workout muscle-builder.” It has a lot of ingredients, followed with bold claims such as being able to deliver incredible muscle pumps, providing extreme energy and calorie burning, as well as having “1 Fully Loaded, Powerful Scoop.” Looking at its LOOOOONG list of ingredients, we’re hoping RAVAGE isn’t just your typical kitchen-sink supplement. Formula notes:
- One huge scoop: A big scoop means bigger room for effective dosages in just one serving.
- 24 ingredients: Will the scoop size be enough for all 24 ingredients?
- All dosages shown: Less guess work, more objective review. It matters a lot since we’re dealing with more than a handful of ingredients.
Beyond RAW RAVAGE Supplement Facts |
|
| Serving Size: 1 Scoop (21.7 g) Servings Per Container: 20 |
|
| Ingredients | Amount Per Serving |
| Niacin (as Nicotinic Acid) | 20 mg (100% DV) |
| Calcium | 12 mg (1% DV) |
| Sodium | 20 mg (1%) |
| Potassium | 20 mg (1%) |
| Mind Muscle Matrix | |
| Caffeine | 200 mg |
| Choline (as Choline Bitartrate) | 100 mg |
| L-Tyrosine | 100 mg |
| CapsimaxTM Red Pepper Extract (Capsicum annuum) (fruit) | 100 mg |
| Zembrin® Sceletium tortuosum Extract (aerial parts) | 25 mg |
| Piperine Beadlets (Piper nigrum) (fruit) (Standardized for Black Pepper) | 5 mg |
| Advanced Power Maximizer | |
| Betaine (as BETAPOWER® Betaine Anhydrous) | 2.5 g |
| Micronized L-Leucine | 2 g |
| Rhodiola Rosea Extract (Rhodiola rosea L.) (root) | 100 mg |
| Hardcore Pump Intensifier | |
| Arginine (as L-Arginine AKG) | 1 g |
| Glycerol (as Glycerol Stearate) | 500 mg |
| Agmatine (as Agmatine Sulfate) | 250 mg |
| Micronized L-Citrulline | 200 mg |
| resVida® trans-Resveratrol | 30 mg |
| Yohimbe Bark Powder (Pausinystalia yohimbe) (bark) | 25 mg |
| Muscle Cell Module | |
| Creatine (as Micronized Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine HCl) | 3 g |
| L-Methionine | 100 mg |
| Muscle & Joint Optimizer | |
| Fast-Acting Proprietary Blend (Chinese Skullcap Root Extract [Scutellaria baicalensis], Cutch Tree Bark Extract [Acacia catechu]) | 62.5 mg |
| Beta-Alanine (as CarnoSyn®) | 3.2 g |
| Other Ingredients: Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Calcium Silicate, Silicon Dioxide, FD&C Red #40 | |
| Directions for use: As a dietary supplement, mix one scoop (21.7 grams) with 12 to 16 fl.oz. of water. Consume one serving 30 to 60 minutes before exercise. Only one ultra-concentrated scoop is needed. | |
Beyond RAW Ravage is a complex system of blends, expertly formulated for pre-workout & muscle-building results
We’ve seen our share of multiple-blend formulations with more than a handful of ingredients and it’s rare to see all those ingredients working together at the right dosage.
Beyond RAW Ravage is one of those diamonds in the rough. Even with more than 20 ingredients it manages to get the most out of its structure and synergy all with one powerful scoop.
Let’s have a closer look , starting with basics, then moving on to blends:
Niacin, 20 mg: A basic B-vitamin that provides support for your body’s daily metabolic functions.
Electrolytes: Calcium (12 mg), Sodium (20 mg), and Potassium (20 mg) function as electrolytes which can help hydrate muscles after a tough workout. It’s like drinking a shot or two of Gatorade.
Mind Muscle Matrix
This is the main energy source of RAVAGE packed with potent stimulants and nootropics that help prevent jitters or crashes, plus a standardized absorption booster. This blend definitely wants you to go from zero to sixty ASAP.
Caffeine, 200 mg: A generous dose of a staple ingredient in most stim stacks that can function as a fat burner at the same time; in fact, it’s one of our favorite fat-burners overall.
Red Pepper Extract, 100 mg: They use Capsimax®, a premium brand standardized to 2% Capsaicinoids to burn tons of fat and turn them all into energy.
Choline, 100 mg: “Just OK” form of an otherwise awesome nootropic. We really want Citicoline but I guess we can’t have everything.
L-Tyrosine, 100 mg: An excellent nootropic but the N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine form (NALT) is better absorbed and more powerful (which is why it’s used in advanced nootropic stacks that help you mentally dominate the F out of LIFE ITSELF)
Zembrin, 25 mg: A premium and concentrated brand of Sceletium tortuosum which is an exotic, rarely-seen nootropic that mainly functions as a mood enhancer and stress buster. They also hit the mark on the proper dosage. Good job!
Piperine beadlets, 5 mg: Ultra-pure form of black pepper extract that boosts absorption of almost any compound. It’s standardized, but no % is shown.
Advanced Power Maximizer
This blend is the weightlifting belt of this PWO: It helps you lift heavier and longer. It also has a good recovery booster for maximum gains post workout.
Betaine, 2.5 g: They use a premium brand that is 99% pure betaine. It’s an excellent ingredient for both power and gains plus a really huge pump. If that dose doesn’t get you pumped nothing will.
Leucine, 2 g: A premium form of an amino acid with protein synthesizing aka muscle building power. Being micronized will make mixing and absorption easier.
Rhodiola Extract, 100 mg: Powerful adaptogenic herb that also helps delay fatigue. The dosage is weak for stress but works well for fatigue. Awesome for brainpower.
Hardcore Pump Intensifier
This is the support for Advanced Power Maximizer which is all about pumps and nothing but pumps.
Arginine, 1 g: Best form of arginine that boosts N.O. and physical performance. Dosage is a bit weak but the rest of the blend’s ingredients provide synergy.
Glycerol, 500 mg: Organic compound that draws water into muscle cells improving cellular hydration, pumps, and nutrient absorption. It’s not the best for pumps compared to familiar ingredients but it does make them last longer since digestion and absorption of TAG takes more time than for N.O. to dissolve.
Agmatine, 250 mg: Arginine by-product that supports other “pump” ingredients. Works by regulating elevated levels of existing N.O.
L-Citrulline, 200 mg: Really small dose of an awesome PWO pump ingredient. It also improves endurance and reduces muscle soreness.
Resveratrol, 30 mg: It acts as an aromatase inhibitor (for more T) but also improves blood flow. It’s not better than nitric-oxide when it comes to pumps but the dose is more than enough for it work.
Yohimbe, 25 mg: Known as a sex enhancer but has fat burning properties specially at this very generous dosage. It’s known to treat ED as it can improve blood flow which could be the reason why it’s included in a pump blend.
Muscle Cell Module
This blend focuses not only on gains after every workout but also for a good boost in performance.
Creatine, 3g: Has two kinds of this muscle-gains ingredient: Micronized Creatine Monohydrate for quick absorption and Creatine HCl for all the benefits minus the bloating side effect. It’s already potent at that dosage but using these two quality ingredients all the more amplifies the effects.
L-Methionine, 100 mg: Essential for Creatine production and boosts its effects at the same time.
Muscle & Joint Optimizer
This blend seems to improve performance by focusing on the small details such as increased joint mobility and muscle function.
Fast-Acting Proprietary Blend, 62.5 mg: This blend combines Chinese Skullcap and Cutch Tree bark as these two herbs have shown promising results when it comes to alleviating joint pains, reducing stiffness, and improving mobility.
Beta-Alanine, 3.2 g: Last but certainly not the least, Beta-Alanine comes in a premium form (CarnoSyn®, the GOOD shit) and boosts performance and recovery. This dosage suggests things might get a little itchy but it’s often a side effect that fans of this ingredient see as a sign of potency.
“Did somebody say RAVAGE is like a Swiss-Army Knife in the hands of MACGYVER??”
Formula Analysis
Whoever researched this formula definitely did their homework as these ingredients weren’t all just mashed together just to sell something unlike the usual kitchen sink PWOs we know.
RAVAGE is so damn complicated though, we gotta break it down blend-by-blend:
Mind Muscle Matrix: The fat burner-stimulant combo of Caffeine and Red Pepper Extract is nothing short of effective. Of course they thought of the jitters and crash so they added Choline, Tyrosine, and a rare Zembrin. The icing on the cake was just the right amount of Piperine for really efficient absorption, so it gets you into lifting mood so fast the Flash would be proud.
Advanced Power Maximizer: This blend is one of their simplest yet most effective. It makes use of high quality performance enhancers in the form of BETAPOWER and Micronized L-Leucine which are supplied in sweet dosages. Top it all off with a good enough sprinkle of Rhodiola so you can both lift for more reps and fight stress.
Hardcore Pump Intensifier: This may be the weakest blend, due to less than optimum choice of ingredients and dosages, but we can’t overlook the smart formulation behind it. It offers a 1-2 punch combo as it comes with both nitric-oxide-based and non-nitric-oxide-based pumps. Yohimbe is a nice complementary nutrient for improved blood flow which acts as “pump support” for the whole blend.
Muscle Cell Molecule: This blend was created for gains and more lifting power thanks to two ingredients that go hand in hand. Creatine is already considered a staple, top tier ingredient in PWOs and adding high quality forms and a good dose will make any bro happy. L-Methionine is a good partner to Creatine and is dosed enough to influence Creatine production and boost its benefits.
Muscle & Joint Optimizer: Beta-Alanine’s effects on lifting performance and endurance is commendable and RAVAGE supplies it not just in a good dose but also in a premium form. Adding Chinese Skullcap and Cutch Tree Bark for improved mobility and delaying of fatigue is a unique approach but the dosage they used is too weak since the study it was based on utilized 500 mg per day.
Overall Beyond RAW RAVAGE is truly a “Swiss-Army Knife” PWO — a variety of usefulness that fits nicely in just one small package.
Beyond RAW RAVAGE Benefits
It’s definitely one of those PWOs that can talk the talk and walk the walk. All the hype is clearly justified. Muscle pumps, muscle building, workout intensity, mental focus, power, strength…. yeah, Beyond RAW Ravage does a lot, thanks to smart design by GNC.
Who Takes It?
Any athlete looking for a one-scoop PWO stack will most likely be happy customers with each serving. GNC shoppers will gravitate to RAVAGE, but it has a buzz outside the retail chain, as well.
Any Side Effects?
Tingles, a bit of sleeplessness, bloating due to scoop size, and sometimes makes you feel like taking a dump immediately but they’re all “regular” side effects specially for a PWO with this many ingredients.
Beyond RAW RAVAGE Summary
Pros
- One HUGE scoop. One serving makes room for a lot of magic.
- All in one approach. Little reason to stack it with anything else.
- Intelligent formula. Their science department wasn’t playing around.
- Fat burner. It’s a great secondary function.
- Mostly good forms. Better quality for efficient nutrient absorption.
- Decent dosages. A big scoop means bigger room for ingredients.
- Attention to detail. It has electrolytes and something for joint problems.
- Tingles. You know it’s working when you get the itch.
- Potent blends. Each one is like a PWO supp. on its own.
Cons
- Awful smell. Some users say it reeeeeeeks, bro.
- Questionable taste. It’s hard to mask 20+ flavors.
- Expensive. Premium price for only 20 servings.
Pricing & Buying Info
- 1 bottle (20 servings): $49.99
- Available online and in retail stores, especially GNC!
Final Word on Beyond RAW RAVAGE
Beyond RAW RAVAGE is like the MacGyver of PWOs. It’s smartly formulated with blends that can go solo and work together at the same time. It covers most if not all bases with most ingredients and dosages hitting the sweet spot. If you don’t mind the price, then RAVAGE might just be for you.
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