If you want a pre-workout supplement which pulls out all the stops, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump seems to fit the bill perfectly. One look at its comprehensive list, you get the feeling it’ll jack you up for your workouts, as you’ll find out in this review.
Table of Contents
About Universal Nutrition Animal Pump
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump is “The Pre-Workout Muscle-Volumizing Stack,” per its official website. Formula notes:
- Has a ton of ingredients. Manufacturer tries to pull out all the stops.
- Solid source of vitamin C and selenium. 100 percent and 143 percent of the daily value, respectively.
- Non-conformist. One of the few encapsulated pre-workout formulas on the market.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump Supplement Facts (1 Pack) |
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Servings Per Container: 30 Serving Size: 1 Pack | ||
Nutrient | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value |
Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) | 60 mg | 100% |
Magnesium | 72 mg | 18% |
Selenium (as sodium selenite) | 100 mcg | 143% |
Foundational Creatine Matrix with Creapure® & Creatine MagnaPower® | 3000 mg | |
Creatine Monohydrate | ** | |
Tricreatine Matrix (TM)(creatine gluconate, creatine orotate, creatine AKG) | ** | |
Magnesium Creatine Chelate | ** | |
NO Blast Complex | 2000 mg | |
Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (Arginine-AKG) | ** | |
Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (Ornithine-AKG) | ** | |
Citrulline Malate | ** | |
L-Carnosine | ** | |
L-Norvaline | ** | |
Energy Rush Complex | 500 mg | |
Methylxanthine Complex (caffeine, theobromine, theophylline) | ** | |
Evodiamine | ** | |
Vinpocetine | ** | |
Antioxidant Complex | 700 mg | |
Grapeseed Extract (polyphenols) | ** | |
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) | ** | |
Green Tea Leaf Extract (EGCG) | ** | |
Na-R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (Na-R-ALA) | ** | |
Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF™ and Bioperine® | 1000 mg | |
Taurine | ** | |
Ginger Root (gingerols, shogaols) | ** | |
Cinnamon Bark Extract | ** | |
Fenugreek Seed Extract (4-hydroxyisoleucine) | ** | |
Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract | ** | |
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Dicalcium phosphate, gelatin, Methylxanthine Complex (caffeine anhydrous, kola nut seed powder and guarana seed powder), microcrystalline cellulose, maltodextrin, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide, evodiae root extract, vinca minor L. extract, FD&C yellow #5 & #6, FD&C red #40, FD&C blue #1, pharmaceutical glaze. Made in a GMP facility on equipment that processes milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and wheat. | ||
Directions: As a supplement, take 1 pack a day. On training days, take 1 pack 30 minutes prior to training, preferably on an empty stomach. On non-training days, take 1 pack first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. |
Chase the Pump With This Encapsulated Pre-Workout Formula
We’ve sized up several Universal Nutrition bodybuilding supplements here on B5. One of these is Universal Nutrition Animal Whey, a protein supplement with 25 grams of protein per scoop. However, its filler-laden content pulled its value way down.
From the same product line comes Universal Nutrition Animal Pak, a multivitamin whose impressive formulation blew us away. We daresay it’s the best Universal Nutrition product we’ve reviewed to date.
Let’s see if Universal Nutrition Animal Pump can do it one better. Here’s the deal: if you’ve been on the lookout for a pre-workout supplement which gives you insane muscle pumps, this one’s the real deal.
“The process of muscle volumization is critical to muscle growth. With Animal Pump, we at Animal designed a formula specifically to ‘up the volume’ while improving performance,” per the manufacturer’s official website.
“Animal Pump was the first encapsulated pre-workout formula that contained a full daily dose of advanced creatines in each pre-dosed pack, fortified by vasodilation ingredients intended to maximize the pump by boosting nitric oxide (NO) production,” per the same source.
This is no ordinary pre-workout. In fact, it’s a non-traditional pre-workout which comes in encapsulated form (one pack has seven capsules). If you’re used to the traditional powdered form, you’re in for a major paradigm shift with Universal Nutrition Animal Pump.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine or if you train at night, you may want to skip this stimulant. One of the capsules in the pack is red. That’s where all the stimulants are (caffeine anhydrous, kola nut seed powder, and guarana seed powder).
You can choose to set this red capsule aside if these stimulants aren’t up your alley. The manufacturer’s official webpage dubs this “flexiblity you rarely find in traditional bodybuilding supplementation.” We agree wholeheartedly.
Our first impression: Universal Nutrition Animal Pump is one non-conformist pre-workout formula which pulls out all the stops. Let’s cross our fingers it exceeds lofty expectations.
Foundational Creatine Matrix with Creapure & Creatine MagnaPower, 3,000 mg
If you’re looking for a pre-workout supplement with an assortment of creatine, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump fits the bill perfectly. Its Foundational Creatine Matrix with Creapure & Creatine MagnaPower is equal to 3,000 milligrams.
Creatine is an organic acid combination of the three amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. It is a time-tested bodybuilding supplement ingredient which has the following benefits:
- Increases workout intensity
- Ramps up energy levels
- Hydrates muscle cells
- Increases muscle mass and strength
- Enhances cognitive function
- Keeps bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in check
Researchers have been raving about creatine’s benefits as a pre-workout supplement ingredient. When endurance athletes take it prior to training, it helps ward off creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). These are two markers of muscle damage. What’s more is it helps keep myostatin (a protein which gets in the way of muscle growth) levels when an individual does strength training.
You can see for yourself the benefits of creatine are tremendous. Leading the charge for Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Foundational Creatine Matrix with Creapure & Creatine MagnaPower blend is creatine monohydrate, the cheapest and most effective of its kind on the market.
Unfortunately, the knock against creatine monohydrate is poor solubility. That explains why many bodybuilding supplement manufacturers include other kinds of creatine – to offset creatine monohydrate’s shortcoming.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump has a Tricreatine Matrix (TCM) which includes creatine gluconate, creatine orotate, and creatine alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). These components are uncommon in pre-workout supplements (perhaps with the exception of creatine AKG). One thing’s for sure: they’re not as potent as their monohydrate counterpart.
On the other hand, this pre-workout also has magnesium creatine chelate, which is creatine bonded to the mineral magnesium. Experts say it has better absorption properties than creatine monohydrate.
Plus, you get the extra benefits of magnesium (improved blood pressure levels and sleep quality, optimal muscle and nerve function, better heart health, etc.). You can’t go wrong with magnesium creatine chelate.
All in all, we were impressed with Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Foundational Creatine Matrix with Creapure & Creatine Magnapower blend, which has two top-notch creatine brands. We’re confident it’ll help you reap creatine’s full benefits.
The bad news: this blend is proprietary in nature. Notice the manufacturer doesn’t break down the individual ingredient amounts. In fact, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s other blends are also proprietary. Universal Nutrition has a reputation for shady transparency, and it continues with its signature pre-workout.
NO Blast Complex, 2,000 mg
Most bodybuilding enthusiasts can’t get enough of the pump. In fact, it’s the main motivation behind Animal Pump (the product name should be a dead giveaway).
“It is also the means by which oxygen and nutrient-rich blood engorges working muscle, feeding it so that it can grow. Not only does it make you look bigger, blowing up the target muscle group like a balloon, (but) it actually makes you bigger, triggering the process of anabolism,” per the manufacturer’s official webpage.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s NO Blast Complex takes up one two-gram capsule. Here, you can find the nitric-oxide-boosting components for increased vasodilation and muscle pumps.
First up is arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). If you’re a supplement junkie, you should know by now l-arginine is an alpha amino acid and precursor to nitric oxide (NO), the compound which helps improve blood flow. When that happens, expect better nutrient uptake, healthier blood pressure levels, and insane muscle pumps.
However, experts have had mixed sentiments toward l-arginine. For one, they say it has poor absorption rates. According to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s April 17, 2012 issue (via BioMedCentral.com), “Acute AAKG (arginine alpha-ketoglutarate) supplementation provided no ergogenic benefit, regardless of the subjects’ training status.”
The takeaway: arginine alpha-ketoglutarate is not the best option if you want to reap the full benefits of a pre-workout supplement. You’re better off supplementing with l-citrulline and the like for pre-workout purposes.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump also has ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (ornithine AKG), a compound which is a precursor to the popular bodybuilding supplement ingredient glutamine. Ornithine AKG helps increase muscle mass and strength. It also helps preserve muscle. It’s not a common pre-workout ingredient, but we believe it’ll do the trick.
Next up is citrulline malate, another pre-workout superstar. This is the non-essential amino acid l-citrulline bonded to malic acid. Long story short, l-citrulline has the same impressive nitric-oxide-boosting properties as l-arginine, but it has better absorption properties (moreso when combined with malic acid). We vouch for its inclusion in Universal Nutrition Animal Pump 100 percent. When it comes to insane muscle pumps, l-citrulline should be your go-to.
The NO Blast Complex’s fourth component is carnosine, a dipeptide and combination of beta-alanine and histidine. To sum things up, the higher your muscle carnosine levels are, the greater your capacity to ward off exercise fatigue. Just like l-citrulline, carnosine is another bona fide pre-workout superstar.
The final ingredient of the NO Blast Complex is l-norvaline, an amino acid which destroys the nitric oxide ceiling (the body produces an enzyme known as arginase which limits nitric oxide production). L-norvaline puts a stop to that. We love its inclusion in Universal Nutrition Animal Pump. We’re hoping more pre-workout manufacturers follow suit.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s NO Blast Complex features several impressive ingredients (with the exception of arginine AKG and perhaps ornithine AKG) which should help increase your muscle pumps.
However, a measly two-gram serving makes us question this complex’s potency. Think about it: other pre-workouts such as iSatori MORPH XTREME have an insane seven grams of l-citrulline per serving. Animal Pump is light years behind.
Energy Rush Complex, 700 mg
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Energy Rush Complex takes is equal to 700 milligrams. Here, you will find several stimulants and energy-boosting ingredients which will help rev up your engine for a hard workout. First up is the Methylxanthine Complex, which takes has three sub-components: caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline.
Caffeine has several impressive ingredients:
- Increases energy levels
- Boosts fat loss and liver function
- Wards off free radicals
- Enhances cognitive function
- Regulates blood sugar levels
- Improves exercise performance
No wonder caffeine is arguably the world’s most popular stimulant. However, it’s also a bona fide double-edged sword: too much may result in sleeplessness, nervousness, frequent urination, palpitations, muscle tremors, and the like. Whenever a supplement with caffeine is on your radar, please proceed with caution.
As for theobromine, it’s a natural ingredient of cocoa and caffeine alternative which helps increase focus and energy levels, improve blood flow, and ramp up good (HDL) cholesterol levels. The downside: research on theobromine as a pre-workout ingredient hasn’t been as extensive as caffeine. The jury is still out on the former.
The last component of the Methylxanthine Complex is theophylline, a natural metabolite of caffeine, alkaloid, and natural ingredient of cacao beans. Physicians prescribe theophylline to individuals with breathing issues. It’s not a staple pre-workout ingredient. On that note, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump could’ve done without it.
Next up is evodiamine, a by-product of the Evodiae fructus plant. It also goes by the name wu-chu-yu, which the Chinese have used as an herbal fat-burning supplement for centuries. It also helps increase energy levels and suppress appetite. Studies on evodiamine haven’t been extensive, so it’s not as time-tested as other thermogenics.
The last component of Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Energy Rush Complex is vinpocetine, a compound from the periwinkle plant. Fitness experts believe vinpocetine helps increase vasodilation and ward off inflammation. It also helps boost vision, enhance mood, and improve sleep quality.
Vinpocetine also doesn’t enjoy the stellar reputation of more popular bodybuilding supplement ingredients such as l-citrulline. Perhaps more studies involving the former should be in the offing.
Our take: most of the components of Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Energy Rush Complex have question marks (with the exception of caffeine) because studies on them aren’t extensive for the purpose of bodybuilding benefits. If you need a serious energy jolt, the likes of beta-alanine, BCAAs, and B vitamins would’ve sufficed.
Antioxidant Complex, 700 mg
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Antioxidant Complex is one of the things which sets it apart from other pre-workout supplements. Exercise results in free radical damage. Antioxidants help offset that. Plus, they help keep inflammation at bay, ward off fatigue, and heal muscle tissue. The Antioxidant Complex is equal to 700 milligrams.
Leading the charge is grape seed extract, which has the following benefits:
- Helps boost cardiovascular function
- Keeps cholesterol levels in check
- Regulates blood sugar levels
- Keeps free radicals at bay
We have nothing against grape seed extract – it’s a great asset to any bodybuilding supplement. We’re confident it’ll help boost your long-term health.
The second component of the Antioxidant Complex is n-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a compound which helps ramp up glutathione levels (glutathione is one of the most powerful antioxidants). NAC also helps boost liver and brain function. We like this ingredient, and so do many health experts – it’ll help you in more ways than one.
Next up is green tea leaf extract. Green tea is arguably the world’s healthiest beverage. It helps enhance cognitive function, ward off free radicals, increase fat loss, boost heart health, and regulate blood sugar levels. We have absolutely no doubts about the benefits of green tea. We’re glad it’s in Universal Nutrition Animal Pump.
The final component of the Antioxidant Complex is na-R-alpha lipoic acid. Simply known as R-lipoic acid, this ingredient helps boost brain health, shorten muscle recovery time, ramp up creatine uptake, increase muscle pumps, regulate blood sugar levels, and keep free radicals at bay.
Experts have vouched for the effectiveness of alpha-lipoic acid. We, do too. We’re confident it will exceed your expectations.
All in all, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s Antioxidant Complex’s solid formulation should help you achieve your pre-workout goals. Look no further than its time-tested components which should deliver the goods.
Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF and BioPerine, 1,000 mg
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump has several additional components which should help you get the most out of your pre-workout experience. They’re in the Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF and BioPerine, which is equal to a total of one gram.
Leading the charge is taurine, one of the most versatile amino acids. Check out its important health benefits:
- Keeps oxidative stress at bay
- Boosts fat loss
- Improves insulin sensitivity
- Increases testosterone levels and endurance
- Shortens recovery time
- Boosts cardiovascular function
- Improves sleep quality
- Enhances cognitive function
With a plethora of benefits, taurine is a great asset to any pre-workout formula. It’s a great inclusion, to say the least.
The next component is ginger root (gingerols, shogaols). If you want to stave off inflammation, this is one of your best bets. Ginger also helps boost digestion and fat loss, regulate immunity, and regulate blood sugar levels. It’s one superfood you want in your pre-workout, or any bodybuilding supplement, for that matter.
Next up is cinnamon bark extract. This natural ingredient helps regulate blood sugar levels, keep bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in check, stifle bacterial activity, and ward off free radicals and inflammation. Not only are these great pre-workout benefits, but they’re awesome long-term ones, as well.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump also has fenugreek seed extract (4-hydroxyisoleucine). These seeds help regulate liver and pancreas function, keep cholesterol levels in check, ward off constipation, boost digestion, improves sexual function, and keep free radicals at bay. You simply can’t go wrong with this ingredient.
This pre-workout’s final key ingredient is Piper nigrum fruit extract. Simply known as black pepper fruit extract, it helps improve nutrient absorption for better overall results. It also helps provide the body with minerals such as potassium, zinc, iron, and magnesium. Their combined benefits include better heart health, improved sleep quality and muscle contraction, and healthy blood pressure levels.
It’s clear the Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF and BioPerine is a solid combination of ingredients which should benefit your long-term health. It helps distinguish Universal Nutrition Animal Pump from other pre-workout formulas.
Let’s check out the formula ingredients:
- Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), 60 mg: Universal Nutrition Animal Pump is a great source of vitamin C at 100 percent of the daily value (a minimum daily value of 15 percent is high). This much should help ward off free radicals, keep the common cold at bay, regulate blood vessel function, improve cardiovascular health, promote healthy blood pressure levels, and boost vision.
- Magnesium, 72 mg: This pre-workout supplement is a solid source of magnesium at 18 percent of the daily value. Magnesium helps improve sleep quality, regulate blood pressure levels, boost heart health, promote optimal muscle and nerve function, relax muscles, and strengthen bones.
- Selenium (as sodium selenite), 100 mcg: Universal Nutrition Animal Pump is a tremendous source of selenium at 143 percent of the daily value. This mineral helps regulate immunity, ward off free radicals, boost heart health, regulate thyroid function, and boost hair health.
Foundational Creatine Matrix with Creapure & Creatine MagnaPower, 3,000 mg
- Creatine monohydrate: A time-tested bodybuilding supplement ingredient which helps increase muscle mass and athletic performance. It also helps hydrate muscle cells, boost brain function, and keep bad (LDL) cholesterol levels in check. Creatine monohydrate is the most effective of its kind on the market.
- Tri-Creatine Matrix (TCM)(creatine gluconate, creatine orotate, creatine AKG): three different kinds of creatine which are not as effective as their creatine monohydrate counterpart.
- Magnesium creatine chelate: This is creatine bonded to magnesium (which explains why Universal Nutrition Animal Pump is a solid source of this mineral). Experts believe this form of creatine has better absorption prowess than creatine monohydrate.
NO Blast Complex, 2,000 mg
- Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (Arginine AKG): A form of the vasodilator l-arginine which helps improve blood flow. However, many experts are skeptical about this ingredient’s ability to improve athletic performance.
- Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (Ornithine AKG): A compound which acts as a precursor to glutamine, which helps preserve muscle mass, increase human growth hormone (HGH) levels, and improve gut function.
- Citrulline malate: This is the non-essential amino acid l-citrulline bonded to malic acid. The former is a popular vasodilator which helps increase muscle pumps and boost nutrient uptake. When l-citrulline combines with malic acid, it helps increase endurance levels.
- L-carnosine: A dipeptide and combination of beta-alanine and histidine which helps increase exercise capacity and ward off fatigue.
- L-norvaline: This amino acid does away with the nitric oxide ceiling which the arginase enzyme produces. As a result, blood flow improves and muscle pumps increase.
Energy Rush Complex, 700 mg
- Methylxanthine Complex (caffeine, theobromine, theophylline): Caffeine helps increase energy levels, boost fat loss, and increase exercise performance. However, it also may cause a spike-crash effect, nervousness, jitters, and sleeplessness. On the other hand, theobromine is a natural cocoa ingredient and caffeine alternative. Experts remain unconvinced about its ergogenic benefits. Finally, theophylline is a natural cacao ingredient which doctors normally prescribe to patients with breathing issues.
- Evodiamine: A Chinese plant which helps boost fat loss, ramp up energy levels, and suppress appetite.
- Vinpocetine: A compound from the periwinkle plant which helps increase vasodilation, keep inflammation at bay, and improve vision and sleep quality.
Antioxidant Complex, 700 mg
- Grape seed extract: An ingredient which helps improve heart health, keep cholesterol levels in check, regulate blood sugar levels, and ward off free radicals.
- N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): A compound which helps increase levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. NAC also helps regulate brain and liver function.
- Green tea leaf extract: A beverage which helps enhance cognitive function, keep free radicals at bay, boost fat loss, improve cardiovascular function, and promote healthy blood sugar levels.
- Na-R-alpha lipoic acid (Na-R-ALA): A component which helps improve cognitive function, shorten recovery time, increase creatine intake and muscle pumps, regulate blood sugar levels, and ward off free radicals.
Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF and BioPerine, 1,000 mg
- Taurine: A versatile amino acid which helps ward off oxidative stress, increase fat loss, testosterone levels, and endurance; improve insulin sensitivity, shorten recovery time, boost heart health, and enhance cognitive function.
- Ginger root (gingerols, shogaols): Ginger helps ward off inflammation, boost digestion and fat loss, strengthen immunity, and promote healthy blood sugar levels.
- Cinnamon bark extract: Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar levels, keep bad (LDL) cholesterol levels in check, and ward off inflammation, free radicals, and bacterial activity.
- Fenugreek seed extract (4-hydroxyisoleucine): These helps improve liver and pancreatic function, keep cholesterol levels in check, regulate the digestive system, enhance sexual function, and ward off free radicals.
- Piper nigrum fruit extract: Black pepper fruit extract helps improve nutrient bioavailability for better overall results. It’s also a source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and potassium.
Formula Analysis
The manufacturer dubs Universal Nutrition Animal Pump its “Pre-Workout Muscle Volumizing Stack,” per its official website. You can tell right off the bat this product tries to cover all the pre-workout bases.
Our take: it covers most of it, but not all. While most of the ingredients are spot on, some were underwhelming. You’ll see an assortment of creatine types, nitric oxide boosters, stimulants, antioxidants, and bonus ingredients which should work synergistically to give you the pre-workout edge you need.
One thing’s for sure, though: Universal Nutrition Animal Pump won’t jack you up mentally as much as MuscleTech VITALIGENIX NEURO (which can also double as a powerful nootropic). The former gives you the traditional pre-workout benefits. On the other hand, the latter stimulates your mind like no pre-workout could.
Nonetheless, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump will make a difference. You begin with the creatine monohydrate and creatine magnesium chelate components, expect to increase muscle mass and athletic performance, for sure (unfortunately, the Tri-Creatine Matrix’s components don’t cut it for us).
Most of the NO Blast Complex’s most ingredients (except for arginine alpha-ketoglutarate) impressed us. We’re confident these will help increase vasodilation, endurance, and muscle pumps.
However, a two-gram serving is light years behind the likes of the aforementioned iSatori MORPH XTREME (whose citrulline malate content alone is a whopping seven grams). Bottom line: Universal Nutrition Animal Pump won’t pump you up as much as other pre-workouts.
As for the Energy Rush Complex, it has the biggest question mark hovering above its head. Supplement junkies aren’t familiar with components such as theobromine, theophylline, evodiamine, and vinpocentine. You can’t blame them: research on these as pre-workout ingredients have remained inconclusive at best.
Plus, caffeine (another Energy Rush Complex ingredient) is a bona fide double-edged sword. Perhaps the manufacturer should have left out the Energy Rush Complex and resorted to other reliable energy boosters such as BCAAs, B vitamins, and the like.
On the other hand, we love the Antioxidant Complex – it features solid ingredients such as grape seed extract, NAC, green tea leaf extract, and alpha-lipoic acid. We’re glad they’re part of Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s pre-workout arsenal.
We also have the same sentiment for the Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF and BioPerine. You simply can’t go wrong with the likes of taurine, ginger root, cinnamon bark extract, fenugreek seed extract, and Piper nigrum fruit extract. Among their combined benefits include better heart health, enhanced sexual function, increased resistance to inflammation, and improved digestion.
Plus, we laud the manufacturer for Universal Nutrition Animal Pump’s solid vitamin C (100 percent of the daily value) and selenium (143 percent of the daily value) amounts. Bear in mind the former is a powerful antioxidant while the latter helps ward off free radicals and boost heart health. The magnesium amount (18 percent of the daily value) isn’t too shabby, either.
Customers who want a non-traditional way of consuming a pre-workout supplement will love Universal Nutrition Animal Pump. We’re talking about an encapsulated pre-workout here (like we said, you can choose to skip the red capsule if you’re iffy about stimulants). If you’re uncomfortable consuming seven capsules to get a much-needed pre-workout kick, Universal Nutrition Animal Pump isn’t for you.
In terms of reputation, many customers have given Universal Nutrition Animal Pump high marks online. They say it exceeded their expectations. However, some of them say it didn’t. We attribute this to some of the questionable ingredients and measly two-gram serving of the NO Blast Complex.
Universal Nutrition has a reputation for including fillers in its supplements. The trend hasn’t stopped with this pre-workout – it has FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, and FD&C Red No. 40, and FD&C Blue No. 1. You can see for yourself their side effects aren’t pretty at all. The company should’ve held off on these.
The manufacturer also has a habit of including proprietary blends in its supplements. Once again, this is blatantly obvious in Universal Nutrition Animal Pump. All five ingredient blends are proprietary in nature (the manufacturer doesn’t break down the individual ingredient amounts). These don’t bode well for consumers at all.
The takeaway: this “Pre-Workout Muscle Volumizing Stack” will make a difference, but it’s not the best pre-workout on the market. Not by a long shot.
It’s not a bad product, but we get the feeling the company tried to do a bit too much. It overlooked several intangibles in the process. It could’ve practiced better transparency and included cleaner ingredients, for starters. You can give it a shot, and see what it can do for you.
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump Benefits
“With Animal Pump, we at Animal designed a formula specifically to ‘up the volume’ while improving performance…Easy to use, convenient to carry in your pocket or gym bag, Animal Pump delivers in the gym every time. Blowing up your muscles and helping you destroy the weights, there’s no feeling quite like it,” per the manufacturer’s official website.
Who Takes It?
The manufacturer intended Universal Nutrition Animal Pump for healthy and active individuals who are at least 18 years of age who want to increase endurance, muscle mass, and pumps; improve exercise performance, boost overall health, and achieve their daily fitness goals.
Any Side Effects?
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump contains FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Red No. 40, and FD&C Blue No. 1, artificial food colorings which have several side effects.
This pre-workout supplement also contains caffeine, an ingredient which may cause a spike-crash effect, jitters, nervousness, and sleeplessness in some individuals.
If these, or any other ingredient, make you feel doubtful, please consult your physician before buying Universal Nutrition Animal Pump.
The manufacturer also issues a warning:
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump Review Summary
Pros
- Impressive formulation. Most of the components should help give you the pre-workout edge you need.
- Non-conformist. One of the few encapsulated pre-workout formulas on the market.
- Creatine monohydrate and creatine magnesium chelate. Help increase muscle mass and athletic performance.
- Antioxidant Complex. Has ingredients which help ward off free radicals and boost long-term health.
- Pump Transport Complex with Cinnulin PF and BioPerine. Also provides several crucial health benefits.
- Solid vitamin C and selenium amounts. Help keep free radicals at bay, improve heart health, and ward off free radicals.
- Good reputation. Customers have given it good marks online.
Cons
- Caffeine content. Bona fide double-edged sword.
- Questionable ingredients. The likes of arginine-AKG, theobromine, theophylline, evodiamine, and vinpocetine don’t have proven track records.
- Mediocre pump. NO Blast Complex takes up just two grams worth of ingredients.
- Poor transparency. Has five proprietary blends.
- Dirty ingredients. Contains several artificial food colorings with side effects.
Pricing & Where to Buy
- 1 Pack (30-Day Supply): $37.95
- Available online and in retail
Final Word on Universal Nutrition Animal Pump
The key takeaway: Universal Nutrition Animal Pump is big on hype, but comes up short on its promise. At first glance, it looks like a loaded pre-workout supplement, but some of the components just don’t measure up. It’ll help you gain an edge, but please take our word for it: lower your expectations.
We recommend you try Universal Nutrition Animal Pump. When the manufacturer wises up and cleans up its act (literally), we may recommend you buy it.
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