PUMPIES: For All The Pump Junkies – Axe & Sledge Supplements

The Pump Junkie Questionnaire

Instructions: answer the questions below.

Do you go into the gym on a mission to achieve the biggest pump possible?

Do you plan your entire day around the pump?

Is your workout considered a failure if you don’t get a pump?

Do you not feel like yourself without getting a good pump at least a few times per week?

Would you rather go to the gym than go on a date?

Do you spend more money on supplements that promise to give you skin-splitting pumps than food?

Do you despise high-stim pre-workouts because they may ruin your pump?

Have you ever eaten gummy bears during your workout?

Can you relate to Arnold Schwarzenegger when he describes how the pump feels in the movie Pumping Iron?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you may be a pump junkie and it’s your lucky day because we’ve got your next fix.

PUMPIES: The Ultimate Nitric Oxide Booster

Arguably, no one is a bigger pump junkie than Seth Feroce!

Not only is he a former 212 IFBB professional bodybuilder, but he still trains like one and even named his private training facility Pump Town. Since Seth is such a pump addict, he decided to make a supplement solely formulated to give you nasty pumps and it’s known as PUMPIES.

PUMPIES is a capsule-based nitric oxide booster that combines Nitrosigine® from Nutrition 21, LLC and VasoDrive-AP® from NovaNutra, LLC with epicatechins, pine bark extract, and vitamin C.

PUMPIES were formulated to significantly increase nitric oxide production resulting in bigger and longer-lasting pumps through vasodilation, or expansion, of your blood vessels. You can also expect better performance, increased recovery, and greater nutrient delivery to the working muscles.

In other words, welcome to Pump Town!

The Pump’s Role in Muscle Building

Before we dive into the formula behind PUMPIES, let’s cover what the “pump'' is and why it’s an important element for muscle building. The muscle pump refers to the temporary increase in muscle size that you experience from lifting weights.

According to researcher, Brad Schoenfeld, the three primary mechanisms that induce muscle hypertrophy are:

Mechanical tension - achieved by a combination of stretch and force generation within the muscle¹
Muscle damage - localized destruction to the muscle tissue¹
Metabolic stress - the buildup of metabolic byproducts such as lactate, hydrogen ions, creatine, and inorganic phosphate in the muscle tissue¹

All these factors seem to contribute to muscle hypertrophy; however, we are only going to discuss metabolic stress because of its relationship to the pump. Metabolic stress is the primary mechanism that induces the pump.

The more metabolic byproducts that build-up in the muscle, the more blood is pumped to that muscle. This is your body’s attempt to shuttle the metabolic byproducts away from that area.

In addition to that, the muscle cells simultaneously draw in water and expand in order which limits the amount of blood that can escape.

Therefore, the combination of metabolites, blood, and water accumulation results in expansion of the muscle cells resulting in the pump. So how does this lead to muscle growth?

It’s theorized that metabolic stress leads to alterations in cell-swelling, free-radical production, hormonal milieu, and growth-oriented transcription factors.¹ In other words, metabolic stress creates a cascade of events leading to a greater adaptive hypertrophic response.

Now that you know the importance of the pump, you’re probably wondering what’s the best way to get a pump?

Here are some tips and tricks for achieving a nasty pump:

Consume carbohydrates, such as Demo Day, before and during training
Stay well hydrated
Increase your sodium intake pre-workout and intra-workout
Lift in the 8-15 rep range
Shorten your rest periods
Lighten the weight
Avoid high amounts of stimulants around training

Another way you can maximize your pump is by taking a supplement that’s formulated with ingredients that increase nitric oxide production, such as Hydraulic or PUMPIES.

If you want to learn more about Hydraulic, check out this article:

Hydraulic: The Master of Pumps!

Keep reading to see what PUMPIES has to offer!

PUMPIES Ingredient Breakdown

Every bottle of PUMPIES contains 100 capsules which works out to 20 servings if you take the full five capsule serving.

Here’s what 1 serving, or 5 capsules, of PUMPIES contains:

Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) - 135mg (150% DV)

Vitamin C, as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant that offers a host of health benefits. Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, neurotransmitters, and L-carnitine.² It’s also involved in protein metabolism, the immune system, absorption of iron, and maintaining a healthy skeletal system.²

Although vitamin C takes on many roles in the body, we added it to PUMPIES due to its ability to increase nitric oxide bioavailability.³ In other words, vitamin C helps your body utilize the nitric oxide that’s being produced by the other ingredients in PUMPIES. Who knew such a simple addition could lead to longer-lasting pumps!

Nitrosigine® - 1,500mg

The first branded ingredient in PUMPIES is Nitrosigine® which is a patented complex of arginine, inositol, and silicate from Nutrition 21, LLC.

Arginine is a common ingredient in sports nutrition; however, pure L-arginine in isolation has poor bioavailability. A large percentage of arginine is destroyed in the stomach and not absorbed well; therefore, it cannot be used by the body very effectively for nitric oxide production.

Fortunately, Nutrition 21 discovered that adding inositol and silicate to arginine significantly improved its bioavailability. In fact, a 2016 study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal found that inositol-stabilized arginine silicate increased plasma levels of arginine to a much greater extent than arginine hydrochloride.⁴

Furthermore, a 2020 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that 1.5 grams of Nitrosigine® increased blood flow the same amount as 8 grams of citrulline malate. This just goes to show that on a gram-to-gram basis that Nitrosigine® is more powerful than citrulline malate.⁴

Over 30 studies have been conducted and shown that Nitrosigine® can:

Increase blood flow and nitric oxide levels^4-10
Improve cognitive flexibility in 15 minutes^4-10
Raise arginine levels in as little as 30 minutes and keep them elevated for up to 6 hours^4-10
Enhance energy levels, cognitive function, mental acuity, and focus^4-10
Reduce markers of muscle damage^4-10
Improve muscle recovery^4-10

As you can see, the benefits of Nitrosigine® goes far beyond the pump and we use the full clinically studied dose at 1,500 milligrams so you can get all that it has to offer!

Learn more about Nitrosigine®

VasoDrive-AP® - 508mg

The second branded ingredient in PUMPIES is VasoDrive-AP® from NovaNutra, LLC. VasoDrive-AP® is composed of two low molecular weight lactotripeptides named isoleucine-proline-proline (IPP) and valine-proline-proline (VPP) derived from hydrolyzed milk casein.

Studies have shown that these lactotripeptides have the unique ability to inhibit the breakdown of angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE).¹¹ ACE is responsible for vasoconstriction which is the opposite of vasodilation. Vasoconstriction leads to narrowing of the blood vessels, which is not what we want when the pump is our goal.

A study published in the journal Nutrients found that VasoDrive-AP® supplementation led to decreased blood pressure.¹¹ This finding suggests that VasoDrive-AP® is effective at expanding your blood vessels, allowing for blood to flow more efficiently throughout the body.

Since Nitrosigine® and VasoDrive-AP® target two different pathways they work synergistically to increase pumps, performance, and blood flow! It’s important to point out that PUMPIES carry a milk allergy since they feature VasoDrive-AP® which is sourced from milk. Check with a healthcare professional if you are allergic to milk before taking PUMPIES.

Epicatechins 90% (Camellia sinensis leaf) - 150mg

The second to last ingredient in PUMPIES is epicatechin which is derived from Camellia sinensis leaf. Epicatechin is a bioactive flavanol that’s naturally present in various foods such as dark chocolate and tea leaves.^12-13

Since epicatechin seems to be capable of inhibiting myostatin, it’s often found in natural muscle builders. Myostatin is a protein in the body that negatively affects muscle growth. So, what is epicatechin doing in a nitric oxide supplement?

Well beyond its ability to down regulate myostatin, epicatechin is also capable of elevating nitric oxide production and mitochondrial synthesis through activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).^13-14

As we know by now, greater nitric oxide production results in more blood flow and nutrient delivery to the working muscles. In other words, longer-lasting pumps, improved performance, and better recovery!

Other benefits of epicatechins include:

Enhanced insulin sensitivity¹⁵
Increased strength and muscle growth¹²
Improved endurance¹⁶

As you can see, epicatechins have a lot of health and performance benefits to offer!

Pine Bark Extract (Pinus pinaster) - 100mg

The last active ingredient in PUMPIES is 100 milligrams of pine bark extract, also known as Pinus pinaster. Pine bark extract is rich in various polyphenols including pycnogenol, catechins, phenolic acids, and procyanidins which are attributed to its health promoting properties.

Research suggests that pine bark extract has cardiovascular benefits because of its ability to promote relaxation of blood vessels, inhibit ACE, and improve microcirculation via enhancing capillary permeability.¹⁷

Pine bark extract expresses powerful antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and anti-inflammatory properties.¹⁷ Overall, pine bark extract is a solid way to round out PUMPIES’ formula.

Suggested Use

Although the full serving size is 5 capsules, we recommend starting with 2-3 capsules to assess your tolerance. For optimal results, new users should take 2-3 capsules and advanced users should take 5 capsules 30-40 minutes before exercising.

Since this is a capsule-based product, it takes a bit longer for the body to digest and absorb the ingredients. Do not take more than 5 capsules in a 24-hour period.

Stacking

PUMPIES stack well with:

Ignition Switch

Take 3-5 capsules of PUMPIES with 1 scoop of Ignition Switch
Consume 30 minutes before training

Seventh Gear

Take 3-5 capsules of PUMPIES with 1 scoop of Seventh Gear
Consume 30 minutes before training

Actual Intelligence

Take 3-5 capsules of PUMPIES with 2 capsules of Actual Intelligence
Consume 30-40 minutes before training

Demo Day

Take 3-5 capsules of PUMPIES with ½-1 scoop of Demo Day
Consume 30 minutes before training

Hydraulic

Take 2-3 capsules of PUMPIES with 1-1 ½ scoops of Hydraulic
Consume 30 minutes before training

Welcome to Pump Town!

Whether you consider yourself to be a pump junkie or not, the pump is an important component for maximizing muscle growth. So, it’s a good idea to consider taking supplements that increase nitric oxide products such as PUMPIES.

PUMPIES is a capsule-based product formulated to give you nasty pumps, better performance, and improved recovery. With the combination of Nitrosigine®, Vaso-Drive AP®, vitamin C, epicatechins, and pine bark extract you might just leave the gym looking like a professional bodybuilder.

If your primary goal is to build muscle, then PUMPIES should be a staple in your supplement stack. Unlike stimulant heavy pre-workouts, PUMPIES will maximize your ability to shuttle more blood and nutrients into the muscle.

For an even greater pump couple PUMPIES with a solid pre-workout meal, intra-workout carbohydrates such as Demo Day, and a hypertrophy style workout.

You’ll notice the benefits of PUMPIES from the first dose all the way until the last. Get ready for some mind-blowing pumps and welcome to Pump Town!

References

Schoenfeld, Brad J. (2010). “The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 24(10), p. 2857-2872. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2010/10000/The_Mechanisms_of_Muscle_Hypertrophy_and_Their.40.aspx
National Institutes of Health. Accessed March, 2022. “Health Professional Fact Sheet: Vitamin C.” Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
Mortensen, A. et al. Jan. 2014. “Does Vitamin C Enhance Nitric Oxide Bioavailability in A Tetrahydrobiopterin-Dependent Manner? In Vitro, in Vivo and Clinical Studies.” Nitric Oxide, 36, p. 51-57. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1089860313003406?via%3Dihub
Komorowski, J. et al. Apr. 2016. “A Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of The Duration of Effect of Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate and Arginine Hydrochloride in Healthy Adult Males.” The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.690.17
Rogers, JM et al. Feb. 2020. “Acute Effects of Nitrosigine® And Citrulline Malate on Vasodilation in Young Adults.” Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition. 17, 12. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-020-00343-y
Rood-Ojalvo, S. et al. Sep. 2015. “The Benefits of Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate as A Workout Ingredient.” Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P14
Kalman, D. et al. 2015. “A Clinical Evaluation to Determine the Safety, Pharmacokinetics, And Pharmacodynamics of an Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate Dietary Supplement in Healthy Adult Males.” Clinical Pharmacology: Advances and Applications vol. 103. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4603712/
Kalman, D. et al. June 2018. “Randomized Prospective Double-Blind Studies to Evaluate the Cognitive Effects of Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate in Healthy Physically Active Adults” Nutrients, vol. 8,11. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/11/736
Ojalvo, P. et al. Oct. 2017. “Effect of Bonded Arginine Silicate on Inflammatory Markers and Arthritis.” FASEB Journal, vol. 37, S1. https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.166.5
Nutrition21. Accessed March. 2022. “Nitrosigine®.” https://nutrition21.com/nitrosigine/
Fekete Á. et al. Jan. 2015. “Casein-Derived Lactotripeptides Reduce Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure in a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” Nutrients vol. 7,1;659-681. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303860/
Gutierrez-Salmean G, et al. Jan. 2014. “Effects of (−)-Epicatechin on Molecular Modulators of Skeletal Muscle Growth and Differentiation.” The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, vol. 25(1). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857584/
Brossette, T., et al. Oct. 2011. “Direct Evidence That (-)-Epicatechin Increases Nitric Oxide Levels in Human Endothelial Cells.” European Journal of Nutrition, 50(7), 595–599. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21327831/
Ramirez-Sanchez, I., et al. June, 2010. “(-)-Epicatechin Activation of Endothelial Cell Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase, Nitric Oxide, And Related Signaling Pathways.” Hypertension, 55(6), 1398–1405. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874202/
Grassi, D. et al. March 2005. “Short-Term Administration of Dark Chocolate is Followed by A Significant Increase in Insulin Sensitivity and A Decrease in Blood Pressure in Healthy Persons.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 81 (3). https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/81/3/611/4648949
Nogueira, L., et al. Aug. 2011. “(–)-Epicatechin Enhances Fatigue Resistance and Oxidative Capacity in Mouse Muscle.” The Journal of Physiology, 589: 4615–4631. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.209924/full
Iravani, S., & Zolfaghari, B. Jan-June, 2011. “Pharmaceutical And Nutraceutical Effects of Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract.” Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences, vol. 6(1), 1–11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3203267/

PUMPIES: For All of The Pump Junkies