Defib V2 Pre-Workout Review

Defib V2 is a pre-workout supplement from HR Labs. Its comprehensive formula contains 8 g Citrulline Malate, 2.5 g Betaine, and 2 g GylcerSize (™) for pumps, 3.2 g Beta-Alanine and 1 g PeakO2 (™) for endurance, 1 g Phosphatidylserine, 1 g ALCAR, 600 mg Alpha GPC for focus, 400 mg Caffeine, 300 mg EnExtra (™), and 200 mg Dyanmine (™) for energy. Defib V2 has everything you’d want in a pre-workout.

One time was needed to know that this product is legit. Providing pumps, focus, energy, Defib V2 has got it all. 

I would easily recommend this product to beginners who can take 400 mg caffeine, as it’s well-dosed without any illicit or gray-market stims. 

I would also recommend this for anyone seeking a well-rounded loaded pre-workout without gray-market stims and anyone who wants a productive, get-things-done kind of workout.

I wouldn’t recommend this for “stim-junkies” as the energy is smooth and not overpowering.

Read on for additional details of my experience, the best prices for the Defib V2 pre-workout, and a breakdown of its ingredient label. 

Thank you to Supp Kingz for providing this product to Lift Vault to review.

My Experience

I tried Defib V2 just once, but the energy, focus, and pumps were ideal for a 3+ hour workout. 

Effects 

Within 7-10 minutes, the Beta-Alanine tingles began; however, they were definitely on the milder side. I’d give it a 7.5 out of 10 in terms of intensity.

The energy took about 20 minutes to feel and was not strong—very smooth energy that lasted 4+ hours with seemingly no come-down.

The pumps were magnificent with 8 g Citrulline Malate, 2.5 g Betaine, and 2 g GylcerSize.

There were no noticeable adverse side effects or post-workout effects.

Flavor 

I tried Cherryade. It was a delicious and sweet flavor reminiscent of a sour cherry flavor. I’d give it a 9, with only chalkiness as the drawback. Additionally, all of the powder mixed well. 

Other flavors include Candy Crush, Blue Slush, and Jelly Bean.

Scoop Size

A whole serving is two heaped scoops. A flat scoop is approximately 10.43-grams.

Defib v2 Pre Workout Ingredients

Citrulline Malate 2:1 – 8,000 mg

L-Citrulline Malate is one of the most common pre-workout ingredients. There is extensive evidence supporting its ability to increase nitric oxide production, power output, pumps, blood flow, and endurance. 

Usually, with L-Citrulline Malate, it has a 2:1 Ratio of Citrulline and Malic Acid (hence the Malate), and with Defib V2, you are getting 5.33 g of pure L-Citrulline, which is 33% more than the effective dose of 4 g. 

Beta Alanine – 3,200 mg

Beta-alanine has been shown to support muscular endurance and can act as a lactic acid buffer. 

However, beta-alanine requires regular intake to be effective, akin to creatine. Daily supplementation of beta-alanine is recommended, with a loading period of three to five weeks needed to be effective.

3 to 4 grams is the recommended daily dosage for beta-alanine. Defib V2 gives you the usual dose you’d see in 3.2 grams.

Betaine Anyhdrous – 2,500 mg per serving

Betaine is included to help increase your power output. However, research is somewhat inconsistent surrounding this claim. Since the typical range for Betaine is between 1.5 g and 5 g, the 2.5-gram dose is the ideal amount.

GlycerSize (™) – 2,000 mg

GlycerSize is the patented form of Glycerol powder found in other pre-workout products. Glycerol powder assists with hydration and allows the body to absorb more water than it usually would. This helps stave off dehydration and can have mild improvements in endurance.

But the real reason glycerol is often included in pre-workout supplements is that all of this extra water absorption can help your muscles swell up, giving you a “swole” look.

2-grams is in the middle of the range for glycerol as it usually ranges from 2 to 3 grams per serving in good supplements.

One slight side-effect of glycerol is clumping inside the tub, as it’s hygroscopic and will pull water in, hence why it will give you a swole look. This is to be expected and, while a little annoying, doesn’t negatively impact the supplement’s efficacy. There were quite a few clumps when I opened the tub, but it mixed very well once in water.

Taurine – 1,500 mg per scoop

Taurine is a “miscellaneous” pre-workout ingredient with a range of potential, albeit limited, physical benefits. It can aid blood flow, reduce cramping, and boost antioxidant defense systems (Examine). It’s a pretty insignificant ingredient in pre-workout compared to other ingredients but doesn’t hurt anything either.

1.5 g is a decent dosage of taurine and should allow you to see the benefit. Usually, other products have 500 mg to 2 grams.

PeakO2 – 1,000 mg

PeakO2 is a blend of mushrooms, Cordyceps, Shiitake, Reishi, Turkey Tail, King Trumpet, Lion’s Mane.

From Compound Solutions (the creator), potential benefits of PeakO2 are promoting oxygen consumption during exercise, reduction in lactic acid (supporting ATP production), increased time to fatigue (allowing you to exercise for longer, aka more endurance).

In the first seven days of a 21-day study, those subjects taking 4 grams a day had a peak power output increase of 17.6% over baseline.

Like creatine and beta-alanine (179 grams), it has to be “loaded” with a loaded dose of 28 grams. A typical amount is between 1 and 3 grams, putting Defib V2 at the minimum dosage.

Phosphatidylserine – 1,000 mg.

Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid (fatty substance) that covers the cells within the body. It is produced within the body and can also be found naturally in the liver, egg yolks, and soybeans. There is not much research on how supplementing with phosphatidylserine can benefit humans. Limited research suggests it can boost exercise capacity and overall athletic performance.

From WubMed, Phosphatidylserine supplements can block specific adverse effects of increased cortisol levels for a long time. By reducing and stabilizing cortisol levels, phosphatidylserine also helps regulate metabolism, strengthen memory, improve mood, and reduce inflammation. 

From WebMD, the dose seems to be 200-400 mg daily, putting 1-g well above the average amount.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine – 1,000 mg.

L-Carnitine is a compound made in the body, composed of lysine and methionine. Once acetylated, it becomes Acetyl-L-Carnitine and can cross the blood-brain barrier quickly.

While it is often included in fat burner products, like Herolean or Superhuman Burn, the research around its fat-burning efficacy is mixed, with some positive effects shown for weight loss in obese subjects.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine also has potential in other areas, such as reducing depression, reducing fatigue in older adults, and helping with recovery from exercise.

Alpha GPC – 600 mg

L-Alpha GPC creates choline, a molecule associated with increased cognition found naturally in eggs. This is the unique ingredient found in the newest generation of Legion’s Pulse pre-workout (300 mg) and Apollon Nutrition’s Overtime Nootropic (600 mg).

Some early research suggests that Alpha GPC supplementation produces a notiable increase in power output. (More info: Examine)

It is unclear if 600 mg is sufficient to achieve cognitive improvements. A 2015 study using 250 mg and 500 mg doses did not observe any measurable cognitive improvements in healthy test subjects. With that being said, the 600 mg included is the typical dose you’ll see in other pre-workouts and nootropic supplements.

Caffeine Anhydrous – 400 mg

Caffeine needs no introduction. Energy, focus, increased performance, etc., are all delivered by caffeine. It’s one of the most researched sports supplements.

EnXtra Alpina Galanga Extract – 300 mg

enXtra is an exciting ingredient that I haven’t seen in any pre-workout before.

enXtra is a proprietary extract of Alpinia galanga shown in multiple human studies to increase alertness for several hours significantly.

There is not much dosage information for this ingredient, but typical doses are 200 and 400 mg, putting Defib V2 right in the middle. 

Methylliberine (as Dynamine ®  40% tasteless) – 200 mg (yielding 80 mg of pure Dynamine) per serving.

Dynamine combines nicely with caffeine to enhance mood, focus, and energy. Unlike caffeine, Dynamine does not harm heart rate or blood pressure (from the NIH). Per the study, the doses were between 100 and 150 mg per serving, putting the 80 mg at just under the minimum dosage. 

In an otherwise highly-dosed formula, this is under-dosed.

Black Pepper Fruit Extract (Bioprene ®) – 10 mg per serving

Bioprene is the patented version of Black Pepper Extract, which helps with the absorption of supplements.

Typical doses regularly range from 2.5 mg to 20 mg.