Apollon Nutrition Assassin Lionheart Pre-workout Breakdown: The Ultimate Performance Product

Apollon Assassin Lionheart Supplement Facts Panel

*Disclaimer: this formula breakdown is based off 17g/ 1 full scoop

Beta-Alanine 3200mg

Ah the tingles! Beta-Alanine is an amino acid responsible for the synthesis of carnosyn, which is responsible for acid-base regulation within muscle cells. As you exercise, lactic acid begins to build up which can induce fatigue and ultimately hinder performance. Carnosyn helps to buffer this change in pH by binding to hydrogen ions and preventing any drop in pH levels; this mechanism prolongs time to exhaustion and ultimately increases performance in the gym. It is important to note that beta-alanine is responsible for an effect known as paresthesia. Have no fear! It is completely harmless, but will certainly have your body tingling.

Taurine 2000mg

Another amino acid, taurine, is highly prevalent in electrically active tissue. Taurine has a wide range of benefits; it is considered an osmoregulator and controls fluid volume within cells. It also regulates calcium homeostasis; calcium is an electrolyte that plays a critical role in muscular contractions. Taurine also plays a role in overall cardiovascular health by promoting vasodilation via reducing production of angiotensin II. By prioritizing the use of fat for fuel, taurine has been shown to enhance endurance training which is why Apollon has chosen to include this ingredient within their formula.

Tyrosine 2000mg

The euphoria! Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid and precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline. Tyrosine is one of the most popular nootropic compounds in the supplement industry. It’s primarily used to enhance both focus and cognition during bouts of acute stress, such as exercising. Tyrosine is known to provide a sense of euphoria that us gym rats are constantly chasing. Because of this, it is becoming increasingly common to see some supplement companies go into overkill mode and ramp up their dosage of L-tyrosine, with some as high as 10,000mg. The 2,000mg dose found in Assassin Lionheart is considered clinical and is most certainly enough to achieve its’ desired effects. 

Peak O2 2000mg

PeakO2 is a combination of six adaptogenic mushrooms that helps users overcome both physical and mental stress. This unique mushroom combination helps to improve oxygen utilization during period of exertion and poses many benefits when it comes to endurance training. Studies have shown that supplementation with PeakO2 increases power and endurance while also reducing time to fatigue. A 21 day study conducted at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill showed that supplementation with 4,000mg PeakO2 prior to exercise improved peak power output by 17.6%; nearly 6% more than the placebo group. Another study conducted at UNC in which individuals consumed 4,000mg PeakO2 prior to a three minute bicycle sprint showed that PeakO2 improved time to exhaustion by 70 seconds; 65 seconds more than the controlled group. Overall, PeakO2 poses many performance benefits and has rightfully landed itself a spot in Lionhearts formula.

Betaine Nitrate 2000mg

Nitric Oxide is considered the holy grail of blood flow enhancing compounds; betaine nitrate converts to nitric oxide and thus, improves blood flow. This improvement in circulation poses numerous benefits:

• prolongs time to exhaustion
• reduces fatigue
• improves oxygen uptake
• improved nutrient delivery
• improved recovery

You may be familiar with citrulline, arginine, agmatine, and  Nitrosigine; all of which are popular pre-workout ingredients that eventually convert to nitric oxide. The difference with including nitrates in a formula as opposed to those previously mentioned ingredients is that nitrates are effective at smaller doses and their effects take place in a more timely manner.

Betaine Anhydrous 1250mg

Betaine anhydrous, also known as trimethylglycine, is an amino acid naturally occuring in several plant species, including beetroot. It acts as an osmolyte; a compound that controls intracellular fluid balance and hydration. As you may know, hydration is crucial when it comes to endurance training. Evidence suggests that betaine poses benefits in endurance during both resistance and high volume training due to its hyperhydration effects.

Coconut Water 600mg

Coconut water is rich in electrolytes potassium, sodium, and magnesium. It helps promote hydration, which is an essential and often overlooked aspect of performance training. It is also low in cholesterol and fat free, making it a great ingredient for overall cardiovascular health as well.

Alpha GPC 600mg

Alpha-GPC is a precursor to one of the most important neurotransmitters in the body, acetylcholine. Acetylcholine plays a role in memory, cognition, and skeletal muscle contractions. When compared to other choline precursors such as choline bitartrate, citicholine, and DMAE; it has been shown to be more effective at crossing the blood brain barrier. For that reason, is considered more desirable and is the most popular choline precursor on the market. Supplementation with Alpha-GPC has also been shown to significantly increase vertical jump power and peak bench press force; for those reasons, its landed itself a spot in Lionheart’s formula.

Caffeine Anhydrous 200mg

Whoa, hold your horses. We know how much you gym goers adore your caffeine. Caffeine is everyone’s favorite energy-providing, focus enhancing stimulant! This central nervous stimulant is well known throughout the industry; it is the purest caffeine source on the planet and has a plethora of benefits:

• enhances energy
• increases focus
• promotes thermogenesis

The benefits of caffeine are backed my many, many studies. Because of this, it is potentially the most consumed supplement in the world. There indeed are several forms of caffeine available on the market (ex. this is one of three caffeine sources found within this formula), caffeine anhydrous is easily the most popular. 

Theobromine 200mg

Theobromine is a xanthine derivative found in cocoa beans that is used to enhance energy levels and elevate mood. It is quite similar to caffeine, but unlike caffeine, does not effect sleep scores to the extent that caffeine does. Theobromine is typically used to provide longer lasting energy and pairs very well with caffeine to help offset that ever-so-dreaded crash at the end of workouts. It also has been shown to:

• play a role in insulin response
• increases HDL (good cholesterol)
• reduces blood pressure. 

200mg is a solid dose and right in that sweet spot to provide enough energy, but not be over stimulatory.

ElevATP 150mg

This all natural, plant based compound from FutureCeuticals is comprised of ancient peat and apple polyphenols. Those ingredients are rich in antioxidants and increases endogenous ATP. For those unfamiliar with ATP (adenosine triphosphate), it is our cellular form of energy. It is used to store and transport energy within cells. This increase in endogenous ATP levels leads to increases in strength, power, and performance during resistance training. ElevATP often finds itself used as a replacement for caffeine in non-stimulant pre-workout formulas. Without getting too deep into its’ mechanism of action, in order to obtain energy from ATP, a bond between one of three phosphate groups in the ATP molecule is broken. Any time a bond between compounds is broken, energy is released; in this case, ATP breaks a bond and becomes ADP. ElevATP provides the phosphate group necessary to convert ADP back into ATP and repeat the energy releasing cycle described above. And the beauty behind ElevATP is that it naturally carries out this process and does not introduce ATP from outside the body, known as exogenous ATP. ElevATP is a great ingredient for endurance and performance purposes, and Lionheart utilizes a clinical 150mg dose.

Di-Caffeine Malate 100mg

Oh goodie, another caffeine source! Di-caffeine malate is the second caffeine source present in Lionheart; it has shown to provide longer lasting energy. Because it is 75% caffeine by mass, 100mg provides an additional 75mg caffeine. Di-caffeine malate is primarily utilized in pre-workout formulas to offset that crash most of us caffeine users experience following a workout. It poses similar benefits to caffeine anhydrous by boosting energy, thermogenesis, and focus. 

Coffeeberry 100mg

Ah yes, more caffeine! Coffeeberry is a unique ingredient derived from Arabica coffee cherries that yields 70% caffeine content by mass. At 100mg, this provides another 70mg caffeine bringing our grand total to 345mg! The other 30% of mass in Coffeeberry contains a minimum of 5% polyphenols. Polyphenols are rich in antioxidants and helps to improve blood flow by relaxing the inner lining of blood vessels known as the endothelium. Coffeeberry provides similar benefits as other caffeine sources, but with added antioxidative properties. 

Senactiv 100mg

The recycling machine! The first of two NuLiv Science ingredients present in Assassin Lionheart, Senactiv is a research backed, plant-based ingredient proven to aid in recovery and prolong time to exhaustion. It has a unique mechanism of action, as it acts as an “anti-senescent”. Senescent cells are cells that no longer contribute to new cell growth. They’re not necessarily bad, but they no longer reproduce new cells. This can be detrimental to performance, as it’s essential to have as many cells available to replenish the body with new cells that are able to contribute to reproduction. Senactiv rids the body of senescent cells and thus, aids in recovery and endurance. 50mg is considered the clinical dose, and Assassin Lionheart goes above and beyond by packing 100mg in this formula.

AstraGin 50mg

Another NuLiv Science patented ingredient, AstraGin is a plant based compound that provides “full gut support” through several different mechanisms:

1. enhanced nutrient absorption
2. microbiota viability
3. immune cell viability
4. promoting healthy intestinal wall environment

AstraGin works by increasing the number of transporter proteins present within the gut. These transporter proteins are responsible for carrying nutrients to the intestinal wall, which are then absorbed by the body. Both in vitro and in vivo studies show that AstraGin significantly increases the absorption of amino acids, primarily arginine. AstraGin has data supporting the absorption of histidine, lysine, glucose, folate, creatine, agmatine, beta-alanine, choline, citrulline, BCAAs, and carnitine. AstraGin poses many benefits and makes a great addition to almost any formula, which is why Apollon chose to utilize its powerful absorption properties in Assassin Lionheart.