Lock & Load or Drive Hard & Fast?
It's not been long since iDrive by Applied got released, and you can't exactly hide the fact that it looks pretty similar to another GDA, ProSupps iLoad. They're both in cylindical tubs, both have vertical text and both start with "I". Has Applied Nutrition copied another product again? (Can't really blame them the first time though, everybody copies Scivation Xtend).
Let's delve deep into the crevices of nutrient partition and see what exactly is going on here and look at ingredients both iDrive and iLoad contain:
Chromium Picolinate
This mineral has shown to help regulate insulin resistance. Research has shown that people with Type II diabetes have lower blood levels of Chromium and supplementing with the mineral enhances the metabolic action of insulin and lowers some of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially in overweight individuals. The dosage needed isn't set but recommended between 50-200mcg of Chromium per day.
iLoad: 500mcg
iDrive: 500mcg
Banaba Leaf (std. min to 1% Corsolic Acid)
An ingredient that has shown to lower blood glucose levels by 20-30%. The Corosolic Acid compound found within Banaba may inhibit the absorption of carbohydrates from the intestines and is also able to suppress the formation of new fat cells. So a pretty solid ingredient for fat loss. Dosages of between 32-48mg of a banaba extract standardised to 1% corosolic acid administered for 2 weeks significantly reduced blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetic patients, but research is pretty limited to round up a better dosage, most brands seem to use between 250-300mg though.
iLoad: part of a 896mg proprietary blend with 3 other ingredients
iDrive: part of a 700mg proprietary blend with 5 other ingredients
Bitter Melon Extract
The fruit of the Momordica Charantia plant has at least three active substances which has displayed anti-diabetic properties, including charantin, which has been confirmed to have a blood glucose-lowering effect, vicine and an insulin-like compound known as polypeptide-p. These actives help reduce blood sugar levels. Bitter melon also contains high levels of lectin that reduce blood glucose levels and suppresses appetite, similar to the effects insulin has in the brain. The dosage of Bitter Melon extract needed is 300-600mg per day.
iLoad: part of a 896mg proprietary blend with 3 other ingredients
iDrive: part of a 700mg proprietary blend with 5 other ingredients
Cinnamon Bark Extract
Research behind this ingredient is pretty mixed. Some has shown it can help insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels, while others shown it did nothing. The minimum dosage for cinnamon bark is 1g per day.
iLoad: part of a 896mg proprietary blend with 3 other ingredients
iDrive: part of a 700mg proprietary blend with 5 other ingredients, but uses a 10:1 concentration
Gymnema Sylvestre
This ingredient goes beyond just the physical but actually decreases your craving for sugary foods. It does this through the active known as Gymnemic acid, which suppresses sweetness. The theory is that when you consume Gymnema sylvestre, it fills your taste bud receptors since the chemical structure is similar to glucose. This then prevents glucose from docking in those same receptors and cuts your craving for sugar and sweets. Because of this similarity, Gymnema Sylvestre may also lockdown your intestinal glucose receptors, preventing the absorption of sugar molecules, leading to balanced blood sugar levels even after eating sugar-based foods. Research on Gymnema sylvestre has been done with 500mg capsules, standardised to contain at least 25% Gymnemic acid.
iLoad: part of a 896mg proprietary blend with 3 other ingredients, uses 75% Gymnemic acid.
iDrive: part of a 500mg proprietary blend with 1 other ingredients, uses 75% Gymnemic acid.
WHERE ILOAD FINISHES, IDRIVE DRIVES ON
That is where the similarities between iLoad and iDrive end.
Na-R-Ala
In studies uising conventional Alpha Lipoic Acid, there were increases in insulin sensitivity by 18-57%. Now when you’re taking a supplement labeled Alpha Lipoic Acid,you are geting a blend of two isomers (half S isomer, half R isomer). Only the R-isomer is biologically active, so you're basically wasting half youir money buying it, but not here with Applied. They have isolated the R-isomer and stabilised it by adding a sodium bond (since regular R-Ala is heat sensitive and hardens). Since Na-R-ALA yields 80% R-Lipoic Acid, you’ll need 250mg to achieve the clinical dose of R-ALA, which is 200mg.
Prickly Pear Extract
This ingredient has shown to slow down the absorption of absorption of sugar in the stomach and intestines. Recent research has shown that single doses of prickly pear extract can decrease blood sugar levels by 17-46% in some people. The typical dosage is 500mg up to 3 times a day.
Fenugreek Extract
Nope, this isn't from Athens. Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fibre, which helps lower blood sugar by slowing down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the stomach and intestine. Several clinical trials showed that fenugreek can also improve most metabolic symptoms associated with diabetes in humans by lowering blood glucose levels and improving glucose tolerance via the active compound in it called 4-hydroxyisoleucine. A dosage of 2-5g of fenugreek seeds can help blood glucose levels while lower dosages (500-600mg) have positive effects for libido.
iDrive: part of a 700mg proprietary blend with 5 other ingredients.
Himalayan Pink Salt
This is basically 98% sodium chloride, so why not just use sea salt. One of the main ways this is supposed to help blood sugar is through its Chromium content, but then, it's already in the formula anyway? The often repeated quote is " Himalayan Salt contains 84 minerals" was debunked in a German study -
"The Bayer. State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) has examined 15 different samples of this 'miracle salt'. The result: like commercial saline, the samples consisted of approximately 98% sodium chloride and comply with the legal requirements applicable to this substance. The only difference to common salt: as the salts, unlike the usual method in Central Europe, are broken down as whole crystals and not treated, the remaining 2% contain a slightly broader spectrum of traces of other minerals. However, the number of proven substances lags far behind the promises of advertising: instead of '84 elements' there are a maximum of eight additional substances. In addition, many elements are detectable only in the slightest traces."
No set dosage for this anyway.
Then you have Bioperine and Ginger Root Extract to enhance absorption of the other ingredients. iDrive also contains some vitamins and minerals that have shown to lower insulin resistance such as Vitamin D and Copper.
Lets Wrap Up Applied iDrive
There you have it, iDrive is not iLoad re-wrapped, but an upgrade and a solid formula. But I must stress that ProSupps iLoad has been out for a good 7 years now and still is a pretty cool formula, even though they seem to think insulin is produced in the thyroid... At first glance the formula of iDrive looks underdosed, but don't forget that the listed amounts in iDrive are per serving and you are meant to take 1 serving before every high carb meal, so depending on how many meals you'e having a day, you're easily ramping up the 1.2g serving size to 2-3 times that.
Some of the ingredients in iDrive are useless in my opinion and nothing but a waste of space when you could have kept them out and increased the more proven stuff.
Applied Nutrition iDrive, get yours here.