A stimulating, thermogenic fat-burner that will provide
increased energy and increased metabolism in a cost-effective manner.
- Boost metabolism
- Promote fat burning
- Provide pre-workout stimulation
- Promote in-gym focus
- Elevate mood
- Suppress appetite
Introducing BASIC CUTS™, the first member of our Designer Stackables™
line of products. The intention of the Designer Stackables™ catalogue
is not to pioneer the innovative products that Designer Supplement has been
celebrated for in the past, but to provide cost-effective basic accompaniments
to complement and enhance the efficacy of other Designer Supplements products.
The beauty of the Stackables, however, is that they will all bestow their own
credible results without stacking, and BASIC CUTS™ is no exception.
As expected from such an appropriately titled product, BASIC CUTS™ is
a stimulating, thermogenic fat-burner that will provide increased energy and
increased metabolism in a cost-effective manner. While diet and cardio are still
the king and queen of fat loss, BASIC CUTS™ can be added as a stand-alone
or in conjunction with Melting Point™ and/or Lean Xtreme™ to accelerate
results.
In order to achieve a significant stimulatory effect without the inclusion
of ephedrine, ephedra, or yohimbine, BASIC CUTS™ utilizes a quartet of
synergistic ingredients – Hordenine, Phenylethylamine (PEA), Caffeine
and Cayenne Pepper. While the profile of this product does not immediately scream
the innovation typically expected of any product linked to Designer Supplements,
don’t be fooled - this is not just an average run-of-mill fat burner.
Phenylethylamine (PEA)
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a naturally occurring neuroamine found in foods such
as chocolate as part of a compound called chocamine, which is quietly gathering
popularity in the bodybuilding community for stimulation and fat loss. Due to
increased urinary concentrations of phenylacetic acid - a major metabolite of
PEA - after exercise, it has been theorized that PEA may be partly responsible
for the “runners high”, or post-lifting elation experienced by most
weightlifters or exercise enthusiasts. PEA appears to exert a stimulatory effect
in the brain through its effect on the beta-adrenergic and dopamine receptors,
similar to antidepressants. Through these mechanisms, PEA not only increases
attention and activity but can also elevate mood significantly. As anyone can
see, these effects can certainly lead to increased focus and motivation both
in the gym and in daily activities.
The major stumbling block for PEA is that oral bioavailability is pitifully
low. This is because PEA is quickly metabolised by the enzyme Monoamine Oxidase
B (MAO-B), so that very little, if any, makes it to the brain. It has been suggested
that one may get around this by taking the amino acid phenylalanine (a PEA precursor),
however this does not guarantee significant concentrations of PEA will be synthesised,
let alone make it to the brain. To every problem lies a solution, however, and
this leads to the introduction of another ingredient for BASIC CUTS™ -
Hordenine.
Hordenine
The Monoamine Oxidases, MAO-A and MAO-B, are two enzymes principally involved
in catalyzing the oxidation (metabolism) of the monoamines. MAO-A is commonly
thought to break down the neurochemicals serotonin and norepinephrine while
MAO-B generally catalyzes the break down of dopamine and PEA (as stated above).
Hordenine is included in BASIC CUTS™ due to its ability to inhibit MAO-B
and thereby make PEA orally bioavailable thus allowing all the intriguing effects
of stimulation and mood enhancement mentioned above to become a reality. As
a consequence of hordenine’s MAO-B inhibition, dopamine activity is also
prolonged. During dieting, dopamine is of particular importance because it is
generally theorized to be the body’s means of communication between the
brain and the anti-starvation hormone Leptin. Additionally, dopamine is also
associated with nutrient partitioning (where the calories you consume go), mood,
appetite and a whole host of other biochemical functions. Unfortunately, when
you diet, dopamine also happens to decrease quite significantly, thus some means
of ensuring adequate dopamine output should be paramount (hint: hordenine helps).
As if its efficacy in increasing PEA availability and dopaminergic tone weren’t
enough, there is also credible evidence that hordenine not only “liberates”
norepinephrine, but also inhibits its metabolism, leading to increased stimulation.
As many know, norepinephrine and epinephrine collectively form the catecholamines
– the means through which the popular supplement ephedrine indirectly
exerts its stimulatory effect on the central nervous system and improves lipolysis
(fat burning).
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is considered by many to simply be a “spice”, but
in reality it is technically a berry known as Capsicum. Heralded for its medicinal
qualities, the cayenne pepper has historically been rubbed into the skin to
provide an analgesic numbing effect or taken orally to reduce intestinal problems
and aid circulation with well documented efficacy. With this in mind, it is
surprising that while the herbal medicine market has begun to boom in recent
years, cayenne pepper appears to be one supplement overlooked by most.
Our interests in cayenne pepper as part of the BASIC CUTS™ formula lie
in the properties that make it an incredibly constructive tool for dieting.
First, cayenne pepper rapidly boosts metabolic rate, as measured by oxygen consumption
and energy expenditure. While the proposed mechanism for this effect is assumed
to be through thermogenic beta-adrenergic stimulation, it is not clear whether
this effect is direct or indirect and related to one of the active constituents
of capsicum, Capsaicin, and its promotion of catecholamine release. Second,
cayenne pepper boosts carbohydrate oxidation during exercise and at rest. Simply
stated, more carbohydrate burning means more calories are being burned - clearly
a desired trait for shedding that excess weight. Finally, cayenne pepper also
assists in appetite suppression, something that can become a critical factor
for even the most strong-willed dieter.
Under the radar or not, from these three effects alone one can see that even
as a stand-alone compound, cayenne pepper confers remarkable benefits for those
attempting to lose weight. When combined with the other ingredients found in
BASIC CUTS™, however, cayenne pepper becomes much better…especially
when considering cayenne pepper’s synergistic quality for reducing food
intake and increasing energy expenditure in combination with the final ingredient
in the profile – caffeine.
Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the worlds most used (and in some cases abused) drugs, notably
due to its inclusion in popular beverages such as coffee, tea, soda and energy
drinks and its presence in foods such as chocolate – all of which form
a “staple” of many a diet. While many consume these foods and beverages
simply because they taste good, a closer examination indicates that they may
make you feel good, as well. Upon consumption, caffeine acts in the brain by
antagonising (blocking) adenosine A1 and A2A receptors, inhibiting the breakdown
of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP).
Adenosine typically slows nerve cell activity, initiating a relaxed type of
environment similar to the state experienced during sleep. By antagonising adenosine,
this effect is in fact reversed and nerve cell activity is increased. This causes
catecholamine release and central nervous stimulation that makes caffeine such
a Godsend for those who find mornings difficult. Adenosine also inhibits dopamine
release, thus inhibiting adenosine can help maintain dopamine signalling, which
as explained earlier, is of the utmost importance.
While most users will testify that caffeine alone is a sound appetite suppressant,
it appears that it has significant effects in potentiating the effect of other
stimulants. As already noted caffeine works well with cayenne pepper to boost
energy expenditure and while there is no direct evidence for it, many expect
caffeine may also enhance cayenne pepper’s effect on appetite suppression
as well.
As far as performance is concerned, caffeine may not only help in delaying
fatigue and allowing one to maintain training intensity for a complete session,
but it may also assist strength training and help improve endurance, making
it a valuable compound to utilize for cardiovascular training which can further
assist any fat loss endeavour.
Not so basic…
While individual tolerance may vary and dosing is up to the customer, BASIC
CUTS™ can be used to assist fat loss during dieting or as a pre-workout
stimulant during bulking, particularly when stacked with the Designer Supplements
product, XCEED™. As anyone can see, calling a potent, cost-effective and
very efficient formula BASIC CUTS™ is slightly deceiving…this product
is anything but basic.
