Hi,
I am getting ready to start some new supplements. In particular, I am looking for supplements to help with CNS recovery and stimulation etc. Power Drive and Spike both look good. However, what are each of their functions? How are they different and what do they each do?
On a side not, could one benefit from using Powerdrive both pre AND post workout? Perhaps to help with recovery of the CNS?
Any other supplements to help with CNS recovery or stimulation?
Powerdrive = CNS fuel. It supplies the materials your CNS needs to operate at optimal capacity. Sorta like ZMA and Testosterone.
Spike = stimulant. It’ll take you beyond normal (even optimal normal) function for higher arousal/ability to focus.
A couple other good ones: Vinpocetine, guarana-derived caffeine, tea, ginko biloba, and some people have success with pircetam. Just a note, it’s a good idea to use DHA and ALA and lecithin when using the more powerful products to support the maintenance of myelin sheathing on your neurons and whatnot, as there’s been some evidence it can start to degrade with long-term use if support nutrients aren’t used.
-Dan
So, when would I use these? Like which ones would be pre and which post workout? Also, what dosages for maximum benefit?
Thanks a ton man, these sound great and I’m checking out some that you listed right now.
Yes both good.
Me I like Power Drive AM empty stomach.
Then Spike pre workout or anytime I need a kick in the ass.
I know CT has writen about the use of Power Drive post w/o for CNS recovery. I just like it in the AM gets me feeling good for the day.
[quote]SpeedStrength wrote:
So, when would I use these? Like which ones would be pre and which post workout? Also, what dosages for maximum benefit?
Thanks a ton man, these sound great and I’m checking out some that you listed right now.[/quote]
I’d check out the Power Drive and Spike threads for some good info on those, dozens of people have talked about how they experience the effects and when they’ve found is best to take it. No sense re-inventing the wheel here 
As for the others: ginko and pircetam tend to be an “all day effect” or long-duration, depending on the person, sort of thing, though you could time it around workouts if you really wanted to. The guarana caffeine is just like coffee, except it doesn’t produce the jitters high doses of coffee caffeine tends to in most people. That’d be a pre-workout thing then obviously. Tea has a little caffeine and other good things that tend to help people relax and and focus better. I just steep a bag in a mug of water personally an hour or two removed from a workout, though you may play around with how long you steep it or what type of green tea to optimize it.
Like Cy said about Spike in those threads, dosage is different for everyone. Depends how sensitive you are to stims, how well your particular system digests things, etc. I’d start with the minimum recommended dose on any products you choose to buy and slowly move up a little, finding an optimum dosage for you. Personally, I find about 80mg of the g-caffeine is best for that, but haven’t really played around with the others much myself. Broke-ass college student and all
Have a good one,
Dan
I too am broke 
I have around $80/month to spend on supplements, probably around $20-30 of that for protein, another $5 for a multi, a bit for fish and flax oil, leaves me with a good $30 for some CNS optimizers/recovery supps. Power Drive looks best right now. As for caffeine,I don’t mind the jitters at all so would standard caffeine work just the same? And would huge doses help? I am usually using upwards of 600mg/day no problem.
Would it be worth my while to scrounge up a bit more change and use two servings of Power Drive?
600 mg of caffeine will eventually lead to adrenal fatigue and burnout. A great stack to use before workouts is 3g of Tyrosine and 3 G of Acetyl L-Carnitine along with 200 MG of caffeine.
The ALCAR will give a 10% increase in strength right off the bat.
To help your CNS relax after a workout try 3 caps of ZMA and then an hour before bed 200mg of L Theanine. L-Theanine will promote a deeper sleep and also counteracts the effects of caffeine on sleep.