Controlled Labs GlycerGrow 2 Reviews

Controlled Labs GlycerGrow 2 is a glycerol powder-based supplement designed to optimize your hydration, intracellular nutrient and electrolyte delivery, and improve thermoregulation and endurance.

Combined with these advertised claims and the fact that a 60-serving bottle retails for roughly $38, GlycerGrow 2 caught my attention so I decided to check it out.

The Inside Scoop

Controlled Labs GlycerGrow 2 provides 163 mg of sodium and 70 mg of potassium for starters, the rest of its benefits are found in the Hydration Complex.

One scoop of GlycerGrow 2 provides 1,500 mg of high concentration glycerol powder and 1,500 mg of taurine.

Glycerol is used in sports to combat dehydration by optimizing cellular fluid balance and hydration. A lot of the time, athletes will hyperhydrate with glycerol and prior to an event to prevent dehydration and enhance thermoregulation. [1]

Taurine is a semi-essential amino acid that weight lifters and athletes use to improve blood flow [2] for better nutrient transport and even greater muscle pumps.

GlycerGrow 2’s flavor is listed as a “natural flavor.” As to what kind of natural flavor it is, it was a little hard to tell. It wasn’t bad – it was reminiscent of other powders I’ve had, and it’s definitely not un-flavored.  It was easy to mix up in my drink. I didn’t notice any major clumping or anything like that.

My workout was great while using GLycerGrow 2, and I didn’t feel any deleterious effects of dehydration. I normally drink a lot of water during my workouts, however, so I rarely feel dehydrated.

Final Thoughts

Overall, GlycerGrow 2 may not appear to be a state-of-the-art formulation, but its simple formula includes some effective ingredients.

My biggest issue is with the pricing. Depending on your body type and nutritional plans, one would need to take a couple scoops to get GlycerGrow 2’s maximal hydration benefits. Is this product worth adding to your workout regimen? Sure, but only if you have the extra cash to splurge on a couple bottles a month. Otherwise, you can find these ingredients in pre-workouts, like 1.M.R. Vortex by BPI sports, for example.

[1] Van Rosendal SP, et al. “Guildelines for glycerol use in hyperhydration and rehydration associated with exercise.” Sports Med. 2010 Feb 1;40(2):113-29.

[2] Moloney MA, et al. “Two weeks taurine supplementation reverses endothelial dysfunction in young male type 1 diabetics.” Diab Vasc Dis Res. 2010 Oct;7(4): 300-10. Available from:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20667936