In this Force Factor review, I will show you the research on this sports supplement and its ingredients. What is Force Factor? Well, at its website, they say it“represents a long overdue progression in the fundamental paradigm of nutraceutical development.” That sounds pretty impressive but fancy words aside, does it work -and by work I mean raise nitric oxide levels and improve your workout? Does it have any side effects? Let's cut through the hype and get to the facts. Is Force Factor right for you? Let's see… Also see the review of Force Factor 2 and Super B
What is Force Factor?
Force Factor is a nitric oxide supplement. This is what the company’s website says about their product:
It “helps move oxygen into your muscles when they need it most, sparking powerful muscle growth, strength gains, and ripped pumps.”
So, its supposed to both boost NO levels and improve muscle strength.
Force Factor Benefits
From the product website (ForceFactor.com) we learn the supplement is supposed to provide the following benefits:
- Build Lean Muscle, Fast
- Maximize Strength
- Improve Endurance
- Transform Your Body
All this sounds pretty impressive on the surface. But, does it really work? Let's look at the science of Force Factor next
Force Factor Research
Does Force Factor really work? Well, the best way to know for sure is to test it in a lab. To see if this was ever done, I searched clinical research databases for “Force Factor Research.”
No studies showed up.
I also performed a search online too and found no clinical studies. Likewise the product website also does not list any studies either.
The ForceFactor.com site does have a page called “Discover The Science” where they talk about the benefits of nitric oxide. There is also a video called “The Science Behind Force Factor” which discusses nitric oxide too. But, no actual, clinical studies – on this product – are mentioned.
Conclusion: I could not locate any clinical investigations of Force Factor itself. This is unfortunate. It means the nobody seems to have taken it into the lab, tested it in people and published the results in a medical journal.
To know if it really works, we need to look at its ingredients. Let's do that next.
Force Factor Ingredients
The Supplements Facts label tells us 4 capsules contains the following ingredients:
| Force Factor (4 capsules) |
| Advanced 3X Nitric Oxide Booster (3000 mg) composed of of: |
| Arginine-Alpha-ketogluterate (A-AKG) |
| alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (A-KIC) |
| Arginine monohydrate |
| Advanced Nutrient Delivery System (200 mg) consisting of: |
| Calcium phosphate |
| Di-potassium phosphate |
| L-citrulline monohydrate |
| magnesium stearate |
| Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) |
As you can see from this table, Force Factor is made up of 2 different proprietary blends of ingredients:
- Advanced 3X Nitric Oxide Booster (3000 mg)
- Advanced Nutrient Delivery System (200 mg)
While they do not tell us how much of each ingredient is in these different blends, we know ingredients must be listed from the most to the least. For example, if we look at Advanced 3X Nitric Oxide Booster, we see the first ingredient is Arginine-Alpha-ketogluterate (A-AKG). This tells us the blend is mostly made up of A-AKG.
Lets now look at the research on the ingredients in Force Factor. In this review I'll focus on only the human research involving nitric oxide and exercise.
Advanced 3X Nitric Oxide Booster
Each 4 capsules of Force Factor provides 3000 mg of the following ingredients:
1 Arginine-Alpha-ketogluterate
Arginine plays a role in nitric oxide synthesis (in other words, the creation of NO). As such, it makes sense it would be in an NO booster like Force Factor. Since this is the first ingredient listed, it makes up most of the 3000 mg in this proprietary blend.
Researchers in Texas gave 12 grams per day of an NO booster supplement (NO2 Platinum) which contained Arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate or a placebo to 24 young men for 7 days. The men also performed a strength training program too. While the supplement did raise arginine levels, the improvements in blood flow and nitric oxide were attributed to the exercise program -not the supplement.
Researchers in Italy tested an AAKG containing supplement (called Tenosan) to see if it helped speed recovery from rotator cuff surgery. After 3 months, those taking the supplement seemed to have less shoulder pain and seemed to have a “slight improvement” in the integrity of the repair. Because Tenosan has many ingredients, whether or not this was due to AAKG needs more research.
When researchers gave 3000 mg of AAKG or placebo to 16 trained and untrained men and put them on a strength training program, it failed to improve strength in either groups.
Physical therapists in Connecticut, also saw no improvements in muscle endurance when they gave AAKG to a small group of resistance trained men. The supplement used – Nitric Suspension – contained 3700 mg of a combination of AAKG and bioperine (likely used to enhance AAKG absorption).
As far as I can tell only one study appears to show AAKG work. In this investigation,12 g of AAGK was seen to improve strength in the bench press after 8 weeks of use.
2 Alpha-Ketoisocaproic Acid (A-KIC)
Alpha Ketoisocaproic acid is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine. Leucine plays a role in muscle protein synthesis so, on the surface, something like A-KIC might make sense. But, do A-KIC supplements work? Here's a summary of the research so far:
Researchers in Florida noted a single dose of either – either 1.5 g or 9 grams of A-KIC failed to improve strength more than a placebo when it was given to a group of 13 men. The researchers noted that since this was just a single dose trial, we need more evidence to understand how repeated doses of A-KIC might work.
In a study involving 9 exercise-trained women, 10.2 grams (10,200 mg) combination of glycine-arginine and alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (GAKIC) improved lower body strength in female. That's great, but there is no glycine in Force Factor so it's debatable how relevant this study is.
In a small study (14 people), researchers in the UK found a combination of AKIC and HMB did not change muscle damage people after exercise. HMB is another leucine metabolite that is often touted to help muscle growth. While it was highly marketed to people in the 1990s, research is mixed on its usefulness to healthy weight-lifters.
3 Arginine Monohydrate
This is another name for arginine, an amino acid which helps make nitric oxide. Arginine is found in many nitric oxide booster and pre-workout supplements for this reason.
See the Force Factor 2 for more insights.
Advanced Nutrient Delivery System
The advanced nutrient delivery system is made of ingredients said to help deliver the other ingredients to where they can help make nitric oxide. That is the theory of course. On paper, this does make some sense as the ingredients in this blend, help relax blood vessels. This, in turn, might help more blood get to the muscles.
In this proprietary blend, Each 4 capsules of Force Factor provides 200 mg of the following ingredients.
1 Calcium Phosphate
This is just calcium. While they don't tell us why calcium is in Force Factor, we know calcium plays a role in nitric oxide production and the relaxation of blood vessels. In this way, calcium can help lower blood pressure. Because calcium is the first ingredient listed, it makes up most of the 200 mg in this proprietary blend.
2 Di-Potassium Phosphate
This is another name for potassium. Potassium is well known to reduce blood pressure. One way potassium does this is by helping us make nitric oxide. Good sources of potassium include vegetables and fruits. While most people think banana are a good source of this mineral, a baked potato has over twice as much (900 mg vs 400 mg).
3 L-Citrulline Monohydrate
This is another name for the amino acid citrilline. This amino acid helps us make arginine. Remember, arginine is involved in nitric oxide synthesis. By helping us make arginine, L citrulline and helps increase NO levels. This is why citrulline is found in so MANY preworkout and nitric oxide supplements.
4 Magnesium Stearate
Magnesium stearate is found in many supplements. The reason is because magnesium stearate helps the other ingredients work well together. In the supplement world, magnesium stearate helps other ingredients from sticking the manufacturing equipment and to each other and makes it easier for us to swallow capsules. This is why magnesium stearate is called a “flow agent” – it helps the manufacturing – and swallowing and digestion- flow efficiently.
Magnesium stearate is composed of the mineral magnesium and the stearate acid, a saturated fatty acid, which does not raise cholesterol levels. While various health experts claim magnesium stearate is toxic, I don't see much human proof of this. Both cocoa butter and flaxseeds contain magnesium stearate.
4 Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD)
NAD is involved in the formation of ATP, which is the primary energy molecule in all of your cells. That said, they don't tell us why NAD is in Force Factor.
- Is it to improve exercise?
- Is it to increase vasodilation (expand blood vessels)?
There is much hype that NAD may play a role in slowing the aging process. Several supplements touted to increase NAD levels have become popular. Two of these are are:
- Niacel / Niagen (click to read review)
- Elysium Basis (click to read review)
These supplements contain a compound which comes from the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3) called nicotinamide riboside.
While I remain skeptical of these supplements, one question is this: does taking oral NAD supplements (such as in Force Factor) improve exercise? Evidence cannot be located.
Force Factor Active Ingredients
From the research available, I believe the key ingredients in Force Factor , are in order:
- Arginine
- Citrulline
This is based on their ability to raise nitric oxide levels. Whether or not they improve exercise is another story. Of course, I could be wrong and all the ingredients in Force Factor work better than what I'm listing here. But, this would take research to know for sure.
Force Factor Side Effects
While I think Force Factor is safe in most people who use it, here are somethings to consider when taking nitric oxide boosters. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than is recommended for the first week. This is to see how you respond.
- Stop taking nitric oxide boosters like Force Factor at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- Don't take if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
- Don't take if you are under 18 – or under 30 years of age. When you are young, your NO levels are already high. Despite what ads make you think, you don't need nitric oxide supplements.
- Don't take nitric oxide boosters if you take medications for high blood pressure, heart disease or erectile dysfunction (Viagra, Levritia, Cialis).
- Don't combine Force Factor or other nitric oxide supplements with erection supplements.
People with heart disease, high blood pressure or kidney problems should be cautious of arginine and other nitric oxide boosting supplements. By opening up blood vessels, they may reduce blood pressure. This might cause you to get dizzy if you stand up too fast- and may make you pass out. Always tell your doctor what supplements you are taking.
There have been reports of healthy people going to the hospital after taking nitric oxide supplements. Several reports highlight a specific product called NO-Xplode. Some reports include:
- NO-Xplode linked to kidney failure in a soldier
- NO-Xplode linked to ischemic colitis in a soldier
- NO-Xplode linked to liver failure in US military
NO-Xplode contains many ingredients, most of which are not in Force Factor. Still, it's a reason to exercise caution when using nitric oxide supplements.
Doctors in New York reported the case of a 33 year old man who developed dizziness, heart palpitations and vomited 5 times after taking an alpha-ketogluterate containing nitric oxide supplement called NO2 Platenium. Three tablets of that supplement contained 6 grams of AAKG. The AAKG ingredient is also in Force Factor. although in a lower amount.
These doctors also reported heart palpitations and loss of consciousness in a 21 year old man following use of an AAKG supplement. They further reported the case of a 24 year old man who went to the hospital 45 minutes after taking “2 scoops” of the NO-Xplode supplement. In this instance, the supplement caused heart palpitations and headache.
Nitric Oxide Supplements And Exercise
I'll be honest. I've been skeptical of the benefits of nitric oxide supplements since they first came on the market. While I feel they can likely raise nitric oxide levels for a short time, I was never convinced they improved exercise ability in highly trained people. Research seems to agree with me. If these supplements work, they might be most effective in beginners and not in highly trained people or athletes.
Buy Force Factor
The supplement can be purchased at many local retail stores including Walmart, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Kmart, Sam's Club, BJs and Costco. It can also be purchased at the Force Factor website and Amazon too.
Force Factor Price
When I checked the cost of Force Factor was $59.95. For what it's worth I think that's a lot of money.
Who Makes Force Factor?
The company is called Force Factor LLC. The company makes a variety of other supplements too including VolcaNO, VolcanNO Extreem, LeanFire XT, ALpha King and Test X 180.
See the Force Factor 2 review for much more on the company and other topics.
Does Force Factor Work?
If Force Factor works, I think it's because it contains arginine which seems to raise nitric oxide levels. Whether or not this improves workouts is open to speculation. Despite having been on the market for many years, there seems to be no clinical research on Force Factor itself. See my review of Force Factor 2.
Do You Have Any Questions?
Thanks for the info Joe and everyone here. I’m 33 yrs. old and about 20 to 30 pounds over weight, im working out looking forward to lose weight but i want to build muscle as well; i thought about taking force factor but im not sure… what do you recommend?
jj fig, for me, I don’t think its worth it. Id just eat well and workout. If your healthy you can always try it and see if it helps. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it does.
Thanks Joe! I think i might try it and i’ll post if it helps any…
JJ fig, sounds good 🙂
I agree on some of the stuff you talk about mainly on the main ingredients cause its true the main ingredient in it is l arginine and if you where smart like me its way cheaper to just by the main ingredients
I think I got the same results by spending 8 bucks for 90 days of 500mg of l arginine then I did when I spent 60 dollars for this Force Factor…
what people need to understand Force Factor is Not a Pre Work out At all And l arginine does lower your testosterone levels. but its an awesome product for recover or a post workout and this is my opinion…
I try my best to look up everything im taking and see what side effects may come about and yes I kind of get dizzy at times but I’m lifting super heavy… so guys don’t waste your money on FF just buy the main ingredient its way cheaper and does the same thing.
hi Joe, , , good info. I have been using force factor (two pills every other day, on weight lifting days) for a year or so and have had no side effects. It seemed to help with strength and progressive resistance. But after trying force factor 2 with citrulline, instead. I noticed it was harder to lift the same amount of weight that i did before. Plus I started getting a headache every day. It could be just a coincidence, but the headaches stopped a few days after I quit taking it.
I am seeing my doctor tomorrow for a routine check up, and will inquire then. But thought you might have some opinions on citrulline and or my side effects. I do have slightly high blood pressure, and take meds for that..
thank you for any input , , , Tim
Tim, I wonder if your headaches may be related to the vasodilation (expansion) of blood vessels in the brain as a result of citrulline? Im totally guessing on this but since they stopped after you stopped taking the supplement, it makes me wonder…
I started taking ff180 on sept 10, 2012 and on the 28th i had a brain bleed that put me in the hospital for a week but i guess that’s better than the morgue forever. Dr’s could not figure out what caused this bleed, one kept blaming a tumor but could not see it through all the blood. no tumor found.
later i told the doctor about this force factor and she said that was probably what caused the stroke. she said she did not expect this to happen again and not to take that crap anymore, like I needed her to tell me that.
Good luck to all that decide to take force factor testx180. I have reported this info to medcare and i am looking for an attorney with the stones to sue this corrupt outfit.
Hi,
I’m going to turn 74 next month.
I do the gym at least 4 days per beginning with the Tmill for 30-40 mins.
Then I do benches with 65 or 70lb bells.
I do about 8-10 different upper body exes.
The next day, I do legs.
I’m 5’6&1/2″/172.
I’d like to get down to about 160 and will.
I neither look or feel anything close to my age.
Working out keeps me alert and active.
I had looked into this NO con and am glad I found your site.
I just use a protein powder after WO and, that’s good enough with a good diet.
I still got it going on.
I also do my share of reverse cougaring.lol
Ron thats great! Phrase of the day.. “reverse cougaring” LOL love it!! 🙂
Hi Joe,
So what can you suggest? anything on mind that has no side effect at all but effective and can bring results?
Eman, everything has side effects if you use too much. That said the supplement that has more proof than any other is creatine monohydrate.
To be honest, all muscle gained with use of any type of supplement other than fish oil or a daily vitamin should be discredited. It is far more amazing to see someone battle the silent killer of daily stress and to put endless hours to work at building muscle by means of eating nutritionally healthy and building themselves up to more mass by increasing workout strength through experience. These supplements are drugs and its sad people praise themselves for their gains after needing something to accelerate the most powerful machine in the World – the human body.
Anthony, your comment is the only thing I read in this “blog” that makes any sense.
Tony Q
Tony Q, there is nobody named “Anthony” who commented here. Maybe you put your comment in the wrong post?
I dont understand the interpretation of the issues that arise with this product as far as the heart is concerned, you say that its bad for the heart, or bad for people with heart problems, but then you say the only people they tested it on were people with heart disease. Why would they give it to people with heart disease and erection problems in order to help them if it is bad for the heart?
Beave, sorry for the confusion. I said what I did about heart disease because people who have heart disease are probalby taking medications for their condition. Theoretically there may be an interaction between the meds and the arginine in Force Factor. For example, arginine has a mild blood pressure lowering effect. If the person is also taking blood pressure meds, the result might be blood pressure that goes too low. This may cause dizziness -and passing out – if the person gets up too fast.
I hope that clears things up.
Joe,
Thanks for the review. I was interested in the benefit of ForceFactor after seeing an add on OkCupid.
With half of a sentence typed into Google chrome I found this forum. After reading all of it, my curiosity for NO supplements diminished after reading: “I have not seen any good proof that healthy weight lifters need nitric oxide supplements”. Sometimes it is hard to acknowledged the difference between needing and wanting.
-Steven
Steven, thanks for the feedback . I’m glad my review came up so fast!
i bought a free sample testx180 ,then i was sent a large one for$69=shipping i did not order anything ,they took money from myMC ,i call that stealing ,if i wanted more i would order it ,besides taking testx180 does not a thing for me ,want my money back,how do i go about that,and i don’t want FF to help themselfs with my MC
Abraham, i searched and found this contact page for force factor http://www.forcefactor.com/contact
they list this # for customer support: 1-877-492-7243, Mon-Fri: 8am – 10pm EDT and Sat: 9am – 2pm EDT.
FF does the same thing Abraham. They send you a free bottle for $4.99 (s&h) and then a month later comes a large bottle with an invoice for $72 dollars. I never ordered it but it was maybe implied in the fine print when I ordered the free sample. When I called and said I didn’t want it she told me they would refund 60% only if cancelled within the first month.
I think a lot of companies are doing this but I believe it does nothing but hurt their reputation. I for one will not support a company like GNC after this. It seems all their products are waaay over-priced. All smoke and mirrors!
To answer Christallins question, it parallels the same standard that is fed to young women by Hollywood and the media. Muscles = masculinity. So mixed with the more is better mentality, you get pro bodybuilding. Get muscles at any cost. Also, go to a “fitness”/bodybuilding event in your area, the trade show part. You’ll get tremendous insight and a lot of your questions will get answered. Trust me it only takes one. Great people watching.
I have tried FF and still have an unopened bottle. Not worth the money. Best product i have ever used is Creatine. Nothing else has given me the results like it has. Believe me I have tried many different products. Only things I have had success with are Protein for growth, Creatine to get the extra reps. Break down the muscle more causes more recovery/development. Vitamin C & Glutamine for muscle recovery & to stay healthy. Last of all Ginger Root, stops the aches in my joints.
BTW I’m 42 and in better shape now than I ever have been. Bench, Dead Lift & Squat more than I ever before.
Great review Joe. This is an open question to anyone who may be reading. What is the attraction of creating super huge muscles? (men?) Speaking as a woman, this is an ugly look to me. It looks unnatural and scary. Seeing those muscles does not make me want to touch them; rather they are repellant. So I’m wondering if guys just want the gigantic muscles for themselves to admire or what the deal is? I understand the idea behind the idea of competitive bodybuilding, exceeding one’s “limits,” etc. But I would really like to know from a man’s point of view, why they want to achieve this look?
Hey Christallin,
There are many women I’m sure that would echo your feelings about overly muscled men. That said, I know some women that are highly enamored with large muscles. I think taste differs from person to person. I’m not saying that because I’m some bodybuilder, because I’m not.
I’m a fairly fit man in his 40’s, but I’ve never been a bodybuilder, and I’m not abnormally large. I do know some women that are very into big, overly developed men, however. Others that would rather be with very skinny men, others that like big “cuddly” (substitute “cuddly” for fat) men, and others that like an average developed man. To each their own.
Sam
the idea that nitric oxide might cause cancer is very preliminary but I thought Id mention it since so few people who review supplements on the web ever mention the other side of the equation.
Personally I dont think it will hurt you if you are healthy but I also think you can do better at “your first supplement” than force factor. It’s not much more than a nitric oxide supplement and as I said, the dirty little secret behind arginine and nitric oxide is that the bulk of the research is on old men with erection problems and heart disease .
I have not seen any good proof that healthy weight lifters need nitric oxide supplements.
But, do let me know what you think Force Factor. I’m always interested in reading what people think.
Hey Joe, I will start tacking FF tomorrow, Besides the cancer thing are there any other negative side effects of ff? This will be my first time taking supplements. I always try to stray away from them but after doing extensive research on it I have come to the conclusion that it is ok to take.
The theory behind the drug is simple but effective, now im no chemist, hell i flunked the AP Chem exam this may but I am able to understand the theory and implementation of how the drug works and it seems safe and legit. I have not been able to find any negative feedback on the drug in terms of side effects until I stumbled upon this site. Your facts seem to be a minority in this matter but you seem legit.
John, anyone who figures this out will have a Nobel Prize. chemicals, hormones etc made in the body can have different effects depending on many factors.
how can a chemical naturally produced in the body cause cancer?
To the best of my knowledge, Cancer is usually the result of an unfortunate mutation – often (but not necessarily) occurring in response to a foreign bodies and toxins (carcinogens).
The risk of your body creating a ‘defective’ cell increases where more cell replacement is necessitated – especially those places in the body responsible for extensive production of new cells (like bone marrow) and tissues exposed to harm (like skin)
Just because something is naturally present does not mean it is harmless. The body sacrifices some cells to fight pathogens and can purposefully attack suspected tissues if dysfunctional or diseased (or for example where new scar tissue is required).
Randy thanks for letting me know about that bad side effect of NO Xplode. I agree people with any kind of blood pressure problems or heart problems should steer clear of nitric oxide supplements. Same goes for kidney problems too.
Joe, just to let you and your readers know two of my co-workers had bad reactions to NO Xplode Nitric Oxide supplement (high blood pressure) and both were kept over night for observation until they stabilized. Both are fine now and both are in their mid 30’s.
Sometimes in our desire to be healthy and fit we want the quick fix even if we die trying. So please take your time getting and staying healthy and fit, you have your whole lives ahead of you!!
I for one am grateful for this site Joe, many thanks again.
Randy
Good stuff man! I still can’t believe NO products are still so popular! Crazy.
As for Jack3D, a buddy in the industry (although he works for a competitive company) said that caffeine per serving is over 300 mg. According to USPlabs site, they say it is less than 150mg and more than 65mg, but don’t say.
Geranium will most likely be on the FDA banned list soon (if not already) ,so suspect it will go away and consumers won’t notice a difference (probably not much in it).
I have tried Jack3d from a free sample and it was wired for hours though, but it is not something I currently use.
Rock on
Mike T Nelson PhD(c)
Hey Joe. I read your review on Force Factor and I have to say although I am not of fan of Force Factor as a NO supplement I have and do use certain NO products that I must say do give me a bigger pump at the gym and give me extra energy. If you would review Jack3d. That is one of the most basic formulas that includes Beta Alanine, Creatine, … See MoreCaffeine, 1,3-Dimethylamylamine (Geranium [Stem]), Schizandrol A). Most of these ingreadents are also in products such as N.O. Explode, Superpump 250, etc. Reviewing Jack3d would be a better overall review of an NO that Force Factor. Just thought I would through this your way.
P.S. the one’s I got the most out of were Jack3d, Superpump 250, Black Powder, and NaNo Vapor.
I’m trying the free sample, watched the video, and thought I heard him say something like “The same substance used in FORMING CONCRETE.” If anybody can substantiate that it actually has the same substance, I will likely discontinue.
Their “cute” statement about “annihilating veins” is less than impressive; it looks downright stupid, medically or realistically.
J, what video did you see? I’d like to take a look at it.