CYTOSPORT Cytomax Sports Performance Mix, Cool Citrus, 4.5 Pound

As a family, we started using Cytomax while training for a backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon, back in the Winter/Spring of 2006. It was recommended to us by the owner of the local high-end bicycle store. The flavor is smooth, and the drink doesn't leave you with that cotton-mouth feeling that even water can produce, especially when it's hot. I'll warn you up front, this stuff is addicting. Once your body gets a taste of it, you WILL NOT exersise again without it. In fact, just the smell of the powder while you're mixing it will trigger a pavlovian response that you suddenly have the urge to go do something strenouos, and, you just want a huge drink of Cytomax. Weird, I know, but true. About the flavors. We've found the Cool Citrus to be the smoothest, truest, taste. Sort of a nice lemonade flavor. To us, all of the other flavors have some sort of a weird before, or after taste. For example, the Tangy Orange has sort of a powdery thing going on. The fruit flavors like the punch and the grape have a perfume thing going on. We haven't tried the apple or the chocolate, and won't. I'll be honest and say that I'm not loving the "Natural" and now I see it's coming with "Stevia" as the sweetner. Haven't tried the stevia version yet, and really, I'm not interested. Personally, I don't think the "natural" is as good as the original, definately doesn't taste as good. Now for my "Cytomax Story." In August of 2006 we did our first backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon. We didn't drink anything but Cytomax. It was brutally hot down in the gorge, and being first timers, we not only brought a ton of stuff, but we brought a ton of heavy stuff. We just about got laughed off the shuttle bus because our packs (especially mine) were so stupid huge. Seriously, picture a Low Alpine 75L pack filled to the brim, to the point that it has to be bear hugged, lifted up onto a rock, and then backed into, in order to put it on! What can I say, we were rookies. The cytomax kept us alive and well, but the real story is that during the hike out, we came across a young couple on the Bright Angel Trail, somewhere below 3mi House. As is typical for the Bright Angel, they were in tank tops, tennis shoes, no hats, and had come down with a 16oz bottle of water, each. It was 100*F+, and the girlfriend was broke down on the side of the trail with heat stroke. The boyfriend was talking about how he was going to run to the top to get her a soda. She was angrily complaining about what she would and wouldn't drink (one of the signs of heat stroke is lack of good judgement). I filled her 16 water bottle with Cytomax, and told her she could drink it, or wait for a helicopter. She decided to drink, and in about 10 minutes her lights came back on. We gave them both some snacks that we had, saw them one more time at one of the other rest houses, and I think they beat us out to the top! Seriously, that's how great Cytomax is. We use it year round now, for whatever exersise or sport we are doing, whether individually, or as a family. It's gone with us to the Grand Canyon, 5 years in a row, including just last week where my 70 year old mom went with us, rim-to-rim in 3 days, fueled by Cool Citrus Cytomax!

Cytomax really does what it says it will do: increase your ability to sustain exercise and reduce recovery. I cycle both road and off-road and cytomax is what i prefer in my water bottle. It works in a mild way (no jitters or let down) to lengthen the amount of time I ride before feeling tired, increase the length of time I can spend riding, and eases the aches after riding. I am middle aged woman with moderate fitness. If I notice this difference, I'm betting a fitter person will definitely notice performance improvements. It tastes GREAT and this price is excellent for the HUGE tub of powder (I used to pay $16 for half this size tin more than 15 years ago). Two large scoops in a standard cycling water bottle will give you good flavor and results, but you can go less if you like less flavor. You will need to shake the bottle a lot to mix. The power will cake over time if you don't use it or allow moisture/too much air, so keep it sealed up and dry. I LOVE this stuff and don't cardio without it. No side effects except better performance and less discomfort!

By far the best value among the "serious" sports drinks. Compare by serving - many times cheaper than Heed. Only thing cheaper is Gatorade powder, over which I greatly prefer this. Regarding complaints about the flavor, I never had the old formula, so I'm not sure if it was as great as some of the negative reviews below state. I also have never had New Coke. The flavor is mediocre, but keep in mind that it stays tolerable if you mix it strong or mix it weak. It stays decent if it gets warm at the end of a long ride. Ice cold, perfectly mixed Gatorade tastes better...but warm diluted Gatorade? Gag. The Tropical Fruit tastes the best at first, I think, but by the end of the tub I'm really sick of it. You might think the Pomegranate Berry tastes kind of like Hawaiian Punch. Cool Citrus is the most mild and consistently tolerable flavor if you're going to be drinking like ten bottles of the stuff. Haven't had Grape, because I don't like fake grape anything, and Tangy Orange has caffeine.

I began drinking Cytomax for my bicycle rides in 1993. The flavor was a citrus or lemon-lime. I am big and have had huge quads since junior high and have, since high school, been prone to muscle cramps. My endurance with Cytomax increased from a struggling 40 mile ride to 60 and 70 miles rides. I also did a few 100s, but not without struggles and a 320 mile tour with a loaded bicycle. I have tried other endurance products and they may work for other people and their physiology, but Cytomax has been my constant. I have added a product called EmergenC and pickle juice which both seem to increase my endurance over my personal limitations with only Cytomax and sports bars. When I discovered orange, I tried it and enjoyed the flavor until it was changed to "herbal" and I stopped buying it because of the flavor. I alternated apple with citrus and eventually ordered grape which was better than I had expected. My favorite, all time, was the apple berry flavor, which was a surprise, because I can't usually stomach berry-flavored or punch flavored sports drinks. Tangy orange is nearer to the original flavor and I have started using it again. I still order apple when I can find it and often mix it with grape (50-50) which gives me a very satisfying taste, in my memory, similar to the apple berry flavor. Of course this is my opinion and experience. I have ridden over 46,000 miles in the past nearly 22 years and Cytomax has been my staple, but I do wish they would stick with the flavors I like and stop changing the formula. These days I order Citrus, Orange, Grape, and Apple (if I can find it to mix with the grape).

With a 70 miler facing me I needed something to keep me going through the day other than jelly babies. I've never used this product before but I finished the day still energised. My recovery time was amazing against earlier similar runs with significantly less muscle stress the following day. Age wise I'm 70 and this product has really given my cycling a boost.

really like it

Lie the taste, suits my needs.

Easy to mix, tastes good, easy on the tum and delivers energy when you need it. Shop around though, even from same supplier carton sizes in metric vs imperial can work out different prices.

As an avid road cyclist of many years, this is the most powerful Endurance & Recovery drink I have found on the market. Many of my fellow cyclists are now converted