We fed this recovery drink's ingredients into an AI and asked it for an unbiased report. Here's what happened.
Here's something most supplement companies never do – reformulate their best-selling products when something better comes along. It's risky. Why mess with a formula when people are already buying it?
Well, because innovations occur – new research, better ingredients, and improved delivery systems. If you can make a good supplement work even better, why not do it? Well, usually because it costs more to make, so most companies just choose not to innovate at all.
At Biotest, we always choose the "innovate and improve" route. We're constantly researching to stay ahead. And today, we have a new way to help us do it: artificial intelligence.
While we're definitely a human-run company, it doesn't hurt to run our formulations through an AI. An advanced AI can analyze thousands of peer-reviewed papers, clinical abstracts, and biochemical pathways in minutes. It can cross-reference new studies, research nutrient interactions, and analyze dosages in seconds.
We think of it as a test. Did we get the supplement right?
Recently, we fed an AI several of our supplement formulations and asked for unbiased evaluations. We did it with our new preworkout, Igniter, and with Surge and Superfood.
Now let's do with our MAG-10 (Buy at Amazon) workout recovery drink.
The AI evaluation
Here's what AI had to say:
🤖 Overall assessment
MAG-10 is a scientifically sound, premium recovery drink – formulated intelligently for speed, absorption, and metabolic balance. The peptide + dual carbohydrate + electrolyte system is hard to beat for fast post-workout recovery, especially for strength and physique athletes. Most competitors rely on cheap whey and simple sugar. MAG-10's inclusion of structured peptides, designer carbs, and buffering electrolytes genuinely elevates it to clinical-grade recovery nutrition.
🤖 Formula breakdown & ingredient evaluation
1. Casein hydrolysate (highly structured peptides)
Casein hydrolysate (Peptopro) is a pre-digested protein made up largely of di- and tri-peptides. These short-chain peptides are absorbed extremely fast – faster than free-form amino acids – thanks to peptide transporters (PEPT-1) in the gut.
Functional Impact:
- Short term: Provides a near-immediate amino acid surge post-workout, accelerating muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
- Medium term: Repeated use after workouts improves lean mass accrual and recovery capacity due to faster turnover of muscle proteins.
- Long term: Consistent intake improves training volume tolerance, reduces soreness, and maintains a higher baseline of anabolic signaling (via mTOR and FGF-21 pathways).
Critique: Casein hydrolysate is superior to standard whey isolate in absorption rate and GI comfort, but it's expensive.
2. Highly branched cyclic dextrin (HBCD)
HBCD is a designer carbohydrate with a high molecular weight and low osmotic pressure. It's absorbed quickly but doesn't spike insulin excessively.
Functional Impact:
- Short term: Speeds gastric emptying, replenishes glycogen efficiently, and minimizes post-workout fatigue.
- Medium term: Improves performance in subsequent training sessions by restoring glycogen without GI distress.
- Long term: Helps maintain muscle fullness and enhances recovery in high-volume or twice-a-day training programs.
Critique: Excellent choice for a high-performance recovery drink. HBCD's inclusion differentiates MAG-10 from basic whey shakes. Effective for peptide shuttling.
3. Isomaltulose
This is a low-GI disaccharide that provides sustained glucose release without insulin spikes.
Functional Impact:
- Short term: Supports steady energy recovery post-training while maintaining insulin sensitivity.
- Medium term: Enhances muscle glycogen storage and prolongs anabolic signaling from the protein component.
- Long term: Contributes to improved metabolic flexibility – an advantage for athletes alternating between fat-loss and muscle-gain phases.
Critique: Combining isomaltulose with HBCD creates a dual-phase carbohydrate system – rapid plus sustained energy restoration. Smart inclusion.
4. Electrolyte & buffering system
Ingredients: Sodium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, magnesium citrate.
Functional Impact: Restores electrolytes lost through sweat. Helps buffer metabolic acidosis from intense training. The bicarbonate/phosphate combo enhances muscle contractility and delays fatigue.
Critique: A well-rounded hydration system.
🤖 Premium, and the price reflects it
Mag-10 uses a premium protein source (highly-hydrolyzed casein peptides), which is a higher-cost raw material compared to standard whey isolates or concentrates. It also includes a designer dual-carb system that's more sophisticated than a generic maltodextrin/sugar carb blend. The formula includes a robust electrolyte/buffer system, which adds formulation complexity.
Because of those ingredients, this is high-end, clinical-grade recovery nutrition rather than a simple post-workout shake. It's clearly made for serious strength/physique athletes who train hard, appreciate premium peptides, and value faster recovery with fewer compromises.
However, it might not appeal to casual gym-goers or budget-conscious shoppers. Biotest should consider a tiered budget version with less expensive ingredients that work "well enough" for the casual, broader market.
🙋♂️ Our evaluation of the AI evaluation
Overall, we like our "report card." Well, except for that last part.
We made the decision years ago to NOT make supplements for the casual, broader market. We are Lexus, not Kia. There's nothing wrong with producing "okay" supplements, and there's a big market for them, but that's not Biotest. We'll stick to a single tier: premium MAG-10 (Buy at Amazon). No comprises.
