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Vitol Russian Bear 5000, Ice Cream Chocolate 4-Pounds |
This is the protein powder that I prefer over all others. I am writing this review for all of those that are wanting to try this product as a post-workout protein or a meal replacement.
I will start off by saying that I use this supplement two times a day. I use 1 scoop in the morning with 16 ounces of milk as a meal replacement/snack. I also use it as my post workout protein/carbohydrate supplement. I also use 1 scoop with 16 ounces of 0% – lowfat milk.
The serving size recommended on the container is for someone that is REALLY trying to gain some major size. I wouldn’t recommend this amount unless you are putting in a good hard two hours of heavy lifting per day. You can see the serving size in the picture at the bottom.
I will not recommend to anyone how much they should take but I will break down the calories so you know how much you are taking in.
8 oz of Milk
1/4 scoop with 8 oz of 0% milk =215 Calories/ 20gm Protein/ 32gm Carbs
1/2 scoop with 8oz of 0% milk= 345 Calories/ 28gm Protein/52gm Carbs
3/4 scoop with 8oz of 0% milk= 475 Calories/37gm Protein/72gm Carbs
1 scoop with 8oz of 0% milk= 605
Calories /46 gm Protein/92gm Carbs
16 oz of Milk
1/4 scoop with 8 oz of 0% milk=300 Calories/28Gm Protein/44gm Carbs
1/2 scoop with 8oz of 0% milk= 430 Calories/ 6Gm Protein/64gm Carbs
3/4 scoop with 8oz of 0% milk= 560 Calories/45Gm Protein/84gm Carbs
1 scoop with 8oz of 0% milk= 690 Calories / 54 Gm Protein/ 104gm Carbs
If you are taking more than this just know that each scoop equals 520 calories plus whatever the calorie content of the milk you are drinking with it. I have provided above a list of calorie, protein, and carbohydrate amounts when taken with 0% or skim milk.
I will list below a few of the ingredients in this product of significance and what they are used for:
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| Russian Bear Results for me with P90X |
Protein source is “pharmaceutical grade protein blend consisting of non-fat milk solids and hydrolyzed egg white (albumin)”
Carb source is “complex, medium chain and simple carbohydrates”
Also contains per 1 scoop:
Yohimbe Bark 300 MG
Sika deer Antler powder 100 MG
Schizandra chinesis 100 MG
Elutherococcus 200 MG
Inosine HXR 100 MG
Colostrum 80 MG
Boron .6 MCG
Chromium Picolinate 40 MCG
Side notes:
Modern herbalists recognize Schizandra to have the following actions: antibacterial, antidepressant, antifatigue, aphrodisiac improves endurance, mental performance, physical performance, urogenital tonic and uterine stimulant.
Traditionally, antler velvet (Sikadeer Antler powder) has been used to restore, balance and strengthen the body, support joint function, and cultivate an overall feeling of well-being.
Colostrum (from cows) contains the growth factor IGF-1, which may help build muscle, and on this basis colostrum has been proposed as a sports supplement.
Boron does seem to assist in the proper absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus from foods, and slows the loss of these minerals through urination. Very preliminary evidence suggests that boron supplements may be helpful for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
Yohimbe is sometimes promoted as enhancing libido and acting as an aphrodisiac. Yohimbe bark is generally expected to contain at least 0.2% yohimbine.
Inosine is an important chemical found throughout the body. It plays many roles, one of which is helping to make ATP, the body’s main form of usable energy. Based primarily on this fact, inosine supplements have been proposed as an energy booster for athletes.
Chromium’s most important function in the body is to help regulate the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin plays a starring role in this fundamental biological process, by regulating the movement of glucose out of the blood and into cells. Scientists believe that insulin uses chromium as an assistant (technically, a cofactor) to “unlock the door” to the cell membrane, thus allowing glucose to enter the cell.
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are fats with an unusual chemical structure that allows the body to digest them easily. Most fats are broken down in the intestine and reassembled into a special form that can be transported in the blood. But MCTs are absorbed intact and taken to the liver, where they are used directly for energy. In this sense, they are processed very similarly to carbohydrates. For that reason, MCTs have been proposed as an alternative to “carbo-loading” (consumption of a large quantity of carbohydrates prior to intense physical exercise) for providing a concentrated source of easily utilized energy.
I hope the information provided in this post will help you “know” what you are taking and help aid you in the decision of how much to take . I myself have fallen in love with this product due to the results I have seen in combining it with proper nutrition and P90X
Vitol Russian Bear 5000, Ice Cream Chocolate 4-Pounds
Hey Scotty,
Just picked some of this up after seeing your results and reading through this post. You say you mix 1 scoop with 16 ounces of milk, was just wondering if that was the 1/2 cup scoop included with the product? Or do you use the average 30gram scooper included with most other supplements?
Thanks!
Hey George! I’m talking about the scoop that comes with the product:) Keep in touch with how you like it and any improvements you see!
First of all, I’m trying to supplement this similar to how you did. One shake in the morning about 2.5 hours after breakfast, and then one post workout (about 45 minutes after my post workout recovery drink).
The first day I tried this by just shaking a full scoop in a shaker bottle with 16 oz. of milk, and personally was overpowered by the taste. The next day I did a half scoop in 16 oz of milk the same way, and while that tasted much better, it wasn’t giving me enough calories with just 1 scoop, and I didn’t want to go through 4 half scoop shakes everyday to get the same as a 1 scoop shake.
So, what I did was blend 1/2 scoop with 16 oz. of milk (for the 430 calories and 36g of protein) with a half cup of steel cut oats (for around 150 calories/5g protein) and 2 tblspn of peanut butter (for another 190 calories/9g protein) to put each half scoop shake just over a full scoop, and still be equally high in carbs and just a few grams of protein under (which I more than make up for with other meals). This is going to double how long each bottle of Russian Bear lasts, which makes it that much more affordable (it’s already a REALLY great price, and the vitamin profile is very solid).
I struggle fitting enough calories for gaining into my daily diet, so this is definitely an amazing supplement for the “smaller” body types who don’t have the appetite they need for bulking.