Fellas, want to put the equivalent of rocket fuel down the hatch? Of course you don’t. That sounds absolutely horrible. Yet, jitters, heachaches, sweaty tingly limbs, and post-recovery crashes are common symptoms of a supplement market riddled with fake, poorly produced junk.
It’s time we step away from flashy canisters and tubs revealing bright yellow caution tape colors and aggressive fonts that hack our brains into thinking we’re buying super hero abilities in the form of pink pre-workout powder.
Looking for something a bit simpler, I came across Dioxyme. They’re a craft supplement brand founded and developed by physicians. They propduce things like protein powders, muscle performance optimizers, multivitamins, fat loss supplements, collagen blends, and nootropics.
I picked up their grass-fed ultra whey protein, their muscle performance optimizer, and their nootropic BRAIN to see if the buzz around this brand is justified.
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What Is Dioxyme?
Dioxyme was founded in 2014 by a father and son duo named Bennett and Dr. Marc Schneider. It began when Bennett decided to chase down the lofty goal of playing professional hockey. While Bennett trained rigorously, constantly seeking an edge on his competitors, his dad Marc was getting familiar with the ins and outs of sports nutrition.
Bennett went deeper and deeper playing in high school, then college, and eventually, the pros. And Dr. Schneider went deeper into the market, seeking new ways to support his son’s training, performance, diet, and supplement intake.
The two ran through supplements, finding none that were effective, and others that were downright “snake oil”. So, Dr. Schneider bought his own raw ingredients and started mixing formulas. Soon, Bennett felt a tangible difference in the gym and on the ice.
Their mission with Dioxyme is to provide safe, effective, small-batch supplements for athletes who don’t want to trash their body with impure supplements.
For the guys who won't settle for imperfection---the ones who are willing to give their training every last ounce.
Things to Consider Before Buying Supplements and Protein from Dioxyme
There are too many problems within the supplement industry to cover in one measly review. The most prevalent issues include supplements that are harmful, supplements that don’t do what they claim to, and supplements that are meaner to your wallet than your organs. Many check off two or all three from that list.
Dioxyme has released a lineup of supplements with an array of various functions made in the USA. Their protein powders and muscle performance formulas are for serious athletes; guys who train at a high level in a particular sport, or push themselves to demanding levels of performance in the gym, on lengthy runs, in HIIT workouts, or during strength and resistance training.
On the other hand, many of their supplements like BRAIN, a nootropic for memory, focus and energy, and their multivitamins, would benefit anyone, regardless of athletic endeavor.
First consider what you are trying to achieve with any given supplement. Greater mental clarity? Fat burn? Muscle gain? Fuel for workouts? Once you know your desired outcome you can explore Dioxyme’s lineup to see if there’s something for you.
Dioxyme Review
I tested out three of Dioxyme’s offerings including one of their most popular supplements: a grass-fed ultra whey protein formula.
Grass-fed Ultra Whey Protein
I’m not going to lie to you—this protein is a clean-burning delight. Dioxyme’s formula is cold-processed and pasture-raised from hormone and antibiotic-free cows. Pasture-raised means these cows had some roaming room and were probably munching on ample patches of grass.
Dioxyme’s formula comes in a 2lb or 4.2lb bag that uses 5x less plastic than traditional protein tubs and is 100% recyclable. I’m a sucker for eco-friendly packaging, so well done Dioxyme team.
Ever heard unpleasant gurgling sounds coming from your gut after a protein shake? I have. I’m also known for having quite a prissy, sensitive stomach. This protein digested beautifully. No gas, no bloating, and it kept me feeling nourished post-workout for several hours.
You can pick from 5 flavors including: Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Bun, Coconut, Raw & Unflavored, and Vanilla. This formula contains 27 grams of protein per scoop which equates to 23 servings in a 2lb bag. Dioxyme is so confident in their protein, they’ve designed a dropdown comparison chart for other competitors on the market.
At $.063 per gram of protein, they fall somewhere in the middle in terms of pricing. But, they are quick to point out that their blend includes bcaa’s, eaa’s, and a digestive enzyme which is pretty rare for protein powder.
Flavor and Texture
I’ve been a vanilla guy my whole life. The type who even avoided chocolate cake at birthday parties growing up. I only like small nibbles of dark chocolate from time to time.
This chocolate protein has converted me. The smell is deep, rich, and fragrant. I later learned this is because Dioxyme enlisted artisan trained chefs just to perfect the flavor.
If you’ve had chocolate protein powder before, you probably expect the same sweet artificial flavor. Dioxyme’s protein tastes more like a gourmet chocolate dessert. At 8:30am drinking my protein shake before starting work, I felt more like I was indulging in a cheat day treat than fueling my muscles post-workout.
The texture is smooth and non-grainy. It mixes well into milk or water and will gladly accept the leading role in your blended shake if you usually make one.
What’s Inside
Unlike the aforementioned tubs of protein powder with caution tape colors and aggressive fonts, this ingredient list is as straightforward as it gets. Infact, since it won’t take up too much space, I’ll just list the ingredients right here:
Grass-fed whey protein isolate and concentrate, organic stevia, natural flavors, organic cane sugar, non-GMO maltodextrin, Non-GMO xanthum gum, and digestive enzymes.
When considering a protein, you should also be thinking about the amino acid profile. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and play a crucial role in body functions. Dioxyme has pieced together an extensive list in their formula.
Pasture raised and hormone free, this whey burns clean. You might not be able to tell because it tastes so freakin' good.
Muscle Performance Optimizer (MPO)
Muscle Performance Optimizer, when created properly, is the cleaner cousin to pre-workout. Unlike pre-workout, this formula is aimed at feeding your muscles fuel during a workout and affecting your power output.
Thankfully, it won’t give you jitters or explode your energy levels for a couple hours only to make you crash later.
Dioxyme’s MPO is stimulant-free so you could pair it with your usual pre-workout if you want that added energy boost. If you take it on it’s own, don’t expect it to snap you out of your morning grogginess the way caffeinated pre-workouts do.
It comes in only one flavor, blue raspberry, which is a little on the sweet side but goes down pretty easily. The dosing is based on your weight and will be anywhere from ½ scoop to 2 scoops.
The main benefits are feeling stronger, experiencing greater endurance, and being aided in recovery after your workout.
I took this 30-minutes before a pretty intense workout consisting of a 2-mile run, body weight exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, and heavy resistance bands sets for muscle growth. I didn’t feel the effects of the MPO as much during my workout as I did after in the recovery phase. For me, it seemed to help my muscles get back to a normal state faster rather than allowing me to pump out extra reps during the workout. But it’s important to note that everyone processes supplements differently.
It was pleasant feeling less sore and achy at my desk between the time when I workout and when I foam roll later in the evening. So, if you want to go hard for your workout but feel less sore muscles throughout the day, this MPO is something to consider.
There are five active ingredients which include: creatine monohydrate, hydroxy methylbutyrate, beta-alanine, alpha-hydroxyisocaproic acid, and phosphatidic acid.
This MPO is for guys who push themselves hard during their routine workouts. Guys who need an extra oomph delivered to their muscles both during intense exercise and following it.
What do you know about MPO? While we might need something to help optimize our rhymes, our muscles are all set. The Dioxyme Muscle Performance Optimizer is like the cleaner cousin of pre-workout. With no added stimulants, this product will help you get gains without trashing your body.
BRAIN Nootropic
BRAIN is Dioxyme’s only nootropic offering described as “a nootropic formula you can actually feel.”
The formula claims to improve mental processing, memory, focus, creativity, and athletic performance. These are not abnormal claims for a nootropic. What sets BRAIN apart comes in the form of a patented time-released caffeine.
Dioxyme claims this time-released formula allows for a steady stream of energy for 6 hours without resulting in jitters or crash.
I’ve tested other supplements before so I’m familiar with the good and the bad. You can really feel BRAIN after you take it. I half-expected to get the full blast of caffeine right off the bat, but I didn’t.
I took 2 capsules before starting a demanding day of research and writing. I didn’t get the jitters, I checked my phone less, and I felt the short spurts of highly focused writing time last longer than usual.
BRAIN didn’t transform me into Hemingway, but it did deliver smooth energy for an impressive period of time, sort of like the perfect cup of coffee with a touch of added focus.
Nootropics aren’t typically very cheap. This one isn’t either. That being said, it still delivers good value for the cost at around $1.70 per day for a 30-day supply.
This is for guys who are starting an especially demanding day of mental output. BRAIN would work perfectly before a big pitch or presentation, an interview, or to help you complete a big project and make sure all the details are intact.
BRAIN delivers a little extra dose of focus and energy. Sort of like the perfect cup of coffee, but without jitters.
What do Other Reviewers Say About Dioxyme?
Dioxyme has only been on the market for 7 years and is still rapidly growing it’s reputation. Of the 500+ reviews on their website, over 90% of customers gave them a full 5-star rating. Reviews differed depending on each individual supplement but most guys found that Dioxyme delivered on their claims and were quite happy with their purchase.
What I Like
Transparent, high-quality sourced ingredient lists you can feel good about taking.
The eco-friendly packaging isn’t obnoxious or overdone and helps save plastic.
They offer an extensive line of supplements for different needs like sports performance and focus.
With Dioxyme, everything feels intentional from ingredients to dosing to flavors and final execution.
What I Don’t Like
Their formulas are as expensive as other luxury, top-notch supplement brands.
There are limited flavor selections for many supplements.
Who is Dioxyme for?
Dioxyme’s sports supplements like their grass-fed ultra whey and MPO are for guys who are striving for a high level of fitness. This could include distance runners, heavy lifters, consistent HIIT trainers, and other athletes who require huge power outputs during their workouts and need proper recovery.
The Verdict
Dioxyme isn’t cheap, but it’s because they are using superior ingredients to produce small-batch craft supplements. Ingredients you can understand or easily look up. Beyond their ingredients, they’ve put in the effort, thought, and diligence to produce supplements that are effective, great tasting, and not flashy.
Almost every supplement brand out there makes a couple unreachable claims, even Dioxyme. Their MPO claims to make you feel “stronger and more unstoppable than ever with increased power, endurance and recovery.” My workouts didn’t go from ordinary to unstoppable with one scoop of this powder, but I did feel like my recovery was enhanced. And I still agree with most of the reviews I read about Dioxyme’s supplements being clean and effective.
Dioxyme is the antithesis of the attention-grabbing, caution tape-wrapped tubs of Ultra Extreme Rocket Fuel Maxxed Out Mega Gainzz formulas you see sprawling across the supplement market today.
If you prioritize muscle performance and you’re looking to get that last 5% out of your workout and recovery, Dioxyme is the brand for you. From clean-burning workout supplements to nootropics and multivitamins, they are going to have something that peaks your interest. And you can trust it’s going to be made with integrity.
For the guys who won't settle for imperfection---the ones who are willing to give their training every last ounce.
FAQs
What is hydrolyzed protein powder?
Hydrolyzed protein has gone through a process called hydrolysis which means it has been exposed to heat, acid, or enzymes. Hydrolysis works to break down bonds between amino acids, effectively making this one of the purest forms of protein. However, there is no lactose in this form of protein.
Can I drink whey protein every day?
While there’s nothing wrong with switching up your protein sources, whey is notoriously safe and effective and can be consumed on a regular basis by most people.
Can I drink whey protein without working out?
Most people drink whey protein to feed their bodies after an intense workout and replenish protein that was broken down during exercise. However, even in the absence of intense exercise, an individual can still consume drinkable whey protein to increase overall health and body functions. Protein is a building block of life and needed by everyone in different quantities, regardless of how active they are.