Sleep Aid

83%
Good, possibly underdosed

Arnold Iron Dream has an impressive ingredient list and is likely to give advertised results. My only concern is some ingredients might need to be administered at a higher dosage to be fully effective.

However, considering its modest price, Arnold Iron Dream is worth trying. If you are interested in improving sleep quality and supporting muscle recovery, this product might prove satisfying.

  • Ingredients
  • Negative Side Effects
  • Effectiveness
  • Value
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esupplements.com$21.95FreeBuy Now
as$37.99$3.99Buy Now
am$21.20$3.99Buy Now

Arnold Schwarzenegger has teamed up with Musclepharm to develop the exclusive new Arnold Series product line. A new product called Arnold Iron Dream is set to be released on September 26, 2013.

This product was designed to promote deep, restful sleep, allowing your body to fully recover during the night. It supports natural growth hormone and testosterone production while preventing muscle damage and breakdown.

I was intrigued by Arnold Iron Dream’s ability to promote recovery during sleep, so I researched the primary ingredients in its formula.

Primary Ingredients

Arnold Iron Dream contains 3,555 mg of “Arnold’s Dream Proprietary blend.” This blend is comprised of two matrix blends: Night Growth Matrix and Muscle Recovery Matrix. The most important ingredients are listed below:

Night Growth Matrix

L-Glycine protects skeletal muscles from shock damage. It also has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.[1]

The recommended dose starts at 4 g, which is more than the entire proprietary blend.[2] Arnold Iron Dream might not contain enough to deliver the desired effect.

Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) triggers GABA A-receptors in the brain and promotes deep sleep.[3] Research shows GABA levels increase when the REM sleep state is achieved.[4]

At this time, there is not a recommended dosing amount for GABA.

5-HTP is a chemical precursor for serotonin production. Some researchers believe insomnia is caused by serotonin deficiency. One study shows 5-HTP supplementation increases REM sleep states by 5-53%.[5] Apparently this dose lessened the total amount of time subjects stayed asleep. Researchers believe this is the body’s way of compensating after receiving better sleep than normal.[5]

Correct 5-HTP dosing depends on health factors such as age, weight, height, and specific health conditions.

Horny Goat Weed contains a chemical which enhances nitric-oxide synthase expression, thus increasing the amount of bio-active nitric-oxide. It also promotes cardiovascular health and protects endothelial cells.[6]

There is not enough research to determine an effective dosing amount.

Muscle Recovery Matrix

Fenugreek increases muscle re-synthesis and replenishes glycogen levels after exercise.[7] Glycogen is the major source of carbohydrate fuel during exercise.[8] One study shows muscle glycogen synthesis improves 63% when fenugreek is consumed within 2 hours of completing a workout.[7]

This study used a dosing amount of 1.8 g per kg body weight.[7] I’m not sure if Arnold Iron Dream contains enough to mimic the study, but it probably contains enough to have a positive impact on performance.

L-Glutamine is recommended for athletes engaged in heavy exercise training. Prolonged exercise depletes plasma glutamine concentrations. This is thought to induce immune impairment and increases susceptibility to infections. To prevent this, glutamine concentrations must be kept at a constant level during and after strenuous exercise.[9]

This study used a dose of 28 g daily.[9] Arnold Iron Dream does not contain that much in its entire blend.

BCAA (L-Leucine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine) is a grouping of branched-chain amino acids oxidized in skeletal muscle. One study concluded “BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis.”[10]

How to Buy Arnold Iron Dream

Following its release in late September 2013, Arnold Iron Dream was made available on many online stores. Here are the best deals I found for 30 servings.

StorePriceShippingBuy Now
esupplements.com$21.95FreeBuy Now
as$37.99$3.99Buy Now
am$21.20$3.99Buy Now

How to Use Arnold Iron Dream

The product label provides instructions for getting the best results out of Arnold Iron Dream.

Take one serving (1 scoop) with 6-8 oz. water 30-45 minutes before bedtime. Cycle 5 nights on, and then take a break for 2 days.

It is best to allow yourself 8 hours of sleep when using Arnold Iron Dream. This allows the product time to deliver its full effects.

Manufacturer Warnings

The label gives explicit warnings to keep in mind.

For example, only use this product when you’re ready for bed. Arnold Iron Dream causes drowsiness and should not be used when driving or using heavy machinery.

Do not take this product with alcohol as it could cause an adverse reaction.

This product is not intended for pregnant or nursing women. Do not take this product if you expect to become pregnant in the near future.

If you are currently taking any prescription medication, ask your doctor before taking Arnold Iron Dream. Some medications react badly to sleep aids.

Is It Recommended?

Arnold Iron Dream has an impressive ingredient list and is likely to give advertised results. My only concern is some ingredients might need to be administered at a higher dosage to be fully effective.

However, considering its modest price, Arnold Iron Dream is worth trying. If you are interested in improving sleep quality and supporting muscle recovery, this product might prove satisfying.

References[1] Zhong, Zhi; Wheeler; Wheeler, Michael D.; Li, Xiangli; Froh, Matthais; Schemmer, Peter; Yin, Ming; Buzendaul, Hartwig; Bradford, Blair; Lemasters, John J. “L-Glycine: A Novel anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and cytoprotective agent.” Available from: http://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2003/03000/L_Glycine__a_novel_antiinflammatory,.13.aspx

[2] “Glycine.” WebMD.com. Available from: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1072-glycine.aspx?activeIngredientId=1072&activeIngredientName=glycine&source=1

[3] Claude Gottesmann. “GABA mechanisms and sleep.” Neuroscience. Volume 111, Issue 2, 10 May 2002, Pages 231-239. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452202000349

[4] D. Nitz and J. Siegal. “GABA release in the dorsal raphe nucleus: role in the control of REM sleep.” American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative PhysiologyJul 1997,273(1)R451-R455. Available from: http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/273/1/R451

[5] R.J Wyatt, V. Zarcone, K. Engelman, W.C. Dement, F. Snyder, A. Sjoerdsma. “Effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on the sleep of normal human subjects.” Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. Volume 30, Issue 6, June 1971, pages 505-509. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0013469471901477

[6] Xu H.B. and Huang ZQ. “Icariin enhances endothelial nitric-oxide synthase expression on human endothelial cells in vitro.” Vascul Pharmacol. 2007 Jul;47(10:18-24). Available from:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17499557

[7] B.C. Ruby, S.E. Gaskill, D. Slivka, S.G. Harger. “The Addition of fenugreek extract (trigonella foenum-gracecum) to glucose increases muscle glycogen re-synthesis after exercise.” Amino Acids (2005) 28: 71-76. Available from: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-004-0143-z#page-2

[8] Ivy JL. “Muscle glycogen synthesis before and after exercise.” Sports Med. 1991 Jan; 11(1):6-19. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2011684

[9] Michael Gleeson. “Dosing and Efficacy of Glutamine Supplementation in human exercise and sport training.” J. Nutr. October 2008, Vol. 138 No. 10 pages 20455-20495. Available from: http://nutrition.highwire.org/content/138/10/2045S.short

[10] Yoshiharu Shimomura, Taro Murakami, Naoya Nakai, Masaru Nagasaki, Robert A. Harris. “Exercise Promotes BCAA Catabolism: Effects of BCAA Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle during Exercise.” J. Nutr. June 1, 2004. Vol. 134, No. 6 15835-15875. Available from: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/134/6/1583S.short