In 1982 a pre-workout powder called Ultimate Orange was introduced onto the market. The drink provided a high dose of nutrients and stimulants enabling the user to work out longer and retain focus on work out goals. Not surprisingly this powdered drink became a huge hit with the body building community, until the late 80s when it was withdrawn from the market after it was linked to causing heart attacks and cardio vascular problems.
Now Hi-Tech has updated Ultimate Orange and put it back into its funky coloured can. We examine this new version to find out whether it lives up to its earlier reputation and is any safer to take.
Hi-Tech Pharma is a well-known supplement company based in Norcross, Georgia. The company carries out research and development from the company’s own labs and creates brands mainly aimed at the bodybuilder end of the supplements market.
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange is a powered supplement that you add to water in order to make an orange flavoured pre-workout drink. This new product is based on a notorious 80s pre-workout supplement created by Dan Duchaine, and was withdrawn from the market following the ban on ephedrine.
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange advertises the inclusion of ephedra leaves, but does not mention that these are actually ephedrine free which is misleading. Instead the stimulant fire power is provided by DMAA (and caffeine) which comes with numerous health concerns, and will probably be banned by the FDA in the near future for this reason. Use of Ultimate Orange will see you disqualified if you take part in competitive sport.
Potential side effects to DMAA may include; increased blood pressure and heart rate, tachycardia, seizure, arrhythmias, heart attack, stroke, panic attacks, worsening of psychiatric conditions, and death.
It is important to know that taking DMAA regularly can build up in the body, increasing the chance of these side effects. Other adverse effects may include; headaches, nausea, vomiting, skin irritation, light sensitivity, and nerve damage.
Use of DMAA is banned by the US military and is a banned substance in sport by the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency)
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange is expensive. Buy from the official Hi-Tech website and 1 x can containing 16 servings costs $64.95.
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange is on sale for cheaper elsewhere. Websites such as Best Price Nutrition sell it for around $32.00 so it pays to shop around.
This supplement does not seem to be available direct to UK customers.
Ultimate Orange is a typical Hi-Tech supplement in that it contains DMAA as the principle stimulant ingredient, and comes with lots of claims about it causing blistering strength and enhanced energy levels. As the advertising says “this is not your Daddy’s workout” and this is one time we may agree with them. Original Ultimate Orange of the 80s was even worse, being crammed full of ephedrine that was proven to cause heart attacks and deaths in some cases.
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange has replaced the ephedrine with DMAA and created a dangerous copy of an already dangerous supplement. DMAA is dangerous and can build up in the body and all health authorities agree that this chemical should be banned once and for all. Up to now Hi-Tech have managed to get away with including DMAA in supplements, but according to the FDA, days may be numbered.
We would never recommend anyone to take a supplement containing DMAA just to “improve” a workout or athletic performance, when athletes have actually died doing just that.
Hi-Tech is a shockingly bad supplement that an interesting back story and some colourful product packaging cannot hide. It is not original Ultimate Orange but it is just as dangerous, and if you value your health you should definitely avoid this supplement.
The 1980s was a decade when it seemed almost everyone was obsessed with body image from buying the faddiest home workout tools, to wearing the latest fitness headband. It was in these times that Ultimate Orange was first born.
Originally created by steroids guru Dan Duchaine, Ultimate Orange was first released to the world in 1982. The powder came packaged in a can with bright colours so looked like a tangy soda, and there were rumours of unheard strength, size and energy while still keeping your focus directed on the goal.
It was regarded as the “go to” supplement for body builders until a number of lawsuits in the late 1990s put the supplement drinks industry in crisis. Ultimate Orange was blamed for a series of heart attacks amongst seemingly healthy men and women, due to the inclusion of Ephedra as one of its many ingredients.
By April, 2004, the FDA banned the sale of ephedrine alkaloid-containing dietary supplements. They issued a statement saying “These products pose unacceptable health risks, and any consumers who are still using them should stop immediately.”
Game over you might be thinking, but no! Hi-Tech have now released this 80s classic back to the supplement market, with more ingredients than before including Ephedra.
As before Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange comes in a can emblazoned with funky colours. The powder is mixed with water and drank pre-workout. Like the original, Ultimate Orange also contains over 40 ingredients in its 16 oz container.
So how is it that an energy drink banned from sale because of its ingredients, is back again?
In truth, a large proportion of the ingredients are pretty harmless, and if you took some decent multi vitamins and kept a good fitness diet you would probably get about 70% of these chemicals anyway.
The rest of the ingredients are based on the power and focus side of Ultimate Orange’s appeal. They include Ephedra, Taurine, DMAAs, and Caffeine.
Ephedrine is a natural chemical which is extracted from the plant Ephedra Sinica. The plant is also known as Mormon Tea and Ma Huang. There are six types of ephedrine found in ephedra, and these are the active ingredients in its stimulant and thermogenic properties.
The effects on the body are similar to amphetamine, and include blood vessel restriction and bronchial tube expansion, causing higher blood pressure and easier breathing. Ephedrine can also cause an increase in metabolism that will increase body heat known as a thermogenic process.
However not all Ephedra is the same, and Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange contains an Ephedra extract that has no ephedrine alkaloids in it.
More worryingly Ultimate Orange contains 1, 3-dimethylamylamine (1, 3-DMAA) or simply dimethylamylamine (DMAA). The chemical name is Methylhexanamine and was originally introduced as an alternative to ephedrine. Similar to Ephedrine it will also constrict blood vessels and will affect the heart, lungs, and reproductive organs.
A main problem with DMAA is the long half-life of up to 36 hours in some cases. This means there is a risk of the chemical causing a buildup of pharmacological effects in the body if taken regularly.
Food supplements that exceed greater than 4mg are subject to the Medicines Act and require licensing. Dosages higher than 100-200 mg are expected to cause serious adverse events.
Deaths and injuries by Methylhexanamine have been recorded, including the death of Claire Squires a runner in the 2012 London Marathon who collapsed near the finish line after ingesting a supplement containing DMAA.
Hi-Tech have been in a long law suit over the legality of using 1, 3-dimethylamylamine (1, 3-DMAA) and according to the FDA it seems that finally this chemical may soon be classified as illegal.
According to the product advertising, “Ultimate Orange is back and better than ever!”
There are four key features;
The product information makes this supplement seem pretty exciting and strong,
“Ultimate Orange combines the strength of both Ephedra and DMAA in one single, delicious product. When you pop open the can and mix your first drink, a massive flood of energy will surge through your veins in just minutes.”
“Just one serving of Ultimate Orange combines the explosive formula of QuadraCarb, Taurine, DMAA, Ephedra and Caffeine! In addition, we stacked Focus-In™ with L-Tyrosine to provide the mental focus needed to blast through sticking points and workout barriers.”
It works as a pre-workout supplement, but do you really want to take the risk of a pharmacological build up of DMAA in your body?
An alternative solution to the pre-workout performance enhancer was mentioned on a forum and it is worth repeating.
“All pre-workouts can cause harm and you are better off not using them at all for your work outs as although it’s doing it the hard way your body won’t have to deal with the side effects these can cause”.
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange has over 40 ingredients that can be broken down into 4 groups. Serving size is equal to 1 x 28g scoop.
Nutrients
The vitamins and minerals fall mainly within the RDA. The exception is vitamin B6.
Stimulants
Other ingredients;
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange is likely to cause side effects. Most of these will be related to the DMAA content and may be increased by the presence of caffeine. Side effects may include:
Because DMAA has a long half-life in the body, it can remain in the system, causing a pharmacological build up.
Other side effects may include:
Caution:
Not suitable for individuals under 18. Avoid if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Speak to your doctor before taking. Do not take if you have any underlying health concerns especially around heart, blood pressure, psychiatric conditions or glaucoma. Do not take in combination with prescription medication, stimulants or alcohol.
We found a few customer reviews on a bodybuilding forum. The three reviewers were all positive about this supplement.
I never tried the original, though my brother talked about how awesome it was. Right now I am taking mesomorph, but took ultimate orange twice now and absolutely love it. It’s really different. The taste is very unique and the texture is different. Could be the protein?! Not sure, but it hitz hard as he11. Probably going to go back and forth with the mesomorph, cuz I like that one too. But this is a keeper.
Clean Rush of Energy!
First the flavor…reminded me of orange creamsicle. Easy to drink. Kicked in within about 30 minutes. I am pretty tolerant to stimulants, so no jitters or anything even with all that DMAA. I would say the biggest kick in the butt for energy was the first hour, which is enough for my gym session, and then it slowly tapered down from there. I was happy to see no crash afterwards, which is always something I watch out for. Took it again this morning before work. I will definitely buy this again.
Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange does not come with a money back guarantee.
You can buy Hi-Tech Ultimate Orange direct from the Hi-Tech website. It is also on sale from independent online retailers and bodybuilder specialists.
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Disclaimer: Our reviews and investigations are based on extensive research from the information publicly available to us and consumers at the time of first publishing the post. Information is based on our personal opinion and whilst we endeavour to ensure information is up-to-date, manufacturers do from time to time change their products and future research may disagree with our findings. If you feel any of the information is inaccurate, please contact us and we will review the information provided.
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