Inside Pump Action: The VasoDrive-AP + Nitrosigine Stack

By Jon Klipstein, U.S. Army Combat Veteran & Founder of Die Tryin Co.

Science reviewed by Onur Oncer, BS Physiology (Phi Beta Kappa) and peer-reviewed published researcher.

TWO PUMP INGREDIENTS. ONE STIM-FREE CAPSULE.

Most pump products do one of two things: load up on cheap arginine that doesn’t absorb, or hide a small amount of a premium ingredient behind a proprietary blend. Pump Action does neither. It stacks two patented premium pump ingredients at clinical doses — with nothing else in the way.

This is the breakdown: what’s in Pump Action, how each ingredient actually works, why they stack together instead of overlapping, and how to use it. No marketing pitch. No equivalence claims. Just the formula and the science.

Watch: Pump Action in 60 Seconds

PUMP ACTION AT A GLANCE

FACTOR	PUMP ACTION
Format	Capsules (gelatin) — no powder, no flavoring, no fillers beyond standard capsule excipients
Serving size	4 capsules
Servings per container	30
Nitrosigine	1,500 mg — full clinical dose
VasoDrive-AP	508 mg — same dose as Red Dot
Sodium	150 mg from Pink Himalayan Sea Salt — plasma volume support
Caffeine	ZERO — fully stim-free
Best use case	Stack with any caffeine source for full pump + stim, or solo for stim-free late-evening training

WHAT’S ACTUALLY IN PUMP ACTION

Three actives, plus standard capsule excipients. No proprietary blend. No filler. Each ingredient is openly listed with its dose:

• 1,500mg Nitrosigine® (Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate) — the full clinical dose used in the research
• 508mg VasoDrive-AP® (Casein Hydrolysate) — same dose as Red Dot’s pump matrix
• 150mg Sodium from Pink Himalayan Sea Salt — supports plasma volume and intracellular hydration

Other ingredients: Gelatin (capsule), Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide.

Contains: Milk (from casein hydrolysate source).

HOW VASODRIVE-AP WORKS

VasoDrive-AP is a patented casein-derived peptide blend (specifically isoleucine-proline-proline and valine-proline-proline — lactotripeptides). Its main mechanism: ACE inhibition. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) normally constricts blood vessels by converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Inhibiting ACE allows blood vessels to relax and widen, increasing blood flow.

This is a different mechanism than nitric oxide-driven vasodilation (which is what Nitrosigine and L-Citrulline target). That’s why VasoDrive-AP stacks with other pump ingredients rather than competing with them. Full deep-dive on VasoDrive-AP: VasoDrive-AP: The Pump Ingredient Most Brands Skip.

HOW NITROSIGINE WORKS

Nitrosigine is inositol-stabilized arginine silicate — a bonded complex of arginine, silicon, and inositol. Its mechanism: direct arginine substrate for nitric oxide production. The silicate bonding produces much better oral bioavailability than plain L-arginine (which has notoriously poor absorption on its own).

More bioavailable arginine reaching the bloodstream = more substrate available for nitric oxide synthase = more NO = relaxed vessels and increased blood flow. Effects show up within 30–60 minutes of dosing. Full deep-dive on Nitrosigine’s research and how it compares to L-Citrulline: Nitrosigine: Benefits, Research, and How It Works.

WHY THEY STACK TOGETHER (AND DON’T OVERLAP)

Both ingredients increase blood flow. Both produce the same end result — more nutrient delivery to working muscle, visible pump. But they get there through completely different pathways:

• Nitrosigine → arginine → nitric oxide → smooth muscle relaxation in blood vessels
• VasoDrive-AP → ACE inhibition → angiotensin II suppression → smooth muscle relaxation in blood vessels

Two different molecular pathways, one shared outcome. That’s the textbook definition of parallel mechanisms — they don’t compete for the same enzymes or receptors, so their effects are additive rather than redundant. This is exactly why premium pump formulas pair them. It’s also why we put both at clinical doses in Pump Action instead of underdosing one to justify the other.

The 150mg sodium handles the third leg of pump physiology: plasma volume. Sodium pulls water into the muscle cell and supports the vascular fullness that the other two ingredients produce. Lifters on low-sodium diets often feel flat pumps regardless of how much NO precursor they take — not because the precursor isn’t working, but because there’s not enough fluid volume to amplify the effect.

HOW TO TAKE PUMP ACTION

Standard protocol: 4 capsules, 30–45 minutes before training. Take with water. No food required.

Onset: Effects show up within 30–60 minutes of dosing. Pump intensity scales with training volume in that window.

Storage: Cool, dry place. Capsules are humidity-resistant, so storage is easier than powder pre-workouts (no clumping).

THREE WAYS TO USE PUMP ACTION

1. As your stim-free stack

Pump Action solo, 30–45 min pre-workout. Best for: late-evening training, second sessions of the day, caffeine-sensitive lifters, or anyone who already gets caffeine from coffee/SEND IT/M777 earlier in the day and doesn’t want a second hit.

2. Stacked with your daily pre-workout

Pump Action 4 caps + your usual stim pre-workout, both taken pre-training. The most common stack: SEND IT 3.0 (powder) + Pump Action (capsules) for the daily driver setup. Or Project M777 (max-stim formula) + Pump Action for your hardest training days. The capsule format means you’re not mixing two powders.

3. Stacked with coffee or any caffeine source

Pump Action 4 caps + your morning coffee = full pump + stim experience without buying a complete pre-workout. Works for lifters who already have a caffeine source dialed in and just want to add the pump stack.

HONEST LIMITATIONS

Both ingredients are manufacturer-funded research-heavy. Nitrosigine’s studies come mostly from Nutrition 21 (the manufacturer); VasoDrive-AP’s data is largely sponsored by ChemiNutra. That’s not disqualifying — most patented ingredients are studied by the companies that make them — but it’s worth knowing alongside the data. Independent replications would strengthen both cases.

Pump Action is not a stim or strength supplement. Zero caffeine, no creatine, no beta-alanine, no nootropics. It’s a pump-and-blood-flow product specifically. If you want energy and focus on top, stack it with a stim pre-workout.

Marketing claims like “1.5g Nitrosigine equals 6g L-Citrulline” are oversimplifications. The two ingredients work through different mechanisms and have different research bases — they’re complementary, not directly substitutable. L-Citrulline at clinical doses (6–8g) has more independent research; Nitrosigine has faster onset and a smaller serving size. The honest move is to use both when you can, not to pretend one cancels the other.

FAQ

How many capsules per serving?

Four. That’s the clinically-dosed serving (1,500mg Nitrosigine + 508mg VasoDrive-AP + 150mg sodium = 4 capsules’ worth). Splitting the serving cuts the dose proportionally.

Can I take Pump Action with a stim pre-workout?

Yes — that’s one of the main use cases. No interactions between the ingredients in Pump Action and standard pre-workout actives (caffeine, beta-alanine, L-Citrulline, betaine). Stack with SEND IT 3.0 or M777 for full pump + stim.

Will Pump Action keep me up at night?

No. Zero caffeine, zero stimulants, no ingredients that affect cortisol or sleep architecture. Safe for late-evening training.

Is Pump Action the same as Red Dot?

No — different products for different use cases. Red Dot is a stim-free powder pre-workout with the full pump + focus + nootropic stack (9g L-Citrulline, 600mg Alpha-GPC, 508mg VasoDrive-AP, Rhodiola, Huperzine). Pump Action is just the pump stack in capsule form (Nitrosigine + VasoDrive + sodium). Pick Red Dot if you want focus + pump in one scoop; pick Pump Action if you already have a focus/stim source covered and just want to add pump.

Will 150mg of sodium make me bloated?

No. 150mg is well below the threshold for subcutaneous water retention in healthy lifters — it’s about ¼ teaspoon of salt’s worth. The sodium does its work supporting intracellular hydration (the pump) without producing the puffy look that comes from very high sodium intake.

How fast does Pump Action work?

Effects show up within 30–60 minutes of dosing. Take it 30–45 minutes pre-workout for the right window. Both Nitrosigine and VasoDrive-AP are acute-acting (not saturation-based like creatine).

Can women take Pump Action?

Yes. No hormonal or sex-specific ingredients — just pump precursors. Same dose works for any lifter regardless of sex or body size.

READY TO GEAR UP?

The full Die Tryin Co. pump stack lineup:

• Pump Action — 1.5g Nitrosigine + 508mg VasoDrive-AP + 150mg sodium, capsule format, stim-free
• Red Dot — stim-free powder with full pump + focus stack (9g L-Citrulline + VasoDrive + Alpha-GPC)
• SEND IT 3.0 — daily-driver stim pre-workout to stack with Pump Action
• Project M777 — max-stim formula for hardest training days, stack with Pump Action for full pump + stim

For the broader picture on what makes a real pre-workout: How to Choose the Best Pre-Workout. Or the ingredient deep dive: The 4 Best Pre-Workout Ingredients.

Not sure where to start? Take the DTC supplement quiz — two minutes, dialed-in stack recommendation.

ALWAYS FORWARD.