If you’re a cyclist, rower, swimmer, footballer or love lifting weights in the gym, you need to have the ability to perform at high intensity for short periods and then recover efficiently afterwards. To do that, you need a robust mind and body but also the knowledge to fuel yourself with the right nutrition at the right times, which is where we can help. Through our work with a roster of world-class athletes across a host of sports, we’ve developed a range of innovative products that will improve your ability to push through the pain barrier. Beta Alanine What’s the product? Beta Alanine is an amino acid that helps to reduce the build up of lactic acid in your muscles when you’re training hard and improve your ability to perform at maximum intensity. How will it help? Here’s the science bit. Beta Alanine is an amino acid that helps to produce carnosine, a molecule stored inside your muscles that is used to reduce the build up of lactic acid when you’re training hard. An increase in carnosine levels can reduce fatigue. Elite and amateur athletes use it to train harder for longer and studies have shown that taking it regularly has a positive impact on performance in rowing and cycling. When should I use it? You must take Beta Alanine on a consistent basis to reap the benefits. Research suggests that 6g per day over a two-week period is optimal to boost your physical performance. This could be in two 3g doses or three 2g doses, depending on your personal preference. Creatine What’s the product? Creatine is a supplement that is popular with cyclists, weightlifters and many other sports that require short periods of high intensity exercise and huge power output. Normally it comes in powder form and is mixed with water but our new product is now in tablet form, meaning you can leave your shaker at home and take it on the go. How will it help? Loading your muscles with creatine will improve their ability to perform short bursts of high intensity exercise between 0-10 seconds in duration. If you’re a cyclist or rower that means you could gain an edge when you’re pushing for the finish line or push out that extra rep if you’re lifting weights in the gym. When should I use it? Research suggests that taking between 5-10g of creatine per day consistently will enable you to push harder at high intensity. BCAA What’s the product? There are 20 different amino acids that make up thousands of different proteins in the body. Nine are considered essential and can’t be made by the body – BCAAs contain three of them. Although your body can’t make them, you can consume them through supplements, including our new BCAA tablet. How will it help? BCAAs help to increase muscle growth and reduce soreness and fatigue after exercise, meaning they’re perfect for a host of sports. Traditionally, BCAAs have been popular with weightlifters and bodybuilders but they also have potential performance benefits for people training for and competing in many other sports. When should I take it? For best results you should aim to consume BCAAs throughout the day – two tablets twice daily is optimal to promote muscle recovery and could help you to build a stronger body. CLA What’s the product? CLA stands for Conjugated Linoleic Acid. It sounds complex, but in short it’s a naturally occurring Omega-6 fatty acid that can’t be produced by your body. It’s typically found in meat and dairy but we know it can be expensive getting all of it from food, so we’ve created a CLA soft gel supplement that you can have on the go without breaking the bank. How will it help? Some studies on humans have found that CLA can help to reduce body fat and retain muscle mass, meaning it could boost your performance in your sport. Research has also revealed that people who regularly take CLA could have a lower risk of suffering from diabetes and cancer. When should I take it? Take one soft gel per day and you could reduce your body fat and maintain muscle mass. ZMA What’s the product? ZMA is short for zinc and magnesium, two vital vitamins and minerals that will help you to feel and perform at your best in sport and everyday life. How will it help? Zinc can help to maintain normal levels of testosterone and enable your immune system and metabolism to function normally. Magnesium also provides a host of health benefits, notably helping to regulate sleep and reduce feelings of fatigue that come with regular training and the stresses of daily life. When should I take it? Take one capsule per day and reap the health benefits of zinc and magnesium. Written By Alec Fenn | Health and Fitness Journalist and Copywriter Alec has been interviewing athletes and coaches and writing about health, fitness and nutrition since 2010. He's contributed to a host of national publications including BBC Sport, FourFourTwo magazine, The Independent and the Daily Mail. As an amateur sportsman and avid gym-goer he has a passion for finding out how sports nutrition can help athletes reach peak performance.
