Perform Improve Your Game

Creatine Monohydrate

ATP is the source of energy for the biochemical reactions involved in any muscle contraction. When the ATP runs out, the muscle contraction stops. In order to keep going, more ATP needs to be produced.

Creatine is an organic compound naturally found in the muscle cell. One of creatine’s roles is to donate a phosphorous molecule to ADP, and convert it into ATP.

Creatine supplementation increases the quantity of creatine in the muscle, and thus increases ATP availability.

This means there is more muscle fuel available. More muscle fuel equals more muscle energy and an prolonged time to muscle exhaustion.^(1,2)

Moreover, Creatine increases aerobic exercise endurance (running, cycling, rowing) as measured by lactate threshold and ventilatory threshold. It also increases the amount of glycogen available in the muscle. Glycogen is the sugar molecule that is used to store energy.^(3,4,5,6)

Thus, creatine supplementation significantly increases physical performance by providing improved energy within the muscle and greater endurance.

Beta-Alanine

High intensity exercise burns the energy sources the muscles need to fire. This produces waste products, or what scientists call metabolites, that decrease the effectiveness of the muscle. We all of course know this feeling as muscle fatigue.

One of the metabolites, the hydrogen ion (H+), increases the acidity in the muscle. Again, we of course commonly think of this feeling as the lactic acid burn.

The amino acid carnosine is used by the muscle to buffer this acidity, and counteracts its negative effects. Carnosine is formed from beta-alanine and L-histidine.

Thus, it is no surprise numerous studies have shown that beta-alanine supplementation improves the buffering capacity in the muscle.⁽⁷⁾

As such, beta-alanine improves muscle endurance and exercise capacity. Specifically, it improves the anaerobic threshold and time to exhaustion.

Positive results from beta-alanine have been seen in workouts consisting of multiple short intense intervals, in workouts with intervals lasting longer than 60 seconds, and in workouts with intervals lasting greater than 240 seconds.^(8,9,10)

Phosphatidic Acid

Intense physical exercise puts significant stress on the body. As a result, hormones are released, cellular signaling is altered, and the brain, nerves and muscles respond to the demands. If the athletic stress is intense enough, adaptations occur throughout the body to make the body more powerful and efficient.⁽¹¹⁾

Lipids are vital components of a cell’s structure. A critical group of lipids called phospholipids act as important cellular messengers that affect the brain, nerves and muscles. During intense exercise, phospholipids have been shown to improve endurance, decrease fatigue, and lower lactic acid concentration.⁽¹²⁾

Phosphatidic acid is an important messenger lipid that affects cellular growth and muscle metabolism. Phosphatidic acid supplementation increases mTOR, the essential protein necessary for muscle adaptations to exercise.^(13,14)

As such, phosphatidic acid can improve exercise performance.⁽¹⁵⁾

HICA

Intense exercise will cause muscle to breakdown. Scientists call this Exercise Induced Muscle Damage (EIMD). EIMD will lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle fatigue and central nervous system fatigue.

In order to perform and train on consecutive days, or perform at maximal levels during each athletic session, you want to minimize your muscle breakdown, and lessen your DOMS.

Your body uses the amino acid Leucine to fuel, repair, and adapt to intense exercise. One of the metabolites of Leucine in the muscle is called HICA, which limits the amount of breakdown that occurs in the muscle. HICA is produced naturally in your body in very small amounts.

HICA supplementation has been shown to be a potent anti-catabolic substance. This means it prevents the breakdown of muscle. The less the muscle breaks down, the more net muscle you retain. In fact, in soccer players performing multiple preseason training sessions, where players typically lose lean body mass, players taking HICA gained lean muscle and lost body fat.⁽¹⁶⁾

This anti-catabolic effect of HICA mean less DOMS, more maintained muscle, and improved recovery and adaptations.⁽¹⁶⁾

HMB

HMB is naturally produced in the body as a metabolite of the amino acid Leucine. HMB aids in the repair and growth of the muscle.

Clinical studies show HMB supplementation minimizes muscle breakdown, and promotes muscle growth and strength gains.^(17,18)

In sports that cause significant wear and tear on the athlete such as football, rugby, soccer, etc., HMB improves muscle endurance and recovery.

Moreover, high intensity training sessions and long-lasting athletic events create a catabolic environment that affects recovery. HMB minimizes this state. Studies also show that HMB directly correlates with improved performance.^(19,20)

HMB is also shown to have positive effects from a health standpoint in benefiting the cardiovascular system and lipids.⁽²¹⁾