Racing and intense training puts your body under incredible stress, depleting glycogen stores, elevating cortisol and draining essential vitamins and minerals (1,2,3,4,5,6,7). For endurance athletes, it's crucial to focus on recovery in order to be competitive the day after a hard workout or race. That's why the scientists at First Endurance developed Ultragen, the most advanced post-recovery formulation ever produced. Each serving of Ultragen delivers the levels of nutrients that have been shown in clinical research to maximize recovery and give you an extra edge over the competition (2,3,4,6,7). In other words, First Endurance does not use "pixie dust" levels of ingredients just to put on the label.
Research has shown that there is a critical thirty-minute glycogen window (called the "window of opportunity") immediately following exercise when insulin sensitivity is at its highest and exhausted muscles essentially open the door to nutrients. If nutrients are not absorbed quickly enough, however, this opportunity for maximum restoration is lost. But it's not just when nutrients are absorbed, it's also about which nutrients are available. The body is extremely complex, requiring more than sugar and protein to fully recover, so recovery is limited without a precise balance of nutrients entering the cell. Ultragen's many components are designed to work synergistically in order to fully maximize recovery, providing the right nutrients to the right place at the right time.
Time-Response protein complex: All proteins are not equal. Ultragen utilizes a special combination of the most advanced proteins available, each one offering unique recovery attributes. For example, Ultragen includes hydrolyzed protein because it is enzymatically predigested in small, easy to digest di- and tri-peptide chains that are quickly absorbed and digested within the critical glycogen window. Fast acting, Whey protein isolate delivers high levels of anti-catabolic branch chain amino acids. Milk Protein Isolate is a high biological value protein which takes longer to fully absorb.
Carbohydrate Catalyst: High glycemic carbohydrates (sugars) are rapidly absorbed by the body and are easy to digest. Glucose, which has a glycemic index of over 100, is absorbed faster than any other sugar available. Ultragen contains 60g of glucose because studies show that high glycemic carbohydrates taken after exercise create a catalyst, which increases the uptake of glutamine, branched-chain amino acids, vitamins and minerals into exhausted muscle.
Cortisol Modulation: Excess cortisol levels have been shown to suppress the immune system, increase the risk of upper respiratory infections and depress levels of testosterone. In addition, excessive cortisol levels can put the body in a catabolic state- where it breaks down muscle and store fat. Ultragen offers a synergistic blend of vitamins, minerals, co-factors, glutamine and BCAA's specifically designed to modulate the damaging effects of cortisol brought on by intense endurance training (1,3,4,5,6).
L-Glutamine: Intense physical exercise drains Glutamine stores faster than the body can replenish them. When this occurs, the body breaks down muscles and becomes catabolic. Ultragen is formulated with a 6 grams of Glutamine for its anabolic and anticatabolic properties. Research has shown Glutamine supports glycogen and protein synthesis and increases nitrogen retention, which means it's essential for muscle tissue repair and recovery (2,6).
Branched Chain Amino Acid (BCAAs): Considered the building blocks of the body, BCAAs are important for muscle growth & recuperation. In addition to building cells and repairing muscle tissue, BCAAs form antibodies that combat invading bacteria & viruses. Your body cannot manufacture its own BCAAs so they must be supplied through your diet and supplementation routine (3,4).
Essential vitamins, minerals and electrolytes: Athletes, especially endurance athletes, need higher levels of specific vitamins minerals and electrolytes to help restore energy levels, fight free-radicals and maintain a healthy immune system. Ultragen provides the high-potency vitamins, minerals and electrolytes your body requires to maximize recovery (7).
References for Ultragen:
1) Petibois C, et. al. Biochemical aspects of overtraining in endurance sports. Sports Med. 2002;32(13):867-78
2) Hiscock N, et. al. Glutamine supplementation further enhances exercise-induced plasma IL-6. J Appl Physiol. 2003 Jul;95(1): 145-8. Epub 2003 Feb 28.
3) Bassit RA, et. al, Branched-chain amino acid supplementation and the immune response of long-distance athletes. Nutrition. 2002 May;18(5):376-9
4) Blomstrand E, Saltin B. BCAA intake affects protein metabolism in muscle after but not during exercise in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Aug;281(2):E365-74
5) Halson SL, et al. Immunoligical responses to overreaching in cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 May;35(5):854-861
6) Castell L. Glutamine supplementation in vitro and in vivo, in exercise and in immunodepression. Sports Med. 2003;33(5):323-45
7) Henriksen EJ, Saengsirisuwan V. Exercise training and antioxidants: relief from oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2003 Apr: 31(2):79-84
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