As successful and effective as the original Alpha BRAIN^® formula was and remains, we recognize that it doesn’t work for everyone, and we’ve gotten plenty of critiques and suggestions over the years on how to improve it. That led to different formulations and delivery systems, including instant drink mix powders and ready-to-drink liquids. We also wanted to reach different types of people, from professionals who want more focus for productivity to artists looking to stay in that creative zone and, most recently, athletes and gym rats seeking mental and physical support for greater exercise and sports performance. To that end, we’ve gradually expanded the Alpha BRAIN label to cover a family of products that all serve the same goal but work a little differently. Now, anyone who’s interested can find the version that’s right for them, and that aligns with their own individual taste and lifestyle.^†

Consider the following your map to navigating all the current Alpha BRAIN^® offerings, including the original game-changing formula, Alpha BRAIN^® Instant, Focus Shot, Black Label, and the new Alpha BRAIN^® Pre-Workout. But before you start exploring, let’s define what the Alpha BRAIN^® family is for, and why you should consider it for your personal health and wellness journey.

What Is A Nootropic Supplement?

Nootropics are dietary supplements that support certain brain functions, including memory, mental speed, and focus. (Caffeine is a kind of nootropic.) All four Alpha BRAIN^® formulas are nootropics, intended to promote alertness and quick thinking so that you can be more productive, but their ingredients, effects, and delivery mechanisms vary.^†

There are two features common to most members of the Alpha BRAIN^® (AB) family:

1) Ingredients that support neurotransmitters, the chemicals that relay information in and from the brain.^†

2) Ingredients that promote focus and concentration.^†

Most of the AB formulas contain huperzia serrata, a Clubmoss containing a compound called Huperzine A, which has been suggested to help slow the breakdown of acetylcholine (an important neurotransmitter).^†1 Many of the ABs also have L-theanine, an amino acid found in teas that revs up alpha wave activity——electrical pulses that pass through the brain, shifting it into a calmer mode that contributes to quicker attentional processing and productivity.^†2,3,4

In other words, by supporting the brain chemicals that allow you to concentrate and focus more deeply, the Alpha BRAIN formulas help keep your mind running on all cylinders.^†

One of the key features of original Alpha BRAIN and AB Instant is their ability to help you get into flow state—that feeling of being in the zone.^† You know those days when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you don’t look up from your work for hours, and then suddenly realize it’s dark out? That’s called being in flow, and both AB and AB Instant have efficacious ingredients that can help you get into that headspace more often.^†

What Is Alpha BRAIN^®?

The original Alpha BRAIN^® is Onnit’s flagship supplement and all time best-seller. It acts as a great introduction to the family, so to speak, serving as a general cognitive performance formula.^† Alpha BRAIN^® comes in capsule form and can be taken daily, or as needed.

Alpha BRAIN^® Benefits

Alpha BRAIN^® contains ingredients that can help you maintain mental focus and think more clearly.^†

What Are Alpha BRAIN^®’s Key Ingredients?

L-Theanine. An amino acid, L-theanine promotes alpha brain waves,^† supports attention, and assists with reaction time.^†8

Huperzia Serrata. A Clubmoss containing Huperzine A, a compound that helps slow the breakdown of acetylcholine in the body.^†1,13

Alpha-GPC. A chemical compound found in the brain, it acts as a precursor to acetylcholine, aiding its production in the body.^†11,12

Vitamin B6. B vitamins are known for their role in supporting energy, and this one specifically helps with nervous system function and neurotransmitter health.^†5,6

Alpha BRAIN^® is caffeine-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.

How Much Alpha BRAIN^® Should I Take?

It’s best to start at one capsule (half a dose), assess your tolerance, and build up gradually from there. If you take one capsule and don’t feel anything after an hour or two, take another. If that feels good, the next time you use Alpha BRAIN^®, take two capsules at once (one full dose, as recommended on the label). We do not recommend that you take more than one dose in 24 hours.

Many prefer to take Alpha BRAIN^® in the morning with breakfast to support cognitive function at the start of the day, when they try to prioritize their most challenging tasks. But Alpha BRAIN^® can be taken in the afternoon or evening, if you need your thinking to be on point at those times instead.^†

Alpha BRAIN^® is intended for adult use only.

Who Should Use Alpha BRAIN®?

If you’re new to the Alpha BRAIN^® family, or nootropics in general, original Alpha BRAIN^® is a good place to start. It will allow you to assess your tolerance and see if the ingredients that are common to the other AB products work for you. Alpha BRAIN^® is good to use daily for general cognitive support, but it can be used only as needed, such as when working or studying.^†

What Is Alpha BRAIN^® Instant?

The Alpha BRAIN^® Instant (ABI) formula is very similar to that of the original Alpha BRAIN^®. It contains 500mg more of the amino acid tyrosine, and black pepper extract to aid absorption, but the main distinction is that ABI comes as an instant drink mix powder, for those who prefer to consume a supplement as a tasty drink rather than a capsule you have to swallow. The ABI packets may also be more convenient for some users to carry around (as opposed to a bottle), because they can fit easily into any pocket, purse, or bag.

You can mix ABI into water or any other liquid you choose with a spoon, or shake it up. It’s available in five different flavors—Ruby Grapefruit, Meyer Lemon, Pineapple Punch, Peach, and Blackberry Lemonade.

Alpha BRAIN^® Instant is caffeine-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

How Much Alpha BRAIN^® Instant Should I Take?

Start with one serving (1 packet) mixed with 8 ounces of cold water, preferably with a light meal. Do not take more than one packet in any 24-hour period.

Who Should Use Alpha BRAIN® Instant?

If you don’t like swallowing capsules, or you plan to use Alpha BRAIN^® on the go (mixing it at a sink in your office, at a public water fountain, etc.), then Alpha BRAIN^® Instant may be a more appropriate option than original Alpha BRAIN^®. Of course, if you prefer to enjoy your supplements as a flavored drink that can accompany a meal, ABI is also the clear choice.

What Is Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot?

AB Focus Shot is a liquid, ready-to-drink version of Alpha BRAIN^®, similar to energy shots you’ve probably already seen. Its formula is slightly different from original AB and ABI, as it features new ingredients that support focus, energy, and mood.^† Note that unlike the previous two AB incarnations, Focus Shot contains a small amount of caffeine (50mg, or about half of what’s in a typical cup of coffee). Because it fits in the palm of your hand and is easy to grab on the go and down in one shot, we like to say that AB Focus Shot is the most convenient way to get into deep focus.^† 

AB Focus Shot is available in two flavors—Peach and Tropical.

Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot Benefits

As with its predecessors, Focus Shot aids cognitive performance, but it offers a few new ingredients that provide additional support for attention and focus, daily stress, and mood state.^† This makes Focus Shot stand out from the pack of other energy shots. Focus Shot is designed to help you get into a state of alert relaxation, allowing you to think fast while staying cool under pressure, be it from work deadlines, car traffic, or other day-to-day stresses you experience.^†

What Are Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot’s Key Ingredients?

L-Tyrosine. This amino acid features in regular Alpha BRAIN^® and ABI as well, but we pumped up the dose in Focus Shot to lend more support for cognitive performance.^† One study, using large doses relative to bodyweight, shows that it helped military cadets keep their cool and problem-solve during a combat training course,¹⁴ while another indicates it may help with memory while multitasking.^†15

Ashwagandha. An adaptogenic herb popular in traditional medicine, ashwagandha has shown very promising results for supporting the body’s stress response in similar amounts found in AB Focus Shot, as well as higher doses.^†16

Cognizin^® Citicoline. A naturally-occurring brain chemical, citicoline is essentially “brain food,” helping to maintain levels of neurotransmitters that support attention and focus.^†18 When combined with caffeine, it can aid concentration, memory, and sustained attention even further.^†19

Low-Dose, plant-based caffeine. In lower amounts, the stimulant found in coffee and tea promotes alertness and focus, but with subjects reporting a more relaxed mood and less nervousness and restlessness than when taking higher doses, especially when paired with L-theanine.^†22

Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot is dairy-free, gluten-free, and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

How Much Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot Should I Take?

Focus Shot should be taken only once per day, or as needed. Do not exceed more than one bottle in a 24-hour period, and do not take it in addition to any other Alpha BRAIN^® products or other nootropics.

Who Should Use Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot?

Carrying a bottle of capsules may be too cumbersome, and packets of powder can be messy and difficult to mix on the go. Therefore, Alpha BRAIN^® Focus Shot is the most convenient AB option. Focus Shot is also a good choice if you don’t mind consuming a low dose of caffeine, or you prefer that your energy supplements have it. It can be used daily, or as needed.^†

What Is Alpha BRAIN^® Black Label?

The premium member of the Alpha BRAIN^® family, Alpha BRAIN^® Black Label (ABBL) is a refined formula that goes one step further to promote mental processing speed and helps contribute to productivity. When taken daily, it can also support brain and eye health. Like AB Focus Shot, it contains a strategically low dose of caffeine (25mg) that can amp up cognitive benefits without the downside that higher doses of caffeine may cause. However, Black Label is only available in capsules.^†

Alpha BRAIN^® Black Label Benefits

We call ABBL our “break-glass-in-case-of-emergency, must-get-stuff-done now” formula because of its potential to support cognitive function and productivity like no other.^† It has ingredients that promote deep focus, attention span, memory, relaxed alertness, and mood. Likewise, it can be taken daily to support eye health, which is beneficial for anyone who works in front of a computer or smartphone screen.^†

What Are Alpha BRAIN^® Black Label’s Key Ingredients?

Citicoline. As with AB Focus Shot, this brain chemical helps to maintain neurotransmitter levels, supporting attention and focus.^†

Caffeine Anhydrous. A concentrated form of caffeine, supplied in a low dose here. The synergy of low-dose caffeine and L-theanine promotes alert relaxation, deep concentration, and a positive mood state.^†

Lutemax 2020^®. This extract from the marigold flower contains lutein and zeaxanthan, two plant carotenoids that have been found to support eye function on visual performance tests.^†23,24 Lutein and zeaxanthan also help maintain general brain and eye health with continued use.^†25,26,27 In fact, they’re particularly helpful for filtering out blue light—the kind emitted by electronic devices that contributes to eyestrain.^† Research shows that lutein and zeaxanthan can absorb a significant amount of the blue light that enters the eyes.^†28

Mucuna Pruriens. A tropical bean, it contains the amino acid L-Dopa, which is essential for healthy brain function.^†

How Much Alpha BRAIN® Black Label Should I Take?

Refer to the directions for original Alpha BRAIN^®, and work up to a full dose gradually. Ultimately, a full dose entails taking four capsules daily, or as needed, preferably with a light meal. Do not exceed four capsules in a 24-hour period, and do not take ABBL in addition to any other Alpha BRAIN^® formula or other nootropic.

Who Should Use Alpha BRAIN^® Black Label?

If you tried regular Alpha BRAIN^® in the past and were disappointed, you may have a better experience with ABBL’s super-charged formula. Also, if you prefer a supplement that has a strategically small dose of caffeine, Black Label may be more appropriate.

ABBL is intended for use on days where you really feel under the gun, as it gives you the support you need for deep focus under important deadlines, hitting goals, etc., but it can also be used daily, if you choose, for general eye and brain health.^† This makes ABBL an especially good choice for those who work in front of computer screens for long periods, or who drive long distances, and need support in remaining attentive and reactive behind the wheel.^†

What Is Alpha BRAIN^® Pre-Workout?

Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout is the newest addition to the AB Family. Combining cognitive support benefits with compounds that promote endurance and power, it’s the ideal Alpha BRAIN formula to consume before exercise.

Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout Benefits

AB Pre-Workout helps charge up both the mind and body, supporting focus and mental sharpness, muscle endurance and power, and energy production specifically for exercise. It can also help to reduce levels of perceived exertion.^†

What Are Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout’s Key Ingredients?

Caffeine anhydrous. Caffeine is well known for promoting alertness and aiding mental processing speed and sharpness²⁹. The dosage of concentrated caffeine extract used here (200mg, which is approximately the same amount you’d get from two cups of coffee) has also been shown to support movement speed³⁰, muscle power^{31, 32} and endurance³³, in part by reducing the perception of effort.^†

Furthermore, one trial has shown that caffeine can help with physical skill performance when deprived of rest³⁴.

Beta Alanine. An amino acid like creatine monohydrate, beta alanine is also similar to the world’s most popular sports supplement for its potential to aid exercise performance. Evidence published in two journals backs beta alaline’s use for promoting exercise capacity.^{† 35, 36} 

Noogandha^®. A 2022 trial found that this trademarked form of ashwagandha extract supports mental agility, concentration, and mental processing speed while helping to manage the physiological, cognitive, and psychological effects of normal stress.^†37

L-Citrulline. An amino acid that was first found in watermelon, citrulline promotes endurance performance and helps with exercise-induced muscle fatigue.^†38

AlphaSize^®. Remember Alpha-GPC? This special form supplies choline, a nutrient that is important to the nervous system and necessary for healthy brain functioning.^†

Dynamine™. A trademarked version of methylliberine, a methylxanthine metabolite, Dynamine™ is gaining popularity in the sports nutrition space for its ability to complement caffeine.

How Much Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout Should I Take?

Take one serving (one scoop) mixed with 10–14 ounces water 20–30 minutes prior to training. Do not exceed one serving in a 24-hour period. To avoid side effects of too much caffeine, don’t combine Pre-Workout with other foods or supplements that contain more than 50mg of caffeine. 

Who Should Use Alpha BRAIN Pre-Workout?

AB Pre-Workout is a good option for anyone who wants to feel more alert and energized for exercise sessions, whether they’re endurance or strength-focused. Athletes can benefit from it, as well as gym rats who have to train early in the morning (and are usually otherwise groggy as a result).^†

REFERENCES:

1. Skidmore-Roth, Linda. Mosby’s handbook of herbs & natural supplements. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2009.

2. Nobre, Anna C., Anling Rao, and Gail N. Owen. “L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state.” Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition 17 (2008).

3. Nathan, Pradeep J., Kristy Lu, Marcus Gray, and C. Oliver. “The neuropharmacology of L-theanine (N-ethyl-L-glutamine) a possible neuroprotective and cognitive enhancing agent.” Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy 6, no. 2 (2006): 21-30.

4. SONG, Chan-Hee, Ju-Hae JUNG, Je-Sung OH, and Kyung-Soo KIM. “Effects of theanine on the release of brain alpha wave in adult males.” The Korean Journal of Nutrition (2003): 918-923.

5. Yarlagadda, Atmaram, and Anita H. Clayton. “Blood brain barrier: the role of pyridoxine.” Psychiatry (Edgmont) 4, no. 8 (2007): 58.

6. Lippincott-Raven. (1999). Chapter 12. Catecholamines, Chapter 13. Serotonin. In Basic neurochemistry: Molecular, cellular and medical aspects.

7. Banderet, Louis E., and Harris R. Lieberman. “Treatment with tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans.” Brain research bulletin 22, no. 4 (1989): 759-762.

8. Higashiyama, Akiko, Hla Hla Htay, Makoto Ozeki, Lekh R. Juneja, and Mahendra P. Kapoor. “Effects of l-theanine on attention and reaction time response.” Journal of Functional Foods 3, no. 3 (2011): 171-178.

9. Leventis, Peter A., and Sergio Grinstein. “The distribution and function of phosphatidylserine in cellular membranes.” Annual review of biophysics 39, no. 1 (2010): 407-427.

10. Kim, Hee-Yong, Bill X. Huang, and Arthur A. Spector. “Phosphatidylserine in the brain: metabolism and function.” Progress in lipid research 56 (2014): 1-18.

11. Tayebati, Seyed Khosrow, and Francesco Amenta. “Choline-containing phospholipids: relevance to brain functional pathways.” Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 51, no. 3 (2013): 513-521.

12. Brownawell, Amy M., Edward L. Carmines, and Federica Montesano. “Safety assessment of AGPC as a food ingredient.” Food and chemical toxicology 49, no. 6 (2011): 1303-1315.

13. Tun, Maung Kyaw Moe, and Seth B. Herzon. “The pharmacology and therapeutic potential of (−)-huperzine A.” Journal of Experimental Pharmacology 4 (2012): 113.

14. Deijen, J. B., C. J. E. Wientjes, H. F. M. Vullinghs, P. A. Cloin, and J. J. Langefeld. Brain research bulletin 48, no. 2 (1999): 203-209.

15. Thomas, John R., Park A. Lockwood, Anita Singh, and Patricia A. Deuster. “Tyrosine improves working memory in a multitasking environment.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 64, no. 3 (1999): 495-500.

16. Salve, Jaysing, Sucheta Pate, Khokan Debnath, and Deepak Langade. “Adaptogenic and anxiolytic effects of ashwagandha root extract in healthy adults: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study.” Cureus 11, no. 12 (2019).

17. Choudhary, Dnyanraj, Sauvik Bhattacharyya, and Sekhar Bose. “Efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) root extract in improving memory and cognitive functions.” Journal of Dietary Supplements 14, no. 6 (2017): 599-612.

18. Erin, McGlade, Locatelli Allison, Hardy Julia, Kamiya Toshikazu, Morita Masahiko, Morishita Koji, Sugimura Yoichiro, and Yurgelun-Todd Deborah. “Improved attentional performance following citicoline administration in healthy adult women.” Food and Nutrition Sciences 2012 (2012).

19. Bruce, Steven E., Kimberly B. Werner, Brittany F. Preston, and Laurie M. Baker. “Improvements in concentration, working memory and sustained attention following consumption of a natural citicoline–caffeine beverage.” International journal of food sciences and nutrition 65, no. 8 (2014): 1003-1007.

20. Saitsu, Yuusuke, Akemi Nishide, Kenji Kikushima, Kuniyoshi Shimizu, and Koichiro Ohnuki. “Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus.” Biomedical Research 40, no. 4 (2019): 125-131.

21. Vigna, Luisella, Federica Morelli, Gianna M. Agnelli, Filomena Napolitano, Daniela Ratto, Alessandra Occhinegro, Carmine Di Iorio et al. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2019 (2019).

22. Kaplan, Gary B., David J. Greenblatt, Bruce L. Ehrenberg, Jill E. Goddard, Monette M. Cotreau, Jerold S. Harmatz, and Richard I. Shader. “Dose‐dependent pharmacokinetics and psychomotor effects of caffeine in humans.” The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 37, no. 8 (1997): 693-703.

23. Stringham, James M., Nicole T. Stringham, and Kevin J. O’Brien. “Macular carotenoid supplementation improves visual performance, sleep quality, and adverse physical symptoms in those with high screen time exposure.” Foods 6, no. 7 (2017): 47.

24. Ceravolo, S. Anna, Billy R. Hammond, William Oliver, Brett Clementz, L. Stephen Miller, and Lisa M. Renzi‐Hammond. “Dietary Carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin Change Brain Activation in Older Adult Participants: A Randomized, Double‐Masked, Placebo‐Controlled Trial.” Molecular nutrition & food research 63, no. 15 (2019): 1801051.

25. Koushan, Keyvan, Raluca Rusovici, Wenhua Li, Lee R. Ferguson, and Kakarla V. Chalam. “The role of lutein in eye-related disease.” Nutrients 5, no. 5 (2013): 1823-1839.

26. Wilson, Lisa M., Saraniya Tharmarajah, Yuanxi Jia, Richard D. Semba, Debra A. Schaumberg, and Karen A. Robinson. “The effect of lutein/zeaxanthin intake on human macular pigment optical density: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Advances in Nutrition 12, no. 6 (2021): 2244-2254.

27. ​​Yagi, Ayano, Rui Nouchi, Laurie Butler, and Ryuta Kawashima. “Lutein has a positive impact on brain health in healthy older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and cohort studies.” Nutrients 13, no. 6 (2021): 1746.

28. Krinsky, Norman I., John T. Landrum, and Richard A. Bone. “Biologic mechanisms of the protective role of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye.” Annual review of nutrition 23, no. 1 (2003): 171-201.

29. Health Canada. www.hc-sc.gc.ca

30. European Food Safety Authority. www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/caffeine

31. Diaz-Lara, Francisco Javier, Juan Del Coso, Jose Manuel García, Luis J. Portillo, Francisco Areces, and Javier Abián-Vicén. “Caffeine improves muscular performance in elite Brazilian Jiu-jitsu athletes.” European Journal of Sport Science 16, no. 8 (2016): 1079-1086.

32. Grgic, Jozo, Eric T. Trexler, Bruno Lazinica, and Zeljko Pedisic. “Effects of caffeine intake on muscle strength and power: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 15, no. 1 (2018): 11.

33. Government of Canada. www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/caffeine-foods.html

34. Cook, Christian J., Blair T. Crewther, Liam P. Kilduff, Scott Drawer, and Chris M. Gaviglio. “Skill execution and sleep deprivation: effects of acute caffeine or creatine supplementation-a randomized placebo-controlled trial.” Journal of the international society of sports nutrition 8, no. 1 (2011): 2.

35. Van Thienen, Ruud, Karen Van Proeyen, J. Puype, T. Lefere, and P. Hespel. “Beta-alanine improves sprint performance in endurance cycling.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise 41, no. 4 (2009): 898-903.

36. Saunders, Bryan, Kirsty Elliott-Sale, Guilherme G. Artioli, Paul A. Swinton, Eimear Dolan, Hamilton Roschel, Craig Sale, and Bruno Gualano. “β-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” British journal of sports medicine 51, no. 8 (2017): 658-669.

37. Remenapp, A., K. Coyle, T. Orange, T. Lynch, D. Hooper, S. Hooper, K. Conway, and H. A. Hausenblas. “Efficacy of Withania somnifera supplementation on adult’s cognition and mood.” Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine 13, no. 2 (2022): 100510.

38. Suzuki, Takashi, Masahiko Morita, Yoshinori Kobayashi, and Ayako Kamimura. “Oral L-citrulline supplementation enhances cycling time trial performance in healthy trained men: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled 2-way crossover study.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 13, no. 1 (2016): 6.

The post Which Alpha BRAIN® Is Right For Me? Meet The AB Family appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Consisting of ST SPORT, ST IMMUNE, and ST GREENS (with more additions to arrive shortly), the Shroom Tech collection offers support for strength, endurance, mental stress, immune health, and general nutrition.^† Keep scrolling, and we’ll run you through each of these supplements and explain their use, ingredients, and the science that shows their effectiveness.

What Are Adaptogens?

The key feature of every Shroom Tech product is its use of adaptogens—plant compounds that help regulate the body’s stress responses. Adaptogens can come from mushrooms, herbs, or roots, and many have been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. 

Scientists think adaptogens work by acting on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis—the interaction between the brain and adrenal glands—and the sympathoadrenal system—the part of the nervous system that helps control the body’s stress response. According to an article in the journal Pharmaceuticals, adaptogens may help with attention and endurance in situations where fatigue and/or sensation of weakness might decrease performance.¹ They may also help the body resist stress-induced impairments of the neuroendocrine and immune systems.

Basically, by helping to shoulder the burden that stress places on your system—be it from exercise, work, or seasonal health concerns—adaptogens allow your body to function at a higher level.

What Is Shroom Tech^® SPORT?

The flagship member of the Shroom Tech family, ST SPORT is designed to be taken as a pre-workout, or for occasional energy support, and contains only trace amounts of caffeine.^† It owes its power to a blend of adaptogens that includes cordyceps sinensis, a mushroom.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study done at Florida State University found that subjects supplementing with Shroom Tech SPORT performed more volume in both their strength training and cardio workouts.^†2

Shroom Tech SPORT is available in capsules.

Shroom Tech SPORT Benefits

Training volume refers to the amount of work you can do in a training session. Generally speaking, the more work you’re able to perform, the more stimulus you provide to your body, driving gains in muscle, strength, endurance, or whatever other fitness quality you’re training for. Shroom Tech SPORT helps you turn up your training volume. This can mean more standing on the pedals for the mom who does spin class; more reps for the gym rat on his favorite lift; more shifts for the hockey player who used to get winded on the ice, and so on.︎ Podcaster and Onnit co-founder Joe Rogan has famously stated that Shroom Tech SPORT helps him squeeze in an extra roll at the end of jiu-jitsu class.^†

Skeptical? Let’s examine what the Florida State study revealed.

The participants were 21 male college students averaging 22 years of age. All were experienced, recreational gym goers (read: not fitness newbies for whom any kind of training would yield results). The men were divided into two groups that were roughly equal in terms of levels of body fat, strength (as defined by their one-rep maxes—1RM—on the bench press and back squat), and VO2max (the maximum amount of oxygen consumed by the muscles during exercise—a measure of endurance).

One group of subjects supplemented with Shroom Tech SPORT and one took a placebo, and both groups strength trained and did cardio on separate days. (There were two full-body strength workouts per week and two cardio sessions consisting of high-intensity aerobic intervals.) The workouts ran for 12 weeks and were highly supervised—each subject was watched by research personnel to ensure they did all the reps in their workouts, used appropriate weights, etc.

Again, the study was double-blind. That means that the researchers who administered the capsules never knew which was Shroom Tech SPORT and which was the placebo, and the college men didn’t know which one they were getting either.

The subjects did not change their diets, and no significant differences were found between their diets. They were, however, instructed to minimize caffeine, and were not allowed any caffeine prior to exercise.

It’s important to understand that both groups did the same workout program—and it was awesome. Subjects in both the ST SPORT and placebo groups lost weight and gained strength. Their body fat percentages dropped one to two percent. As a result of doing the same effective training program, there were no significant differences between the groups in total training volume or any of the other categories. But, when looking at the numbers on a workout to workout basis, The Shroom Tech^® SPORT subjects statistically (p<0.05) outperformed the placebo group by getting three more reps (28 vs. 25) on the bench press when using 72.5–77.5% of their one-rep maxes (1RM). These percentages mean loads that kept them in the 10–12-rep range. Three extra reps is a 12% increase.^†

These statistical differences were repeated when looking at the bench press and the squat combined. The ST SPORT group got four more reps, total—a seven percent increase—at the same intensity (72.5–77.5%).^†

Looking at the cardio, in each consecutive interval, those supplementing with Shroom Tech SPORT had a statistically significant (p<0.05) smaller drop in performance times as fatigue kicked in when running at maximal intensities. Their total running time dropped 41 seconds, or 4.1 seconds per round. This is a three percent decrease.^†

The placebo group, however, dropped by two minutes and 15 seconds—an 11% decline, or 13.5 seconds at the same intensity. Ultimately, the Shroom Tech SPORT group outperformed the placebo group by 8.8% in running volume.^†

The researchers concluded that ST SPORT supported training volume for strength work and high-intensity cardio at both moderate and maximum intensities, respectively.^†

What Are Shroom Tech SPORT’s Key Ingredients?

Cordyceps sinensis. A mushroom popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine, cordyceps is an adaptogen that grows at high altitudes. Research indicates that cordyceps helps support energy utilization during exercise. One study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that cordyceps aided exercise performance in people as old as 50–75,³ while a Japanese study showed positive effects on energy metabolism.^†4

Ashwagandha. Another adaptogen, ashwagandha is an herb native to India and North Africa, and has been linked to strength, power, and endurance gains—and that may only be the beginning (although the dosages in most of its research studies are greater than what ST SPORT contains). A study in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine showed that ashwagandha supported improvements in VO2 max and time to exhaustion among elite cyclists.⁵ Another study found that the herb aided not only cardiorespiratory endurance but also quality of life, as determined by a survey that subjects took about their physical and psychological health, social relationships, and environmental factors.^†6 

Meanwhile, a trial in the International Journal of Ayurveda Research indicates that ashwagandha can help with speed, strength in the lower limbs, and neuromuscular coordination,⁷ and an Indian study on hockey players showed it was helpful with the strength and stability of their core muscles.^†8

Finally, an experiment published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition had men ages 18–50 take ashwagandha for eight weeks to supplement their weight-training.⁹ Their bench press and leg extension maxes shot up while they gained muscle in the chest and arms. At the same time, body fat levels dropped—more than twice what the placebo group lost—and testosterone went up.^† (However, in fairness, it is unknown if ashwagandha itself is responsible for the coincidental rise in testosterone, and more research is needed to determine the connection between the herb and weight loss.)

Green tea extract. A concentrated form of decaffeinated green tea, this extract assists with endurance performance. A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that subjects taking green tea extract saw a near 11% improvement in distance covered during a cycling test.^†10

Rhodiola rosea. An herb that grows in cold, mountainous regions like cordyceps does, rhodiola is an adaptogen that promotes endurance, both physically and mentally. A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that rhodiola supported endurance exercise capacity in young men and women.¹¹ The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research also reported that rhodiola ingestion decreased heart rate during submaximal exercise, and appears to help with endurance by reducing one’s perception of effort during exercise.^†12

Two studies in Phytomedicine showed rhodiola helps outside the gym. One revealed that it promotes psychomotor function in the midst of mental fatigue in students during a stressful exam period,¹³ while the other showed that rhodiola helped regulate fatigue in doctors working under stressful conditions during night shifts, and aided performance on work-related tasks by 20%.^†14

Methyl B-12. Apart from assisting in the metabolic reactions that make you feel alert, Vitamin B12 is thought to protect the sheaths that cover nerves, so having inadequate levels is like letting the wires that run from the computer in your brain get frayed—the signals they carry won’t get relayed efficiently. Unfortunately, research shows that up to 40% of people may have B12 levels that are low or marginal—low enough for them to exhibit effects such as minor fatigue and occasional lack of focus.^†15

Vitamin B12 is hardly available in plant foods, so plant-based eaters are more likely to not get enough from their diet. A 2014 review of 40 studies in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that as much as 86.5% of vegetarians were at risk for deficiency. Supplementation, then, is critical.^†16

Shroom Tech SPORT contains a methylated version of B12, which allows for better absorption in the body.^†

Who Should Use Shroom Tech SPORT?

ST SPORT can be an effective pre-workout supplement for those who prefer a formula that is sugar-free and doesn’t contain copious amounts of caffeine. It may also benefit students, shift workers, or anyone else who burns the midnight oil and may need support for work-induced stress and minor fatigue. Unlike energy drinks or other caffeinated supplements, Shroom Tech SPORT doesn’t give you a jolt of alertness or burst of energy, but you should notice the difference in how you perform.^†

What Is Shroom Tech^® IMMUNE?

ST IMMUNE is a mushroom and whole-food blend designed to be taken daily to help the body maintain healthy immune system function. The mushrooms in this formula provide beta-glucans, a type of polysaccharide that acts as food for the good bacteria in your gut—the stuff that eats the “bad bacteria”—and also stimulates immune cell activity.^†

ST IMMUNE is available in capsule form.

Shroom Tech IMMUNE Benefits

First, let’s discuss how beta-glucans work in a little more depth. Your body can’t make these compounds on its own, and it doesn’t recognize them when you ingest them. So, while they’re perfectly safe to consume, your body is cautious, and suspects beta-glucans might be dangerous. As a result, it treats them like any other outsider. Your immune system responds by ramping up the release of white blood cells—the soldiers in your body’s war against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. An article in Medicina explains that beta-glucans support the immune system, essentially by introducing a source of stress to your body that provokes it to become more resistant to the stressor.^†17

What Are Shroom Tech IMMUNE’s Key Ingredients?

ST IMMUNE combines two ingredient blends: the Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™, which consists primarily of organic, beta-glucan containing mushrooms, and the Onnit Nutri-Immune Blend™, which provides extracts of various herbs and roots.

Onnit Myco-Immune Blend™

Organic chaga. Forming on tree bark in cold climates, chaga is an adaptogenic mushroom that has been used in traditional medicine for ages and is often consumed as a tea. A 2015 trial concluded that chaga may support the immune system.^†18

Organic turkey tail (Coriolus versicolor). Consumed around the world, the mutli-colored turkey tail mushroom acts as a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in the gut. A study in Gut Microbes found that turkey tail helps balance the gut microbiome.^†19 

Organic reishi. An Asian mushroom and adaptogen that grows under hot and humid conditions, reishi was shown in a Japanese study to have a positive effect on immune health.^†20 

Organic shiitake. Popular in Asian cuisine, a study in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms concluded that shiitake mushrooms may support the production of B cells, the ones that produce antibodies that neutralize foreign substances.^†21 

Onnit Nutri-Immune Blend™

Turmeric. A plant most famous for its use in Indian curries, turmeric supplies curcumin, a compound that a review in the journal Foods determined can aid in supporting a healthy inflammatory response.²² Furthermore, the researchers stated, “A relatively low dose of the complex can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions.” In other words, it’s healthy for just about anyone to supplement with turmeric. Add to that the findings of a Journal of Clinical Immunology review, which concluded that, thanks to its curcumin content, turmeric’s ability to promote immune system function is “beyond doubt.”^†23

Ginger. The spicy root offers serious protection for your cells. A review in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that ginger helps the body balance oxidative stress.^†24

Oregano. The herb that helps give pizza its intoxicating aroma is actually pretty healthy when you take away all the fat and carbs. Research shows that it contains antioxidants, which support cells’ resilience to damage and help maintain cell integrity.^†25

Who Should Use Shroom Tech IMMUNE?

ST IMMUNE can be beneficial to anyone looking to support their immune defenses, and can be taken on a daily basis. However, it shouldn’t be seen as an alternative or replacement for other powerful immune-boosting practices, such as getting consistent sleep, minimizing stress, and following a healthy diet. Smart lifestyle choices still come first.

What’s The Difference Between Shroom Tech IMMUNE? And VIRUTech^® ?

Onnit currently offers two supplements that are primarily immune-system focused. Shroom Tech IMMUNE is a mushroom-based formula with botanical extracts, designed to be taken daily to maintain healthy immune system function. VIRUTech is a vitamin and mineral blend that helps support your immune system beyond what Shroom Tech IMMUNE was formulated to do alone. You should reach for VIRUTech when you are traveling, or any other occasion when you feel you need additional immune support, but make ST IMMUNE your mainstay.^†

What Is Shroom Tech^® GREENS?

ST GREENS is essentially certified organic vegetables and mushrooms that have been pulverized into a fine powder. One packet (5.1 grams) provides one serving of vegetables (equivalent to ½ cup), helping to fill in the gaps common in most Americans’ diets.^†

Shroom Tech GREENS is unflavored and free of sweeteners, so it can be added to a protein shake or meal-replacement smoothie without affecting the flavor. Think of it as adding the power of a small salad to your drink, although it won’t taste like it!

Shroom Tech GREENS Benefits

The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines call for adults to get two and a half cups of vegetables daily, and many nutritionists suggest eating more than that if you’re an athlete or active person. Still, research shows that nearly 90% of Americans don’t get enough produce in their diet.²⁶

Shroom Tech GREENS can make hitting your daily vegetable quota a lot easier. One serving contains the equivalent of 14 kale leaves, four spinach leaves, and one broccoli floret, along with a small amount of spirulina—a nutrition-rich colored algae that has been consumed for centuries. It also features three mushrooms that are common to the other Shroom Tech products and offer separate benefits for health and performance. A single packet of ST GREENS provides the equivalent of ½ cup of vegetables—which is one serving, according to government dietary guidelines. Altogether, ST GREENS supplies vegetable nutrition necessary for good health, as well as support for the immune system and exercise performance.^†

In addition, all ST GREENS’ plant ingredients are USDA certified organic, indicating that they were grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, artificial food additives, and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Research suggests that consumption of organic foods may expose people to fewer pesticides than their conventional counterparts.²⁷

What Are Shroom Tech GREENS’ Key Ingredients?

Shroom Tech GREENS contains two special ingredient blends—the Onnit Organic Greens Blend and the PeakO₂^® Organic Mushroom Blend. The combination supports not only general health but exercise performance as well.^†︎

Onnit Organic Greens Blend

Organic kale. A cruciferous vegetable and a member of the cabbage family, kale contains vitamins and antioxidants—soldiers in the body’s fight to resist cell damage.^{†28, 29}

Organic broccoli. Another cruciferous vegetable, broccoli is known to contain vitamins C and K, as well as iron and potassium. Broccoli’s nutrition has been suggested  to support eye and heart health.^{†30, 31}

Organic spirulina. A phytonutrient-packed, non-toxic colored algae that grows in freshwater, spirulina has been suggested to aid endurance,³² promote heart health,³³ and help curb occasional respiratory distress (nasal congestion, sneezing, or a runny nose).^†34

PeakO₂ Organic Mushroom Blend

Organic cordyceps. See our write-up of cordyceps sinensis under the Shroom Tech SPORT summary above.

Organic reishi. See Shroom Tech IMMUNE above.

Organic lion’s mane. A shaggy-shaped mushroom that resembles its namesake, lion’s mane is often used in recipes for its seafood-like flavor. Studies suggest it can help support and protect brain cells, promoting cognitive function.^†35

Who Should Use Shroom Tech GREENS?

Shroom Tech GREENS can offer nutrition support to people who sometimes can’t seem to eat enough whole-food vegetables, either because they’re low-carb or keto dieters, or frequent travelers who don’t have easy access to healthy food or the time to prepare it. Of course, ST GREENS can also be beneficial to people who just can’t get excited about the taste of vegetables, and who often avoid them as a result.^†

REFERENCES:

1. Panossian, Alexander, and Georg Wikman. “Effects of adaptogens on the central nervous system and the molecular mechanisms associated with their stress—protective activity.” Pharmaceuticals 3, no. 1 (2010): 188-224.

2. Vince C. Kreipke, PhD , Robert J. Moffatt, PhD , Charles J. Tanner, MA & Michael J. Ormsbee, PhD (2020): “Effects of Concurrent Training and a Multi-Ingredient Performance Supplement Containing Rhodiolarosea and Cordycepssinensis on Body Composition, Performance, and Health in Active Men,” Journal of Dietary Supplements, DOI: 10.1080/19390211.2020.1822486

3. Chen, Steve, Zhaoping Li, Robert Krochmal, Marlon Abrazado, Woosong Kim, and Christopher B. Cooper. “Effect of Cs-4®(Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” The Journal of alternative and complementary medicine 16, no. 5 (2010): 585-590.

4. Nagata, Akira, Taeko Tajima, and Masayuki Uchida. “Supplemental anti-fatigue effects of Cordyceps sinensis (Tochu-Kaso) extract powder during three stepwise exercise of human.” Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine 55, no. Supplement (2006): S145-S152.

5. Shenoy, Shweta, Udesh Chaskar, Jaspal S. Sandhu, and Madan Mohan Paadhi. “Effects of eight-week supplementation of Ashwagandha on cardiorespiratory endurance in elite Indian cyclists.” Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine 3, no. 4 (2012): 209.

6. Choudhary, Bakhtiar, A. Shetty, and Deepak G. Langade. “Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults.” Ayu 36, no. 1 (2015): 63.

7. Sandhu, Jaspal Singh, Biren Shah, Shweta Shenoy, Suresh Chauhan, G. S. Lavekar, and M. M. Padhi. “Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Terminalia arjuna (Arjuna) on physical performance and cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy young adults.” International journal of Ayurveda research 1, no. 3 (2010): 144.

8. Arvind, Malik, Mehta Vikas, Malik Sonia, and Sharma Pradeep. “Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root powder supplementation on the core muscle strength and stability in hockey players.” International Journal of Behavioural Social and Movement Sciences 3, no. 3 (2014): 83-91.

9. Wankhede, Sachin, Deepak Langade, Kedar Joshi, Shymal R. Sinha, and Sauvik Bhattacharyya. “Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 12, no. 1 (2015): 1-11.

10. Roberts, Justin D., Michael G. Roberts, Michael D. Tarpey, Jack C. Weekes, and Clare H. Thomas. “The effect of a decaffeinated green tea extract formula on fat oxidation, body composition and exercise performance.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 12, no. 1 (2015): 1.

11. De Bock, Katrien, Bert O. Eijnde, Monique Ramaekers, and Peter Hespel. “Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance.” International journal of sport nutrition & exercise metabolism 14, no. 3 (2004).

12. Noreen, Eric E., James G. Buckley, Stephanie L. Lewis, Josef Brandauer, and Kristin J. Stuempfle. “The effects of an acute dose of Rhodiola rosea on endurance exercise performance.” The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 27, no. 3 (2013): 839-847.

13. Spasov, A. A., G. K. Wikman, V. B. Mandrikov, I. A. Mironova, and V. V. Neumoin. “A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adaptogenic effect of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract on the fatigue of students caused by stress during an examination period with a repeated low-dose regimen.” Phytomedicine 7, no. 2 (2000): 85-89.

14. Darbinyan, V., A. Kteyan, A. Panossian, E. Gabrielian, G. Wikman, and H. Wagner. “Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue—a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty.” Phytomedicine 7, no. 5 (2000): 365-371.

15. B12: National Institutes of Health, Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Consumers. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12-healthprofessional/#h5

16. Pawlak, Roman, S. E. Lester, and T. Babatunde. “The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature.” European journal of clinical nutrition 68, no. 5 (2014): 541-548.

17. Sze, Daniel Man-yuen, and Godfrey Chi-Fung Chan. “Effects of beta-glucans on different immune cell populations and cancers.” In Advances in Botanical Research, vol. 62, pp. 179-196. Academic Press, 2012.

18. Glamočlija, Jasmina, Ana Ćirić, Miloš Nikolić, Ângela Fernandes, Lillian Barros, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Isabel CFR Ferreira, Marina Soković, and Leo JLD Van Griensven. “Chemical characterization and biological activity of Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), a medicinal ‘mushroom’.” Journal of ethnopharmacology 162 (2015): 323-332.

19. Pallav, Kumar, Scot E. Dowd, Javier Villafuerte, Xiaotong Yang, Toufic Kabbani, Joshua Hansen, Melinda Dennis, Daniel A. Leffler, David S. Newburg, and Ciaran P. Kelly. “Effects of polysaccharopeptide from Trametes versicolor and amoxicillin on the gut microbiome of healthy volunteers: a randomized clinical trial.” Gut microbes 5, no. 4 (2014): 458-467.

20. NAJIMA, Masatomo, Mitsuhiko MUNEKATA, and Hiroyuki SASAKI. “IMPROVEMENT IN IMMUNE FUNCTION BY SUPPLEMENT CONTAINED β-GLUCANS.”

21. Gaullier, Jean-Michel, Jowita Sleboda, Erik Snorre Ofjord, Elling Ulvestad, Minna Nurminiemi, Cecilie Moe, Tor Albrektsen, and Ola Gudmundsen. “Supplementation with a soluble beta-glucan exported from Shiitake medicinal mushroom, Lentinus edodes (Berk.) singer mycelium: a crossover, placebo-controlled study in healthy elderly.” International journal of medicinal mushrooms 13, no. 4 (2011).

22. Hewlings, Susan J., and Douglas S. Kalman. “Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health.” Foods 6, no. 10 (2017): 92.

23. Jagetia, Ganesh Chandra, and Bharat B. Aggarwal. “‘Spicing up’ of the immune system by curcumin.” Journal of clinical immunology 27, no. 1 (2007): 19-35.

24. Mashhadi, Nafiseh Shokri, Reza Ghiasvand, Gholamreza Askari, Mitra Hariri, Leila Darvishi, and Mohammad Reza Mofid. “Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: review of current evidence.” International journal of preventive medicine 4, no. Suppl 1 (2013): S36.

25. Lagouri, Vasiliki, and Dimitrios Boskou. “Nutrient antioxidants in oregano.” International journal of food sciences and nutrition 47, no. 6 (1996): 493-497.

26. Centers for Disease Control. “Only 1 in 10 Adults Get Enough Fruits or Vegetables.” https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html

27. Vigar, Vanessa, Stephen Myers, Christopher Oliver, Jacinta Arellano, Shelley Robinson, and Carlo Leifert. “A systematic review of organic versus conventional food consumption: is there a measurable benefit on human health?.” Nutrients 12, no. 1 (2019): 7.

28. Sikora, Elżbieta, and Izabela Bodziarczyk. “Composition and antioxidant activity of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) raw and cooked.” Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria 11, no. 3 (2012): 239-248

29. Olsen, Helle, Kjersti Aaby, and Grethe Iren A. Borge. “Characterization and quantification of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids in curly kale (Brassica oleracea L. convar. acephala var. sabellica) by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS n.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 57, no. 7 (2009): 2816-2825.

30. Gale, Catharine R., Nigel F. Hall, David IW Phillips, and Christopher N. Martyn. “Lutein and zeaxanthin status and risk of age-related macular degeneration.” Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 44, no. 6 (2003): 2461-2465.

31. Conzatti, Adriana, Fernanda Carolina Telles da Silva Fróes, Ingrid Dalira Schweigert Perry, and Carolina Guerini de Souza. “Clinical and molecular evidence of the consumption of broccoli, glucoraphanin and sulforaphane in humans.” Nutrición hospitalaria 31, no. 2 (2015): 559-569.

32. Lu, Hsueh-Kuan, Chin-Cheng Hsieh, Jen-Jung Hsu, Yuh-Kuan Yang, and Hong-Nong Chou. “Preventive effects of Spirulina platensis on skeletal muscle damage under exercise-induced oxidative stress.” European journal of applied physiology 98, no. 2 (2006): 220-226.

33. Torres-Duran, Patricia V., Aldo Ferreira-Hermosillo, and Marco A. Juarez-Oropeza. “Antihyperlipemic and antihypertensive effects of Spirulina maxima in an open sample of Mexican population: a preliminary report.” Lipids in Health and Disease 6, no. 1 (2007): 1-8.

34. Cingi, Cemal, Meltem Conk-Dalay, Hamdi Cakli, and Cengiz Bal. “The effects of spirulina on allergic rhinitis.” European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology 265, no. 10 (2008): 1219-1223.

35. Mori, Koichiro, Satoshi Inatomi, Kenzi Ouchi, Yoshihito Azumi, and Takashi Tuchida. “Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: A double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial.” Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives 23, no. 3 (2009): 367-372.

The post The Majesty of Mushrooms: Meet The Shroom Tech® Family appeared first on Onnit Academy.

A shrub with yellow flowers that grows in India and parts of Africa, ashwagandha has been used in traditional medicine for generations, and modern science is starting to confirm its potential, from helping to manage stress and promoting cognitive function to supporting testosterone levels and muscle strength.

Here’s what we know about ashwagandha and how it might support your health goals.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is an herb that has many aliases. Depending on which part of the world you’re in when speaking about it, it can alternatively be known as Indian ginseng, poison gooseberry (although it’s by no means a poison), winter cherry, and, it’s technical name, Withania somnifera. The name ashwagandha is Sanskrit for “like a horse,” which refers to its strong smell in nature, as well as its strength-promoting potential. (Again, don’t worry about what the name may imply—modern ashwagandha supplements have no smell, and they won’t leave your pantry reeking like a barn.)

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, meaning that it’s been recognized for its ability to help the body handle stress. While the exact mechanism ashwagandha works by isn’t clear, research indicates that it may affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Yeah… let’s back up a minute.

The hypothalamus is the region of the brain that controls body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other functions that help maintain homeostasis—the body’s status quo condition. It’s also involved in regulating sleep and even your emotional responses. The pituitary is a gland that sits underneath the brain and produces hormones. It, in turn, affects the production of cortisol, a hormone that’s released from the adrenal glands in response to stress, as well as when blood sugar levels are low.

Collectively, these structures are referred to as the HPA axis, and they control your body’s physical reaction to a range of stressful conditions. Scientists believe that ashwagandha may positively influence the HPA axis to help moderate the body’s stress response, thereby easing the burden on your system and allowing it to run more efficiently in a number of ways.

Benefits of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha may offer a diverse range of benefits, from helping with mental stress and cognition to physical performance in the gym.

Stress Support

A 2019 study found that ashwagandha supplementation helped lower cortisol levels in men and women, as well as support better sleep quality. Another trial on stressed but otherwise healthy adults found that greater dosages of ashwagandha yielded better responses, as subjects who took the most ashwagandha had the highest reduction in cortisol levels—30% on average. They also reported the greatest improvements in feelings of well-being.

Adding further support to the notion that lower cortisol may correlate with better feelings, an Indian study found that ashwagandha use not only promoted resistance to stress but also self-assessed improvements in quality of life.

Brain Health

Ashwagandha may help you feel more on your game at work. A study in Pharmacognosy Research found that healthy men who took the herb performed better on cognitive and psychomotor tests.

If you’re older and concerned about having “senior moments,” ashwagandha could help you stay sharp. A 2017 trial on older adults with mild cognitive impairments showed that, after eight weeks, the subjects’ memories improved to the point where they could better recognize faces in family pictures. Their ability to process information, juggle tasks, and keep their attention on a particular task was also greater. 

Muscle and Endurance

If you’re trying to change your body, you already know about whey protein and creatine, but you may want to start adding ashwagandha to your gym bag when you read this…

A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition had men ages 18–50 take ashwagandha for eight weeks to supplement their weight-training. Their bench-press and leg extension maxes shot up while they gained muscle in the chest and arms. At the same time, body fat levels dropped—more than twice what the placebo group lost—and testosterone went up.

Another study from a few years earlier had similar findings, with ashwagandha aiding strength gains while body fat went down. Total and LDL cholesterol levels also dropped.

Ashwagandha doesn’t seem to just help muscleheads either. If you’re into endurance training, you’ll be interested to know that a 2020 review of nine different ashwagandha studies published in Nutrients found that the supplement supported gains in VO2 max among athletes and non-athletes alike. Similarly, the International Journal of Ayurveda Research reported that ashwagandha aided velocity, power, and VO2 max in young men and women.

Lastly, research published in Ayu concluded that ashwagandha promotes cardiorespiratory endurance in addition to quality of life in athletes—as measured by a questionnaire that assessed the subjects’ physical and psychological health, as well as their social relationships.

What’s An Ideal Dosage To Take?

Studies have shown a range of effective dosages for ashwagandha supplementation, and the amount varies based on the reason for taking it, but research indicates that as much as 1,250 milligrams are safe to consume. Nevertheless, ashwagandha can cause digestive trouble, diarrhea, and nausea in extreme amounts, or among those with sensitive stomachs, so ask your doctor before adding it to your regimen—especially if you’re on any medications at the same time.

The post Benefits of Ashwagandha: Is It Right For Me? appeared first on Onnit Academy.

In this digital, everything-is-online age, interacting with electronics’ screens is an unavoidable part of life. Actually, one could argue that it’s becoming our life. A 2020 survey polling 2,000 US adults on their digital device usage found that we spend nearly five hours in front of computer screens, four and a half on smartphones, another four and a half watching TV, and well over three hours playing gaming devices daily. That’s more than 17 hours total every day—and this was before the pandemic. (If you’re curious, the amount of time has since increased by about two more hours.) 

All that time in front of screens saps our eye strength, and, for those of us whose jobs require sitting at a computer for extended periods, limits the work we can get done. While cutting down on our overall digital usage is certainly a healthy move, the fact remains that most of us have to spend a substantial amount of time in front of screens to be productive.

Two plant compounds—lutein and zeaxanthin—may be able to help protect your eyes from the strain and fatigue associated with looking at screens, supporting eye health while also helping you to keep focus on tasks and complete them more effectively.

What Are Lutein and Zeaxanthin?

Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids—the pigments responsible for the color in certain fruits and vegetables. Lutein is found in dark, leafy greens, while zeaxanthin can be sourced from beans, corn, and oranges, as well as greens. Both carotenoids help protect the body from cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, specifically in the eyeballs.

Exposure to light and oxygen produces free radicals in the eyes, and lutein and zeaxanthin step in to mitigate the damage. They’re known to help scavenge free radicals as well as aid in filtering out blue light—the kind emitted from electronic devices that can damage the eyes, disrupt sleep patterns, and negatively affect cognitive performance. In fact, lutein and zeaxanthin can absorb up to 90% of the blue light that enters the eyes.

While the two compounds are structurally very similar, research in the Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics indicates that lutein and zeaxanthin are most effective when taken in combination. A mix of the two outperforms either carotenoid when consumed in the same dose separately.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Visual and Cognitive Performance

Lutein and zeaxanthin are notable carotenoids due to the fact that they’re the only ones that get stored in the macula region of the retina—in the back of the eyeball. This area is crucial for good vision, and science has shown that a breakdown in lutein and zeaxanthin over time (due to age and a poor diet) can hurt eyesight.

Fortunately, research indicates that lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation promotes levels of the two carotenoids in the retina, thereby supporting eye health.

General eye and vision problems resulting from prolonged use of digital devices is called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Symptoms can include eyestrain, headache, blurred vision, eye dryness, and neck and shoulder pain. Supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin may play a role in combating CVS. 

A 2017 study in the journal Foods had 48 healthy young adults supplement with lutein and zeaxanthin for six months while they were exposed to at least six hours of blue light from digital devices daily. The researchers found that the blue-light filters in the subjects’ eyes increased in thickness over that time while their overall sleep quality improved. The supplementation also seemed to assist with headaches, eye strain and fatigue, and visual performance.

Other research in the British Journal of Nutrition concluded that lutein supported visual performance in long-term computer users. Meanwhile, a study in Opthalmic & Physiological Optics demonstrated that supplementation with either lutein or zeaxanthin aided visual performance in dim light conditions.

And good news for writers and editors: Applied Ergonomics reports that a lutein/zeaxanthin supplement (with added blackcurrant extract) helped subjects resist visual fatigue on proof-reading tasks.

Lutein and zeaxanthin have been connected to sharper thinking too. A 2019 study found that the carotenoid combination helped older adults with cognitive functions, while a 2017 trial showed that they promoted cognitive function and attention in older people, and memory in men specifically.

Who Can Benefit From Lutein and Zeaxanthin Supplements?

As indicated by the aforementioned research, people who work long hours in front of a computer, use digital devices frequently, or who work at night in dim lighting may be able to perform more effectively by adding lutein and zeaxanthin supplements to their diets.

Furthermore, those who don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables (the best sources of carotenoids) may benefit. There is currently no RDA for carotenoids, but recommendations by several health authorities to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables daily have been made, in part, to increase carotenoid intake. (Research shows up to 20mg of lutein per day can be taken safely.) It’s worth noting that carotenoids are fat-soluble, so cooking vegetables in oil, for example, can increase the absorption of these compounds.

As eye health naturally declines with age, older people may get support from lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation (especially as eye health relates to cognitive performance). And, since smoking is a source of oxidative stress, smokers may need more lutein and zeaxanthin; they tend to have lower levels of carotenoids than non-smokers.

The post Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Eye Health and Performance appeared first on Onnit Academy.

When you played pee-wee football, it meant Shark Bites fruit snacks at halftime. When you ran your first 5K, it was energy gels in your fanny pack. No matter how long or how hard your workout, the only way to get through it—we were told—was to inject carbs directly into our veins. And if you didn’t? You’d “bonk,” “crash,” or otherwise poop out before the game, match, or workout was over.

It seemed to make sense. When you exercise, you burn carbs. Your body needs carbs to replenish its energy stores (unless you’re following a keto diet), so everything from pasta and bread to candy and beer has been suggested at one time or another to help you restock. But there’s more to performance fuel than carbs—or even calories—and, as you might have suspected, there are healthier ways to obtain it.

The true secret to promoting long-duration performance? Maintaining your water and electrolyte balance.

Aid Performance With Electrolytes

What Are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that are transported through your body fluids and carry an electric charge. They play important roles in generating energy for cells, transporting signals to and from the brain, muscle contractions, and more. The main electrolytes are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.

What Is an Electrolyte Imbalance?

When you sweat heavily, due to heat exposure, physical activity, or a combination of the two, your body loses water and the electrolytes it carries. For athletes in the middle of a training session or competition, especially in summer time, this loss can be disastrous. In its position stand on exercise and fluid replacement, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) states that losing as little as two percent of your body weight in water can compromise performance and health.

But drinking water by itself isn’t enough to undo the damage. Not only does it not contain electrolytes, but drinking too much without taking in an appropriate amount of electrolytes at the same time will lead to an imbalance—read: you can drink water well past the point of quenching your thirst, but it won’t recharge you.

You see, when you chug plain water, you dilute the electrolytes you have left in your system. This makes it even harder for them to serve the body processes they play such a critical role in. What’s more, it actually results in some of the same problems as those caused by not getting enough water, and other challenges as well. Research shows that an inadequate electrolyte imbalance can cause blood pressure changes, confusion, fatigue, lightheadedness, muscle weakness, and decreased muscle control. In other words, drinking too much water is just as bad as not drinking enough!

The New England Journal of Medicine analyzed runners in the Boston marathon. Thirteen percent of the competitors tested were found to have an inadequate electrolyte balance during the race. In fact, the runners who drank the most water—at least three liters of fluid over the course of the marathon—had the worst finish times (greater than four hours). All that water actually resulted in them gaining weight—over the course of a four-hour race!

The amount of water and electrolytes you need is highly dependent on your size, the activity you’re doing, the time you spend exercising, and the weather conditions, so it’s impossible to give a blanket recommendation on how much to consume. But experts say the smartest strategy is to drink a water and electrolyte mix periodically throughout your workout—even before the first sign of thirst. The Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine suggests downing about one and a half to three cups of water per hour of activity, and the Institute of Medicine recommends that your beverage include sodium and potassium, in particular, to sustain performance during prolonged exercise in hot weather.

Benefits of Electrolytes

Supplementing with electrolytes has been found to have a positive and significant impact on two main measures of performance. It can…

1. Support Endurance

Sodium, in particular, has been shown to support lasting energy for long-duration endurance exercise. A 2016 study found that triathletes who supplemented with sodium during a half-ironman finished faster than a control group, and lost less body mass from water depletion along the way. The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports reported that cyclists taking sodium improved their finish times by 7.4% over a control group, which researchers credited to greater cardiovascular function.

Another study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine discovered that sodium bicarbonate helped to stave off fatigue in swimmers, improving their finish times in the 200-meter freestyle race—most likely by assisting with the athletes’ acid-buffering capacity.

If your athletic endeavors are limited to your backyard or garage, sodium works for anaerobic exercise too. A trial from 2014 found that basketball players maintained sprinting performance into the final quarter of their games better on sodium bicarbonate than a placebo. Meanwhile, Amino Acids published a study showing that sodium promoted increases in the total work performed by experienced judo and jiu-jitsu competitors, as well as anaerobic power. That means the potential for more throws and submissions in the same amount of time.

2. Stimulate Strength Gains

Magnesium has long been linked to force production. A 2015 study found that it promoted max bench-press strength by 17.7%. (Good news for the impatient: it only took one week.)

Furthermore, a Magnesium Research study concluded that the mineral was directly associated with maximal core, leg, and grip strength—and jumping performance—in basketball, handball, and volleyball players. The researchers wrote: “The observed associations between magnesium intake and muscle strength performance may result from the important role of magnesium in energetic metabolism, transmembrane transport, and muscle contraction and relaxation.” They also noted that, in general, athletes’ magnesium intakes are “often below recommended levels.”

Do I Really Need Carbs For Energy?

Don’t get us wrong. Electrolytes are an underrated and essential nutritional element for high performance, but carbs are also important for keeping your energy up during exercise. You just don’t need them by the barrel full.

The ACSM recommends consuming no more than 60 grams of carbs per hour of activity. More than that can delay the rate at which your stomach empties of food, causing you discomfort in the gut that can affect your performance.

Furthermore, solutions made with a 2:1 ratio of glucose to fructose seem to offer more benefit than just slamming carbs in any form you can get them.  The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reported that this glucose-to-fructose combination aided performance in an array of activities, including sprinting, lifting, jumping, and shuttle runs. Meanwhile, a study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that it helped cyclists improve on timed trials by eight percent. The pairing of glucose and fructose appears to help the body absorb carbs faster than consuming either type alone, making them more readily available during exercise.

A Summer Hydration Solution

If you’re going to be playing sports or exercising outdoors on a hot day, and sweating heavily as a result, a sports drink that contains electrolytes and carbohydrates may help to maintain hydration as well as performance. Onnit’s HYDRATech^™ Instant comes in two delicious flavors—Lime and Tangerine—and mixes easily into 8–12 ounces of water. Add it to your water bottle or shaker cup before activity, and sip throughout, or down a full serving after a session. 

The post Aid Performance With Electrolytes appeared first on Onnit Academy.

– Creatine is a molecule found in animal foods that helps fuel muscle contractions. It has been shown to help users gain muscle and strength, and support performance in short duration, high-intensity activity.

– Whey protein is derived from cow’s milk. It is a fast-digesting protein that is rich in leucine, a BCAA that signals muscle protein synthesis. Whey can aid muscle growth and body composition.

– Creatine needs to build up in your muscles in order to be effective. Whey protein can be taken as needed to help you reach daily protein requirements.

– Neither creatine or whey protein is illegal or has been shown to be hazardous to health.

Creatine Vs. Whey Protein: What You Should Know

Creatine and whey protein are two of the most popular and effective sports supplements ever to hit the market. Both have been shown to help build muscle, but they’re two very different products that work in different ways. Price-wise, creatine is fairly cheap, while whey protein can be a big investment. So which one is appropriate for your goals and budget, and is it better to choose one over the other, or use both together?

We’ll examine both creatine and whey to help you determine the right muscle supp for you.

What Is Creatine?

Creatine monohydrate is a molecule that exists naturally in animal foods such as meat, eggs, and fish. However, you’d have to eat pounds of protein-rich food to get an efficacious dosage, which is why creatine is mainly discussed as a supplement.

Creatine plays an important role in fueling muscle contractions. The energy source for muscle is a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). When you lift, run, jump, or otherwise use your muscles, ATP loses a phosphate molecule and breaks down to a byproduct called ADP. For the muscles to keep working, they must regain a phosphate to transform ADP back into ATP, and that’s where creatine comes in.

Creatine monohydrate binds to a phosphate molecule to form creatine phosphate, which then restores ATP and your muscles’ ability to do work. In short, creatine supplies energy. It’s the main energy source for short duration, explosive, highly intense muscle contractions, such as those required in sprinting and weight training. (Creatine doesn’t do much for exercise that lasts more than a few continuous seconds. Stored carbohydrate, and then oxygen, fuel aerobic training, such as jogging and long-distance cycling.)

Supplementing with creatine allows you to do intense work for longer without fatiguing. In other words, it can help you to sprint a few more seconds at your top speed, get more jumps at your best height, and perform more reps with a heavy weight. This means that creatine helps you perform more overall volume in your workouts to get a greater training effect, and it’s one reason creatine has gained enormous popularity with bodybuilders and other athletes who rely on weight training.

Another reason muscle-seekers love creatine is that it helps draw water into the muscle cells. Muscles that are more hydrated will appear bigger, so some critics have accused creatine of only helping to create the illusion of larger muscles. But the fact is that hydrated muscles are better primed to grow.

Creatine has been popular since the early 1990s, and it’s come to be one of the most well-researched supplements out there. The International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism published a meta-analysis of 100 studies that concluded that creatine helps with body composition and resistance training performance, regardless of sex or training experience. 

If you’re a gym rat looking to get stronger, creatine ought to be on your radar. A review of 22 studies determined that lifters taking creatine averaged eight percent greater strength gains than those on a placebo; they also saw an average 14% increase in reps performed at a given percentage of their one-rep max (the greatest amount of weight you can lift for one repetition on an exercise). Their bench press gains were especially impressive—one-rep maxes shot up as much as 43%.

If you’re wondering if creatine can help you in sports, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. A study on elite wrestlers found that creatine aided both average and peak power on an anaerobic endurance test. Another trial on elite soccer players showed that creatine takers sustained jumping power while a control group got fatigued. Meanwhile, a similar study on collegiate volleyball players found that creatine helped users maintain jump height.

As far as research goes, here’s the big kahuna on creatine to sum it all up: the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition issued a position stand in which it declared that “creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass.”

Read more in our creatine guide.

What Is Whey Protein?

Whey protein is a component of cow’s milk that was historically seen as a byproduct of cheese making.  Farmers used to throw it away in favor of casein, the other protein in milk that can be processed into cheese. The nursery rhyme about Little Miss Muffet eating curds and whey refers to a dish of cottage cheese—casein protein being the cheese curds and whey the liquid that surrounds them.

Like other animal proteins, whey is complete, containing all the essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own. This gives whey an advantage over plant-based protein supplements such as rice or hemp protein, which need to be combined with other protein sources to offer all the essential aminos the body needs.

But what really makes whey a rock star in the sports nutrition world is the amount of leucine it offers. Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA), and research indicates it’s probably the most important amino for muscle growth, as it signals the body to activate protein synthesis. In its 2017 position stand on protein needs for exercise, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommended that athletes aiming to maximize muscle gains eat protein-rich meals every three to four hours throughout the day (20–40 grams of protein per meal), with each meal consisting of between 0.7 and three grams leucine.

Whey protein is so packed with leucine that research shows it actually offers more of the stuff per gram than several other high-protein whole foods, such as eggs and milk—we’re talking two to 2.5 grams of leucine in a standard 25-gram scoop of whey. Whey tops casein protein (the other protein supplement derived from cow milk) and soy protein in terms of leucine content, and, as a study in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed, it stimulates muscle growth to a greater degree. 

But whey protein isn’t just for getting big. A 2014 study found that when subjects consumed whey before sitting down to their largest meal of the day, it helped to control appetite and promoted favorable changes in body composition and waist circumference compared to soy protein. A 2017 meta-analysis of nine studies showed that whey not only helped overweight and obese people lose fat, it also aided in reducing markers of risk for cardiovascular disease.

Whey protein supplements are available in two basic forms. It can come as a concentrate or an isolate. Whey concentrate is 70–80% protein, with the remaining components being some milk sugar (lactose) and fat. Whey isolate is 90% or higher, and has had nearly all the sugar and fat filtered out. As for which one you should choose, it really comes down to preference. Isolate is the purer, leaner option, but it’s more expensive. If you have trouble digesting lactose and want to better control your calories, whey isolate may be the better choice, but concentrate will save you money. With that said, there is more research on the benefits of isolate than there is on concentrate supplements.

Read more in our whey protein guide.

When and How Much Protein and Creatine Should I Take?

Whey protein has been hyped for its ability to be digested and absorbed into the muscles quickly, supposedly jump-starting the recovery process and improving muscle gains, but the importance of timing your protein intake has been overstated. Whey is indeed a fast-digesting protein, but a review in the Journal of the ISSN determined that total daily protein intake trumps timing, so there’s no great rush to consume and assimilate the stuff as long as your body gets enough over the course of the day.

One exception, however, is if you’re an athlete who does some type of training more than once a day. If you’re an MMA fighter, for instance, who lifts weights in the morning and hits pads in the afternoon, you’d be wise to recharge your muscles as quickly as possible after the strength training session so they don’t get depleted further by the skill work. Wrestlers and tennis players, who may compete multiple times in a day, are in the same boat. A study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that subjects taking hydrolyzed whey protein—a type of whey that’s been processed so it digests even faster—were fully recovered six hours later.

How much protein you need in a day depends on your age, size, goals, and activity level, but the ISSN suggests around one gram per pound of bodyweight daily for individuals who strength train—and even more if you’re dieting, so you can preserve muscle mass while in a calorie deficit that helps you lose fat. So, a 200-pound person who lifts and wants to slim down should start eating at least 200 grams of protein per day. This can be done entirely with whole foods, but it’s often not practical (think: lots of chicken breast, tuna, and eggs), so many opt for protein supplements to help hit their goal number of grams. Whey protein supps offer around 20 grams protein per serving, and can be mixed up and chugged down in minutes.

As for creatine, timing may be a bit more important than it is for protein. One study found that consuming it post-exercise promoted better body composition and strength gains than when it was taken pre-workout, and another trial showed that subjects made better gains in their arms when they took creatine after workouts. But there doesn’t appear to be a bad time to take creatine. Whatever time allows you to take it consistently enough to see benefit is the one to go with.

And consistency is important with creatine. While a whey protein supplement can be taken as needed to help you reach your protein goals, creatine needs to be taken regularly so it builds up in your muscles. The standard recommendation is to follow a minimum three-day loading period where you take 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram of your bodyweight (example: 23 grams for a 170-pound man). Then, back off to a maintenance dose of three to five grams daily thereafter. However, skipping the loading phase and taking two to five grams per day from the get go has been shown to work fine too—it will just take longer to see the effects because your muscles aren’t yet fully saturated with creatine. (But it may be more convenient and palatable than guzzling multiple teaspoons of powder throughout the day.)

Bodybuilders used to mix creatine with grape juice in order to disguise the chalky flavor and ensure better uptake by the muscles. Research shows that your muscles might retain creatine better when it’s consumed along with a carbohydrate source, but most studies show that mixing it with plain water, or blending it into any other beverage you like, works just as well. “A 2017 study showed that loading creatine alone aided physical performance to the same extent as creatine loading with carbohydrate ingestion,” says Vince Kreipke, PhD, CISSN, a performance specialist and member of Onnit’s advisory board. “This held true in both laboratory and real-world applications.”

Can You Take Whey and Creatine Together?

Both creatine and whey protein are effective when taken by themselves, and there’s nothing wrong with combining them if you so choose. One study showed no adverse effects in doing so, but the subjects didn’t enjoy any additional benefits by combining the two either. Another trial had essentially the same findings, although it’s worth noting that both studies were done on men middle-aged and older.

Now for the big question: is it better to take whey protein or creatine? 

The answer is really up to you. Containers of creatine are usually under $30 and can last you months, while tubs of whey protein can go for around $50 and, with regular use, will need to be replaced in only a few weeks—so creatine is the more budget-friendly choice. It’s also linked to more performance benefits, so, if you’re an athlete, or you’re looking for an edge in the gym, creatine may be the smarter choice.

On the other hand, people who train hard need a lot of protein, and many of them don’t get enough. If you have trouble making your protein requirement daily, whey will do a lot to get you there, and it’s a powerful tool for body recomposition. Of course, if you can afford both supplements and want to maximize your muscle and performance potential, take both.

“If you’re already meeting your protein goals with your diet,” says Kreipke, “I would go with creatine. It’s much harder to obtain from diet alone, especially if one is vegetarian or vegan [remember, creatine exists naturally in animal foods].” However, if you find you’re not making your protein quota regularly, Kreipke says to prioritize whey instead. “If you’re not giving yourself the proper amount of amino acids to recover, you’ll eventually have problems. And whey has more research than creatine does showing it can help you build muscle while you’re losing fat.”

Are These Supplements Illegal?

Neither creatine or whey protein has ever been illegal or deemed unsafe. One study showed that athletes who supplemented with creatine for 21 months while training intensely suffered no health problems.

If anything, creatine may help to preserve health. A trial in the Journal of Athletic Training indicated that DI college football players who used creatine had a lower incidence of cramping than those who didn’t take the supplement. In 2017, the ISSN declared that creatine may serve to protect the brain. The scientists wrote that “Given all the known benefits and favorable safety profile of creatine supplementation reported in the scientific and medical literature, it is the view of ISSN that government legislatures and sport organizations who restrict and/or discourage use of creatine may be placing athletes at greater risk—particularly in contact sports that have risk of head trauma and/or neurological injury.”

Whey protein is just as innocuous, assuming you don’t have an allergy to it. As with eating a lot of any type of protein, you may experience gas and other mild digestive issues from consuming large amounts of whey, but there should be little reason for concern if you follow label directions. Some critics have alleged that high intakes of protein can stress the kidneys, but a study in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases determined that people with healthy kidneys aren’t at any greater risk.

A 2016 study adds further support with findings that men who strength trained and followed a high-protein diet for six months suffered no ill effects to their blood lipids, liver, or kidney function. Also of note: following a high-protein diet increased the subjects’ calorie intake significantly, but they didn’t gain fat.

The post Creatine Vs. Whey Protein: What You Should Know appeared first on Onnit Academy.

– Nearly all supplements marketed as pre-workouts contain caffeine or some other stimulant, but there are ingredients that can support exercise performance with little to no stimulant effect.

– Huperzia serrata, arginine and citrulline, cordyceps, rhodiola rosea, essential amino acids, sodium bicarbonate, and chocolate milk may all help performance when consumed before activity.

– Ingredients may need to be taken at different times to maximize their effects.

– Pre-workouts are generally considered safe, but there is little research on their long-term effects.

Caffeine-Free, Non-Stimulant Pre-workouts: Do They Work?

If there’s one common denominator underlying most nutrition products that are marketed as pre-workout supplements, it’s the inclusion of caffeine. The majority of pre-workout formulas that have been shown to be effective contain some amount of the stuff, and the fact is that the pre-workout category was born for the sake of helping people feel more energized when they go into the gym. But not every supplement designed to be taken before training is intended to have a stimulant effect.

If you’re someone who chooses to avoid caffeine, or you want something besides alertness and focus from your pre-workout supp—such as a better pump, or support with endurance or strength gains—you have other options. We looked into the best caffeine-free, non-stimulant pre-workouts that may help you perform well without a high risk of feeling wired.

Do Caffeine-Free Pre-workouts Actually Work?

First thing’s first: there is a strong body of evidence showing that pre-workout supplements of all kinds can help you achieve fitness goals. A 2018 review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition looked at 80 different studies done on pre-workout formulas and concluded that they may benefit both muscular endurance and mood during a workout. The authors noted that, when combined with resistance training, pre-workouts can support positive long-term changes in body comp via lean muscle gains.

Nevertheless, most pre-workout formulas contain a mix of ingredients, so trying to pick out exactly which ones are having the intended effect versus those that don’t live up to the hype, or are mere filler, has presented a challenge for scientists. Furthermore, most pre-workouts contain caffeine, and lots of it (upwards of 300 milligrams in a dose—equal to about three cups of coffee). As caffeine has been shown to promote power output, endurance, and alertness, and aid the body in managing stress in multiple ways, it can be difficult to tell what’s really working in a given supplement: the “proprietary blend,” or the caffeine.

With that said, there are several other ingredients that are common in pre-workouts that have been found to be beneficial, although not for the stimulant effect that caffeine promises. We’ll explore these further down under How Do Most Pre-Workouts Work?

What Pre-workout Supplements Contain Stimulants?

It’s important to understand that caffeine isn’t the only stimulant that might appear in a supplement. Many supplements may claim to be caffeine- or stimulant-free but can still have a stimulant effect, especially if a person is sensitive to one or more ingredients. The body’s reaction to any kind of supplement can be very individual.

Most people think of stimulants as chemicals that raise heart rate and ramp up the central nervous system, but the category is broader than that. The FDA defines a stimulant as a drug or substance that helps restore mental alertness or wakefulness in a fatigued state, so, going by that, virtually any product that helps you feel more mentally energized can be considered to have a stimulant effect.

Don’t misinterpret “caffeine-free” on a label as stimulant-free. If you want something that’s completely sans stimulants, you’ll have to be sure it says so on the bottle, and check that the label’s promises have been vetted by a third-party such as Informed-Sport, which tests supplement batches to determine their safety and purity. However, if you’re on the hunt for stimulant-free pre-workouts simply because you have a problem with caffeine, you may find that you don’t mind a supplement that contains other compounds that may act as stimulants, but have a less-potent stimulant effect.

Technically, the following ingredients fall under the stimulant banner (largely because most contain some amount of caffeine), so, if you’re concerned about consuming stimulants, be wary of any product that advertises them. 

• B-complex vitamins
• Caffeine/caffeine anhydrous
• Carnitine
• Cocoa
• Ginseng
• Green coffee bean
• Guarana
• Ma huang
• Taurine
• Yerba maté
• Yohimbe/yohimbine

You can find a more complete list on the Operation Supplement Safety website, a division of the U.S. Department of Defense.

At the same time, be aware that all of these compounds are considered safe by the FDA when consumed by adults in moderation. They’re not controlled substances that can get you in trouble or pose serious risks to your health, provided that you’re a typical healthy adult. And if you consume energy drinks, sodas, or teas, or you eat chocolate, you’ve probably ingested some of these ingredients before.

How Do Most Pre-workouts Work?

Supplements can prepare you for more effective workouts by many different means. The following are some of the ingredients that science has shown to have the most promise for promoting higher performance.

Huperzia Serrata (Club Moss)

If you’re interested in a pre-workout for the sake of mental energy, alertness, or focus, but you want to steer clear of caffeine and other stimulants, club moss should be on your radar. We can’t promise that it won’t have any stimulant effect in your body, but it’s certain to be less stimulating than massive amounts of caffeine, as its effects support a brain environment that allows for clear thinking—it doesn’t cause a ramp-up of the nervous system.

Huperzia serrata has been shown to have neuro-protective properties, helping to support cognitive function. It can also promote concentrations of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for muscle functions. Huperzia serrata is a key ingredient in Alpha BRAIN®. 

Arginine and Citrulline

Nitric oxide (NO) supplements are some of the most popular in the stim-free pre-workout category. They don’t act directly on the brain or central nervous system but instead on the vascular system, dilating the blood vessels to allow greater blood flow to working muscles. If you can get more blood in and out of your muscles during training, you can potentially deliver more nutrition to them and promote better performance and recovery. For gym rats who like to get a big ego-inflating pump from their strength workouts, NO supplements have the potential to make your muscles swell to an even greater degree.

Nitric oxide exists naturally in the body, but you can’t supplement it in that form. To raise NO levels, you need to take the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline (also available as citrulline malate).

A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that joggers who used arginine were able to extend their runs by more than two minutes. Another trial in the European Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that citrulline malate helped women perform more volume on the leg press exercise (an increase of 12 reps in a single workout).

Vasodilation (the condition of dilated blood vessels) helps the bloodstream shuttle metabolic byproducts out of the muscles more quickly. These byproducts can contribute to muscle soreness. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that when lifters took citrulline malate before training, they were 40% less sore one day—and then two days—later.

Arginine and citrulline may also help your workouts seem less grueling. A 2019 study concluded that a combo of both aminos assisted with power production in soccer players training on a cycle ergometer and, despite their putting out a greater effort, the subjects reported that the workout felt easier than sessions in the past. A 2016 study’s findings were similar—cyclists reported less fatigue after a workout. 

You can read more about arginine and citrulline in our guide to nitric oxide supplements. 

Cordyceps

A type of fungus that grows in the Himalayan mountains, cordyceps sinensis (and its less expensive lab-grown alternative, cordyceps militaris) are rich in adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—the energy source for muscle contractions. As a result, cordyceps may help the body produce more ATP, which could allow you to train more intensely.

A Chinese study indicated that cordyceps supports gains in aerobic fitness, as subjects cycling on stationary bikes saw a seven percent increase in VO2 max in just six weeks. A similar study in Japan found that cordyceps helped individuals train more efficiently on a running test.

In 2017, researchers had cyclists take a mushroom blend that contained cordyceps; the subjects had longer times to exhaustion (by about 28 seconds) after only one week of supplementation, and their VO2 maxes shot up by 11% after three weeks of supplementation.

Read more on cordyceps in our cordyceps sinensis report.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola is an herb with adaptogenic properties, meaning that it can support the body’s management of stress. Scientists hypothesize that it may aid performance by helping the heart keep up with demand, but rhodiola also seems to help with perceived levels of exertion. A Journal of Sports Medicine study found that rhodiola supplementation before cycling helped subjects train hard (70% of VO2 max) without feeling like it was so intense.

Another trial revealed that, when taken one hour before activity, rhodiola promoted work capacity, helping users extend their time to exhaustion on endurance exercise by 24 seconds.

Find out more in our rhodiola rosea guide.

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

EAAs are amino acids your body can’t synthesize, so you have to get them from food or supplements. There are nine of them: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Three of these—isoleucine, leucine, and valine—are known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which scientists recognize as being especially important for strength and performance.

Research from Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism demonstrated that BCAAs taken one hour prior to running tests supported better reaction times in soccer players. Furthermore, Nutrition published a study showing that women who took EAAs before and after training, and on off days as well, saw gains in aerobic endurance. What makes this even more impressive is that the subjects were eating roughly 400 fewer calories daily than the ladies in the placebo group, which suggests that EAAs might help performance when dieting.

Sodium Bicarbonate

This is plain, old-fashioned baking soda, and while it’s still great for keeping your refrigerator smelling fresh, it can also help you keep your intensity up on your cardio. Sodium bicarbonate has an acid-buffering effect, and several trials (1, 2, 3) have shown that it promotes faster finishes in sprint and middle-distance cycling and running tests, where athletes are likely to slow down or become distracted by the searing feeling of lactic acid buildup (the byproduct of your body burning stored carbohydrate for energy).

However, some people find that sodium bicarbonate upsets their stomach, and if you’re watching your salt intake, you’ll want to avoid it outright.

BONUS #1: Beta-alanine and Creatine

There are many other safe and legal performance aids that are also caffeine-free, but the timing of their ingestion doesn’t matter. In addition to the above, you may find that beta-alanine and creatine (amino acids) help you to perform more reps in your strength workouts. While they’re popular ingredients in many pre-workout products, they can be consumed before or after training, and on off days, and need to build up in your system over time before they can take effect.

You can read about them in our separate creatine and beta-alanine articles.

BONUS #2: Chocolate Milk

If you’re really concerned about keeping stimulants of any kind out of your diet, or you just don’t like swallowing powders or pills, you can eat like a kid again and tell your friends it’s highly sophisticated performance nutrition. “A drink with a little bit of protein and carbs 30 to 60 minutes before training can provide energy,” says Chris Mohr, Ph.D. R.D., a nutrition and wellness consultant (follow him on Instagram, @mohrresults), “and chocolate milk is perfect. That’s what I do when I work out in the morning, but you can drink it anytime. The protein helps prevent too much muscle breakdown during your workout, and the sugar provides quick energy. I like a low-sugar chocolate milk, like Fairlife’s Chocolate 2% Ultra-Filtered, which has about a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs.” (There are 13 grams of protein and carbs in an eight-ounce serving, and Mohr drinks the 11.5-oz single-serving bottles.)

When’s The Best Time To Take A Pre-workout?

You’re probably best served by following the label directions on any pre-workout product you use, but Vince Kreipke, Ph.D.—a performance specialist and member of Onnit’s advisory board—cautions that different ingredients kick in and peak at different times, so, for the best results, you’ll have to time your consumption accordingly.

“Optimal timing is going to depend greatly on the speed at which the ingredients are absorbed and ready to be used by your body,” says Kreipke. “This is going to be somewhat variable when you look at different ingredients. Arginine has been shown to reach peak concentrations at one hour after ingestion, whereas the active ingredients in rhodiola rosea weren’t shown to peak out until about two hours.” Timing is everything.

A recent study demonstrated that optimal muscular performance via caffeine use is achieved when caffeine is consumed one hour before performance (it beat 30 minutes and 2 hours in the study). “Caffeine has been shown to be 99% absorbed within about 45 minutes,” says Kreipke. “If we take that in and use that as the model, it would suggest that peak absorption means peak benefits.”

So, if you want to take more than one of these ingredients before your workout, you may want to do a little bit of planning—such as taking rhodiola one to two hours before, and then arginine and caffeine a little later. It’s also important to know that ingredients can stay in your system for a while once they have been absorbed. Caffeine, for example, has a half-life of about six hours, meaning that it takes that amount of time for the concentration in your system to drop to 50% of the initial dose. If you take a pre-workout that packs a lot of caffeine, that’s a long time to have high levels of caffeine in your body. (This is one reason it’s wise to avoid pre-workouts with caffeine at night, so they don’t prevent you from sleeping.)

Are Pre-workouts Bad For You?

Overall, research suggests that pre-workouts are safe, and that adverse effects are generally mild. Subjects sometimes report stomach upset and trouble sleeping, or a general decrease in calmness, although the latter applies more to pre-workouts that contain caffeine.

Research on pre-workouts is young, however, and most studies haven’t looked at the effects of long-term use (pre-workout formula trials tend to run for eight weeks or less). For maximum safety, consumers would be wise to research any supplement they’re interested in before use. Due to weak enforcement of FDA regulations, supplements of all kinds have been found to contain many things they shouldn’t, including heavy metals, hormones and prohormones, banned substances, harmful chemicals, and stimulants (1, 2).

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine points out that hidden stimulants may be the most common problem, and that dosages can range from negligible to toxic levels. 

For these reasons, it’s best to look for products that have received third-party verification (as mentioned above), and are transparent about their ingredients. “Look for a seal that says it’s certified for sport by a group like Informed Sport or NSF,” says Mohr.

Pre-workouts Banned By The NCAA

If you’re a student athlete, you should know that the NCAA expressly bans the use of all stimulants, including caffeine in large quantities. If you like to have coffee in the morning or a Diet Coke at lunch, you needn’t worry, as urine concentrations of caffeine would have to test in excess of 15 micrograms/ml for you to get busted, which would mean consuming around 500 milligrams of caffeine (or the equivalent of six to eight cups of coffee) two to three hours beforehand.

It gets tricky, though, if you consume normal amounts of caffeine and a pre-workout on top of it. As many pre-workouts pack 300 or more milligrams of caffeine, as well as other potential stimulants, your chances of “pissing hot” go up significantly. So read labels, and be cautious.

Also, “make sure that whatever supplements you use you experiment with beforehand on practice days,” says Mohr, “not performance days.” A competition is no time to test-drive a new formula whose effects on your body are unknown.

The post Caffeine-Free, Non-Stimulant Pre-workouts: Do They Work? appeared first on Onnit Academy.

What the Research Says About Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces naturally. It’s released by the pineal gland in the brain to help you fall asleep, and can support greater sleep quality. To understand the importance of melatonin, you need to know about circadian rhythms.

Your body has its own clock, so to speak. Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that carry out functions and processes in your body. For example, your digestive system will automatically produce proteins that help you break down meals during times when you’re likely to eat, and your endocrine system releases hormones that provide you energy at times when you’re active. In other words, your body knows what time it is, inherently, and makes adjustments accordingly. Feeling tired at night and awake in the morning are examples of a particular type of circadian rhythm called the sleep-wake cycle, and melatonin helps regulate it.

During the day, contact with natural light stimulates your brain to send signals that promote alertness. As the sun goes down, darkness influences the brain to release melatonin, which helps you wind down and ultimately fall asleep. But in the modern world, most of us don’t get up and go to bed according to the sun.

Staying up late disrupts the body’s normal sleep-wake cycle, and exposure to artificial light reduces the amount of melatonin that’s produced. This is why sleep experts recommend dimming your lights an hour or so before you go to bed, hanging blackout curtains over your bedroom windows, and avoiding blue light—a type of wavelength that is present in electronics such as computer screens that essentially tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime, boosting attentiveness.

Melatonin supplements exist to offer nutritional support for sleep problems, and they’re quite popular: a 2012 study by the National Institutes of Health found that melatonin was the fourth most used natural nutritional product by U.S. adults.

Scientists aren’t sure exactly how melatonin supports sleep, but it is known to inhibit dopamine, a hormone that promotes alertness.

Whatever the mechanism, there is a large body of research showing that melatonin can aid sleep. A 2018 study found that subjects with sleep trouble who took a low dose of melatonin one hour prior to bedtime—in addition to following a regimented bed and wakeup time schedule—slept better. Furthermore, compared to a placebo, they fell asleep 34 minutes earlier.

A meta-analysis of 19 studies covering 1,683 subjects showed that melatonin could help increase total sleep time and overall sleep quality. Here, melatonin users fell asleep an average of seven minutes faster, stayed asleep roughly eight minutes longer, and said they slept better than subjects taking a placebo.

Another meta-analysis of 12 studies found that melatonin supplementation helped people fall asleep faster, and better regulate their sleep and wakeup times.

Many people turn to sleep aids to help them adjust their sleep-wake cycles while traveling. Moving across time zones, such as when flying across the country or internationally, can result in sleep disturbances commonly called jet lag. There is much evidence that melatonin can help with this specific problem. Two reviews (1, 2) have suggested that melatonin can help to reset sleep-wake cycles and support better sleep in jet lag sufferers. 

Those who work nights may benefit from melatonin in the same way. Having to stay alert at times that are out of sync with the body’s circadian rhythm can harm sleep, but a review in Sleep Medicine Clinics implies that shift workers may be able to realign their sleep patterns with melatonin use. Another trial in the journal of Sleep Research determined that melatonin helped night shift workers get more sleep during the daytime (when they go to bed).

Uses of Melatonin

Melatonin is best known for its ability to aid sleep, but its supplementation has also been linked to other health benefits, although to a much lesser degree.

One trial showed that daily melatonin use for several months helped protect retinas, the light-sensitive tissue in eyeballs. Two other studies (1, 2) indicate that melatonin may be helpful in stimulating release of growth hormone—the chemical that helps the body maintain its tissues, build muscle, and use fat for fuel. It’s too soon to say if melatonin can really support eye health, athletic performance, or body composition, but the research shows promise.

What To Think About Before Buying Melatonin

Melatonin supplementation appears to be safe for healthy adults. Side effects, if any, are generally mild, and may include headache, dizziness, nausea, and daytime drowsiness. These effects, however, have only been reported with high doses and extended-release formulas—not what you’d get from responsible use of the typical melatonin supplement. There is no evidence that you can build up a tolerance to melatonin that would reduce its effectiveness.

The authors of an article in StatPearls (linked above) sum it up well: “Melatonin is a safe first-line sleep aid that may help promote a regular sleep cycle.”

Liquid Melatonin Vs. Gummies Vs. Tablets

Supplemental melatonin is available in several forms that are taken orally, including chewable gummies, capsules, tablets, and liquid sprays. Research hasn’t picked a clear winner as far as effectiveness, so the best delivery method is mainly a matter of preference.

Gummy melatonin often comes in berry flavors and may remind one of candy. However, like candy, it usually contains some sugar, so those watching their sugar/carb intake may want to opt for another type of supplement. The same goes for melatonin lozenges.

Capsules can be swallowed quickly, and tablets dissolve in the mouth (a good option for people who dislike swallowing pills).

Liquid sprays allow one to enjoy some flavor but not have to swallow or chew. They’re also highly portable.

“I love taking melatonin as a spray,” says Shawn Stevenson, a sleep expert and the author of Sleep Smarter and Eat Smarter (now available at themodelhealthshow.com). “I spray it under the tongue and hold it for a little bit of time to help with the absorption. Taking it sublingually means a faster route to the bloodstream—melatonin doesn’t have to navigate through the digestive tract, where you’ll lose some of it, before it enters your system.”

Who Would Benefit From Taking Melatonin Spray?

Sprays generally supply smaller doses of melatonin (3 milligrams or so, while gummies can offer up to 10 mg in a serving), but this can be ideal for those starting out with the supplement, and who need to gauge their tolerance. This is one reason SleepFoundation.org endorses Onnit’s melatonin spray.

In general, melatonin supplements can be helpful to anyone suffering from sleep problems or trying to adjust their sleep-wake cycle. They may also be appropriate for those whose behaviors can jeopardize the body’s own production of the hormone. Supplementation may help in these cases to get it back on track.

One study in Toxicology and Industrial Health showed that teenage women who smoked had reduced melatonin production, probably due to tobacco smoke’s oxidative effects. Researchers also suggest that supplementing with melatonin may help with the cellular damage induced by cigarette smoke.

If you’re the type who likes to wind down with a few drinks in the evening, you should know that they’re not helping you sleep better. A study in Chronobiology International looked at men in their 20s and found that alcohol consumption one hour before bed reduced melatonin levels up to 19%. If your work life resembles the movie Office Space (minus the humor), you’re also at risk. A 2015 study revealed that subjects whose workspaces did not have a window, thereby denying them exposure to natural light during the day, had lower melatonin levels at night, and higher levels of stress hormones.

The post What To Know About Liquid Melatonin appeared first on Onnit Academy.

– Dairy-free protein supplements are a good option for those who have trouble digesting the lactose and/or peptides in whey and other dairy-based powders.

– Pea, rice, and hemp are among the best plant-based, dairy-free protein supplements. Good animal-sourced ones include egg white and beef protein isolate.

– Many types of protein powder have been shown to be effective for building muscle, and may be on par with whey in that regard, but they often require larger servings to have the same effect.

– Dairy products have been linked to pimples, but it isn’t clear if they actually cause skin problems.

The Truth About Dairy and Lactose-Free Protein Powder

If you’re sensitive to lactose, or otherwise avoid dairy, it can sometimes seem like the world is made of milk—especially when you’re shopping for a protein supplement. As whey protein has exploded in popularity, most commercial protein powders are dairy-based, and that can leave you feeling like you’re without options, or that the dairy-free ones are inferior.

There are, however, viable dairy-free protein powders out there that can help you build muscle and support your weight management efforts, but you may have to augment them to maximize results. Here’s what you need to know about milk-less muscle supps.

What is Dairy-Free Protein?

A dairy-free protein powder is one that doesn’t come from the milk of lactating animals such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, or camels. As whey and casein (two of the most popular types of protein powder) are derived from cow milk, they aren’t dairy-free. Many people choose dairy-free protein supps to avoid lactose, the sugar in milk that can be troublesome to digest.

Since there is ample protein in several types of plants, as well as other animals, protein supplements can be made from them. Widely accessible plant-based, dairy-free powders include soy, rice, pea, and hemp, while hydrolyzed beef, collagen, and egg powders exist as animal-based options.

All protein powders have their pros and cons, and the best one for you will depend on your taste, fitness goals, and food sensitivities or intolerances, if you have any.

Why Would I Not Want Lactose in My Protein? 

If you’re lactose intolerant (you have an allergy to milk sugar), or have some degree of insensitivity to lactose, you may be better off using protein supplements that are lactose-free to avoid bloating, gas, and other gastrointestinal problems. Many individuals have a shortage of the lactase enzyme in their small intestines that’s necessary for proper lactose digestion. Without lactase, unabsorbed milk sugar is left in the colon, and becomes the culprit for gastric discomfort.

According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 65% of the human population has trouble digesting lactose in adulthood. Lactose intolerance is most common in people of East Asian descent (between 70% and 100% of them may not be able to digest it). West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian people often have trouble with lactose as well.

Whey protein powder is made from whey, the watery portion of milk. Straight from the cow, whey is 75% lactose, but when it’s used in foods and supplements, whey must be filtered, and that reduces its lactose content considerably. Whey isolate protein powders are the most stringently filtered, resulting in whey protein with very low levels of sugar and fat. Whey isolate powders are about 90% protein, and, according to The Whey Protein Institute, are generally considered lactose free, but it’s important to check product labels if you are unsure. “There could still be a slight concern for gastrointestinal upset with a whey isolate,” says James Lucas III, RD, CSSD, owner of the Dallas-based JLucas Nutrition, “particularly if you’re sensitive to lactose.”

Aside from the sugar in dairy, there’s another component of whey powders that could be trouble for some users. If you still experience sensitivity using a lactose-free whey isolate powder, Lucas says it could mean that you aren’t digesting the bioactive peptides in the protein correctly.

Peptides, such as β-lactoglobulin, are small chains of amino acids (compounds that form protein) that are not completely broken down by the digestive system. As a result, some people can be sensitive or allergic to them. These peptides can be beneficial, accounting for some of the health-supporting aspects of whey protein, but they can also cause a reaction if your body identifies them as foreign substances, and, in an effort to protect you from potential pathogens, triggers an inflammatory defense response. Think of it as your body sounding an alarm to scare off an unwelcome intruder. The result might be some temporary pot-bellied bloating, or running to the toilet, but other more potentially life-threatening allergic reactions can occur—i.e., the same kind that those who have allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, and eggs experience. Still, these are very rare as a result of ingesting whey protein isolate alone.

For those who have trouble digesting whey isolate, Lucas recommends whey protein hydrolysate. Hydrolysates are protein powders that are not only lactose free but are also “pre-digested.” That is, their peptides have been broken down in processing, which helps them absorb more easily. Unfortunately, processing the peptides strips whey hydrolysates of many of their health benefits, such as supporting the immune system and healthy blood pressure, and helping to control appetite and blood sugar.

Can I Build Muscle with Dairy-Free Protein? 

Ultimately, you can build muscle using virtually any kind of protein supplement, but none are quite as efficient as whey (you’ll read more on this in the next section). Plant-based protein powders, while useful, are not optimal. A 2019 review in Nutrients reported that “plant-based proteins have less of an anabolic effect than animal proteins due to their lower digestibility, lower essential amino acid content (especially leucine), and deficiency in other essential amino acids.” They’re more likely to be oxidized, the review states, than used for muscle protein synthesis (the process by which muscles grow).

Another 2015 review of animal and plant-based proteins published in the Journal of Nutrition echoes these points, explaining that proteins in soy and wheat are converted into urea (the main compound in our urine), and can’t be utilized by the body as easily as animal proteins can to promote muscle growth.

With that said, plant proteins have been shown to be effective for supporting muscle gain. Soy is the most thoroughly studied plant-based protein, and it’s widely available. Much research has shown that it can nearly match whey on many fronts. However, it has also been shown to lower the body’s absorption of iron and zinc (1, 2). In addition, soy has been criticized because it can bind to the estrogen receptors in the body. This impacts hormones levels, making it one of the more controversial plant-based proteins, according to research from the Harvard School of Public Health.

A better choice, then, might be hemp. As we reported in our guide to hemp protein, a Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study found that the protein absorption rate of hulled hempseeds is comparable to casein—whey’s counterpart dairy protein. It also doesn’t contain trypsin inhibitors like many soy protein powders do. These compounds hinder protein digestion. 

Rice protein is another smart option. A rice vs. whey study from 2013 showed that subjects experienced equal gains in muscle thickness, body composition, and strength, regardless of which supplement they were on. 

Pea protein stacks up well too. In our guide to pea protein, we referenced a 2015 study where subjects ingesting pea protein drinks made identical muscle gains as whey drinkers, while both groups outperformed the placebo.

If you want a dairy-free protein powder but aren’t interested in going plant-based, egg-white protein may be your second-best bet to a whey powder. Research has determined that egg protein ranks just below whey in its leucine content. Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid that scientists have determined to be the most important amino for muscle growth.

Beef protein isolate should also be on your radar. A 2019 meta-analysis found that it worked just as well as whey for promoting changes in body composition.

Is Lactose-Free Protein a Complete Protein? 

One of the reasons that non-dairy proteins don’t get the credit whey does is that many of them—including hemp, rice, and pea—are not complete. That means that their protein doesn’t contain all nine essential amino acids (EAAs), or that it doesn’t contain them in amounts that are deemed significant. EAAs are aminos that you have to get from food, because our bodies can’t produce them on their own. It should be noted that all animal-sourced protein powders contain all the EAAs and are therefore complete. This includes egg and beef powders.

However, if you do choose a plant-based protein, you really should be able to make good gains, regardless of whether the protein is complete. For one thing, the problem is easy to fix. The same Journal of Nutrition review linked above noted that you can fortify your plant protein powder by adding in the EAAs methionine, lysine, and/or leucine (the ones that are generally lacking in plant powders) or, if you don’t feel like playing mad scientist in the kitchen, you can simply mix two or more plant-based powders together and get a pretty well-rounded supplement in seconds.

For example, pea protein contains all nine EAAs, but it’s low in methionine+cysteine. Rice protein is low in lysine. Mix the two together, and you have a balanced amino acid profile. But many protein powders are available that already contain a mix of proteins to offer a complete amino profile, so you don’t need to buy multiple powders if that’s out of your budget.

The real sticking point most people have with plant-based powders is their leucine content. Leucine is so powerful that it may stimulate muscle growth independent of all other aminos. Whey protein has the highest amount of leucine, gram for gram, of any protein source—whole food or supplement. Plant powders, on the other hand, are generally a little lower. Pea protein, for instance, has about 81 mg of leucine per gram, while whey has 105 mgs.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the optimal amount of leucine for stimulating muscle growth is somewhere between 0.7 grams and 3 grams per serving, and research shows that getting more than the top end of that range does not promote gains to any greater degree. While the difference seems daunting at first, all it means is that it takes less whey protein than pea protein to spike leucine in your body. It’s merely a matter of efficiency. Want to get just as much leucine from pea protein? All you have to do is take a little more of it. And the same goes for virtually all plant proteins. This typically ends up being a little more than one scoop, maybe two, depending on the serving size of the product you’re using. Over time, running through plant powders more quickly can lead to them being more expensive than supplementing with whey, but you shouldn’t sacrifice any strength or muscle in the process.

Pros and Cons of Whey Protein

In terms of overall efficiency and maximizing muscle growth, it seems you can’t top the benefits of whey protein supplementation. Not only does whey support weight training to build muscle, it also appears to promote faster recovery, aid body composition, and help maintain overall health (see our guide to whey for more info). Since whey is derived from cow’s milk, it’s a complete protein, so there is no need to mix powders to get the full spectrum of EAAs. It also has more leucine per serving than any other type of protein. Whey might be more expensive per ounce compared to plant-based protein, but you won’t go through your supply as quickly.

The speed of recovery factor is one of whey’s key selling points. If you’re an athlete who trains or competes two or more times per day, getting enough protein to help your muscles recover between sessions is extremely important. A study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that subjects taking hydrolyzed whey were fully recovered six hours later. Nevertheless, even though whey hydrolysates absorb faster due to their pre-digested peptides, it’s not certain that they work better than an old-fashioned whey isolate. A trial in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition determined that whey isolate resulted in more rapid absorption of leucine than a whey hydrolysate. Whey isolate is also the less expensive option between the two, and will be enough for most people.

On the downside, as explained above, whey’s lactose and peptides can be hard to digest for some people. Whey concentrates contain more sugar than isolates, and isolates contain more unbroken peptides than hydrolysates, so none may be appropriate for someone with digestion issues. 

Krista Large, an Austin, Texas-based nutritionist and owner of Living Large Wellness states, “If you are in digestive distress, it’s going to inhibit performance. Different people are going to have very different reactions to whey vs. brown rice, vs. pea protein… It really comes down to how well does it digest for you?”

Large says that regardless of what supplements they prefer, she focuses on making sure her clients’ protein intake is consistent, and primarily from whole-food sources.

Another consideration on whether to choose a whey protein is the environment. Most whey protein supps come from cows raised in a factory farm system, where humane treatment and environmental sustainability cannot be ensured. Cows living in these conditions typically produce large amounts of waste that hurt water and air quality. If you want your protein supplement to leave a lighter carbon footprint, you might consider whey protein drawn from grass-fed cows, or a brand that’s certified organic. As we explained in our rebuttal to the infamous What The Health documentary, grass-fed meat and dairy has been shown to offer more health benefits and fewer toxins than come from factory-farmed animals.

Pros and Cons of Plant-Based Protein 

In terms of global sustainability, plant-based products are generally considered to have less of an impact on the environment. Research suggests that plant-based diets require less water, land, and energy, and that food production to support them is cheaper. So, if the health of the planet is as important to you as the health of your body, plant-based proteins are a wise and considerate choice.

If you’re shopping for a plant-based powder because dairy-based ones give you digestive troubles, plant proteins score again. With the exception of soy protein, most plant powders are easy for the body to process and won’t inhibit your gut’s ability to absorb nutrients. Rice protein typically isn’t associated with bloating, cramping, or other discomfort, and research in Food Chemistry shows it may be easier to digest than whey. Rice is a hypoallergenic food, and any difficulty you might have digesting brown rice due to its hull is negated by the fact that rice protein powders are made from grains where the hull (fiber) is removed.

The same holds for pea protein, which has had its fiber and starch removed in processing, making it highly digestible and bioavailable. Pea protein is also a natural thickener, and that can help to fill up the stomach, curbing your appetite, and, in turn, promote weight loss. A Nutrition Journal study had subjects consume 20 grams of either casein, whey, pea protein, egg albumin, a maltodextrin-carbohydrate drink, or water 30 minutes before a meal. Pea protein ranked second, behind only the super slow-digesting casein, in lowering appetite, resulting in subjects consuming fewer total calories for the meal.

On the other hand, you may find that plant protein powders don’t taste as good as dairy-based ones, and are therefore harder to use consistently. Many people report that plant-based shakes have a chalky texture, but sugar-free sweeteners such as monk fruit extract are becoming more common additions to plant powders, and could help on the flavor front. Avocado powder is sometimes added as well to improve flavor and mouthfeel.

As explained above, the big strike against many plant proteins is their incomplete amino acid profile and lower leucine content, but this can be compensated for by buying powders that contain a mix of proteins, and simply taking larger servings at a time. 

Can Whey Protein Cause Acne? 

Despite the numerous benefits of whey, if you have trouble keeping your skin clear, it may not be the best protein supplement for you. While pimples are caused by a number of factors, they have been linked to milk ingestion. Some research points to milk and whey-protein based products in particular as being problematic because they increase insulin secretion, causing sebaceous glands to kick into overdrive. Zits may pop up as an inflammatory response.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to say if whey or dairy are really the cause. Heather McConochie, RN, nutritionist and host of The Positive Thread Podcast, says there is a lack of research linking dairy to acne over time. “We have some experiential data [on the subject], meaning we talk to people and we observe our own bodies, but it’s really hard to do good research on this subject because most research studies are done for short windows of time—usually six to 12 weeks. If we’re really critical about the study design, we don’t know how dairy impacts acne over a period of one year or five years or 20 years because the research studies just aren’t there.”

McConochie notes the connection between dairy and skin problems can be different in women than in men. “We know that acne is impacted by hormones, particularly in women. There are other contributing factors such as stress and genetics that can also play a role. And synthetic hormones in commercial dairy that are given to cows could also be a factor.”

If you are experiencing skin flare-ups, try eliminating dairy from your diet for a month or more, and see if your symptoms improve. Plant-based alternatives could serve as a replacement protein supplement while you do so.

The post The Truth About Dairy and Lactose-Free Protein Powder appeared first on Onnit Academy.

– Chaga is a fungus that has been used in traditional medicine for generations.

– Chaga promotes a strong immune system by supporting cellular integrity and provoking an immune response to beta-glucans.

– Chaga can be consumed as a tea, or in capsules, powders, and tinctures.

– Claims that chaga can help fight disease in humans are not substantiated.

What Are Chaga Mushrooms?

Chaga is a type of fungus (Inonotus obliquus) that forms on tree bark in cold climates. It grows mainly in Alaska, Canada, northern Europe, and parts of Russia, and looks something like a burned sweet potato—charred black on the outside and orange on the inside when you split it open. Chaga has been used in traditional medicine for generations as a supplement for immunity and overall vitality, and is usually consumed as a tea. These days, it can also be taken in capsules, as a powder, or as a tincture, and is often paired with cordyceps, another mushroom.

In case you were wondering, no—unlike some other mushrooms, chaga does not have psychedelic properties.

Chaga Mushroom Powder Benefits

Chaga is high in fiber and packed with B vitamins, vitamin D, and various essential minerals. It contains compounds that help fight cell damage. While there is practically no research on chaga’s effects in humans, scientists have found that it has powerful health implications in animal studies, and shows great promise in in vitro trials.

A Japanese study investigated several mushrooms known for their medicinal properties and determined that the compounds in chaga were the most helpful for maintaining cellular integrity. The stronger your cells are, the better their ability to keep foreign invaders out, so cellular integrity helps to ward off illness.

The Journal of Ethnopharmacology adds further support to these findings, reporting that “Inonotus obliquus has the capacity to scavenge free radicals at concentrations higher than 5 microg/ml and that the polyphenolic extract can protect cells against oxidative stress.”

Chaga has also been tied to immune health more directly by a 2015 trial, which concluded that its antimicrobial compounds may help support a strong immune system.

To appreciate how chaga acts on the immune system, you have to understand what type of plant it is. Chaga is classified as an adaptogen. “Adaptogens support the body’s ability to adapt to stressors,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, RD, CSSD, a Sports Dietitian with EXOS. “They function according to the current specific needs of the body, which may be chemical, physical, or biological. Similar to the way a thermostat controls the temperature in the house to keep it at a constant 72 degrees, adaptogens can work to stimulate or relax the body depending on the need at a given moment.”

In small doses, stress can be a good thing, but chronic amounts that last a long time can be damaging to health. Adaptogens may apply a certain degree of stress to the body, but the ultimate effect they have is to help the body become more resilient. “Adaptogens work to not let stress get too out of control,” says Ehrhardt.

In this way, chaga acts on the immune system by providing a polysaccharide called beta-glucan. This serves as food for the good bacteria in your gut—the guys that eat the bad bacteria that can make you sick—but beta-glucan is effective in another way too.

“Beta-glucans act on immune system receptors,” says Ehrhardt, “stimulating immune cell activity and giving your immune system a boost.”

Here’s how it works: Your body can’t make beta-glucan on its own, so it doesn’t recognize it when you ingest it. Although it’s perfectly safe to consume, your body is cautious. It assumes beta-glucan is dangerous, like any other invader, and to prevent it from making you sick, the body ramps up the release of white blood cells—the soldiers in your body’s war against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. A study in Medicina indicates that beta-glucans can support the immune system.

So, in effect, by introducing a source of stress into your system—a very manageable one—chaga aids your body to become more resistant to the stress of sickness-causing agents.

Chaga Mushroom Capsules

Chaga is available in capsules for those who want a concentrated dosage that they can ingest quickly. If you’re not interested in brewing chaga powder into a tea, or you don’t like the taste, swallowing capsules is a suitable alternative. 

Chaga Tea

Chaga has traditionally been consumed in tea. It has an earthy and slightly bitter flavor, and many people think it tastes much like a medium roast coffee. And here’s a fun fact: Finland is a big producer of chaga, and, during World War II, when coffee beans were in short supply, the Finns started drinking chaga in mass as a substitute. Chaga, however, is caffeine-free, and doesn’t contribute to focus or energy.

Chaga Coffee

Chaga can be added to coffee, and some companies sell chaga-infused coffees. You can make your own chaga coffee at home if you choose by boiling chunks of chaga (available online) in water to make chaga tea, and then using the tea instead of water in your coffee maker. The addition of chaga can help to curb coffee’s acidity, if that bothers you.

Scientific Studies on Chaga

Studies on mice and rats have shown chaga to be helpful in battling cancer, diabetes, and dangerous cholesterol levels, but be wary of any source that tries to make medicinal claims about chaga supplementation in people. To date, chaga has not been studied for its effects on health conditions in human beings, and any assertion that it can aid recovery from disease can likely be traced back to chaga sellers who stand to profit from misleading claims. As it stands, chaga may benefit the immune system in a round-about way, but cannot legally be named as a valid treatment for people already suffering from illness.

Meanwhile, people who take blood-thinning medications or are preparing for surgery may need to specifically avoid chaga. According to a study in Peptides, it contains a protein that can prevent blood clotting.

For information on supplements and strategies that support immune health, see our guide.

The post Chaga Mushroom Powder’s Benefits & Uses appeared first on Onnit Academy.