Athletic Performance & Recovery IV
Rehydrate, rebuild, and recoup energy! Quickly extinguish soreness and fatigue from intense athletic events of any kind.
Athletic Performance & Recovery IV
Rehydrate, rebuild, and recoup energy! Quickly extinguish soreness and fatigue from intense athletic events of any kind.
During intense physical activity our bodies use up macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) very quickly. While these are easy to replace—you just have to eat—the co-factors (little helpers) and micronutrients that convert food into energy (in the form of ATP) can be a bit tricky to re-acquire. That’s to say nothing of the dehydration, soreness, and fatigue you fight when you train hard.
The good news is that with a little help, you can recover extremely quickly even after the most intense athletic events. This IV was designed to help you do that. We created it with 5 goals in mind:
To achieve these goals we added the co-factors and micronutrients that typically get depleted during exercise: B vitamins like B5, B6, B12 and B complex plus minerals like magnesium and zinc each of which is necessary for processing energy in the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain in our mitochondria where ATP is made.
We also added GPC and the key amino acids L-arginine and L-glutamine to stimulate and rev up growth hormone production, leading to faster recuperation and increased lean body mass. Growth hormone stimulation also helps re-build stronger new muscle cells and aids sex hormones like testosterone in this function.
To help you burn even more fat post workout, L-carnitine was added which shuttles fat into your mitochondria to be used as fuel for energy production.
And we’ve added vitamin C and glutathione, powerful antioxidants that help “mop up” inflammatory products generated during high intensity training and tissue turnover.
Lastly, this infusion pulls all of its ingredients into a large 1 liter volume of 0.9% sodium chloride carrier fluid which will rapidly rehydrate the fluid losses you experience during exercise.
We can even add Toradol at no additional cost to virtually eliminate any soreness from lactic acid buildup and local inflammation (consult with our doctors if you wish to do this).
We recommend this IV infusion not just for serious athletes, but for anyone who is getting into the gym, running, playing sports or working out regularly to achieve a better, healthier physique at any age. You may use this IV either before or after athletic events or both! Ask us for further customization, add-ons and metabolic testing to individualize this infusion to your specific requirements even further.
All ingredients are high quality compounded natural vitamins and nutrients and are not illegal performance enhancers.
The B vitamins are important in converting food to energy. They are also involved in DNA synthesis and replication, mitochondrial phosphorylation, the electron transport chain and ATP production, neurotransmitter production, immune system function, and hemoglobin production.
Another critical metabolic process B vitamins are involved in is called methylation. This is how your body generates carbon groups(C-H3) which are essential for managing just about every operation in every cell in the human body. Here are some of the functions of methylation:
Vitamins such as B12, B6 and B2 are necessary for the proper functioning of the methylation cycle. Without enough, methylation breaks down at the very root and all of the biological processes above can be compromised.
Due to their critical role deficiencies in B vitamins can lead to a VERY wide variety of symptoms including fatigue, anxiety, weight loss, emotional disturbances, muscle weakness, dementia, insomnia, skin eruptions, dermatitis, numbness, paresthesia, anemia, peripheral neuropathy, memory loss, demyelination, multiple sclerosis, paralysis, “brain fog” and cognitive impairment, sore throat, mental confusion, and diarrhea among others.
Deficiencies of B5 can lead to symptoms such as painful and burning feet, skin abnormalities, retarded growth, dizzy spells, digestive disturbances, vomiting, restlessness, stomach stress, and muscle cramps.
Deficiency is caused by poor diet, alcoholism, and malabsorption or poor digestion. Symptoms of deficiency include headaches, muscle weakness, anemia, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, skin eruptions, mental fatigue, “brain fog” or mental sluggishness, and hair loss.
This vitamin is a key player in the Krebs cycle and in the methylation cycle as it is a critical cofactor in homocysteine conversion to methionine by the enzyme methionine synthase. In its absence the processing of methylfolate and other steps in folate metabolism stop. This blockage of proper folate (B9) metabolism results in anemia and deficiencies in DNA formation.
Other symptoms of B12 deficiency are demyelination (as in multiple sclerosis), slowed nerve conduction, accumulation of homocysteine and increased heart disease risk, defective cell membranes (branched fatty acids), anemia, fatigue, painful and burning feet, skin abnormalities, retarded growth, dizzy spells, digestive disturbances, vomiting, restlessness, stomach stress, and muscle cramps.
In a 2012 study of healthy human volunteers (1) plasma levels of choline were significantly elevated 60 and 120 minutes after oral intake. This study also showed that GPC naturally increased growth hormone (GH) production and fat breakdown (fatty oxidation) at 60 minutes post ingestion as an added benefit. Another study by Ceda et al corroborated this finding about the relationship between GPC and GH showing that GH levels improved with the use of GPC in the elderly (2).
GH regulates many processes in the body. It improves lean body mass index and helps tissues recover more quickly and effectively from stress, for example.
Of the 20 amino acids needed for protein synthesis, glutamine is the most abundant. Under normal circumstances, the body synthesizes enough glutamine to carry out regular functions. However, factors as varied as viral infections, surgery, burns, infectious disease, and even prolonged exercise can significantly deplete levels of this multifunctional amino acid. That’s important, because L-glutamine has a wide variety of actions in the body.
For example, clinical studies have found that glutamine supplements strengthen the immune system and reduce infections especially after strenuous or prolonged workouts.
It’s also good for your gut. Intestinal cells are heavy users of glutamine for energy production. This amino acid is also essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the intestinal lining. Insufficient glutamine may lead to a loss of gut mucosal integrity, which can allow toxins and infectious agents to be absorbed into the blood stream. This condition, known as increased intestinal permeability or “leaky gut” may be associated with health problems such as allergies, skin disorders, and Crohn’s disease. In addition, the villi in your small intestine which are responsible for nutrient absorption from food regenerate with the use of glutamine.
Finally, we know that L-glutamine has an impact on the release of growth hormone (GH) which is secreted by the pituitary and is a critical hormone in tissue repair, maintenance of lean body mass, muscle and bone growth. In two different studies researchers have shown that oral supplementation of 2-10 grams of glutamine boosted growth hormone production by as much as 70%.
Intravenously administered arginine stimulates the secretion of growth hormone (GH), and is used by doctors in growth hormone stimulation tests. GH is secreted by the pituitary and is a critical hormone in tissue repair, maintenance of lean body mass, muscle and bone growth. Two studies have found that oral arginine supplementation is also effective at increasing resting GH levels.
Arginine is also a precursor in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) an important vasodilator in the human body which can lower blood pressure and increase blood flow. It’s worth noting that the main action of the drug Viagra (sildenafil) works similarly to arginine in that it stimulates NO production to treat erectile dysfunction.
Arginine has also been shown to lessen the time needed to repair injured tissues and bone.
Zinc is necessary for the activity of a number of transcription factors at the DNA level in the synthesis of steroid and thyroid hormones. It also promotes wound healing, regulates immune function, serves as a co-factor for numerous antioxidant enzymes, and is necessary for protein synthesis and the processing of collagen. Zinc inhibits the enzyme aromatase which converts testosterone to estrogen, thus potentially increasing available testosterone.
This essential mineral is commonly used in anti-viral preparations to fight the common cold and flu viruses.
Vitamin C is also required for conversion of tyrosine to epinephrine (adrenaline). That’s why it is present in high amounts in the adrenal gland cortex and these levels are depleted after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation of the gland and synthesis of the stress hormone cortisol. That means under times of high stress (whether from illness, psychological stress, or some other form) your vitamin C levels are liable to plummet.
Free radicals and ROS can cause damage to DNA, proteins and cell membranes altering their function, causing mutations and may be implicated in chronic illnesses like cancer or heart disease. Glutathione renders these molecules inert, protecting you from their destructive effects.
Detoxification is another major function of glutathione. GSH attaches to substances like heavy metals and xenobiotics—molecules that need to be excreted—forming “conjugates” that make them easier to be eliminated by the liver via bile and the kidneys via urine.
High level athletes become very depleted in micro and macronutrients due to intense physical exercise. The micronutrients, in particular, are important to replace and it isn’t always easy to do so. You see, these micronutrients are critical cofactors in energy production. When you work out, energy is produced in your muscles in the form of ATP. To create the level of energy you need for intense physical exercise, your body eats up vast stores of these micronutrients. When you run out, you feel sore, fatigued, and if you’ve been training extremely hard, it can be difficult to recover.
To understand how this process works, let’s dig a little deeper into energy metabolism and how ATP is formed during exercise.
In anaerobic exercise (no oxygen used for ATP production) glucose is converted to pyruvate and generates 2 ATP and lactate. This process is fast, but it can’t last for very long—approximately 60-180 seconds max. 25-35% of muscle glycogen (glucose storage) is used up in a single 30 second sprint. Lactic acid (lactate) is produced during this time, which causes muscles to fatigue and “burn”.
In aerobic metabolism (oxygen is present and used for ATP production) the body can make a lot more energy via the Krebs cycle and oxidation in the mitochondria. The major fuel sources include muscle and liver glycogen; fatty acids in your muscle, blood, and fat tissue; and negligible amounts of amino acids from muscle, blood, liver, and the gut. This fuels the body for athletic events lasting longer than 2-3 minutes such as 1500 meter runs, half marathon, cycling, etc.
Between the aerobic and anaerobic pathways described above, the body prefers to use the oxidative pathway (aerobic metabolism) instead of the more inefficient anaerobic pathway (no oxygen). However, it can only do this when oxygen becomes more available to your cells. Developing the capacity to deliver oxygen efficiently to your cells is what stamina is, and this is a critical part of physical conditioning.
The oxidative pathway requires the Krebs cycle to produce energy. The Krebs cycle (also called the TCA cycle) uses a lot of co-factors—micronutrients which are essential for it’s function such as B vitamins, magnesium and glutathione. L-carnitine is also very important as it shuttles fatty acids into your mitochondria for energy, and burning fat for energy is the most energy effective process for conditioned athletes.
Approximately 50-60% of energy during 1-4 hours of continuous exercise at 70% of maximal oxygen capacity is derived from carbohydrates. The rest is from free fatty acid oxidation. However, a greater proportion of energy comes from oxidation of free fatty acids—primarily those from muscle triglycerides—as the intensity of the exercise decreases. Long-chain fatty acids derived from stored muscle triglycerides are the preferred fuel for aerobic exercise for individuals involved in mild- to moderate- intensity exercise.
Your level of training does not alter the total amount of energy you expend during a workout, but it does impact the proportion of energy derived from carbohydrates and fat. As a result of aerobic training, the energy derived from fat increases and from carbohydrates decreases. A trained individual uses a greater percentage of fat than an untrained person does at the same workload.
What does all this have to do with the Athletic Performance & Recovery IV?
Well, since aerobic metabolism requires the Kreb’s cycle to produce energy, and the Kreb’s cycle is built on the use of micronutrient co-factors, you can imagine what happens when you exercise intensively for long periods of time. Your micronutrient stores are depleted and the Kreb’s cycle grinds to a halt. When this occurs one of two results are possible: Your performance diminishes and/or you are drained and in pain after your workout.
Don’t let this happen to you. Give your body the support it needs to maintain peak performance at all times with this IV.
References
1. Rodriguez N, DiMarco N, Langley S. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medscape. Accessed July 21, 2015.