L-Citrulline

Citrulline is a non-essential, non-protein amino acid that forms during the urea cycle and forms ornithine when combined with carbon dioxide. Citrulline is also a critical source of endogenous (natural) arginine, as it is rapidly and efficiently converted to arginine in the vascular endothelium and other tissues.

Citrulline’s benefits have been shown to be greater than its parent compound. While arginine undergoes direct hepatic (liver) metabolism through the enzyme arginase, citrulline bypasses hepatic metabolism entirely and it is delivered straight to the bloodstream. The result is that gut absorption and plasma (blood) bioavailability studies comparing citrulline and arginine have shown two things. First, citrulline is less readily destroyed and has greater absorption than arginine. Second, citrulline supplementation increases arginine levels more effectively than arginine supplementation itself.

This translates to promising results. For example, animal studies show a significant increase in anaerobic performance at a 250mg/kg/day serving of citrulline, while studies in humans implicate citrulline in both aerobic and anaerobic performance increases. As a critical part of the urea cycle, citrulline’s performance benefits are thought to be a result of its role in ammonia clearance. Citrulline is implicated in reducing the oxygen cost of muscle processes, along with increasing the rate of post-exercise ATP and phosphocreatine replenishment. As ATP and phosphocreatine are the body’s ‘exercise fuel, this may result in citrulline delaying time to exhaustion in aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

HydroPrime® (65% Glycerol Powder)

Glycerol is a fascinating and highly useful compound that has achieved a somewhat cult status in the fitness community – while both peer-reviewed research and anecdotal reports centered on the endurance functions of glycerol are plentiful, its bodybuilding applications are not as widely lauded. Those who do use glycerol, however, are persistent in their belief that it provides some of the most noticeable, and effective, engorging (“pump”) effects possible.

Glycerol has been well-established as a so-called, “hyperhydrating agent” because of its ability to affect plasma (blood) osmolality potently and positively. As an incredibly powerful osmotic agent, and when combined with large quantities of water, glycerol induces the intracellular retention of fluid (not the extracellular kind, you do not want) that would otherwise be renally excreted. Various research has shown that glycerol’s capacity to positively affect osmolality and expand fluid volume (an increase in total body water) has beneficial effects on performance and physiological function.

Studies that administered glycerol before both moderate and high endurance fitness tests found that glycerol reduced increases to core temperature, caused athletes to exercise significantly longer before fatigue, reduced urinary elimination of water and increased total body water content, and, in several studies, significantly improved intramuscular water expansion. In less complex terms, this means glycerol has been demonstrated to keep your muscles hydrated, significantly increase the ever desired, “pump effect” of muscle engorgement, and, maybe most importantly when it comes to a supplement formulation, deliver and keep more nutrients where they are needed (inside the muscle).

Until recently, however, most of these studies noted a significant drawback: the low glycerol concentration of market-available glycerol products forced researchers to test glycerol loads that were significantly higher than average use cases. STARS & PIPES uses HydroPrime® to overcome precisely this problem.

HydroPrime®, from NNB Nutrition, is a highly concentrated (65%) form of glycerol that offers greater water stability, and therefore potency, as compared to standard GMS (glycerol monostearate). Of particular interest to bodybuilders, HydroPrime®’s greater potency translates to even greater levels of intramuscular water retention – keyword, intramuscular, and therefore no bloat – over GMS.

Overall, supplementation with HydroPrime® has been shown to:

·      Keep athletes hyperhydrated for extended periods of time.

·      Reduce post-workout urine volume (more efficient fluid use).

·      Lower heart rate and improve endurance time.

·      Enhance plasma and intramuscular volume expansion.

 PeakATP® (Adenosine 5’Triphosphate Disodium)

Adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) is the single most important molecule for our body’s cells. Every single cell in the human uses ATP as its primary source of energy for processes such as ion transport, muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, DNA/RNA synthesis, and chemical reactions withing the body. Our body stores ATP and can produce ATP through the presence of oxygen from cellular respiration, the breakdown of foods ingested, as well as under certain anerobic conditions. Maintaining high levels of ATP is essential to continuously perform at optimal levels both in a physical and physiological way. This is important because it’s not just about ATP availability, but the timing and localization of ATP can be essential for the success of multiple physiological and metabolic actions. Knowing this, ingesting forms of ATP have been on the rise recently in the nutraceutical industry. Peak ATP® is a revolutionary innovation as a clinically validated and patented form of adenosine 5’-triphosphate disodium, which is the only nutritional ingredient that has an identical structure to the same ATP produced and utilized by the human body. Now for the common individual, ATP supplementation may not pose much of a benefit as their typical daily life and nutrition is likely sufficient, but for the individual engaged in heavy and intense physical activity and exercise the demand for ATP and useable energy at the ready is essential to performance and continuing to perform at a high level as well as recovering optimally. The demand for ATP in these cases can be increased up to 1000-fold during exercise and the rate at which ATP is broken down can limit performance.

Peak ATP® helps to provide this readily available form of ATP as a highly bioavailable form of useable energy that potentiates the role of ATP in the human body. In relation to exercise, this equates to allowing for the potential of athletes to do more and achieve more, with much less fatigue. Peak ATP® also has been shown to benefit athletic performance through enhancements in:

• Vasodilation and increasing blood flow by up to 54%.
• Calcium metabolism in muscle, which is essential for muscle contractions
• ERK-mTOR pathway, which is the pathway that promotes protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy.

It’s a known subject that ATP is essential to the human body and its processes and maintaining high levels is of the utmost importance for optimal functioning. During increased energy needs these ATP pools naturally in the body can be depleted rather quickly, leading to less-than-optimal functioning and overall resulting factors. Peak ATP® has been shown to stimulate greater ATP production, decrease declines in ATP pools, and allow for greater energy usage potential. Peak ATP® can allow anyone to get more out of their body by providing the needed energy to perform at a high level.

AstraGin® (Astragalus membranaceous and Panax notoginseng) Root Extracts

AstraGin® is a trademarked combination of Astragalus membranaceous and Panax notoginseng that has been widely used in the supplement manufacturing industry due to its clinically studied benefits for improving absorption of nutrients, peptides, and amino acids. Some statistics include increased absorption of creatine, leucine, citrulline, and other peptides by up to 67%, increased curcumin absorption by 92%, increases polyunsaturated fatty acids (from flax and fish oil) by 58% and 100% respectively, as well as can increase ATP production in the liver by 18%. AstraGin® has been shown capable of increasing muscle protein synthesis and increased mTOR through enhanced leucine absorption, which has an influence on improved glucose metabolism and mitochondrial functions. In addition to this benefit, AstraGin’s® ability to enhance polyunsaturated fatty acid absorption while also inhibiting saturated fatty acid absorption, thus reducing the risk of impaired glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function, can enhance ATP synthesis through mitochondrial respiration, and increase oxidative phosphorylation.

It has been further studied how Astragalus and Panax notoginseng specifically can protect mitochondria and enhance their function towards anti-aging. The proposed mechanism leads to Astragalus acting as a free radical scavenger, which can inhibit mitochondrial permeability transition and increase the activity of antioxidants against the peroxidation of membrane lipids. Panax notoginseng also works in a similar fashion through decreased free radical production. This lipid peroxidation has been shown to be a major cause of decreases in mitochondrial function. In addition to this, ensuring a highly permeable environment around the mitochondrial membrane is crucial for maintaining mitochondrial functions. This permeability allows for the passage of key electro chemicals to cross the gradient allowing for the process of energy development for the cells.