The U ULTRA supplements range has been developed by Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Özil in collaboration with scientists from the University of Westminster. Lead researcher, Professor M Gulrez Zariwala, is Director of Europe’s first Centre for Nutraceuticals and one of the world’s most respected experts in the field of nutritional supplements.
U ULTRA Recovery supplements support your body’s natural recovery processes to help you recover faster from intense or lengthy training sessions. This means you can train harder, for longer and more frequently without impacting your health or performance. To understand how it does this, you need to have a basic understanding of how the body recovers from exercise and other physical stressors and why optimum recovery is as important as the time you spend training.
Why is recovery particularly important for people who train?
After physical exercise, your body enters a recovery phase during which it restores fuel levels (metabolic recovery) and repairs damage to the musculoskeletal system (mechanical recovery). During this recovery phase, ensuring your body has adequate post-exercise nutrients can make the difference between benefitting from your hard work, and being negatively impacted by it. As a worst case scenario, without adequate recovery the physical stressors of training can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness and infection.
What are the main lifestyle factors that contribute to recovery?
Rest and nutrition are the two biggest factors that contribute towards recovery. Both promote muscle and glycogen restoration, reduce fatigue, and support physical and immune health, which helps your body come back stronger for your next training session.
How does U ULTRA Recovery improve post-training recovery?
The active ingredients in the U ULTRA Recovery supplement were chosen based on nutrients that peer-reviewed research show to be the most effective at improving post-training recovery.
Curcumin | HydroCurc®
A nutrient found in the spice turmeric, curcumin is an effective anti-inflammatory agent and powerful antioxidant. When consumed in its standard form, however, it’s poorly absorbed by the body.
'U ULTRA Recovery solves the problem of poor absorption by using HydroCurc®, which delivers active curcuminoids that easily disperse into aqueous environments such as the stomach and are then highly absorbed by the body,' says Professor Zariwala.
Palmitoylethanolamide | Levagen+®
A natural anti-inflammatory found in egg yolk, peanuts and soybeans, PEA has also been shown to have pain-relieving properties. A cannabimimetic that acts upon the endocannabinoid system, it has similar effects to the compound cannabidiol (CBD), but is a safe, legal and effective alternative.
Although biogenetically and chemically different, CBD and PEA share remarkable pharmacological similarities. They both help stimulate the production of endocannabinoids in the body’s endocannabinoid system that in turn helps to regulate sleep, immune-system responses, relaxation, pain and more.
'The benefits of PEA for joint health, sleep and recovery have been validated through human clinical trials making it perfect for post-exercise recovery,' says Professor Zariwala. 'In clinical trials, PEA decreased lactate and lactate dehydrogenase, increasing aerobic energy metabolism and decreasing anaerobic energy metabolism, which can make it possible to exercise at high intensities for long periods with reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
'PEA, however, can be tough for the body to absorb. To overcome this, U ULTRA Recovery uses Levagen+® PEA, which is formulated with award-winning LipiSperse™ technology to allow the PEA particles to disperse freely, which increases its bioavailability by 1.8 times compared to standard PEA (1).'
Magnesium | Aquamin®
Every cell in our body requires magnesium to function. This essential mineral plays a role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the human body; from helping with muscle and nerve function, to protein formation, energy creation, blood pressure regulation, and supporting the immune system, among others. Magnesium deficiency can manifest in all sorts of ways: loss of appetite; lethargy, fatigue, and even muscle cramps and tremors. Therefore, magnesium supplementation can be particularly beneficial at reducing the impact of intense training and exercise.
Professor Zariwala says: 'U ULTRA Recovery uses Aquamin® Mg, which is a natural marine source of magnesium sustainably derived from clean sea waters off the Irish coast. It has been shown to have a high bioavailability, while clinical studies show it particularly benefits bone, joint, and digestive health (2).'
Zinc | L-OptiZinc®
Zinc is a vital mineral your body uses in countless ways. In fact, after iron, Zinc is the second-most-abundant trace mineral in your body and is present in every cell. It’s necessary for the activity of several enzymes that aid in carbohydrate metabolism, normal nerve function and muscle recovery.
'U ULTRA Recovery uses L-OptiZinc®, a unique mineral compound that pairs zinc with the amino acid L-methionine to increase its bioavailability. Studies show that L-OptiZinc® is better absorbed than other forms of zinc and that plasma levels remain higher compared to other zinc forms. OptiZinc® has been shown to be absorbed 24% better than zinc sulphate and have 21% better retention than zinc oxide, both of which are zinc forms widely used in other supplements,' says Professor Zariwala.
Vitamin B6 | Vitamin B6 Pyridoxal 5’-Phosphate (P5P)
Vitamin B6 aids many vital functions, including protein and amino acid metabolism, red blood cell formation, and the synthesis of antibodies important for optimal immune responses. Vitamin B6 also helps maintain normal brain function because it’s required for the production of several important neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (3).
'The most common active ingredient found in most Vitamin B6 supplements is pyridoxine hydrochloride, simply because it’s the most commonly available commercial form. For this compound to be used by our body, however, it must first be converted to pyridoxal 5’-phosphate. U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro uses a bio-optimised form of vitamin B6 that the body can put to work immediately,' says Professor Zariwala. 'It helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, contributes to energy yielding metabolism and normal psychological function – all attributes essential to boost training performance.'
Recover faster and allow your body to train harder and longer in quick succession with Recovery. Clinically-proven to aid muscle recovery, reduce tiredness and fatigue and provide joint support. Start your subscription today.
Citations
(1) Increased Absorption of Palmitoylethanolamide Using a Novel Dispersion Technology System (LipiSperse) (2) A Natural Seaweed Derived Mineral Supplement for Knee Osteoarthritis (3) Health Benefits of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
