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.
Most pre-workout supplements give an energy boost through sugar, caffeine or both. The result is typically a short-lived energy boost with a pronounced crash and even the risk of physical ‘jitters’ that can hamper, rather than enhance your training. U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro is different.
Formulated to help you achieve peak performance, its ingredients have been chosen to encourage your body to most efficiently use its existing energy supplies, while also minimising the impact of intense training.
In short, U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro helps you train harder, for longer, in a way that supports your body’s natural processes. To understand how U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro does this, however, let’s first examine how energy works in the human body, along with its connection to immunity.
How does energy function in the body?
As food goes through your digestive system it’s broken down into an ‘energy’ molecule called Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The main energy carrier for all living organisms, ATP is what enables every single cell in your body to store and use energy (1).
Cells require chemical energy for three key functions: to drive metabolic reactions that wouldn’t occur automatically; to transport substances across membranes; and to do mechanical work, such as moving muscles. ATP does this by utilising the biochemical energy obtained from the breakdown of food to power those key functions.
It’s important to note that ATP is not technically a storage molecule for chemical energy; that’s the job of carbohydrates and fats. When energy is needed by a cell, it’s converted from storage molecules into ATP, which then serves as a shuttle, delivering energy to the places within the cell where energy-consuming activities are taking place (2).
So, how can a nutritional supplement aid this process and boost energy levels while training? It’s simple: nutrients play a vital role in the efficiency of this energy conversion process, including minimising the natural waste products such as lactic acid that can hamper physical performance.
We worked with Professor Zariwala and his team to identify the most effective nutrients to aid this process and ensure U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro contains the optimum amount of each.
What’s the connection between energy and immunity?
It’s also worth noting that without adequate nutrition, regular, intense training may impact your immune health, leaving you feeling run down and susceptible to illness. That’s because the energy conversion process (metabolism) is closely linked to immune cell function. Multiple studies clearly demonstrate a knock-on effect between metabolic efficiency and immunity (3).
Nutrients are essential for the development, maintenance and regulation of your body’s immune responses. Therefore, ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs for an efficient metabolic process reduces the risk of succumbing to infectious, allergic and inflammatory conditions.
How does U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro support the human body’s natural energy processes?
The active ingredients in U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro were chosen based on nutrients that peer-reviewed research shows to be the most effective at supporting the human body’s natural energy processes.
Beetroot | RedNite™
Instead of the commonly used beetroot extract used in many supplements, U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro contains RedNite™. A highly concentrated natural beetroot extract, RedNite™ is clinically-proven to contain 25 times more nitrate and 10 times more antioxidants than ordinary beetroot.
‘Thanks to its high nitrate and antioxidant levels, beetroot’s ability to enhance exercise efficiency has been demonstrated in multiple studies,’ says Professor Zariwala. ‘Clinical studies have also shown that it enhances the body’s resistance to fatigue and provides neuromuscular advantages during resistance exercise.’
Curcumin | HydroCurc®
A nutrient found in turmeric, curcumin is another effective anti-inflammatory agent and powerful antioxidant. When consumed in its standard form, however, it’s poorly absorbed by the body.
‘U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro solves the problem of poor absorption by using HydroCurc®, which delivers a vast amount of active curcuminoids that easily disperse into aqueous environments such as the stomach, and are then highly absorbed by the body’, says Professor Zariwala.
Astaxanthin | AstaReal®
Astaxanthin can’t be synthesised by the human body and can only be obtained from dietary sources. Another nutrient with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, astaxanthin has been shown to increase power output and while also enhancing lipid metabolism in muscles. Energy Sport Pro uses the highly concentrated form called AstaReal®, a patented natural compound from microalgae which is the world’s most studied form of astaxanthin, backed by more than 60 research studies.
‘The presence of astaxanthin in the U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro blend may provide ergogenic benefits by decreasing fatigue and enhancing muscle endurance and recovery,’ says Professor Zariwala.
Iodine | Organic Seagreens® wild ascophyllum nodosum seaweed
Iodine is one of the most important minerals for hormone production and regulation, particularly in the thyroid gland, which regulates many bodily functions. Iodine is primarily lost through sweat while training, which can impact physical performance.
‘Iodine and thyroid function is important for sports performance as many key functions in the human body, including regulation of body temperature and metabolism, play an important role in how an athlete creates and uses energy,’ says Professor Zariwala.
‘The organic Seagreens® wild ascophyllum nodosum seaweed used in U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro blend is a rich nutrient source of Iodine, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and trace elements, that contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and cognitive function.’
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).
Professor Zariwala says: ‘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. It helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, contributes to energy yielding metabolism and normal psychological function – all attributes essential to boost training performance’
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 and cognitive function. In addition, it’s critical for the development and function of immune cells and fundamental to protein production.
U ULTRA Energy Sport Pro uses L-OptiZinc® a unique mineral compound that pairs zinc with the amino acid L-methionine to increase its bioavailability,’ says Professor Zariwala. ‘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.’
D-biotin
The naturally occurring, biologically active form of vitamin B, D-biotin is involved in a wide range of metabolic processes, primarily related to the utilisation of fats, carbohydrates, and amino acids, converting nutrients into fuel the body can access.
‘Biotin may help with taking full advantage of the carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen, potentially allowing you to push through long training sessions,’ says Professor Zariwala.
References
(1) How Cells Obtain Energy from Food (2) Adenosine Triphosphate Explained (3) Changes in Nutritional Status Impact Immune Cell Metabolism and Function
