The present invention provides for a
nutritional composition in a liquid drink form,
dry powder form, gel form, or carrier form intended to optimize human physiological performance during intense exercise and subsequently return the body to its healthy, pre-
exercise state. The composition comprises a
carbohydrate and a
protein, and preferably a ratio of the
carbohydrate to the
protein is greater than about 4.3 parts by weight
carbohydrate to 1 part by weight
protein. Preferably, the liquid
nutritional composition is comprised of: (1) carbohydrate in the range of 3.45-10% by weight of the liquid
nutritional composition to allow immediate and long-term energy production by
muscle cells and neurons,
insulin modulation, and
muscle glycogen sparing, the carbohydrate being in the form of monosaccharides or polysaccharides or a combination thereof, and the saccharides preferably comprising 40-95% dextrose by weight of the final volume of saccharides, 5-45%
fructose by weight of the final volume of saccharides, and 1-25% glucose
polymer by weight of the final volume of saccharides; (2) a protein source that contains all 20 “standard” amino acids, in the range of 0.1-0.8% by weight of the liquid nutritional composition, whose inherent structure plus further
chemical modification results in
amino acid absorption into the bloodstream rapid enough for initiating and enhancing protein synthesis and subsequent
muscle cell repair during the exercise and post-exercise periods; (3) Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA),
leucine,
isoleucine,
valine, for use by muscle cells for energy thus sparing
glycogen stores, for increasing protein synthesis by stimulating
insulin and
growth hormone release, and for reducing
protein degradation; (4) precursors of the signaling molecule
nitric oxide, important for increasing
blood flow and subsequent
nutrient delivery (including those in this composition) to tissue during intense exercise; (5) precursors of
creatine, a molecule important for
ATP regeneration in muscle and
nerve cells and for muscle
cell volumizing effects; (6) a mixture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic antioxidants:
retinol / Beta-
carotene (
Vitamin A),
ascorbic acid (
Vitamin C), and di-alpha-
tocopheryl acetate (
Vitamin E); ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10 [5-100 mg / 500 ml], which in addition to its
antioxidant properties is also important for ATP generation and
Vitamin E regeneration; a mixture of 10-100 mg
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and 25-150 mg polyphenols from
green tea extract; 40-250 mg
ellagic acid and
punicalagin from pomegranate or raspberry extract, at ratios comparable to that found in the whole fruit, which have been shown to have protective effects on blood vessels as well as inhibiting stimulation of the pro-inflammatory protein
interleukin-1b (IL-b) which causes degradation and damage to joints (These six antioxidants prevent and eradicate
reactive oxygen species and free radicals generated during
strenuous exercise, thus preserving muscle integrity.); and (7) the ions Na+, Cl−, K+, Ca+2, Mg+2, and Zn+2, which are important for the muscle
fiber contraction and relaxation cycle, for neuronal
signal propagation, for repletion of such ions lost in excessive
perspiration during exercise, for water absorption in the
gastrointestinal tract, and for catalytic action by energy producing and
antioxidant enzymes.