Citrulline Malate (8g)
Formed from a combination of L-Citrulline and malic acid, citrulline malate is a powerful nitric oxide booster and ergogenic aid scientifically proven to enhance blood flow and exercise performance.
What makes citrulline malate such an effective NO booster is its ability to increase blood levels of arginine -- the “fuel” for nitric oxide production.
For years, L-arginine was viewed as the “best” means to increased blood levels of the amino acid. However, L-arginine suffers from terrible bioavailability and is subject to breakdown by the enzyme arginase.
L-Citrulline, however, is able to navigate the treacherous path through the stomach, bypassing arginase, and subsequently is converted to arginine and used to fuel your nitric oxide engine.[1]
The result of this enhanced NO production is greater vasodilation, blood flow, vascularity, vasodilation, and PUMPS!
Citrulline malate also increases oxygen utilization during exercise, thereby boosting performance, and it also reduces feelings of muscle fatigue and soreness after training.[2,3]
GlycerPump (4g)
Glycerol supplements have been a mainstay in sports nutrition for a number of years due to glyercol’s ability to enhance cellular hydration and stamina. However, glycerol supplements of yesteryear suffered from three big problems:
· The contained a relatively low amount of actual glycerol (~25% by mass, with the remaining 75% being composed of saturated fat) · Poor shelf stability (i.e. spoilage) · Clumping which resulted in either chunks of undissolved powder in your shaker or cemented balls of powder in your tub of pre workout causing you to throw away the entire container)
Enter GlycerPump with its proprietary spray drying technology that eliminates the problems of previous glycerol supplements.
GlycerPump is a shelf-stable glycerol supplement containing 65% pure glycerol by weight that mixes seamlessly, will not clump and won’t affect the taste of your supplements.
GlycerPump helps muscle cells pull in additional water, improving hydration, cell volumization, nutrient uptake, and endurance. You’ll also experience greater muscle fullness and some killer “water-based” pumps , too!
Super Spinach (1g)
Super Spinach is a premium-quality extract of red spinach leaf rich that’s packed full of potent natural blood flow enhancers.
These nitric oxide-boosting biochemicals have been noted in research to support optimal blood flow which leads to greater performance and ventilatory threshold as well as reduced fatigue. This is all in addition to some serious muscle pumps, too!.[4]
Compared to other conventional nitric oxide boosters (such as beetroot), Super Spinach contains 4x as many nitric oxide boosting compounds. Basically, when you’re looking to maximize nitric oxide, blood flow, performance and muscle pumps, you want some of Popeye’s favorite food.
But don’t take our word for it, take a look at what a batch of recent studies have to say about supplementing with red spinach extract.
In a 2016 study, Super Spinach was clinically proven to enhance nitric oxide levels and keep them elevated for 24 hours![5]
And most recently, a study noted that that supplementing with 1 gram of red spinach extract (the exact same dose included here as well as in NovaPump) significantly reduced time-to-completion and increased measures of power and speed.[6]
Agmatine Sulfate (1g)
Derived from L-arginine, agmatine is a powerful neuromodulator and nitric oxide extender.
What do we mean by “extender”? Essentially, agmatine prolongs the NO-boosting effects of citrulline malate by inhibiting arginase, the enzyme that degrades arginine.[7]
By limiting arginase activity, arginine levels remain elevated for greater amounts of time, allowing for stronger, more sustained nitric oxide production and longer-lasting muscle pumps!
PegaPump (250mcg)
PegaPump is another breakthrough pump and performance ingredient included in NovaPump.
PegaPump is an aqueous extract of Peganum Harmala standardized for the specific alkaloids that promote vasorelaxant and cardiovascular benefits, including the beta-carbolines Harmine, Harmaline and Harmalol.
Peganum Harmala is used extensively around the world in the treatment of a number of cardiovascular disorders including hypertension and heart disease.[8] In fact, various studies have noted that the alkaloids present in PegaPump may[9,10,11,12]:
- Decrease systemic arterial blood pressure
- Reduce total peripheral vascular resistance
- Increase peak aortic flow
- Exert vasorelaxant effects (making blood vessels more “flexible”)
- Confer angiogenic inhibitory effects
- Off neuroprotection
- Provide antibacterial and antimicrobial effects
NovaPump Neuro Ingredients
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (1g)
Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) is a highly bioavailable form of L-Carnitine that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, imparting a number of neuroprotective, neurotrophic, and antidepressive effects.[15,16]
ALCAR contributes to increased levels of the “learning” neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, by donating its acetyl group to form the backbone of this critical chemical messenger.
In the presence of choline (which also happens to be included in NovaPump Neuro), the body is able to synthesize more acetylcholine, thereby enhancing cognitive function, mental energy and the vaunted mind-muscle connection.[17]
L-Tyrosine (1g)
Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid produced from the essential amino acid phenylalanine.
While it may be “nonessential” from a muscle-building standpoint, tyrosine is vital to the production of several important neurotransmitters – dopamine, adrenaline (epinephrine), and noradrenaline (norepinephrine).[18]
Dopamine is most well-known for as a “reward” neurotransmitter, but it also plays a big part in mood, motivation, and decision-making.
However, stressful or cognitively demanding situations (such as intense workouts) can deplete dopamine leading to reduced focus, motivation, and performance. Supplementing with tyrosine can help with catecholamine release during these stressful periods[19], helping you maintain a high level of performance during your workouts..
Alpha GPC 50% (600mg)
To further support focus and concentration during training, we’ve included a sizeable 600mg of Alpha GPC 50%, yielding 300mg Alpha GPC.
Alpha GPC provides a highly bioavailable form of supplemental choline that works in conjunction with ALCAR to boost acetylcholine production, promoting more dialed in focus as well as a stronger mind-muscle connection.
Research has noted that supplementing with Alpha GPC may help prevent exercise-induced reductions in choline levels as well as increases in endurance performance and power output.[20,21,22]
Huperzine A (200mcg)
Last, but certainly not least, is another mighty nootropic that pairs exceedingly well with both ALCAR and Alpha GPC in Huperzine A.
Huperzine A operates as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.[23]
Why is this noteworthy? Well, acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that metabolizes (breaks down) acetylcholine. By inhibiting its actions, Huperzine promotes longer-lasting acetylcholine in the brain, supporting sustained focus and concentration during training.
Beyond its acetylcholine-boosting properties, huperzine also exerts some neurodegenerative and neuroprotectant qualities as well as it helps defends against the “neuron death” molecule, glutamate.[24,25]
References
1. Curis E., et. al; “Citrulline and the gut;”; Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care; September 2007
2. Pérez-Guisado J and Jakeman PM. "Citrulline Malate Enhances Athletic Anaerobic Performance and Relieves Muscle Soreness. - PubMed - NCBI." National Center for Biotechnology Information.
3. Wax B , et al. "Effects of Supplemental Citrulline-Malate Ingestion on Blood Lactate, Cardiovascular Dynamics, and Resistance Exercise Performance in Trained Males. - PubMed - NCBI." National Center for Biotechnology Information.
4. "Red Spinach Extract Increases Ventilatory Threshold During Graded Exercise Testing." MDPI, 16 Oct. 2017, www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/5/4/80/htm.
5. Haun CT, Kephart WC, Holland AM, et al. Differential vascular reactivity responses acutely following ingestion of a nitrate rich red spinach extract. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016. doi:10.1007/s00421-016-3478-8.
6. Gonzalez AM, et al. Effect of short-term red spinach extract supplementation on cycle time trial performance in recreationally active men and women. 2018
7. Legaz ME, Vicente C. Endogenous Inactivators of Arginase, l-Arginine Decarboxylase, and Agmatine Amidinohydrolase in Evernia prunastri Thallus . Plant Physiology. 83;71(2):300-302
8. Moloudizargari M, Mikaili P, Aghajanshakeri S, Asghari MH, Shayegh J. Pharmacological and therapeutic effects of Peganum harmala and its main alkaloids. Pharmacogn Rev. 2013;7(14):199-212.
9. Aarons DH, Rossi GV, Orzechowski RF. Cardiovascular actions of three harmala alkaloids: Harmine, harmaline, and harmalol. J Pharm Sci. 1977;66:1244–8.
10. Shi CC, Liao JF, Chen CF. Comparative study on the vasorelaxant effects of three harmala alkaloids in vitro. Jpn J Pharmacol. 2001;85:299–305.
11. Berrougui H, Martín-Cordero C, Khalil A, Hmamouchi M, Ettaib A, Marhuenda E, et al. Vasorelaxant effects of harmine and harmaline extracted from Peganum harmala L. seeds in isolated rat aorta. Pharmacol Res. 2006;54:150–7.
12. Hamsa TP, Kuttan G. Harmine inhibits tumour specific neo-vessel formation by regulating VEGF, MMP, TIMP and pro-inflammatory mediators both in vivo and in vitro. Eur J Pharmacol. 2010;649:64–73.
13. Arshad N, Zitterl-Eglseer K, Hasnain S, Hess M. Effect of Peganum harmala or its beta-carboline alkaloids on certain antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria and protozoa from poultry. Phytother Res. 2008;22:1533–8.
14. Herraiz T, Guillén H. Inhibition of the bioactivation of the neurotoxin MPTP by antioxidants, redox agents and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Food Chem Toxicol. 2011;49:1773–81
15. Carta A, Calvani M, Bravi D, Bhuachalla SN. Acetyl-L-carnitine and Alzheimer’s disease: pharmacological considerations beyond the cholinergic sphere. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993;695:324-326.
16. Gomez L.A., Heath S.D., Hagen T.M. “Acetyl-L-carnitine supplementation reverses the age-related decline in carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) activity in interfibrillar mitochondria without changing the L-carnitine content in the rat heart” Mechanics of Aging Development 2012 Feb-Mar; 133(0): 99–106.
17. Rebouche C.J. “Kinetics, pharmacokinetics, and regulation of L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine metabolism.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2004 Nov;1033:30-41.
18. Fernstrom, John D, and Madelyn H Fernstrom; “Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, and Catecholamine Synthesis and Function in the Brain.”; The Journal of Nutrition; U.S. National Library of Medicine; June 2007;
19. Young SN. L-tyrosine to alleviate the effects of stress?. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2007;32(3):224.
20. Bellar D, LeBlanc NR, Campbell B. The effect of 6 days of alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine on isometric strength. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:42. Published 2015 Nov 17. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0103-x
21. Parker AG, Byars A, Purpura M, Jäger R. The effects of alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine, caffeine or placebo on markers of mood, cognitive function, power, speed, and agility. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12(Suppl 1):P41. Published 2015 Sep 21. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P41
22. Ziegenfuss, T., Landis, J., & Hofheins, J. (2008). Acute supplementation with alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine augments growth hormone response to, and peak force production during, resistance exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5(1), P15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-5-S1-P15
23. Zhao, Q; Effects of huperzine A on acetylcholinesterase isoforms in vitro: comparison with tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine and physostigmine.; State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences; 2002
24. Ved, H; Huperzine A, a potential therapeutic agent for dementia, reduces neuronal cell death caused by glutamate.; Division of Biochemistry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; 1997
25. Ma, T; Huperzine A promotes hippocampal neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo.; State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University; 2013
