Zeus Juice is an amazing new preworkout formula that will take your gym performance to the next level.
Zeus Juice: The Best Preworkout’s Ingredients
Zeus Juice’s ingredients have been carefully selected to give you the most powerful workout possible. From gnarly pumps to laser-like focus, you will be in the zone throughout your workout.
L-Citrulline
You may have seen L-Citrulline in preworkout supplements or talked about in fitness circles on social media, but what does this naturally occurring amino acid have to offer?
Some preworkouts blend L-Citrulline with Malic Acid to form Citrulline Malate, but this is a good way to cut production costs and include another attractive ingredient.
But the sadly reality is that L-Citrulline is almost always underdosed when it is introduced into other bulk supplements such as preworkout. (That’s a rant for another day).
What is L-Citrulline and Where is it Found?
L-Citrulline (2-amino-5-(carbamoylamino)pentanoic acid) is a naturally occurring dietary amino acid in the urea cycle, alongside L-Arginine and L-Ornithine [R].
It increases plasma levels of Ornithine and Arginine and improves the ammonia recycling process and nitric oxide metabolism, which leads to improved athletic performance.
On a side note, the bioavailability of L-Arginine when consumed orally is extremely poor and Citrulline is a far better choice when pursuing this pathway.
L-Citrulline is typically — and most notably — found in watermelons. However, to consume the active dose would require having to consume an reasonable amount of watermelon (between 5-10lb).
What Does it Do?
L-Citrulline is great for improving blood flow through vasodilation and lowering blood pressure — hence why it is often picked as one of the main active ingredients for preworkout supplements.
It “is used for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, fatigue, muscle weakness, sickle cell disease, erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It is used for heart disease, body building, increasing energy, and for improving athletic performance.” [R]
If your preworkout contains this, expect gnarly pumps like no other as well as improved endurance. Some also use this watermelon amino acid to improve blood flow to, well, other areas before coitus.
Reductions in fatigue have also been reported, leading to an increase in athletic performance and sustained power output.
There are currently no known side effects for consuming it in higher doses, although it is thought to be better tolerated in the digestive system than Ornithine and Arginine. Moreover, Arginine is known for its poor oral bioavailability [R].
One study found: “L-Citrulline dose-dependently increased AUC and Cmax of plasma L-arginine concentration more effectively than L-arginine (P < 0.01).”
As previously mentioned, it is often mixed with Malic Acid — another ingredient commonly found in preworkouts thought to improve endurance and reduce lactic acid buildup — to form Citrulline Malate. However, the Citrulline in this blend is typically underdosed usually following a 1:0.76 Citrulline to Malic Acid ratio, making it an ineffective replacement for the real McCoy.
To recap, it can:
- increase blow flow
- lower blood pressure
- target erectile dysfunction
- give massive pumps
- improve endurance when lifting weights
It is recommended that those on medication to lower blood pressure don’t consume in conjunction with supplements that can spike nitric oxide production as it may lower your blood pressure to dangerous levels and induce dizziness or lightheadedness.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most popular supplements lifters use and for good reason.
You may have see it at health stores, added to preworkouts, and even included in commercial energy drinks.
But what are Creatine’s benefits and is it really worth all of the hype?
And the short answer is yes — yes, Creatine is really worth all the hype.
But Creatine’s benefits extend far beyond just to helping you grow muscle and get stronger.
Check out our article on 3 supplements every man should take.
- How It Works
- 1. It Will Help You Build Muscle and Get Stronger
- 2. It Has Been Proven to Boost Athletic Performance
- 3. It Has Nootropic Properties
- 4. You Cannot Get Enough Creatine From Your Diet Alone
- 5. It Has Been Extensively Studied and Proven to Be Safe
How It Works
Creatine is a non-essential amino acid that your body can produce it naturally through glycine and arginine, but it is notoriously difficult to consume an active-dose’s-worth through food sources alone.
It is synthesized by your liver, kidneys, and pancreas [R].
In fact, the average person would need to consume an exorbitant amount of food to enjoy an active dose to the point where their diet would be derailed.
When you supplement creatine, you body stores it as phosphocreatine which is a precursor to ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) — equivalent to your body’s energy currency of choice.
Most ATP (around 95%) is stored in the muscles, with the remainder stored in the liver, kidneys, and brain.
Increased ATP levels can power the muscles through vigorous training regimens as well as directly contribute towards recovery and growth.
1. It Will Help You Build Muscle and Get Stronger
Interestingly, Creatine is one of the few over-the-counter supplements that will actually help you gain a supraphysiological edge when it comes to building muscle and strength.
This means that it will allow your body to build more muscle and develop more strength that it would’ve been capable of without it.
It also helps with an increase in satellite cell signaling — which facilitates muscle repair and new muscle growth — hence the reference to a supraphysiological edge.
Additionally, it can help with the following:
- Increased workload: Enables more total work or volume in a single training session, which is a key factor in long-term muscle growth
- Raised anabolic (muscle-building) hormones: Creatine can provoke a rise in anabolic hormones, such as IGF-1, to promulgate muscle growth
- Lower myostatin levels: Elevated levels of the protein myostatin can slow or totally inhibit new muscle growth. Supplementing with creatine can reduce these levels, increasing growth potential similar to YK-11, a myostatin inhibitor.
- Improved cell signaling: As we mentioned, it can increase satellite cell signaling, which contributes towards muscle repair and new muscle growth to a supraphysiological level.
- Reduced protein breakdown: It can stave off protein breakdown (catabolism) and muscle loss induced by a variety of factors, including overtraining.
- Increased cell hydration: This boosts water content within your muscle cells, which can enlarge the cells that may play a role in temporary muscle growth. Some fear that it can lead to bloating or a weighing down, but this isn’t the case. Hydration has been proven to be crucial when it comes to informing athletic performance.
2. It Has Been Proven to Boost Athletic Performance
After rising to prominence following the 1992 Olympic Games, Creatine has shot into the atmosphere in terms of popularity. Between 1996-2001, its sales volume increased eightfold.
As we have discussed, Creatine can significantly boost strength and muscular development through a variety of pathways, but for athleticism, we need to mention muscle cell hydration and its role in producing adenosine triphosphate or ATP.
Hydration — along with sleep deprivation — is the leading cause in a drop in athletic performance. By prolonging or improving hydration, endurance and athletic performance will both receive a boost.
ATP is necessary for muscle cell energy production.
It can increase athletic performance by 15%, although it doesn’t have much of an impact for less vigorous activities [R].
3. It Has Nootropic Properties
When you think about Nootropics or smart drugs, for the sake of increasing productivity, stimulants like Modafinil, Adderall, and Caffeine pop into your mind.
Many individuals out there looking to improve their productivity without suffering from the side-effect profiles of stimulants — clamminess, jitteriness, anxiety, elevated body temperature, tachycardia, hypertension, headaches, feeling “cracked out,” comedowns, etc. — are left to work with their own devices, failing to unlock their maximum potential.
But the evergreen bodybuilding supplement makes a strong case for improving productivity, not just by increasing mental acuity by refueling neurotransmitters, but also by fueling the brain to prolong stamina as well as offering protection from neurological diseases and neurotoxins [R].
It can also improve reasoning abilities and counteract some of the sluggishness brought on by sleep deprivation [R].
Vegetarians and highly-stressed individuals have been reported to enjoy stellar results from supplementing creatine [R].
Creatine is also one of the safest and most studied performance enhancing drugs — yet one of the fewest over-the-counter supplements that can actually yield supraphysiological results.
And lastly, creatine can also provide antioxidant benefits.
Now, when it comes to the ol’ noggin, it is used to restock ATP levels produced by the mitochondria in the brain cells.
When your neurons use ATP, it loses its phosphate molecule becoming ADP (adenosine diphosphate). But when Creatine is added into the mix — becoming phosphocreatine in the body — the depleted ADP is reconverted to ATP to continue fueling the neurons.
As Nootropics Expert puts it, you can expect to enjoy some of the following benefits:
- Brain Energy. Creatine can reduce mental fatigue. Creatine re-charges ATP which is the fuel source for your brain cells.
- Neurotransmitters. Creatine re-charges ATP which is directly involved in producing, packaging and secreting neurotransmitters. Creatine boosts intelligence, improves memory, facilitates faster thinking, and improves mood.
- Neuroprotectant. Creatine fuels ATP, and boosts cellular metabolism which helps protect against neuronal damage from toxins. And improves cognition.
Studies have shown that children with higher levels of creatine in their brain enjoyed a better working memory when it came to performing daily tasks over children with lower levels of the naturally-occurring amino acid [R].
Another study shows that this non-essential amino acid can improve productivity with a middling dose in a state of sleep deprivation [R].
4. You Cannot Get Enough Creatine From Your Diet Alone
Ok, you can get enough Creatine from your diet, but are you willing to shovel down several pounds of food a day?
Raw salmon and beef contain roughly 1-2g of Creatine per pound. If you do vigorous activities like lift weights, you would need 5-10g — depending on activity levels and bodyweight — of Creatine per day to optimize your body’s Creatine stores.
This would mean consuming anywhere between 5-10lb of meat per day.
Instead of stretching your stomach and breaking the bank, it’s better to buy Creatine Monohydrate in supplement form for your sake!
Some preworkouts contain it, but at around 1-2g per servings, making it pathetically underdosed. This is a marketing ploy to add prestige to their product and to create an opportunity to upsell more supplements down the line.
5. It Has Been Extensively Studied and Proven to Be Safe
And finally, despite the concerns of some, it has proven to be safe and is well-studied. Of course, if you do have any lingering concerns, we recommend you to contact your physician before taking on any new supplementation.
It has a phenomenal safety profile and we recommend all lifters to supplement this wonderful product. You don’t need a loading phase or to take it in cycles. Between 5-10g of Creatine a day is enough to reap the benefits for body and mind.
Eria Jarensis
Eria Jarensis (N-Phenethyl Dimethylamine) is a is a Neuromodulator on the Central Nervous System (CNS) that has become an active in ingredient in many preworkouts, fat burners, and nootropic supplements.
It provides multiple cognitive enhancing effects ranging from focus, energy, and mood elevation.
Where Does Eria Jarensis Come From?
Eria Jarensis — the alkaloid orchid native to China and Southeast Asia that produces N-Phenethyl Dimethylamine — is a plant that produces a stimulant effect. Its extract is the prime source of N-Phenyl Dimethylamine, which has been shown to increase the concentration of noradrenaline and release dopamine in the body, making it a viable preworkout ingredient.
What Does It Do?
In addition to noradrenaline secretion, there is also evidence suggesting that N,N-DMPEA acts as a TAAR1 agonist in humans, and as a 5-HT1A ligand in rats. Some less conclusive research also indicated that it had interaction with MAO-B, most likely as an enzyme substrate and not an inhibitor, according to studies.
The extract can also reduce anxiety and act as a broncodilator, making it a perfect addition to a preworkout formula for athletes looking to test their endurance or who suffer from jitters after stimulant consumption.
As a result, this extract has exploded in popularity over the past few years — gaining increased popularity as time goes by — as ingredients that provide similar cognitive effects have been banned, including ephedrine, AMP-Citrate, and DMAA (which can be purchased from Rats Army).
Benefits:
- Improves mood
- Increases energy
- Reduces anxiety
- Increases lung capacity
- Increases Endurance
Legal Status
Despite enjoying legal status across much of the world, it is currently banned in Australia.
Eria Janensis and N,N-DMPEA has been found to be safe for use as a flavoring agent by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) Expert Panel[6], putting further concerns about the extract’s safety profile to bed.
Eria Jarensis Extract has begun to find its way into more and more pre-workouts and fat burners on the market as supplement brands warm up to the alkaloid extract.
Dosage and Half-Life
Sadly, it is metabolized quickly by the body and only has a half life of around 5-10 minutes with an onset time of around 5-30 minutes depending on a variety of factors, but some preworkout blends add ingredients to prolong its effects. However, it is advisable to take Eria Janesis shortly before a workout for this reason. Some experts have pointed out that if its effects lasted longer, they could cause issues relating to the dopaminergic system.
It is advised to take dosages between 125mg – 250mg depending on tolerance, experience, and bodyweight of the athlete in question.
Black Pepper Fruit
Black Pepper Fruit Extract or Bioperine can indirectly improve your performance in the gym by increasing the bioavailability of your supplements to get the most out of whatever it is you’re taking.
Many supplements and preworkout brands have added black pepper fruit extract or Bioperine for consumers to get the most out of the added ingredients.
For over two decades this addition has been recognized as a bioavailability enhancer, making it an attractive ingredient for a variety of capactities.
Black Pepper has been used for centuries to combat various ailments and is generally recognized as being safe.
Black Pepper Fruit Extract (Bioperine): The Performance Enhancement Enhancer
Some supplements lack oral bioavailability — with some being more notorious than others. As a result, black pepper fruit extract has been called upon to assist with getting the most out of certain supplements.
According to Bioperine’s official website: “In the view of safety concerns, many natural nutrients with the ability to influence the bioavailability are in the pursuit. In the scenario, scientists identified the unique property of black pepper to improve the absorption and metabolism of nutrients when they are administered together. Black pepper extract has been shown to enhance the bioavailability of fat-soluble vitamins (β-carotene), water-soluble vitamins (vitamin-C), selenoamino acid, coenzyme Q10, resveratrol and Curcumin (Fernández-Lázaro et al., 2020) . The property has been linked to its influence on xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes (biotransformation) and thermogenic effect. It was found that piperine was the key component behind the bioavailability enhancing the character of black pepper extract (Vladimir et al., 1999).”
How it works
Bioperine.com state: “Various key mechanisms have been proposed for the bioavailability enhancing ability of the black pepper extract. Important mechanisms include inhibition of P-glycoprotein, inhibition of enzymes involved in glucuronidation, and thermogenesis.
“P-glycoprotein is a transmembrane permeability glycoprotein involved in the transport of nutrients and xenobiotics across the cell membrane of intestinal epithelial cells, renal proximal tubular cells, capillary endothelial cells, and hepatocytes. It is a member of ATP binding cassette proteins and works by energy derived from ATP hydrolysis. It has been shown that piperine inhibits its ability to translocate various components.
“Glucuronidation is a process in xenobiotic metabolism, where xenobiotics (including drugs) are added with a molecule of UDP-glucose to render them inactive, more soluble, and easily excretable form. Hence, many components are metabolized by this process and become less bioavailable. Piperine has been found to affect the glucuronidation by lowering the endogenous UDP-glucuronic acid (the main component used in glucuronidation) and by inhibiting the activities of the transferring enzymes.
“Thermogenesis is a metabolic process that generates energy at the cellular level in the human body and has been identified as a key factor in utilizing the dietary food and nutrients that the human body consumes. Piperine in the black pepper extract enhances the thermogenesis and in turn, affects the absorption of components in the intestine (Mhaske et al., 2018).”
Aside from improving bioavailability, there are other health benefits to be reaped from black pepper fruit extract.
Taurine
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid.
Taurine is present most tissues in the body, but especially the heart, brain, and retina of the eye. While a taurine-rich diet can protect the body and promote longevity, it has something of a bad reputation because it’s a common ingredient in many sugar-laden energy drinks.
Although your body makes taurine naturally – it is not an essential amino acid – some research has suggested that people on strict plant-based diets may need to take taurine supplements to keep their levels in check.
Taurine is found in most meats, fish and breast milk. Taurine is also commonly added to infant formula because young children often have a difficult time synthesizing taurine. Many dietary supplements also contain it.
Before taking taurine supplements or energy drinks containing taurine, read their labels to ensure that you are not exceeding the recommended daily dose of taurine.
Below we’ll outline ten benefits taurine has for the human body.
- HEART HEALTH
- BLOOD PRESSURE
- Cholesterol Management
- Iron Deficiency
- Liver Health
- Inflammation
- Diabetes
- Muscle Performance
- Eyesight
- Obesity
HEART HEALTH
Taurine is clearly important for heart health.
In animal studies (for instance here and here), a taurine-deficient diet has been shown to induce heart disease. The risk of chronic heart disease is lower in individuals with a high urinary output of taurine.
In a study of 22 healthy middle-aged women, daily supplementation with 3g of taurine for 4 weeks lowered homocysteine levels. Since homocysteine levels are correlated with heart disease, taurine may help prevent heart attacks or high cholesterol.
Studies show taurine may also have a role in preventing abnormal heartbeat.
BLOOD PRESSURE
There is some evidence linking taurine to lower blood pressure. Studies show low taurine levels are associated with increased blood pressure.
One study showed that consumption of 3 g taurine daily for 2 months in hypertension patients reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
CHOLESTEROL MANAGEMENT
Taurine supplementation enhances bile secretion and activity, and helps to improve the breakdown of fat and cholesterol by the body.
IRON DEFICIENCY
Taurine may help ensure proper uptake of iron.
In a study of 51 young women with iron deficiency (anemia), taurine and iron supplementation helped restore the markers of iron sufficiency better than iron supplements alone.
LIVER HEALTH
There is good reason to believe that taurine plays an important role in liver health. It appears to do this by lowering incoming blood pressure into the liver.
For instance, one study showed that dietary taurine supplementation with doses greater than 500 mg daily for 3 months reduced liver injury in 24 chronic hepatitis patients.
Liver cirrhosis has been shown to reduce the availability of taurine in the body. In a study of 35 liver cirrhosis patients, daily taurine supplementation increased taurine levels and also reduced painful muscle cramps that are associated with cirrhosis.
Animal studies have show than taurine is effective at preventing various liver conditions, including alcoholic fatty liver disease, and at protecting the liver from heavy metal and oxidised fat damage.
INFLAMMATION
The antioxidant action of taurine produces taurine chloramine (TauCl) and bromamine (TauBr), which also have anti-inflammatory properties, as shown in this study.
Reduced TauCl generation in the body may worsen inflammation-related joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis, and TauCL injections have been shown to improve arthritis symptoms in experimental animal models.
TauCl appears to work by promoting cell death (this is a good thing), and by turning on genes that reduce inflammation.
DIABETES
Antioxidants, including taurine, are generally low in diabetic individuals, which increases the risk of oxidative damage. Many diabetic complications are the result of oxidative damage. Diabetes has been shown to lower the body’s ability to absorb taurine.
In a study of 39 type 1 diabetic patients, oral supplementation with 500 mg taurine thrice daily for 3 months restored taurine levels in the blood, and also reduced heart attack risk.
MUSCLE PERFORMANCE
Taurine is crucial for the normal functioning of muscles. Part of its role may include modulating protein production.
In a study (single-blinded RCT) of 29 elderly individuals suffering from heart failure, 500mg of taurine three times a day for two weeks increased exercise performance.
Animal studies (here and here) have shown that taurine can have a significant impact on physical endurance and muscular function in mice and rats.
EYESIGHT
Taurine protects retinal cells of the retina from damage caused by oxidants and bright light. Low taurine levels are associated with cataract formation in humans. In cats, low taurine levels cause vision loss.
In a study of 62 patients, a combination of taurine, diltiazem, and vitamin E helped prevent vision loss by protecting against oxidative damage.
OBESITY
Taurine appears to have a role in reducing body weight in overweight and obese patients, possibly due to its role in bile synthesis and fat absorption and breakdown (as outlined above).
In a study of 30 obese college students, for instance, 3 g of taurine taken daily for a week significantly improved fat profiles and reduced weight. It improved markers of fat breakdown in people who were a healthy weight too.
L-Tyrosine
L-Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid and one form of tyrosine that boast several awesome benefits for discerning athletes. By being a non-essential amino acid, the body creates it, using another amino acid, phenylalanine, meaning that you don’t have to get it from food.
In recent years, tyrosine has been sold in supplement form in either powder or capsules with or without the “L” alone or as part of a bulk supplement in a preworkout formula due to its array of positive benefits.
L-Tyrosine: A Non-Essential Amino Acid
Tyrosine is found in all parts of the human body — including fluids.
Most people don’t need to directly supplement it, but Tyrosine will be excreted if too much is consumed.
Tyrosine aids the body with the production of enzymes, thyroid hormones, and the skin pigment melanin.
It helps the body produce neurotransmitters that helps nerve cells communicate — which is why it has lately become of interest for athletes and sport supplement companies.
Tyrosine is particularly important in the production of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine — which, again, is why you will see its inclusion in many stimulant-based sports supplements.
Outside of sports supplementation, it isn’t necessary for the majority of people to supplement L-tyrosine because their bodies automatically produce this non-essential amino acid as they have an in-built mechanism for regulating tyrosine production.
Benefits of L-Tyrosine
For fitness enthusiasts, it can produce a host of performance-enhancing benefits to give you an awesome workout.
With effects lasting around 3 hours, like caffeine, L-Tyrosine can boost athletic performance even in a state of sleep deprivation.
When partaking in a sport or a workout at the gym, alertness is paramount for decent performance. This non-essential amino acid can assist with improving alertness and focus to help give you an awesome workout.
As it is converted into the brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine, it can help elevate mood and combat depression. Nothing can kill your motivation more than a poor mood or depression.
Why it makes for a good preworkout ingredient:
- Improve focus
- Elevates mood
- Heightened Alertness
- Boost Athletic performance in state of sleep deprivation
- Combats depression
Caffeine
We all love a cup of coffee, but did you know caffeine is also one of the oldest and most popular performance-enhancing supplements there is? Some organizations, such as the NCAA, have even go so far as to ban caffeine in high doses because of its performance-enhancing effects.
Coffee is of course the standard method for taking caffeine, and there can be no doubt that the black stuff is a superfood. Last week we reported on a new study that showed that increased coffee consumption is linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
Coffee consumption had already been linked to a lower relative risk of a number of different forms of cancer, such as liver, bowel, and breast cancer.
Coffee drinkers have also been shown to have more testosterone and less estradiol than non-drinkers; although in this case it appears to be the cholorogenic acid (a plant phenol) and not the caffeine that is responsible.
Here we’ll tell you five ways caffeine can help improve your athletic performance.
- Caffeine and Endurance
- Caffeine and High-Intensity Exercise
- Caffeine and Strength Training
- Caffeine and Weight Loss
- A Note: Coffee and Sleep
Caffeine and Endurance
A study found that around 10 mg/lb (or about 400 mg total) of caffeine increased endurance in athletes. They were able to cover 1.3–2 miles (2–3.2 km) more than the placebo group.
In another study, this time of cyclists, caffeine was shown to be superior to carbohydrates or water in increasing performance. Caffeine increased work load by 7.4%, compared to 5.2% in the carb group.
Caffeine’s effects on endurance have also been assessed through coffee consumption. In a 1,500-meter run, regular coffee drinkers were 4.2 seconds faster than those drinking decaffeinated coffee.
CLICK HERE TO READ OUR REVIEW OF RAGING BULL COFFEE, A POWERFUL SIX-BEAN BLEND.
Caffeine and High-Intensity Exercise
In the case of high-intensity exercise, like sprinting, caffeine appears to have far more of an effect for trained rather than untrained athletes.
While two studies of active men doing bike sprints found there was no difference between the effects of caffeine and water (study one, study two), when competitive athletes were tested, caffeine led to a significant increase in sprint power.
A comparison of trained and untrained swimmers showed similar results.
Caffeine and Strength Training
With regard to strength training, again the results appear to be mixed. Studies have shown a positive effect on bench press and leg exercises, as well as muscular endurance; although others have shown no effect on leg strength, for instance.
Caffeine and Weight Loss
As we’ve already reported, caffeine “is a potent pre-workout which can prime your body for fat loss”.
A new study from the University of Granada shows drinking a strong cup of coffee (the equivalent of 3mg/kg bodyweight) half an hour before working out has a significant effect on fat burning. The researchers also discovered that the effects were more pronounced if the workout – and the caffeine consumption – took place during the afternoon rather than the morning.
Another study has shown that taking caffeine before exercise can increase the release of stored fat by 30%.
Long-term studies of the effects of caffeine on weight loss are, however, lacking.
A Note: Coffee and Sleep
One serious consideration when supplementing with caffeine is sleep. You probably don’t need telling that caffeine consumption can affect your sleep patterns, but just how bad that can be for your health, including your athletic performance, may not be as clear as it should be.
We recommend reading our article on the importance of sleep now if you haven’t already.
One study, for instance, showed that improving your sleep can DOUBLE your testosterone levels. Yes, you read that right: DOUBLE.
Our advice: limit your caffeine consumption to the morning if you can.
Malic Acid
Malic acid is a commonly used ingredient in various preworkout supplements to help athletes improve their endurance during strenuous exercise.
It is a chemical that is found in various fruits, fermented fruits, and wines with medicinal properties and other industrial uses.
Some food manufacturers use it for flavoring; cosmetic companies use it to regulate the acidity of their products.
In a medicinal capacity, malic acid is used to treat dry mouth, fibromyalgia, skin conditions, and fatigue — which interests us from a fitness perspective.
Supplement companies often pair Malic Acid with L-Citrulline to form Citrulline Malate, but some insiders believe that this is the way to drive down production costs.
According to WebMD, malic acid is “involved in the Krebs cycle. This is a process the body uses to make energy. Malic acid is sour and acidic. This helps to clear away dead skin cells when applied to the skin. Its sourness also helps to make more saliva to help with dry mouth.”
Malic acid has the following medicinal usages:
- Clearing up acne
- Attacking warts
- Improving skin quality
- Diminishing the pain of fibromyalgia in conjunction with magnesium
- Reducing fatigue
- Quelling heartburn
Malic Acid in a Fitness Context
Despite its various positive attributes extending across several industries, malic acid is believed to enhance energy production, reduce fatigue and lactic acid buildup, making it a promising preworkout ingredient for those looking to train long and hard at the gym.
It can also improve creatine absorption, which is very handy considering some preworkouts contain malic acid.
Why athletes should consider supplementing products with Malic Acid:
- Enhance energy production
- Reduce muscle fatigue
- Reduce lactic acid buildup
- Improve absorption of creatine
Check out this review of Zeus Juice.
