Description
Human Performance Hub, PreTrain Complex powder, is a specific pre-workout formula providing beneficial nutrients to help support focus, power, and mental energy in athletes.*
There is no question that intense, prolonged training exerts significant stress on the central nervous system; thus, providing nutrients that optimise brain function may be highly beneficial to an athlete’s performance.
PreTrain Complex features creatine, tyrosine, acetyl L-carnitine, and Caffeine to help with focus and energy, while creatine is included to support strength.* Adenosine-5-triphosphate (as Peak ATP) is an essential compound in this formula, which helps support strength, power, and recovery and reduces fatigue resulting from exercise and weight training.*
PreTrain Complex powder has a pleasant-tasting, natural strawberry flavour and is sweetened with stevia leaf extract.
KEY INGREDIENTS AND BENEFITS
Acetyl L-Carnitine – Acetyl L-Carnitine (an acetylated form of L-carnitine, often referred to as ALCAR) is one of the most researched brain nutrients shown to enhance mental focus and energy quickly. Acetyl L-carnitine is similar to acetylcholine; therefore, it can stimulate acetylcholine receptors in the brain. The acetyl group allows it to cross the blood-brain barrier, which does not occur with L-carnitine. Thus, acetyl L-carnitine will support the brain as well as offer all the benefits of L-carnitine.
L-Carnitine is abundant in animal muscle tissue, including red meat. Its primary function is to transport fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane for fatty acid oxidation. Skeletal and cardiac tissues rely heavily on fatty acid oxidation and have high concentrations of carnitine. Supplementation of carnitine has been studied in many areas, including metabolism, cardiovascular disease, and sports enhancement.
L-Carnitine has been shown to improve exercise performance by enhancing the delivery of fat fuel to the muscles. It has also been shown to increase the anaerobic threshold, delaying the event where the muscles feel a “burn” from lactic acid.
Acetyl L-carnitine is mainly associated with preventing age-related memory decline and slowing Alzheimer’s disease; however, it is also very effective when used pre-workout for increasing mental focus and energy.
ALCAR increases dopamine, which enhances focus and motivation. It is a nutrient in which an increase in focus and energy is quickly felt within approximately 15 – 20 minutes after ingesting. This effect is best achieved with 1500 mg taken 30 minutes before training. This also happens to be the dosage at which the reversal of many signs of brain ageing occurs.5 Also, there are no side effects, only long-term benefits on overall brain health.
A study published in Cell Metabolism specifically related to exercise demonstrated that ALCAR plays a vital role in modulating muscle energy during muscle contraction, decreasing muscle fatigue, and reducing exercise intolerance.
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine – N-acetyl-L-tyrosine is the acetylated derivative of L-tyrosine. Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid synthesized in the body from the essential amino acid phenylalanine.
Tyrosine is the precursor amino acid from which the body makes thyroid hormone and dopamine, which is then converted to norepinephrine and epinephrine. Inadequate production of these hormones and catecholamines can compromise physical performance. These catecholamines regulate the stress response and are involved in basic nervous system activities, such as movement, memory, attention, desire, motivation, “fight or flight” response, heart rate, and energy production.
Acetylation helps to increase the stability and solubility of tyrosine. This makes tyrosine more bioavailable and efficient, and as a result, it is a superior choice for increasing the body’s levels of tyrosine. It is essential for numerous functions such as cognitive performance, improving stamina for exercise, and preventing excessive rises in cortisol levels.
N-acetyl-L-tyrosine helps support optimal sports performance for the body and the brain by alleviating stress, stimulating the brain, and improving workout intensity while preventing overtraining. This is essential for competitive athletes who have to perform at a high level. Tyrosine is a stimulating amino acid supplement that can be an excellent alternative to Caffeine. It is best taken on an empty stomach.
Adenosine-5’-Triphosphate (PEAK ATP®) – ATP is an energy-carrying molecule used in cells whose primary intracellular energy source for body tissues is well established. Extracellular ATP, however, is just as necessary as intracellular ATP.
Orally delivered ATP (which increases extracellular ATP) may help reduce muscle fatigue and enable a higher force output during repeated high-intensity bouts of exercise, these attributes being independent of intracellular ATP’s function as the body’s leading energy supplier. Blood levels of ATP are responsible for controlling muscle excitability, vasodilation, and anabolic signalling. Extracellular ATP increases calcium (the primary nutrient responsible for muscle contraction) and glucose levels within the cells.
Also, when intracellular calcium levels increase, there is an increase in the number of muscle filaments binding and the velocity at which these filaments slide to create a contraction.
Numerous studies have demonstrated ATP’s ability to increase strength and power, support recovery, and reduce fatigue. Specifically, extracellular ATP directly promotes the increased synthesis and release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGl2) within skeletal muscle and directly affects tissue vasodilation and blood flow.12 Research suggests that oral supplementation with ATP in combination with high-intensity resistance training increases muscle mass, strength, and power.
In addition, it can speed recovery, preventing typical declines in performance and providing athletes with a novel method to promote positive training adaptations.
Research has also demonstrated that 400 mg of ATP taken daily on an empty stomach 30 to 60 minutes before training is most effective for increasing power, strength, and vasodilation.
A study from the University of Tampa demonstrated ATP’s effect on increasing vasodilation and blood flow post-exercise. This study randomly divided twelve college-aged, resistance-trained males into ATP and no ATP groups. Four hundred milligrams of ATP were taken daily for twelve weeks, 30 minutes before weight training.
At weeks 1, 8, and 12, there were significant differences in blood flow at zero and three minutes post-exercise. This research demonstrates that oral ATP can increase blood flow during exercise recovery.
In another study, 400 mg of ATP taken daily for 15 days reduced muscle fatigue while improving muscle low peak torque through successive exercise sets. These effects indicate an improvement in overall training stimulus, which may have been brought about by more rapid repolarization and stronger action potentials later within sets.
L-Theanine and Caffeine (from Green Coffee) – The combination of L-theanine and Caffeine in a 2:1 ratio stimulates and boosts mental alertness. Together they provide a clean and calm focus without any jitters or hard crashes that are often seen after consuming products containing Caffeine.
Recommended Use: Mix 9 grams (approximately one scoop) in 250ml of water and consume 30 to 45 minutes before a workout or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
* The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
