0
0
Last week we started a three-part series on performance boosters that you let increase your performance without having to train more.
Last week was about Creatine. This week, I’m going to cover Part 2 about Nitric Oxide boosters.
I’ll admit that I’m a regular user of Nitric Oxide boosting products. It is the simplest sports-legal way to immediately boost your performance.
Basically, I can ride at higher watts or run at a faster pace while staying in my comfort zone, just under my anaerobic threshold.
Sur Alt Red and SwissRX Nitric Oxide are the two popular Nitric Oxide boosters. Both work equally well, and I explain the differences below.
Some of the data from Sur AltRed’s research is impressive:
15% reduction in perceived exertion
14% less lactate production
3.5% more watts on the bike. While I’m not questioning their research, 15% lowered perceived exertion seems high to me. My personal experience is that it feels more like a 5% lower effort. In my books, 5% is a huge advantage and more than enough for me to use it.
Aside from helping make strenuous efforts feel easier, boosting Nitric Oxide is great for helping you break through performance plateaus and recover faster between strenuous efforts, like after a hard climb.
The simple science is that these boosters contain precursors that encourage your body to produce more Nitric Oxide. When Nitric Oxide in your blood increases, your arteries dilate, so more oxygen-rich red blood flow can flow to your working muscles.
If your muscles have just a tiny bit more oxygen, they can go harder for longer without switching to anaerobic work (without oxygen).
I equate the feeling to being just at your limit; it feels more comfortable and that you can stay there much longer.
While Nitric Oxide boosters can be taken on an ad hoc basis before a workout, it is more effective when taken daily. I spoke with Dr. Kevin Sprouse of the EF Pro Cycling team on his recommended protocol for SwissRX Nitric Oxide.
Take two capsules every morning.
Take 4 to 6 capsules 45 minutes before a high-intensity training session. If you wake up and go straight to your workout, then take six capsules in the morning. This protocol helps build up Nitric Oxide reserves for your training and has other daily health benefits of more blood flow.
What is the difference between SurAltRed and SwissRX Nitric Oxide?
SurAltRed is 200 times better than SwissRX because of the pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. SwissRX does not use the same quality.
Sur AltRed is an excellent product that our runners love. Its advantage is that it is just one tiny red pill that is easy to take. It is a highly concentrated source of betalains (from beets). The only disadvantage is that the effect tends to fade faster and thus is ideal for 2 hours or less workouts.
SwissRX Nitric Oxide is the least popular booster. Its advantage is that it lasts longer, usually 4 to 5 hours. The disadvantage is that it is many more pills (up to 6 for some people).
In the studies I have reviewed, both products reach the same peak levels of Nitric Oxide, which means that both are equally effective in that two hours or less window.
My daily protocol
For a long time, I would only take a Nitric Oxide booster before my more challenging workouts. Now, I’m following Dr. Sprouse’s advice and taking two capsules every morning, and I can attest that it works better.
