Hydration specialist NUUN expands product line into recovery phase
The new product, branded as NUUN Rest, will be formally launched at the upcoming Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim, CA.
Vishal Patel, NUUN’s senior head of R&D and compliance, said the company saw significant opportunity in the recovery space. The company is already well established in the area of healthy hydration during the events themselves.
Alternative to recovery proteins
“A lot of recovery products are protein based. We wanted to take a different route and include some minerals that would take you in a direction of more restful relaxation,” Patel told NutraIngredients-USA. Patel, who is also the company’s head nutritionist, is an experienced competitor himself, having recently been a member of the Iowa State University triathlon club.
“We do envision innovating around recovery more and more,” he said.
The new product includes NUUN’s familiar suite of electrolytes. It also includes whole tart cherry powder and magnesium. The product is formulated like the other NUUN skus as a flavored effervescent tablet for dropping into a water bottle.
“This is about getting adequate amount of magnesium into your body post exercise,” Patel said. Magnesium is important for proper nerve function, he said, and having the right amount in the body helps nerves reset to normal activity after a high intensity workout or competition.
“It helps calm down those muscle nerve reflexes so your body can switch into this more restful state where it can start taking in nutrients to repair itself,” he said.
Magnesium, anthocyanins play role
Patel said athletes who are training hard frequently could be a particular risk for a magnesium deficiency, something that the company encourages with its base product.
“Magnesium excreted primarily through the urine. They are going to lose more magnesium on a day to day basis that will other people. If they are not paying attention to supplementing with magnesium they could have issues with exercise recovery,” he said.
Research has indicated that magnesium deficiency, along with that of other electrolytes, has been associated with muscle cramps that afflict some competitors near the end of races or after the events are over.
Patel said the tart cherry powder was chosen because of all the anthocyanin-containing polyphenolic ingredients, it has the most research backing.
“Whole tart cherry supplementation is probably one of the most researched nutrients of all,” he said. “It has been shown to relieve muscle soreness for both endurance athletes and strength athletes.”
NUUN will be showcasing its new product line as well as its existing lines for healthy hydration an immune support at its booth on the trade show floor, No. 5413.
