DSM supports Dutch Olympic athletes

The company is supplying 20,000 servings of the powdered form of its PeptoPro, which it developed in partnership with the Dutch Olympic Committee/Dutch Sports Federation (NOC/NSF).

Together with a number of other Olympic-inspired moves, the donation essentially allows the firm to take its little share of the public attention that will be turning to the high-profile games over the next two weeks.

PeptoPro​

PeptoPro powder is made from acasein hydrolysate, which helps increase endurance and a quick recovery after intense training. It works by promoting the transport of sugars into muscle tissue and stimulates the synthesis of muscle protein after heavy exercise.

PeptoPro first saw the light of day in the 2004 Athens Olympics as a drink. Since then, DSM has been working on improving the product. These efforts have resulted in the present powder form. Stability has also been improved along with taste. The powder now allows athletes to supplement their own drinks. DSM said the powder form helps solve the problem of keeping the product cool, which in the past has been an issue. The ingredient has already been launched in the US, incorporated into sports drinks. The product will be available to Dutch athletes wanting to speed up their muscle recovery process, said DSM. “This is particularly important for athletes who take part in a series of events,”​ added the company.

Sports nutrition​

The sports nutrition industry has had to fight hard to protect its name against accusations of contamination. A series of negative publicity prompted the US supplements industry to launch a new campaign in June to educate government about the role that supplements play in sports nutrition.

The Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus will communicate such messages and has kicked off a series of meetings being held in cooperation with the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and the Natural Products Association (NPA).

The first meeting with key personnel saw more than 70 delegates attending the lunch briefing in Washington DC, where they were informed about some of the truths and misconceptions surrounding the issue.

According to Nutrition Business Journal​ the sports supplements market was worth $2.5 billion in 2007, eight percent more than 2006.

Sponsorships​

As part of its Olympic initiative, DSM is also supporting the Dutch Olympic Team. In addition, the firm is sponsoring a number of individual athletes.

In collaboration with the athletes and their coaches, DSM said it is working on innovations in the fields of nutrition and materials that could help boost the development of top level sports in general and the performances of the individual athletes in particular.