Reviewed by SupplementWatch.com
Energ-Ease, from Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition, is pre-exercise supplement intended to "boost energy levels, improve stamina, and enhance endurance performance." It's tagline ("Get up. Get going. Keep going.") suggests a delivery of both "quick" as well as "sustained" energy.
Energ-Ease claims that "as a regular part of your training regimen" the product can help:
- Increase VO2max (oxygen uptake and utilization)
- Improve adaptation to exercise stress
- Reduce cortisol levels
- Increase DHEA levels
- Reduce lactic acid levels
- Enhance oxygen utilization
- Improve beta-oxidation (fat-burning) during exercise
These are fairly aggressive claims - but they are validated by the levels of ingredients (see below) found in the product - and by a recent study in endurance cyclists.
The predominant ingredient in Recover-Ease is Cordyceps, a Tibetan mushroom shown in a number of studies to increase VO2max and oxygen uptake during exercise. Rhodiola is a Himalayan root known to boost endurance and stamina. Sometimes called the "poorman's cordyceps" because Sherpa climbers often chew rhodiola roots on Everest ascents (while cordyceps was reserved for the Chinese emperor and his concubines). Eleuthero, is also known as "Siberian ginseng" because of its traditional use in Russia as a "non-stimulant" energy booster. Ashwagandha, known as "Indian ginseng," delivers less of an energy "boost" but is used more often to reduce overall stress and promote mental focus. Eurycoma is a fairly new supplement to the American market. Sometimes called "Malaysian ginseng," eurycoma is traditionally used to increase energy levels and maintain mental and physical performance during stress. In a 2006 study presented at the International Society for Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Annual Scientific Conference, Energ-Ease was shown to reduce cortisol exposure by 32% and increase testosterone exposure by 14% during intense endurance exercise (compared to a control group). This study suggests that the product could help athletes to maintain an "anabolic state" in the face of intense exercise training (which can often lead to an overall catabolic state characterized by accelerated tissue breakdown, injury, and poor performance).
Each of the ingredients in Energ-Ease, and the levels at which they are provided, are not associated with any adverse effects.
Energ-Ease is a 5-ingredient blend of Cordyceps, Rhodiola, Eleuthero, Ashwagandha, and Eurycoma. Each of these ingredients falls roughly into a category of supplements referred to as "adaptogens" - suggesting that they enhance the body's ability to adapt to stressful events such as exercise stress. Each ingredient in Recover-Ease has some decent evidence for enhancing certain aspects of endurance exercise performance (see below), so the combination for an energy/stamina product is a logical one.
At $39.95 for 60 capsules (30 servings), Energ-Ease represents a terrific value compared to competing energy supplements - especially those based on "endurance" platforms such as cordyceps and rhodiola (which are expensive raw materials). For most athletes, the 30-servings will last 4-6 weeks (if Energ-Ease is taken on exercise days only, and everyone needs a few days off) - so the daily cost is in the range of $0.88-$1.33) - and excellent value for a well-formulated and researched nutritional product.
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