Immunocal and Athletic Performance

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HMS 90/Immunocal raises glutathione which improves athletic performance

Exercise physiology research has proven that raised glutathione (GSH) levels increase immune function, help resist infection, decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength and endurance, and shift metabolism from fat production to muscular development. Whatever the desired result, many athletes seek to raise their glutathione levels to improve their athletic performance to gain an "edge" over their competitors.

As Dr Jimmy Gutman, M.D.,FACEP describes it, " Glutathione is a peptide (very small protein) that occurs naturally within the body, where it is assembled by individual cells from its three components--the amino-acids glycine, glutamate (glutamic acid), and the all important cysteine. Because it contains three amino acids it is referred to as a tri peptide." Glutathione has three main functions which can be summarized as: antioxidant, detoxifier, and immune system enhancer.

Audio By Dr Jimmy Gutman on  Glutathione and Immunocal and Athletic Performance. This runs 1 hour and 15 minutes. It has a lot of general background information and lots of specifics for serious athletes. Well worth a listen when you have time. Dr Gutman has 2 books available about GSH. The 3rd Edition is available from kudo.ca and the 4th edition is on Amazon.com

 Why is this important to athletic performance ?

Exercise increases production of free radicals and oxidative stress which in turn, contributes to muscular fatigue. To combat muscle fatigue, athletes need to raise their glutathione levels whose biosynthesis is dependant on cysteine availability.

A Canadian study, performed by Dr Larry Lands from the Montreal General Hospital, shows that supplementation with a bonded cysteine product can increase muscular performance, improve body composition and antioxidant status.

Dr. Lands' double-blind study hypothesized that supplementation with a bonded cysteine donor (Immunocal/HMS 90) designed to augment intracellular GSH would enhance performance. Twenty healthy young adults (ten men and 10 women) were studied before supplementation and three months after supplementation with either Immunocal/HMS 90 or a casein placebo. Muscular performance was assessed by whole leg isokinetic cycle testing, measuring peak power and thirty-second work capacity. Lymphocyte GSH was used as a marker of tissue GSH.

Follow up data showed that supplementation with Immunocal/HMS 90 increased the subjects' peak power, thirty-second work capacity and lymphocyte GSH. Subjects in the placebo group saw no change. In addition, the subjects supplemented with Immunocal/HMS 90 had a decrease in their percentage of body fat while maintaining their weight.

(Results showed a 35.5% increase in lymphocyte glutathione levels for those taking Immunocal/HMS90 compared to a -0.9% for the placebo group.)

This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that prolonged supplementation with a product designed to augment antioxidant defenses resulted in improved volatile performance.

Testimonies About Athletic Performance

2. Diane started running at the age of 28. Today, at 55, Diane is still running. In 2006, she finished first in five 5K competitions and proud to say that she was able to beat "all the young ones". "About thirty minutes before training, I take both Immunocal and Xtra Sharp which provide me with enough energy to run for more than an hour; from 12 to 15 km. Following my training, the Immunocal helps my muscles rebuild due to its high protein content"

Diane has established 24 Canadian records in the 40 to 55 age category. In November 2006, in the 55 to 59 age group, she achieved a world record in a 15 km race which she ran in 59.05 minutes. Diane also set some recent Canadian records with a time of 18.45 on the 5 km track and 38.45 on the 10 km track. "I am convinced that Immunocal/HMS90 largely contributes to my success."

3. In 1997, Catherine was the nation's Duathlon Champion (cycling and running) and was encouraged to turn pro. As a Physical Therapist treating patients was a full time job so training days were difficult to manage. She began to experience frequent colds and flu symptoms especially when preparing for big races. These symptoms re-appeared every time she trained forcing her to retire for over a year. She learned that she was suffering from Adrenal Fatigue.

In 2005, she learned about Immunocal from a patient and began taking it. She was training for the Regional Duathlon Championships and wanted to see if it would make a difference. Not only did she stay healthy and avoid colds or respiratory infections, but she won the race and recovered very well. Immunocal made a believer out of her. In 2006, she repeated her triumph and is now qualified to compete in the Worlds in Hungary in 2007.

Consumerlab Testing Results

Copied from Immunotec's website

Immunocal has been tested as part of ConsumerLab.com’s Athletic Banned Substance

Screening Program which screens for over 170 substances (including metabolites) based

on the 2007 World Anti-Doping Code Prohibited List and has been certified free of any

prohibited substances. The screening includes testing for stimulants, narcotics, anabolic

agents, diuretics, masking agents and beta blockers based on the Olympic Movement

Anti-Doping Code or the codes of other sports organizations. To view Immunocal on

ConsumerLab.com’s website, visit http://www.consumerlab.com/results/bannedsub.asp.

For purposes of this testing, ConsumerLab.com acquired product through an independent

representative, ensuring that product tested was randomly selected from a specific lot.

Lot number for the testing was A3030731L, with an expiry date of 2009. To pass, a

product must contain no confirmed Banned Substance at a “zero-tolerance level”.

ConsumerLab.com reserves the right to disqualify a product at any time from passing its

testing if it considers such product to present a safety risk or to provide misleading or

inaccurate information.

Athletes have long included Immunocal in their training regimens based on its scientific

validation. Studies such as that by Dr. Larry Lands on the “Effect of supplementation

with a cysteine donor on muscular performance” show that Immunocal can be an

effective part of the athlete’s nutritional supplementation. An abstract of the study is

available at jap.physiology.org.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Northrop underlines that this latest

substantiation of Immunocal’s safety reinforces Immunotec’s commitment to providing

the public with the highest integrity nutritional supplementation available.

Immunocal has numerous North American and international patents, is listed in the

Physicians’ Desk Reference, the Pharmacist’s Red Book and is approved for

Medicare/Medicaid coverage in the U.S. Immunocal/HMS 90® has regulatory approval

and a Natural Product Number from Health Canada as a natural source of the glutathione

precursor cysteine for the maintenance of a strong immune system.