How to Increase VO2 Max and Increase Athletic Performance

Maximise Athletic Performance

Have you ever felt that you could run faster and push harder if only you had more oxygen in your lungs? When your body can take in and process more oxygen, it produces more energy, allowing you to extend yourself for longer and go further, faster. VO2 max is a measure of aerobic capacity and oxygen utilisation in athletes. Increasing your VO2 max has everything to do with intensive training and superior nutrition. Taurine, magnesium and N-acetyl carnitine support energy production, increase oxygen utilisation and help maximise your performance. If you want to improve your VO2 max along with your athletic ability, Endura Sports Nutrition provides tools to support streamlined energy production and performance.

Efficient Energy Production

Intense, sustained training requires efficient energy production, which our body creates in the mitochondria: the power stations in your cells (see Figure 1 below). The most efficient way to produce energy is with the help of oxygen which is also known as aerobic energy production. Without oxygen, your cells can still produce energy (anaerobic energy production), but rather inefficiently and only for a few minutes. This process also produces lactic acid as a waste product, which accumulates to cause pain, fatigue and eventually muscle failure. If you want to train harder for longer, you need to increase your oxygen utilisation and aerobic capacity.

Figure 1: The mitochondria creates cellular energy1

VO2 and You

Science has found a way to assess aerobic capacity in athletes by measuring the maximal oxygen usage - also called VO2 max. Up to the point of VO2 max, your body is able to take in and use oxygen in increasing amounts to amplify energy levels. Beyond the point of VO2 max, your body produces waste products, such as lactic acid, which lead quickly to fatigue. The longer you can use oxygen for energy and minimise waste products, the longer you can perform at your peak. By increasing your aerobic capacity and pushing your VO2 max to a higher level, you may see improvement in race times.

Nifty Nutrients

There are a few nifty nutrients that can help you increase your VO2 max and improve your athletic potential. Taurine has been shown to increase VO2max, time to exhaustion and maximum workload.2 In other words, taurine can help you push harder, for longer and go further, faster. Endura Max contains a combination of magnesium, needed for cellular energy production, together with a hefty 3 g of VO2 max-increasing taurine. Magnesium has also been shown to improve race times for athletes in endurance events.3 Endura Max delivers 300 mg of Meta Mag® Magnesium per dose in a highly absorbable, well tolerated form of magnesium diglycinate. For best results, we recommend taking one serve of Endura Max twice daily.

Colossal Carnitine

Carnitine is another important energy-boosting nutrient. Carnitine shuttles fat molecules to the mitochondria so that they can be used for energy production. Athletes who took carnitine had an increase in VO2 max and improved exercise performance.4,5,6,7 N-Acetyl Carnitine comes as a potent powder or in convenient tablet form. For best results, take 1 tablet of Endura N-Acetyl Carnitine twice daily, or to assist with physical exertion take 3 tablets twice daily. Alternatively you can take ¾ of a teaspoon of the powder 1-2 times daily.

Augment Your Intensity

You don’t have to rely purely on grit and determination to improve your exercise performance; exciting nutrients from Endura Sports Nutrition can help you along the way. Endura Max and Endura N-Acetyl Carnitine allow you to focus on enhancing aerobic energy production and VO2 max to amplify your performance potential. Use Endura Sports Nutrition and ascend to the next level of athletic intensity.

* References available on request.

* Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist contact your healthcare professional.

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.