NingXia Nitro … oh, how I love thee! All joking aside, it is one of my favorite Young Living products and definitely the one that has had the most profound affect for me.
Let’s begin with what it is. The primary benefits of NingXia Nitro are described on YL’s website as:
- Increases mental fitness, cognitive alertness, and physical acuity
- Enhances athletic performance and endurance
- Boosts energy and serves as a daily pick-me-up
These cognitive enhancers include not only well-known B vitamins, green tea extract, and ginseng; but they also include a proprietary Nitro Alert™ oil blend consisting of vanilla and chocolate oils, yerba mate, spearmint, peppermint, nutmeg, black pepper, wolfberry seed oil and ribose.
What is ribose and why was it added? Ribose is a five-carbon sugar that is naturally produced in every cell and is the backbone of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a fundamental energy compound that drives nearly all chemical reactions in human cells. Although it is a sugar, it is metabolized differently than sucrose or glucose and is absorbed instantly into the bloodstream. Unlike other sugars, excess ribose isn’t converted into fat by the body; instead, it is saved for use in ATP energy production. This vital difference is key to the importance of supplementing; and doing so supports cellular energy levels, energy recovery and energy reserves. It also supports healthy energy levels in the heart and muscles.
So, what does that mean in English? Well, let me share my personal experiences with Nitro:
- I don’t feel a boost to my blood sugar followed by a crash like I often do with other fruit juices. I get a gentle lift that sustains me for the day.
- I also don’t get the jitters from Nitro like I get from any other sources of caffeine.
- If you are sore from a workout, your body will rebound faster with Nitro.
What other benefits come from Nitro? I’m glad you asked!
- Highest ORAC value of all YL products (ORAC is a way to measure antioxidant capacity. Antioxidants are important because they neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage cells and contribute to age –related degeneration and disease. Historically clove was known as having highest ORAC value—However, Yerba Mate essential oil, which is found in NingXia Nitro, has clove beat.)
- Combines 40 mg of natural caffeine with B Vitamins & Nitro Alert oil blend to help boost energy, alertness and cognitive function. (About as much as a cup of green tea, half as much as black tea and one fifth of what is in coffee, according to the Mayo Clinic.)
- Special form of D-ribose researched for ability to help increase energy and endurance, while protecting cells from oxidative stress and counteracting any jitteriness from caffeine.
- D-Ribose is a simple sugar molecule. Fatigue and exhaustion often occurs as a result of depletion of the vital molecule called ATP in human muscle. Injured or heavily used muscles are particularly vulnerable to low ATP supply and are slow to recover those levels. The more D-Ribose available, the faster ATP levels return to normal.
Soooo, ready to try it out?