Ultra Energy Science

Science is in our DNA.

Näak Ultra Energy™ science was developed to meet the specific needs of ultra endurance Athletes. The idea is simple: the ingestion of a few macronutrients such as carbohydrates and electrolytes is not enough to fuel ultra distances. After a few hours of effort, you need a complete nutrition approach to go farther, longer.

Gastro intestinal issues are the first cause of DNF* in ultra trail.

Gastrointestinal symptoms affect 85% of Ultra-Trail runners and are the leading cause of DNF, or "Did Not Finish" (23%).*

In 2016, we discovered that ultra distance athletes were bonking because they were using products that were inadequate:

use of products made for short to medium distances
lack of protein and overuse of sugar that leads to energy crashes and guts problems
unsustainable ingredients that harm the environment

At Näak, we launched a range of new products specifically made for ultra distance that helps athlete perform with no gastro-intestinal discomfort.

What is Ultra Energy™?

Long-lasting energy to go longer and farther.

Näak Ultra Energy™ Science provides you with a complete nutrition to help you go longer and farther.

The technology we developed is based on 3 pillars:

A mix of simple and complex natural carbohydrates to avoid sugar crash and ensure a long lasting energy
Complete & sustainable proteins with natural BCAAs to reduce muscle fatigue and optimize your glycogen store
A blend of electrolytes to replenish minerals lost in sweat and prevent cramping

Mix of simple
and complex natural carbohydrates

In all Näak products, we use several sources of carbohydrates with a wide range of glycemic index (GI) that provide you with a low glycemic load and ensure long-lasting energy:

high GI: brown rice syrup, cane sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin
medium GI: dates
low GI: maple syrup, oat flour, wheat flour

Beyond these diversified sources of carbohydrates, we always include proteins, lipids or fibers in our products.

Complete & sustainable proteins

Ultra endurance efforts such as marathons, ultra trail or ironman triathlons have been shown to increase muscle fiber breakdown. It is therefore necessary to consume proteins, and particularly EAAs (essential amino acids) and BCAAs (branched chain amino acids) to build and maintain muscles during a long distance physical activity.

The need for protein and BCAA is higher for ultra-endurance athletes, ranging from 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg/day depending on the studies, compared to 0.8 g/kg/day for usual recommendations.

Näak Ultra Energy™ provides a mix of proteins (EAAs and BCAAs) during exercise, in combination with carbohydrates. We aim to provide 0.3g/kg of protein over a period of 3 to 5 hours during an endurance race to optimize muscle resistance.

Complete electrolyte profile

Näak Ultra Energy™ provides a complete electrolyte profile adapted to ultra endurance efforts:

400 - 600mg / hour of sodium- 100 - 200mg / hour of potassium- 50mg / hour of magnesium
Electrolytes include all the minerals that play a role in the functioning of the human body. They are used by many metabolic pathways during endurance exercise but are also be lost in sweat. As a result, they have to be replaced to maintain proper general functioning of the human body during exercise.
Sodium and potassium play a role in fluid balance in the human body and are involved in the transfer of nerve messages. Magnesium and calcium act as molecules of assistance for the manufacture of proteins, the transport of glucose to the brain or the metabolism of fat.

Natural ingredients and macronutrients

Näak products are all made up of several natural ingredients which, when put together, create a complete product with sugars, electrolytes and also complete proteins.

Developed and tested with elite athletes

All our products are developed hand in hand with elite athletes through the Näak Lab. Some of the world's best ultra trailers are fuelling their training and races with our technology. Thousands of elite and amateur athletes around the world depend on Näak to explore new playgrounds and redefine what is physically possible. For the latest updates on which athletes are using our products follow us on Instagram.

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