What is Vitargo?

What is so special about post-workout recovery and this product? First, we need to look at the post-workout window and the special properties of this particular high molecular weight carbohydrate.

The immediate post-workout window, also known as the "anabolic/anti-catabolic window", is without a doubt the critical window for anyone looking to build muscle and improve performance. The nutrients consumed during this period can have a huge impact on body development and overall health. There are countless products on the supplement market that are specifically designed for use immediately after training, some of which are better suited for this purpose and others less so.

Scientists began studying the effects of loading up on carbohydrates back in the sixties. This research eventually culminated in the development of an entirely new carbohydrate product that is clearly superior to most other carbohydrates for post-workout use.

What makes Vitargo® different from other carbohydrate sources?

With Vitargo is a patented high molecular weight carbohydrate produced from a special barley starch. The actual starting substance is of secondary importance and a product like Vitargo could in principle also be made from waxy maize starch, rice starch or potato starch, as the special extraction process is primarily responsible for the special properties of the finished end product. This extraction process gives Vitargo its special molecular fingerprint. As this manufacturing process is protected by patents, not every company can produce a product like Vitargo.

There are now numerous studies that have demonstrated the special properties of Vitargo. These studies show that Vitargo is far superior to conventional carbohydrate sources such as maltodextrin or simple sugars such as dextrose after training. These are human studies carried out with athletes, rather than inconclusive animal studies. In addition to these studies, the practical experience of countless athletes shows the benefits of Vitargo.

But apart from the special manufacturing process, what makes Vitargo different from other carbohydrate sources such as carbohydrate drinks like Gatorade or plain white bread? The key to Vitargo's effectiveness lies in its osmolality, its molecular weight and the branching of the starch chains.

Osmolality refers to how much water is drawn around a specific object. As Vitargo has a low osmolality, very little water is drawn into the stomach, which means that Vitargo does not lead to a bloated stomach after consumption. No stomach bloating means that it passes through the stomach quickly, which is desirable as regeneration does not take place in the stomach but in the muscles. A longer gastric retention time of the carbohydrates consumed after training means that the critical time window after training cannot be used optimally.

The short gastric retention time and fast gastric passage make Vitargo so effective. Vitargo passes through the stomach and into the bloodstream twice as fast as conventional carbohydrates. The faster a carbohydrate product passes through the stomach and into the bloodstream, the faster it can replace muscle and liver glycogen used during training. As long as carbohydrates are in the stomach, they can do nothing.

However, the low osmolality associated with Vitargo's molecular size is not the only reason Vitargo enters the bloodstream faster than other carbohydrates. The second reason is the high degree of branching of the starch chains. All low osmolality starch products may be able to pass through the stomach quickly and enter the small intestine quickly where they are digested and absorbed, but what good is a product that enters the intestine quickly but is digested and absorbed slowly?

In addition to Vitargo reaching the small intestine twice as fast as the same amount of maltodextrin or simple sugars, it is also digested and absorbed faster. The massive branching of the Vitargo molecule allows it to be digested and absorbed into the bloodstream twice as fast as other carbohydrates. This has been clearly demonstrated in human clinical studies.

Because Vitargo passes through the stomach twice as fast and is digested twice as fast in the small intestine and enters the bloodstream, Vitargo is much more effective than other carbohydrates.

The insulin advantage

So far, we have a way to get glucose into the bloodstream at record speed without causing stomach bloating.

In addition, a scientific study showed that insulin levels increased 1.8 times faster after exercise than after consuming an equivalent amount of maltodextrin or sugar just 10 minutes after ingesting 100 grams of Vitargo.

Insulin is particularly important in post-workout recovery as it opens the muscle cells to the supply of glucose, amino acids and other nutrients. In addition, insulin is the human body's primary anti-catabolic hormone, which stops the increased breakdown of muscle protein that follows intense resistance training.

The huge increase in insulin levels caused by Vitargo explains why it replenishes muscle glycogen stores 1.7 times faster than the same amount of other carbohydrates. Insulin activates glucose uptake into the muscles and storage in the form of glycogen.

Recent studies may show a way to further improve the effect of Vitargo. A recent study concluded that a combination of Vitargo with L-carnitine can dramatically increase carnitine stores in the muscles. This results in more carbohydrates being stored for increased growth and recovery, while ensuring that fat is still burned.

When you train with weights or do other high intensity sports, the faster you can absorb nutrients and replenish glycogen stores after your workout, the faster you will recover from those workouts. If you can end the muscle catabolism that follows training more quickly, you will also achieve faster gains in muscle mass and a faster improvement in athletic performance.

Why are well-filled glycogen stores so important

If the body lacks glycogen during exercise, it will be difficult to maintain exercise intensity and achieve a muscle pump. In addition, glucose is the brain's preferred source of energy. This glucose can come directly from the digestion of the food you eat or the breakdown of glycogen stored in the liver.

Without sufficient amounts of glucose to fuel the brain, lethargy and fatigue can occur, while a lack of glucose in the muscles can result in a drop in exercise intensity. To prevent this, Vitargo can be consumed before, during and after training, without training being hindered by a bloated stomach.

The next level - Vitargo S2

This product is characterized by a much better solubility in water and other liquids. In general, starch products do not dissolve particularly well in water, which is not much different with the original Vitargo. But Vitargo S2 is different.

The truth about waxy corn starch

The first studies to investigate the particular effect of a product made with the special manufacturing process used by Vitargo used a product made from potato starch or waxy maize starch. The results of these studies led to some supplement manufacturers simply launching waxy maize starch on the market and claiming that it had similar effects to Vitargo.

These products are said to pass through the stomach faster, replenish glycogen stores faster and better, increase insulin secretion and speed up recovery, but in reality they work no better than plain white bread. The only advantage that waxy maize starch has for the manufacturer is that this product is very cheap to produce and therefore allows a high profit margin.

A human study comparing waxy maize starch with a mixture of maltodextrin and sucrose and with white bread found that waxy maize starch and white bread supplied the body with glucose at the same rate, while the mixture of maltodextrin and sucrose released glucose into the bloodstream twice as fast.

In addition, the mixture of maltodextrin and sugar produced an insulin response three times stronger and white bread twice as strong as waxy maize starch, indicating that waxy maize starch is a more slowly digestible carbohydrate source.

Since the goal after exercise is to replenish muscle and liver glycogen stores as quickly as possible and have a strong insulin response, and you want to have as much readily available carbohydrate as possible during exercise, these results do not necessarily favor waxy maize starch.

A summary of the benefits of Vitargo

• The special patented manufacturing process is responsible for the special properties of Vitargo
• Vitargo passes through the stomach and into the bloodstream twice as fast as maltodextrin and sugar
• Vitargo replenishes muscle and liver glycogen stores 1.7 times faster than maltodextrin and sugar
• Vitargo causes a 1.8 times stronger and faster insulin release than maltodextrin and sugar, which accelerates the replenishment of glycogen stores
• Vitargo passes through the stomach particularly quickly due to its low osmolality and high molecular weight and does not cause bloating of the stomach
• A combination of Vitargo and carnitine can increase muscle carnitine and glycogen stores while the body continues to burn fat