Cyclists have long sought ways to boost
their performance through nutritional
supplements and creative training strategies.
Some have gone as far as using synthetic
drugs and blood doping to gain an advantage.
One training strategy is giving some cyclists
EPO-like eff ects and in turn, increasing their
VO2 max.
The boost is coming from a product called
EPO-BOOST® - an all natural supplement
developed by U.S. based Biomedical Research
Laboratories. EPO is industry shorthand for
erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the
kidneys that regulates red blood cell (RBC)
production.
Increasing red blood cell production has
long been the focus of competitive athletes
due to the impact that RBC levels have on
oxygen intake and utilization. The greater
the red blood cell production, the greater the
body’s ability to absorb oxygen, which in turn
gives an athlete more strength and endurance.
Strength and endurance are precious resources
to any athlete. Thus competitive athletes have
tried various techniques to gain an advantage
by increasing EPO and RBC levels.
Traditional techniques for boosting RBC
levels include synthetic drugs and blood
doping. These practices are both dangerous
and banned by organized sports associations.
The makers of EPO-BOOST® claim that
their patent-pending formula is all-natural
and is clinically shown to safely increase
erythropoietin levels, resulting in greater
strength and endurance.
The scientific evidence behind EPO-
BOOST® does seem to be compelling. A 28-
day double-blind placebo-controlled clinical
trial, performed by Dr. Whitehead from the
Department of Health and Human Performance
at Northwestern State University, showed
that the active ingredient in EPO-BOOST®
increased EPO production by over 90%
compared to the group taking the placebo.^1
The supplement group also showed dramatic
improvements in athletic performance (as
measured by VO2max and running economy).
Since its release, competitive athletes have
raved about this new supplement, which off ers
all the benefi ts of greater EPO levels with none
of the dangerous side eff ects or legal trouble.
Pablo Santa Cruz, a category one cyclist, used
EPO-BOOST®. Pablo stated, “I am very skeptical
with nutritional supplements due to the
prevalent lack of clean manufacturing practices
and banned substance contamination. I am
very glad to have researched and tested EPO-
BOOST to my and my performance support
team’s satisfaction. Particularly, I am very
encouraged with breaking through key power
and speed thresholds after 6 weeks of using
these products.”
Mr. Cruz is not alone in his praise of the
product. Travis Beam, a top cyclist from North
Carolina, used EPO-BOOST® in his preparation
for his season. Travis stated, “starting the
season I made several goals to accomplish
in my racing career. To achieve those goals, I
knew I needed something extra to support my
training. After a month of using EPO-BOOST
I started seeing crazy gains in my endurance
and power during training and my speed
picked up to the next level! I am a fi rm believer
in these products and cannot wait to see how
these gains will help my performance in events
later this year.”
Not everyone is so endeared to the product.
Several athletes have said the supplementgives some athletes an unfair advantage.
They describe the performance improvements
as “unnatural” and pointed to athletes from
cycling and long distance running as evidence
that people are catching onto the supplement
and using it for a competitive advantage.
A company spokesman, speaking off the
record, admitted that the product doesn’t
work overnight and that most athletes won’t
see the extreme performance enhancements
for 3-4 weeks. In a world infatuated with
instant success, that kind of realistic admission
might cost some sales but is likely to keep
customers happy.
While the controversy over the advantage
athletes using EPO-BOOST® are obtaining is
unlikely to go away anytime soon, one thing
is for sure; blood doping and synthetic drugs
are a thing of the past now that amateurs
and professionals alike can tap into a natural
product that generates Olympian-like strength
and endurance.
Any athlete can use EPO-BOOST® without
a prescription and without changing a diet
or exercise regimen. The company off ers an
unparalleled guarantee. Athletes can use the
product for a full 90 days and if not completely
satisfi ed, send back whatever product is
remaining - even an empty bottle - and get a
‘no questions asked’ refund.
A company spokesman confi rmed an
exclusive off er for Bicycling readers. If you
order this month, you’ll receive $10 off your
first order by using promo code “Bike10”
at checkout. You can order EPO-BOOST®
today at http://www.EPOBOOST.com or by calling
1-800-780-4331.(^1) Whitehead et al. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 17 (2007): 378-9.
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Boost Your
Winter Training
BY MARK HANSEN