When it comes to athletes, no matter what level they may compete at or even if they are still just in the training stage, they will always be looking for the quickest ways to improve their performance or give themselves an edge. This is why the supplement market has exploded and become so lucrative.
As a result, new types of supplements are popping up seemingly every day, with each one claiming to be some kind of miracle pill that you need in your life. The problem is, while many supplements are indeed effective, others may only produce mild effects or can even be a scam altogether.
This is especially true of supplements that contain unusual ingredients or offer benefits or results that sound far too good to be true. This brings us to the topic of today’s article, as we look at one of these supplements that has been exploding recently, that being EPO Boost.
A supplement that claims to be able to improve your body’s natural energy production and increase your endurance, can it really live up to the lofty claims that it sets out for itself? Well, that is exactly what we hope to determine in the following, comprehensive EPO Boost review.
What is EPO Boost?
EPO Boost is a supplement designed to aid the natural production of erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone made by the kidneys of all humans to regulate their red blood cell production.
It can boost oxygen absorption, reduce fatigue, and increase endurance by allowing more oxygen to be carried at once in the blood.
Synthetic EPO was originally developed to treat anemia caused by kidney dysfunction, and it is still used medically to treat kidney disease in people on dialysis. However, endurance athletes, especially cyclists, have been known to use it to improve their performance.
Does EPO Work?
It is certainly logical to think that using synthetic EPO would enhance your physical performance and endurance. However, a recent paper in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology reported that in clinical studies they found no scientific evidence that EPO enhanced athletic performance in any way.
There is some discussion on exactly how these results should be interpreted though. For example, an elite cyclist may not benefit from taking synthetic EPO as they are already at an extremely high level of fitness and the gauges used to measure performance are often subjective.
This means it is possible that benefits were there but simply not noticed. In fact, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that recreational endurance athletes may indeed benefit from using synthetic EPO, which is possibly down to the fact that the results were simply more noticeable in their group.
Despite these results though, athletes may still be willing to risk their reputations in order to attain the supposed stamina boost that EPO can offer, as even the slightest edge can put winners over the line at the elite level, even if it turns out to be nothing more than just a psychological boost.
- RBC Support with Echinacea & Dandelion Root helping VO2 Max.
- Helps performance and endurance with echinacea, dandelion root, and iron.
- The active ingredient in EPO-BOOST has been shown to help athletic performance (VO2 max & running economy).
Side Effects Of EPO
The use of synthetic EPO is banned in the majority of professional sports leagues and competitions around the world. Its misuse can also lead to competitors being banned, as well as experiencing a range of serious health complications.
The World Anti-Doping Agency advises potential users that taking EPO can thicken your blood, which will increase your risk of experiencing deadly complications, such as heart disease or a stroke. The use of recombinant human EPO may also lead to autoimmune diseases with serious consequences.
This clearly shows that the reward is far outweighed by the risks, meaning the risk-reward ratio is not strong enough to justify using EPO for improved athletic performance.
Ingredients That Can Enhance EPO Effects Naturally
While taking synthetic EPO is extremely risky, there are some natural ingredients that may have the ability to enhance your body’s natural EPO production. By going about it this way, you will be able to enjoy the raised performance elevated EPO levels are said to offer the body, without the side effects.
Iron is a mineral that is essential for the production of hemoglobin, which is part of the blood that transports oxygen around the body. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help to improve iron absorption. Using this combination is a great way to naturally increase your body’s EPO production.
Then you have vitamin B12, a nutrient that is important for the production of red blood cells as a whole, while the b vitamin folate also plays a role in red blood cell formation.
There are even more unusual supplements you can use to boost your EPO levels. Echinacea is a herb that may help to elevate EPO production, while dandelion root is another herb that may not only aid in stimulating EPO production but can also increase iron absorption, raising your levels even more.
About The EPO Boost
EPO Boost is a natural blood builder produced by BRL (Biomedical Research Laboratories) Sports Nutrition. It is designed with only scientifically proven ingredients to help boost athletic performance and endurance, specifically your VO2 max and running economy.
It contains echinacea, yellow dock extract, dandelion root, choline bitartrate, inositol, PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), boron, lycopene extract, lutein 5% powder, vanadyl sulfate, iron, folate, vitamin c, vitamin b3, vitamin b6, and vitamin b12.
Rich in red blood cell nutrients and antioxidants, it helps to boost iron and EPO production, without using any banned substances or risking any side effects. However, there are some experts who do not believe that there is any scientific or medical data to support its claim of performance enhancement.
About BRL Science
BRL Sports Nutrition is a subsidiary of BRL Science, a global nutrition company founded in 2008 by a bioengineering team from UCSD. Located in San Diego, California, they focus on mixing scientifically backed ingredients with high-tech nutrient-delivery technologies, to produce powerful supplements.
BRL Science was founded solely as a human sports nutrition company, but they have since expanded their product offerings to include supplements for performance animals as well. All the products are tested for pesticides and heavy metals, use no artificial ingredients, and don’t cause any side effects.
The most popular animal supplements BRL Science makes and sells are for performance horses and racehorses. They all adhere strictly to the guidelines of the governing bodies of every major animal competition. Their goal is to help people boost their or their animals’ endurance and performance.
Our Experience With EPO Boost: Pros and Cons
So, now that you know pretty much all of the science behind EPO Boost, it’s time to give you a run-down of our own personal experience with it. We will lay out all of its pros and cons for you, to hopefully give you everything you need to work out whether it is the product for you or not.
Pros
EPO Boost perfectly assists consistent training and nutrition plans if used by dedicated trainers of all levels. It can enhance your physical performance and endurance, help to increase your red blood cell count, improve your breathing during workouts, and enhance your endurance and recovery time.
With the recommended dosage being just two capsules twice per day, it is easy to take as part of a regular routine. It can also help with things outside of the gym, such as altitude sickness, and it is fairly reasonably priced, particularly if you buy in bulk.
Cons
EPO Boost is not a magic pill like some of the marketing suggests. Not only must it be taken regularly for an extended period, but it will also require a consistent training and nutrition plan to be followed and a great deal of effort to be put in by the user.
It may not raise VO2 max for some users, and there is some data that it may not work for everyone, particularly those already at an elite level of fitness. Some users may experience adverse reactions, like hives or shortness of breath, and it may not be suitable for people suffering from polycythaemia.
Customer Reviews
When analysing the reviews of customers who had previously used EPO Boost or continue to do so, it was a mixed bag of both good and bad reviews. That said, the average rating definitely leaned more toward the positive side of things, rather than the negative.
The most mentioned EPO Boost benefits were its ability to improve attitude, alertness, energy levels, and motivation, and provide the ability to perform workouts without feeling as tired or worn down.
Cross-country runners stated that it allowed them to power up hills and run more frequently with less effort. They also said it could provide more endurance and better performance when they were really pushing themselves and allowed them to hold a speed longer without a drastic slow recovery.
There are also claims that it can help with recovery after training harder or for longer, or when doing workouts of a short but extremely explosive nature. Finally, the manufacturer offering a 90-day full money-back guarantee with all purchases was obviously extremely popular and provided confidence.
Unfortunately, the bad reviews also mentioned things like some users not noticing any increase in VO2 max or energy levels, while others didn’t see any significant improvements in their performance until they had been using it consistently for 3 to 4 weeks. This suggests it may not work for everyone.
People also said that they found it quite expensive, although this is somewhat subjective. What is not subjective though, is that it contains largely natural ingredients that are not necessarily expensive or hard to come by, so you could potentially get them all individually yourself, if you know where to go.
Who Is EPO Boost Best For?
EPO Boost is not for everyone, but it may be helpful for athletes or people who frequently engage in physical activities that require endurance. It is also not recommended for anyone who suffers from polycythaemia, as well as some other medical conditions, without consulting with a doctor first.
Where To Buy EPO Boost
EPO Boost can be purchased from a variety of different websites, but the best choice is from the official website, as this ensures you get the actual product and enjoy the 90-day full money-back guarantee. If, for some reason, you don’t want to go that way, Amazon is the safest alternative.
F.A.Qs (Frequently Asked Questions) About EPO Boost
Before we conclude our analysis, I want to go over some of the most frequently asked questions that people have about EPO Boost. This will ensure that everyone knows all that they need to, in order to decide if it is the right supplement for them or not.
Can I Be Sure That EPO Boost Will Work?
While the manufacturer says it works, they obviously would, and there are, unfortunately, some reviews that suggest it will not work for everyone.
However, as there are plenty of people who say that it does work for them and the makers offer full refunds within 90 days if you think that it doesn’t, there really isn’t any reason not to give it a try for yourself.
Has EPO-Boost Been Clinically Tested?
All of the ingredients have been examined and have at least some research to back up their claimed EPO support benefits, with echinacea having quite a bit of evidence. That said, the actual formula itself admittedly doesn’t appear to have been tested by any independent authorities or labs.
Is EPO Boost Both Safe And Legal For Use In Competitive Sports?
BRL Sports Nutrition state that all of their sports supplements are legal for use in all sporting events governed by both the WADA or USADA. This should be true of EPO Boost as the formula does not contain any dangerous stimulant compounds or banned substances.
EPO Boost specifically is manufactured in a fully temperature-controlled, FDA-inspected facility, to provide maximum product safety. The facility ensures the purity of the end product, as well as the accuracy of materials through inspection and evaluation at every step of production and packaging.
BRL Sports Nutrition claims that there have been no adverse side effects reported by anyone after they have used EPO-Boost. This leads us to conclude that it is totally safe and legal to use in competitive sports.
How Fast Can I Expect To See Results From EPO Boost?
The ingredients in the EPO Boost formula were generally shown to be effective within 7 days. That said, optimal endurance measurements were seen at about 28 days of continued use, which is when some users reported they started feeling the effects, so this is likely when it really starts working.
What Are The Components Of EPO Boost?
EPO Boost is a natural herbal dietary supplement containing nothing but clinically tested and proven, natural ingredients. It does not contain any ephedrine, ephedra, ma huang, yohimbine, or other dangerous stimulants, so you can be confident you won’t be taking anything that could harm you.
What Is The Policy On Returns & What Deals Are Available?
BRL Sports Nutrition offers all users a full 90-day money-back guarantee if they are not totally happy and they also run a Subscribe & Save Program which offers discounts and free shipping.
You can pick how often you are sent EPO Boost and the program will continue to send you it for as long as you remain a member, with the card you used for the first order being automatically charged the discounted price. The subscription can be canceled at any time without any notice or questions.
- RBC Support with Echinacea & Dandelion Root helping VO2 Max.
- Helps performance and endurance with echinacea, dandelion root, and iron.
- The active ingredient in EPO-BOOST has been shown to help athletic performance (VO2 max & running economy).
Alternatives To EPO Boost
By this point, you have all of the information on EPO Boost you need to make an informed decision. If you have decided it is not for you, you may be able to get similar effects by using either the ingredients found in EPO Boost or other performance boosters found in some popular pre-workouts.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid supplement that raises muscle carnosine levels. It can help to reduce fatigue during exercise and creates the pumped-up sensation many pre-workout supplements give you, giving users the physical and mental energy they need to push on through longer workouts.
Creatine
Creatine is a chemical found in muscles that, when taken in supplement form, can increase muscle energy production. It can enhance both your strength and endurance, leading to improved high-intensity exercise performance.
Nitric Oxide Boosters
Many supplements, particularly pre-workouts, are based on formulas that naturally enhance your body’s nitric oxide levels. This will increase blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to the muscles, enhancing your physical performance, endurance, and recovery time.
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola rosea is a herb that may improve endurance and reduce fatigue. While more evidence is required to conclusively prove its effects, the early signs are extremely promising.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a mushroom extract that there is evidence to suggest enhances oxygen uptake and utilisation, which improves endurance. Evidence is again quite limited but very promising.
Final Thoughts On EPO Boost
EPO Boost is a decent supplement for people trying to improve their endurance. Sure, it may not work for everyone, particularly if you are already at an elite level of fitness, but the signs suggest it will be effective in far more cases than those where it isn’t.
When it doesn’t put your health at risk and there is a money-back guarantee, that makes it worth taking a chance on. So, if you want to stretch out your workouts and take your endurance to another level, without risking your health or getting banned from competition, why not give it a go?