by Gary W. Hall, M.D.

If you want to swim at your very best, there are two very good reasons why you should be taking Thunderbolt daily. They both have to do with Thunderbolt’s primary ingredient, ATP.

You may have heard of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). Cellular functions of the human body, including muscle contraction, depend on it. This high-energy molecule is the equivalent of premium fuel for our muscles. Without it, our muscles don’t work. With it, we generate power to swim fast. So how do we get more of this important ‘fuel’ into our bodies? There are only two ways. Our bodies either manufacture it or we ingest it.

Inside our bodies, ATP is generated in three ways. Each of the three ways of generating ATP is time dependent. The earliest available ATP in the muscle comes from the ATP that is already available within the cell. Once physical exercise begins, this ATP works instantly. Creatine Phosphate is also stored in the cells and is readily converted to ATP. In either form, with maximum exertion, all of the available cellular ATP is used up in less than thirty seconds.

The next available ATP comes from the process called anaerobic respiration. In an oxygen-breathing mammal, anaerobic respiration is a stopgap measure to produce ATP while waiting for oxygen to come to the rescue. It is not a very efficient way to make ATP, but during maximal exertion, after we’ve used up all the available ATP, and until more oxygen arrives on the scene, it is the only system we have for about a minute or so to produce ATP. How inefficient is it? Without oxygen, for each molecule of glucose (required to produce ATP) we manufacture 2 molecules of ATP. With oxygen, one molecule of glucose will produce about 30 molecules of ATP. In other words, ATP is produced about 15 times more efficiently with oxygen than without it. What is worse, without oxygen, a byproduct, called Lactic Acid, is produced. Too much Lactic Acid will cause the muscles to tighten and reduce their power, otherwise known as ‘the monkey on the back’ syndrome.

Finally, once oxygen becomes available to the muscle and remains available to the muscle, ATP is produced in the most abundant and efficient manner (aerobic respiration… also known as the Krebs Cycle). Swimmers who can continuously deliver very high amounts of oxygen to the muscle during maximum exercise have what is called a high VO2 Max. These are the most conditioned and/or the most capable endurance athletes.

One reason for taking Thunderbolt capsules daily, from which the ATP is readily absorbed into your bloodstream, is to store as much ATP in your cells as possible. Doing so will avoid building up Lactic Acid while waiting for the aerobic pathway to kick in. So far as we know, there are no side effects from taking too much ATP, yet the cells will only hold so much. Having extra ATP in the blood, however, has another benefit.

At least one study has shown that ATP in the blood will cause an increase in blood flow to the muscles (peripheral blood flow). Of course, the more oxygen-carrying red blood cells that can get to the muscles, in theory, the higher the VO2 Max and the less time or need to produce Lactic Acid. So the ATP in Thunderbolt provides you with two advantages during competition or training and helps you perform at your best.

Thunderbolt should also do well in combination with our Race Club product, liquid Oxygen. When you take the liquid Oxygen prior to competition, your blood will be saturated maximally with oxygen within seconds, preparing you to race with less need to breathe. Taking Thunderbolt and our liquid Oxygen in succession, the extra oxygen should get to your muscles that much faster.

Finally, just to put a little extra kicker in the Thunderbolt formula, we added three of the most important amino acids. These are not just building blocks for muscle protein but are also precursors of dopamine that helps keep you stay alert and ready to race.

What all of this means is that Thunderbolt should help you swim faster by providing more immediate muscle fuel and more oxygen to manufacture more fuel for your muscles. Thunderbolt should also help your recovery by restoring your fuel supply quickly. Unlike with some products that take a long time before any effect is noticed, you should immediately feel and see the difference Thunderbolt makes. Order it today on line and let us know how it is working for you.