Replies to post #79619 on High Performance Beverages Comp. (TBEV)

[lineItemVeto]

That's really stretching reality.
Vitamins and caffeine is what energy drinks are, nothing special.
A wholesome diet would be more acceptable.

[Highlander_1]

You're right on the money... vasodilators, such as the amino acid L-Arginine and the vitamin Niacin (B3), will do wonders for many middle-aged men. It will make them feel years younger... in bed... No joke... these are common ingredients in erectile dysfunction (ED) dietary supplements aka neutraceuticals:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21966881/
"These preliminary findings indicate that the favourable cardiovascular effects of nutraceuticals might also reflect on male sexual function with possible implication in the treatment and prevention of ED. This study documents a considerable patient's interest toward nutritional supplementation--as first-line or adjunctive treatment to PDE5 inhibitors--that goes beyond the measurable increment in penile rigidity."

This already is a *huge* market that will simply increase as baby boomers age... and the supplement market will increase as states and private insurers stop covering ED drugs... the three top drugs alone brought in over 3 billion in 2006...
http://www.wikinvest.com/concept/Erectile_dysfunction_drug_market

...and put the ingredients in a discreet, ready to go beverage instead of having to buy them in a ED supplement pill at the health food store counter... vasodilators also increase libido in women as well...

A seminal study was conducted by the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/arginine/background/HRB-20058733

"Arginine is an amino acid normally made by the body. Arginine is also found in many foods that have protein.

Arginine becomes nitric oxide (a blood vessel-widening agent called a vasodilator) in the body. Early evidence suggests that arginine may help treat medical conditions that improve with increased vasodilation. These conditions include chest pain, atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), heart disease, heart failure, erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, and headaches from blood vessel swelling).

Arginine also triggers the body to make protein and has been studied for healing wounds, bodybuilding, enhancing sperm production, and preventing tissue wasting in people with critical illnesses."

A study published online in the Journal of Dietary Supplements on January 10, 2014 concludes: "L-Arginine may be effective at reducing central adiposity in obese patients."

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/19390211.2013.859216

The Mayo Clinic also grades the evidence for the use of supplements. A and B are strong and good scientific evidence for use: http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/arginine/evidence/HRB-20058733

There are three conditions that have good evidence that arginine may help:

Heart disease: There is good scientific evidence that dietary supplementation with L-arginine may help people with coronary artery disease, angina, or clogged arteries, due to its effects on blood vessels. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm these initial positive effects.

Heart failure: Arginine has been studied in people with heart failure. Longer-term studies are required to confirm the clinical benefit of L-arginine supplementation in people with heart disease.

Peripheral vascular disease/claudication: Peripheral vascular disease, also known as intermittent claudication, is a narrowing of blood vessels in the legs and feet caused by fatty deposits. This condition causes decreased blood flow to the legs and feet, resulting in leg pain and tiredness. A small number of studies report that arginine therapy may improve walking distance in people with claudication. Further research is needed.

There are 40 more conditions where treatment with arginine is still unclear and further research is warranted.

The Mayo Clinic is also studying how branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) may help with diabetes and aging in relation to mechanisms of muscle wasting and aging, and investigating the specific role of BCAAs as regulators of muscle protein expression and mitochondrial function in young and elderly people.

http://www.mayo.edu/research/labs/metabolic-basis-type-2-diabetes-aging-research/overview

and...

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123210000573
"l-Arginine is one of the most metabolically versatile amino acids. In addition to its role in the synthesis of nitric oxide, l-arginine serves as a precursor for the synthesis of polyamines, proline, glutamate, creatine, agmatine and urea. Several human and experimental animal studies have indicated that exogenous l-arginine intake has multiple beneficial pharmacological effects when taken in doses larger than normal dietary consumption. Such effects include reduction in the risk of vascular and heart diseases, reduction in erectile dysfunction, improvement in immune response and inhibition of gastric hyperacidity. This review summarizes several positive studies and personal experiences of l-arginine. The demonstrated anti-aging benefits of l-arginine show greater potential than any pharmaceutical or nutraceutical agent ever previously discovered."