Nektium wins 2024 Nutrition Research Initiative of the Year
“We participated in this competition to showcase the extensive research and development efforts behind Zynamite PX, a unique and effective solution that enhances mental and physical performance,” a company spokesperson shared. “This recognition validates our commitment to advancing nutritional science and delivering high-quality, evidence-based products to the market.”
The winning project, conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, found that Zynamite PX elicits muscle signaling changes in resting skeletal muscle resembling those described for exercise training and partially blunts the stress kinases responses to exercise as observed in trained muscles.
Zynamite PX
A combination of Nektium’s patented mango leaf extract Zynamite and Sophora japonica extract (standardized to 50% quercetin), Zynamite PX was investigated and designed to optimize athletic performance and support fast recovery after training at a non-stimulant, low single dose.
The ingredient’s two bioactives have been shown to work synergistically to target mental focus, alertness and clarity as well as power output and muscle mass maintenance to boost strength and reduce muscle damage.
Zynamite PX entered the U.S. sports nutrition market in 2020 where it is distributed by Nektium partner PLT Health Solutions to meet the increased demand for natural muscle health and mobility solutions.
“Fast-acting and experiential, Zynamite PX is an ideal ingredient for pre-workout formulations—and can also be effective in post-workout recovery-type products,” Devin Stagg, chief operating officer at PLT, said at the time. “Studies on Zynamite PX also support its use in extreme and endurance sports performance formulations.”
It is also certified clean by the Banned Substance Control Group (BSCG) testing lab.
The award-winning research
The ongoing research project began six years ago to identify bioactive compounds that would provide a safe, clinically proven, fast-acting product to support mental and physical performance along with post-exercise recovery.
It spans literature reviews, polyphenol screening, molecular studies and six peer-reviewed publications since 2018, showing Zynamite PX improves sprint performance, peak and mean power output, muscle efficiency, muscle-oxygen extraction and brain oxygenation. For recovery, it led to reduced muscle pain, lower concentrations of muscle-damage biomarkers in the blood and attenuation of the loss of vertical-jump performance (as measure of muscle damage).
The most recent study, published in 2023, identified a novel molecular mechanism of action by which Zynamite Px works in human skeletal muscle. It is explained by the expression of proteins associated with muscle metabolism, growth, adaptation and performance—changes usually observed with exercise training.
As Nektium explains, Zynamite PX mimics these positive effects of exercise to promote muscle-building at lower levels of muscle stimulation, suggesting potential preservation of muscle mass with “less pain, more gain.” Research has shown benefits across different demographics including men, women and older adults.
“Our judges were impressed by the trajectory of the science behind Zynamite, with a strategic approach to building the science over several years with multiple clinical trials, including ones that included men and women,” said Stephen Daniells, PhD, editor-in-chief at NutraIngredients-USA. “With female participants often overlooked in sports nutrition clinical trials, and the increased acceptance of the importance of muscle in healthy aging, Zynamite has built a strong and inclusive scientific foundation that is translating into market success.”
