MMA Supplements: Is It Time For Traditional Supplement Companies To Tap Out?

As the sport of MMA continues to explode around the world, so has the industry surrounding this gladiator-like sport.  Rudimentary karate studios have evolved into complex training facilities featuring weights, cages, mats, and bag rooms; now know as MMA gyms.  The training is a mixture of wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, boxing and Muay Thai.  This extreme sport, which requires maximum peak physical conditioning, has also changed the face of modern sports supplementation.  With this in mind, many fighters are searching for the perfect supplementation system to compliment their training routine, and we have decided to take a deeper dive into the characteristics of these new supplements.

We all know BSN, the company that dominates the supplementation market with products like N.O.-Xplode, Syntha-6, and Cellmass among others. They sponsor fan favorite Forrest Griffin from TUF 1, and their logo penetrates every media outlet known to bodybuilding, football, baseball, and MMA.  So, with this in mind, how does a newer MMA only supplement company, like Brawl Nutrition out of Atlanta, stack up against the behemoth that is BSN? Do established supplement companies like BSN, EAS, MuscleTech, Optimum, or VPX truly understand the fight scene, or are they trying to capitalize on this new sport?

To understand the illusive differences between traditional supplementation and MMA products we sat down with Greg Latora, founder of Brawl Nutrition, and the only CEO we know who has publically challenged his competitors to step into the Octagon with him.  Much to my surprise, I found Greg to be an intelligent, clean cut guy who does not fit into the stereotypical mold of the MMA industry, aside from his lean athletic build.

KM: How did you get involved in the sport of MMA?

GL: I started out wrestling high school, which later morphed into years of BJJ and Muay Thai training.  After a knee injury, I gave up the BJJ and strictly train in Muay Thai and lift weights these days.  My many years of experience in these crossover sports have helped me design products for fighters.

KM: Why did you start Brawl Nutrition?

GL: I saw a void in the industry, and the larger nutrition companies did not understand the training routines or the needs of fighters.  For example, I started seeing traditional bodybuilding companies pushing their staple protein and creatine products towards MMA fighters.  I love and use protein and creatine, however, these products alone do little for fighters.  More specifically, ingesting creatine can increase the level of phosphocreatine in the muscles up to 20%, but it must be noted that creatine has no significant effect on aerobic endurance, though it will increase power during short sessions of high-intensity aerobic exercise.  This is great for your muscle building workout, but it does little to impact your performance during a two hour BJJ or Muay Thai training session.  The same can be said for the Nitric Oxide products that are on the market.  N.O. is a great supplement, but shakes, especially the kind that carbonate when shaken, like NO-Xplode, don’t feel great in a fighter’s stomach when they are getting slammed around on the mats.  Moreover, these quick acting formulas are also quick to leave your system, which creates an energy crash for fighters that train for two or more hours, which most fighters do.

KM: I notice that your products contain Nitric Oxide and Creatine, so how does Brawl differ from these traditional companies?

GL: I never set out to reinvent the wheel.  There is no best nitric oxide or best creatine.  I did, however, want to design supplements that would enhance the training level of fighters and only fighter.  To help you understand my approach, picture a football player or a typical bodybuilder.  What comes to mind? A 230lb guy? Maybe a 250lb guy?  Now picture a typical fighter.  Fighters are lean, they weigh less, they burn huge amounts of calories, and they are required to compete with high intensity for long periods of time.  This is why Brawl was designed in pill formula: no carbonation, no powdery liquids in your stomach, slower burn for longer lasting supplementation.  This is the idea behind Brawl, we dosed our supplements for 155-185lb fighters, used pure ingredients for maximum effectiveness, and truly took into account the delivery system of our products, so fighters aren’t choking down rancid tasting powdery drink mixes.  Look at N.O.-Xplode or Shotgun N.O., they both have heavy doses of stimulants within them.  Our research showed that fighters are already amped up enough during their training, and they might not want the edgy feeling that stimulants create.  This is why we separate our energy booster into our Rush product.  Your body can buildup a tolerance to stimulants over time, so we suggest fighters only take products with stimulants when they really need that extra push to get them through a workout.  You don’t have that option with mainstream product unless you want to miss out on your N.O. and other ingredients.  We are also about to release our joint maintenance product, Joint Warrior, which is something we feel is of high importance to fighters.  MMA training can put tremendous stress on joints, and MMA training, unlike most sports, can create angles that joints are not intended to bend.  Our post workout drink, Reload, was designed to replenish the high levels of calories fighters burn while bringing glucose levels back to normal by using organic sugar instead of chemically enhance sweeteners.  This drink mix also helps volumize blood flow to transport necessary nutrient back into the body.

KM: Xyience was the first MMA supplement company, and they filed bankruptcy, does this scare you?

GL: I admire Xyience for the dominance they once had within the UFC; however, they got greedy and overleveraged themselves.  I guess they tried to dig themselves out of debt by enter the highly lucrative energy drink market, which was not their core business.  Xyience’s mistakes are a valuable lesson for any business; however, their early success lets me know that there is a market for MMA supplements.

KM: Any parting words?

GL: Yes, I’d like to thank my sponsors: Brawl Nutrition and Team Brawl.  I’ve always wanted to do that.

I would like to thank Greg for his insight into the contrast between MMA and traditional supplements.  We look forward to more competition within the MMA supplement market, as it will help add variety for fighters to choose from.  Better fighters will assure a spectacular show for audiences.  In a sport that drug tests, supplements are the best option to help fighter get to the tops level: UFC, WEC, or Strikeforce.

About the Author

Dr. Kevin Moseley has been involved with health and nutrition for over 20 years. He has written many articles on such topics as Nutritional Supplements, Bodybuilding supplements, weightlifting supplements, vitamins and minerals to name a few. He is also an onsite doctor for many sanctioned MMA and boxing events in United State. Dr. Moseley is a contributor in Sport Supplements, American Cage Fighter, and VitaHealth magazines to name a few.

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