Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
What’s really in your energy gel?
The village favorite of 2024
The workout killer
Arnold’s Podcast
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Nutrition
What’s (Not) Really In Your Energy Gel?
Think your carb gel is giving you exactly what you need to finish your workout? Think again.
A new study found that energy gels designed to support long-duration exercise don’t provide as much fuel as you think.
The researchers analyzed eight popular products, and almost all of them had inaccurate labels that inflated the amounts of carbs. In some cases, such as the product “Spring Energy,” — the gel contained 71 percent less energy (fewer calories) and 72 percent fewer carbohydrates than what was on the label.
It’s just another example of why if you’re buying any supplement — even something as simple as a carb gel — only buy third-party certified products.
Some supplements work, and carb gels can help fuel longer endurance activities. However, without a third-party certification, it’s impossible to know if what is stated on the label is actually in the product.
The gold standard certifications for label accuracy are NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport. The “For Sport” certification ensures that labels are accurate, the products include no banned substances, that you’re not taking in any dangerous levels of toxins or heavy metals — and that every batch is tested.
That’s why we recommend Momentous products. They invest in the certifications, meaning they put quality and safety first.
If you want to try Momentous products, as a member of the positive corner of the internet, you get 20% OFF your first purchase when you use the code “PUMPCLUB.” And, if you’ve been interested in their premium whey protein, they just dropped the price by $10. You won’t find a better formula on the market.
Together with Eight Sleep
The Village Favorite Of 2024
If you’re looking for a last-minute holiday gift — for yourself or someone else — the nearly 1 million members of The Pump Club have spoken.
We’ve shared many recommendations over the past 365 days. Some are partners, others are not. However, when we surveyed the audience, we found that we had a clear winner for the “favorite wellness product of 2024.”
It was a close race, and your favorite product of 2024 is The Pod 4 from Eight Sleep.
Most mattresses are just expensive foam. The Pod 4 is something entirely different—a personalized sleep system that adapts to your body and your night. Clinical research on the Pod 4 has found it can help you:
Fall Asleep Faster: The Pod 4 optimizes your body temperature to help you drift off quickly.
Stay Asleep Longer: With fewer disturbances, you’ll get uninterrupted sleep.
Increase Deep and REM Sleep: These are the critical stages where your body heals and your mind sharpens.
Dozens of studies suggest that a bad mattress is the reason for poor sleep quality. And the risk of settling for less is real. That’s because poor sleep is linked to hardened arteries and cardiovascular disease.
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 isn’t just another mattress; it’s a game-changer for your health. Unlike traditional beds stuck in the past, the Pod 4 is powered by cutting-edge technology designed to help you sleep deeper, recover faster, and wake up feeling unstoppable.
Clinical studies show it can add up to one more hour of quality sleep every night—and that’s a difference you’ll feel.
For a limited time, as a member of Arnold’s Pump Club, you can get up to $350 off the Pod 4 when you use the code “PumpClub.”
Fitness
Do Painkillers Kill Workout Performance?
If you’re trying to fight off soreness, a headache, or any other aches or pains, it’s probably not the best idea to pop a pain pill before a workout.
Recent research found that taking pain relievers (acetaminophen) before exercise can make your workout seem harder than it is and increase your perception of fatigue.
The study focused on how different combinations before a workout affect exercise performance and strength. Not surprisingly, pre-workout caffeine increased power, strength, and muscular endurance. Maybe surprisingly, combining caffeine and acetaminophen also led to improved workout performance. However, because of the study design, it was hard to compare conditions, meaning the benefits could be from caffeine alone.
What was clear was that taking acetaminophen alone before a workout likely leads to a decrease in exercise performance. So, if you need the pain pills, it’s best to leave them for another time of day — or maybe not at all if you’re using them to heal from hard workouts.
Research suggests that NSAIDs (think medications like Advil or Motrin) can slow your recovery. Even though most people consider it harmful, inflammation can be good and supports your natural healing process by removing dead cells and killing pathogens that could prevent your body from repairing. A little inflammation also helps you recover from exercise.
If you’re hurt and need the medication, please take what’s needed. But if you want to speed recovery, light movement (like a walk), foam rolling, using a massage gun, or yoga can help you bounce back faster.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
