Anti-Bonk Elixir

By STEPHEN KRCMAR

For active outdoors people, there are two types of bonks: The one where you simply run out of energy wholly and completely, and the other kind, which is more subtle, where you make sloppy mistakes and/or lose motivation. Proendorphin, a supplement made by Saint Louis, Mo., based Nutraceutics Corp., is a prescription for the latter.

I’ve been using ProEndorphin on and off since 2004 when I read a review in Esquire magazine called “Does ProEndorphin deliver?” The writer of the article stated that within minutes of mixing the Tang-tasting powder with water, he had the desire to “complete every task I’ve been avoiding for the past several months and do sets of push-ups in between.” The article continued: “It’s a nicely-amped feeling, with none of the jittery highs and jolting lows of less refined stimulants like caffeine or guarana.”

A strong endorsement of a drug? Sure. Short of the opening lines of Hunter Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” I’d never read a stronger editorial endorsement of an unfounded substance.

But ProEndorphin is not an illicit drug. It employs caffeine as a stimulant. But its caffeine is a better caffeine, Nutraceutics Corp. cites. It comes from the Kola nut, a seed derived from the Kola tree “that is used traditionally to combat mental and physical fatigue,” according to the company. Ginseng, nutrients like DMAE and Inositol, and B vitamins are other ingredients in a supplement that the company dubs an “all-day endurance cocktail.”

Since that magazine article tweaked my interest a few years ago, I’ve used Proendorphin during a range of activities. On long bike rides when I was still hours from home and lacking get-up-and-go, a dose of Proendorphin changed my attitude 180 degrees and kept me going. When snowboarding, my mind sometimes goes before my legs, which results in sloppy turns or wipe-outs. But with ProEndorphin, I can squeeze out a few more hours on the hill.

One warning, if you’re sensitive to niacin, stay away. A few minutes after drinking the mix you’ll get an intense niacin flush. If not, it’s worth checking out.

As any responsible article on a supplement might add: These statements and information on Proendorphin have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

But I give it the thumbs-up. Convenient to carry, the Kool Aid-size packets fit easily in a pocket or saddle bag. And, just like the Esquire writer said, the drink is also good for big days at the office, enabling concentration for hours on end, even late in the day. All this for about $2 a serving or $38 for a case. www.nutraceutics.com

—Stephen Krcmar lives better through chemistry in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.