PrimaForce Peak O2: Enhance Your Workout with Mushrooms

PrimaForce Peak O₂ has sixty 2g servings of the extract, straight from Compound Solutions!

In 2016, Compound Solutions introduced a new cordyceps-based ingredient blend named PeakO₂, which was first encountered in Scivation’s Xtend Perform (now discontinued).

If you’ve spent much time following the PricePlow blog here, you know we’re always interested in the new up-and-coming ingredients helping to make athletes bigger, stronger and/or faster. This one could lead to performance-based gains, allowing you to train longer and harder while using less oxygen and energy up.

Previously, Xtend Perform was the only way to get it in, but thanks to Primaforce, Scivation’s sub-brand for raw material ingredients, you can try PeakO₂ in a standalone bulk container and add it to your favorite pre workout or BCAA supplement, making for a convenient way to test the supplement your way.

We’ve got the full analysis down below, but first, take a moment to check the best deal and sign up for alerts from PricePlow:

Primaforce PeakO2 Ingredients

PeakO2 supplies you with everything you need to increase endurance and stamina, ultimately making you a better athlete.

There’s just one single ingredient to analyze here: PeakO2.

However, PeakO2 is not just a single extract — it’s a patented and trademarked blend of several unique varieties of mushroom.

Leading off the blend is Cordyceps militaris, a truly radical variety of mushroom that’s loaded with all kinds of bio-active compounds. Cordyceps militaris has previously been researched for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, and pro-sexual benefits.^[1,2] However, a new landmark study conducted in 2015 gives evidence that it may in fact also enhance athletic performance!

The other back up players in the blend include: Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), King Trumpet (Pleurotus eryngii), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), and Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor).

The Landmark 2015 Peak O2 Study

With PrimaForce PeakO2 in hand, you will be a foce to be reckoned with when you enter the gym.

Conducted at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, researchers sought to determine the effects of PEAKO₂ on aerobic power, time to exhaustion, and lactate levels during high-intensity exercise.^[3] For three weeks, subjects consumed either 1.3 grams of mushroom blend or 1.3 grams placebo (composed of maltodextrin) 3 times per day, resulting in a total daily consumption of 4 grams.

At the conclusion of the three week trial, the group consuming PEAKO₂ displayed significant increases in peak power output, VO₂ Max, and time to exhaustion. Contrast that to the placebo group who showed little or no increases in performance parameters!

Two servings of Primaforce PeakO2 will give you the exact amount of used in the trial group, perfect for a pre workout serving and an intra or post workout serving!

A Bit More Info on Cordyceps

Cordyceps has always been one of those ingredients that’s piqued our curiosity. We first noticed when we checking out ONNIT, as they seemed to be pushing it for YEARS now. But, their hype seemed more based on theory than actual results. However, the recent UNC study gave us the first true human trial that gave us some hard evidence we felt comfortable and excited about.

Sure, we’ve read / heard about all the magic that is cordyceps sinensis, but it may not be the standout ingredient everyone first thought, especially given out inconsistent extracts of it are given the difficulty presented in cultivating the species.

With cordyceps militaris, though, we now have legitimate human research documenting it as a reproducible ingredient as well. We explain all of this in much greater detail in our investigative mega-post, Cordyceps Crackdown: A Hit-or-Miss MESS… Until Now!

But there’s more to Peak O2 than that…

The remaining ingredients in PeakO₂‘s blend are all mushrooms, so get ready to get up close and personal with lots of fungi!

• Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

  

  This incredibly-successful human study was actually done on a patented mushroom blend, named PEAKO₂.^[2] Is cordyceps militaris really where the action’s at? We believe so.

  Reishi is an incredibly popular mushroom used in Ancient Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine that we like to call the “man maker ‘shroom.” Research on reishi has documented it to be a rather strong 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that delays the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).^[4] Hair loss support, anyone???

  Additionally, Reishi limits estrogen expression in the body.^[5] So, in essence you get a two-fer here with increased testosterone (via indirect means) and decreased estrogen levels to elevate anabolism in the body.

• King Trumpet (Pleurotus eryngii)

  The King Trumpet mushroom, a.k.a. King Oyster mushroom, is a type of mushroom that’s used frequently in the culinary world for its meaty flavor and hearty texture. Not much research has been done on this particular variety in regards to performance or testosterone increase in humans.

  However, one animal study noted that high doses of the fungus over a period of 80 days, increased circulating testosterone five-fold!^[6] Researchers have hypothesized this increase is due to the presence of sterol molecules found in King Trumpet, which are structurally similar to testosterone, though no studies have been conducted to confirm the link between the two.^[7]

• Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

  

  Shiitakes are another of the collective “medicinal mushroom” family who have long been used in ancient medicine for their healing properties.

  Shiitake is another one of the popular “medicinal mushrooms”, along with reishi and maitake, due to their long history of medical use, particularly in China. Much of the research done on this species of mushroom is in regards to immune system enhancement, where it’s been shown to bolster immunity, via improved cell proliferation and activation and increased sIgA production.^[8]

  Note that SIgA antibodies prevent pathogens, micro-organisms, food proteins and assorted carcinogens from binding to the surface of absorptive cells, essentially neutralizing them from harming the body in any fashion.

• Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

  Here’s one of the newest ‘shrooms to burst on the supplement scene: Hericium erinaceus, better known as Lion’s Mane. This mushroom is loaded with β-glucan polysaccharides, which possess antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypolipidemic, and neuroprotective abilities.^[9]

  Recent studies on this novel extract have shown great promise in that researchers have documented increased neurite outgrowth activity (due to elevated nerve growth factor)^[10] as well as neuroregenerative properties in the area of nerve regeneration.^[11]

  This is the hallmark ingredient in numerous nootropic supplements made to increase focus, and from our experiences with it, Lion’s Mane seems to be the real deal – but there’s lots of other stuff in that product that we enjoy, so it’s tough to tell for sure.

• Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

  Turkey Tail is another immune enhancing mushroom being investigated for its anticancer properties. It’s rich in polysaccharide, known as polysaccharide A, which has been found to be beneficial as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment, particularly in regards to breast cancer.^[12]

  Other cancer-oriented research on Turkey Tail has shown that it’s able to normalize T cell counts that have been depleted due to chemotherapy treatments.^[13]

  As you can see, the mushroom blend in PEAK O₂ is incredibly comprehensive and covers a wide range of health and performance benefits that will translate to an all around more powerful and healthy athlete.ride K

Dosing

Mix one scoop into your favorite beverage. On training days, consume one serving before and one serving during or after exercise. On non-training days, consume two servings throughout the day. For best results use two servings per day.

Applied to your own standard supplementation regimen, you could consume your first serving of PeakO2 with your preferred pre workout, and then mix up your second serving with one of the top BCAA supplements we’ve discussed on the blog.

For non training days, simply mix a serving into your preferred energy drink or gaming supplement as you see fit.

Takeaway

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PeakO2 maximizes human power and endurance and can be incredibly beneficial for athletes of all types including bodybuilders, team-sport athletes, MMA fighters, and yes, even crossfitters.

Of all the new highly-touted “muscle builders” that come out each year, PeakO2 seems to be one of the few that has the bite to match its bark. It’s got the research documenting its success in human trials which goes a long way in our minds to proving its effectiveness. We’ve been loving it as part of Xtend Perform, and now that we are able to mix in into anything from pre workouts to even fat burners, or protein powders, makes it all the more versatile and easy to make sure we get our daily serving.

This is one ingredient you definitely need to try if you’re looking to up your stamina during your workouts and combat fatigue.

Note: PrimaForce is spelling it with a space, as Peak O₂, but Compound Solutions officially spells it with no space. Just an FYI.