Ascend Performance Fortify is here!

Fortify is a IV Stage Health Complex to help you achieve better health. With a plethora of patented ingredients like Tendoforte to help with Tendons and Ligaments, Fortigel to help with Bone and Joints, Endurobiotic to help with Gut Health & 5g of Creatine Monohydrate to help with Strength, Recovery and Brain Health. 

 Fortigel is a patented bioactive collagen peptide designed to support joint health and mobility. It's a specialized form of collagen protein that has been clinically proven to promote joint flexibility, reduce joint discomfort, and support overall joint function. Derived from a specific type of collagen, Fortigel is easily absorbed by the body, making it highly effective in nourishing and strengthening cartilage and connective tissues in the joints. It works by stimulating the body's own collagen production, which is essential for maintaining joint health and mobility, especially as we age. Penn State study confirms improvement of mobility with FORTIGEL® At Penn State University (USA, 2008), 147 athletes were recruited who experienced activity-related joint pain. Those athletes (mean age 20.1 years) were subdivided into one group taking FORTIGEL® as a nutritional supplement and a control group taking a placebo for 24 weeks. The severity of symptoms was rated both by the treating physician and by the study participants with a visual analogue scale. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, it was interesting to observe a statistically significant difference of pain perception between treatment and control groups. When utilizing alternative therapies such as hydrotherapy, massage and ice and heat packs, there was a clear-cut difference between the treatment and the placebo group in favor of the FORTIGEL® group. This was the first trial to show improvement of joint pain in healthy athletes treated with FORTIGEL®. In summary, the studies confirm that the intake of FORTIGEL® results in improvement of mobility in healthy individuals.

 TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS DETERMINE MOBILITY Strong tendons and ligaments are crucial for lifelong wellness and physical activity. Ligaments bind bones together and tendons bind muscle to bone. Made of collagen, they are the connecting elements of the body, crucial for movement control, stability, and better mobility. Especially for active people, soft-tissue injuries, those affecting muscles, tendons and ligaments, are extremely common at all levels of sport. Whether it is running, climbing, tennis, golf or soccer, most injuries result from the overuse of tendons. These are very common because strength, power, and speed are dependent on rigid tendons. However, harder tendons may be better for performance but they are also more injury prone. High performing tendons and ligaments combine strength and flexibility. Collagen fibres give them the right elasticity for optimal function and performance. Tendon injuries are characterized by collagen fibre degeneration and are slow to recover and disrupt training with a number of personal, competitive and financial consequences to the high performance athlete or the exercise enthusiast.

 TENDOFORTE® IS AN EFFECTIVE NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION FOR STRONG TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS Strong tendons and ligaments contribute to the foundation of high physical performance and fast return-to-training in athletes. They are also the prerequisite for the fluid and flowing motion required in isometric, high flexibility exercises, such as yoga and Pilates. The strength of tendons and ligaments depends on an intact composition of the extracellular matrix collagens, proteoglycans and elastic fibers. TENDOFORTE® is a Bioactive Collagen Peptide, optimized to stimulate the biosynthesis of new extracellular matrix molecules for healthy tendons and ligaments.

 TENDOFORTE® BENEFITS THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF MATRIX MOLECULES OF TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS A first experiment in-vitro observed that Fibroblasts, obtained from human ligaments and Achilles tendons, were able to produce significantly more tissue matrix (1.2 to 2.4-fold) when directly exposed to the Bioactive Collagen Peptides found in TENDOFORTE®. The RNA expression of collagen significantly increased, and the synthesis of elastin – the most prominent component of the ligament matrix – increased by approximately 50%.The break-down of tissue was also reduced. This was the first study to suggest a role for Bioactive Collagen Peptides in reducing the risk of injuries and rupture of ligaments and tendons. TENDOFORTE® IMPROVES EXTENSION PROPERTIES OF THE FINGER JOINTS In one of the first clinical trials to look at a nutritional intervention for connective tissue weaknesses, the oral ingestion of specific collagen peptides were shown to improve the extension properties of the finger joints, due to firmer ligaments. RECENT STUDY SHOWS THE EFFICACY OF TENDOFORTE® A study of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) examined the benefits of TENDOFORTE® supplementation over a period of 6 months (cross-over design). The participants were 20 subjects with long-term symptoms of chronic Achilles tendinopathy, not responding to any traditional therapies and being unable to train. Within 3 months, 12 out of 20 participants were able to return to running after starting a therapy with daily intake of 5 g TENDOFORTE® in combination with a highly specialized exercise program. Furthermore, the effect is long-term. The group starting with TENDOFORTE® in the cross-over design still had beneficial effects after the 3 months wash-out phase.