Is Sodium Phosphate, found in Race Day Boost and Perpetuem, safe to Consume?
Yes, sodium tribasic phosphate (also referred to simply as sodium phosphate) is remarkably safe, especially in the relatively small amounts found in Race Day Boost and Perpetuem. Sodium phosphate enjoys FDA "GRAS" (Generally Recognized As Safe) status as an emulsifying agent, Nutrients and Dietary Supplement, a sequestrant (a food additive whose role is to improve the quality and stability of the food products), and for miscellaneous use.
The LD50 of orally dosed sodium tribasic phosphate for rats (the amount of an agent that is sufficient to kill 50 percent of the rats) is 7,400 mg/kg. Translated for a 75 kg/165 lb. athlete, that would mean a dose of nearly 555 grams (555,000 mg), an astronomically high amount that no one would even conceive of trying to take. By comparison:
- The LD50 of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) for rats is 4,220 mg/kg
- The LD50 for rats consuming acetic acid (vinegar is a dilute aqueous solution of acetic acid) is 3,310 mg/kg
- The LD50 of sodium chloride (table salt) for rats is 3,000 mg/kg
More information can be found in the article "Alleviating Sodium Phosphate Concerns" in Endurance News #69, beginning on page 48.
How much sodium is in a serving of Race Day Boost?
Every four-capsule dose of Race Day Boost contains 1,000 mg of sodium phosphate, 300 mg of which is comprised of sodium. The standard loading dose protocol is four servings a day for four days, so you'll be adding 1,200 mg of sodium to your daily total. Over the course of four days that's an additional 4,800 mg of sodium being consumed. The majority of athletes already consume far more sodium than is necessary from their diets, so it's extremely important to lower your dietary sodium/salt intake, especially when doing a loading dose of Race Day Boost.
Why doesn't Hammer Nutrition sell a creatine product?
When creatine supplements were in their infancy and not widely available, we did sell a creatine product. We discontinued it several years ago for a couple of primary reasons, one of which was the ever-increasing number of locations, such as health food and drug stores, online bodybuilding-specific stores, and even supermarkets, where creatine supplements could be found. Additionally, while creatine supplementation certainly has its place (primarily for off-season weight training workouts), we believe there are far better endurance-specific supplements available.
Creatine monohydrate (the most common form of creatine sold) is converted to creatine phosphate in the body. Phosphate molecules are then donated to replenish the short-term ATP-CP (adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate) energy system, which is of benefit primarily-to-solely for strength athletes (e.g., weight lifters, bodybuilders) or athletes engaged in short-duration, high-intensity bouts of exercise or races (e.g., track sprinters).
Race Day Boost and Perpetuem contain sodium phosphate, which we believe to be a much more appropriate creatine-like supplement for endurance athletes. This is because sodium phosphate not only replenishes/restores the short-term ATP-CP energy system, it also enhances the medium-term anaerobic/lactic acid energy system and the longer-term aerobic/oxygen energy system.
Are your supplements 3rd party tested?
Yes, every Hammer Nutrition supplement is 3rd party tested in compliance with the FDA’s regulations, 21 CFR Part 111 – Dietary Supplements. All the raw materials for each supplement we produce are tested for purity, strength, identity, and integrity. In addition to raw material testing, every Hammer Nutrition supplement is also tested in every stage of production—blending, encapsulation / powder-filling, packaging components and finished goods—before being released for distribution.
