Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, vitamin D3 is a natural product. It is a form of vitamin D that occurs naturally in some foods and is also produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) can be found in foods such as fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel), eggs, and liver.

No, this is a natural product that strengthens your immune system. If you have an excess of vitamin D3, your body will simply regulate it.

Yes, a sports fruit snack with 30 carbohydrates is always a good addition. However, it is advisable to use caffeine in the second half of the effort when you can best take advantage of the caffeine boost effect.

Yes, a pre-workout is highly suitable for short efforts. The greatest effect occurs in the first 60 minutes after ingestion. So, yes, it is ideal for short efforts, including a short Zwift race or intense workout.

A pre-workout is used for endurance training or intense efforts. The effect of a pre-workout is to maximize endurance and minimize decline in performance during the first two hours. You can also use a pre-workout for short, powerful efforts such as sprint training or indoor Zwift races.

Yes, you can definitely do that. You can also add 1 to 2 packets to 500 to 750 ml of water. This way, you get a sports drink that is easy to digest and has a neutral taste.

Adding Carb Max sticks to your isotonic drink is done to increase carbohydrate intake. This converts an isotonic drink into a hypertonic drink, which means you will absorb less fluid but get more carbohydrates. This is ideal if you have a high energy expenditure or when you cannot drink for a while and want to load up on carbohydrates/energy. You can add 1 to 2 packets to an isotonic drink, allowing you to process up to 105 carbohydrates in a bottle.

Yes, the sticks are neutral in taste and can be added to any sports drink or water. Ideally, use 1 to 2 sticks per 500 to 750 ml. However, to optimize their effectiveness and to avoid overstimulating your intestines, it is advisable to add them to water or Neapharma’s Pro Isotonic. The Carb Max sticks are specifically designed to work optimally with these products.

Hydro contains salts and minerals to replenish what you lose through sweat, ensuring your muscle function remains optimal. At Neapharma, several minerals, vitamins, and salts have already been added to the isotonic drink. If you have a high sweat rate, lose a lot of salts, or exercise in warm (sunny/indoor) conditions, it is advisable to use Hydro or O.R.S. as an extra supplement to support your fluid balance for good muscle performance.

Yes, the sticks are neutral in taste and can be added to any sports drink or water. Ideally, use 1 to 2 sticks per 500 to 750 ml.

Hydro contains salts and minerals to replenish what you lose through sweat, helping to keep your muscle function optimal. O.R.S. is a ratio of salts and minerals in an ideal balance to maximize absorption. Often, Hydro is sufficient, but for people who lose a lot of salts during exercise, an O.R.S. ratio may be necessary. Hydro = 1 stick. O.R.S. = 2 sticks.

The Boost gel from Neapharma has a neutral pH, meaning it is as digestible as water and doesn’t put extra strain on your stomach. This allows you to use the gel at any time. However, it is wise to only use the Boost effect of caffeine in the second part of your effort. The effect slightly diminishes if used continuously over several hours.

All Neapharma gels are supplemented with extra fluid. This is to ensure faster absorption, easier digestion, and to support your fluid balance during exercise. Every Neapharma gel is as efficient as an isotonic gel in terms of fluid absorption, but contains more carbohydrates/energy.

All Neapharma gels are supplemented with extra fluid. This is to ensure faster absorption, easier digestion, and to support your fluid balance during exercise. Every Neapharma gel is as efficient as an isotonic gel in terms of fluid absorption, but contains more carbohydrates/energy.

The 45 carbohydrates per gel are ideal for building up to a maximum of 130 carbohydrates per hour without causing stomach discomfort. The combination of 45 carbohydrates from the Carb Max gel and 33 carbohydrates from an isotonic drink already provides 78 carbohydrates. If this is not enough, you can choose to further build up with a Carb Max gel (45), Carb Max stick (35), or isotonic fruit (25). For runners who cannot drink large volumes, a Carb Max gel is also an ideal solution to still take in enough carbohydrates. Moreover, the Carb Max gel contains extra fluid to support fluid balance, digestion, and absorption speed.

The Carb Max gel contains 45 carbohydrates and provides longer-lasting effects. The energy gel contains 33 carbohydrates and can deliver energy for 45 to 55 minutes. The Carb Max gel will keep you going for well over an hour because it has more carbohydrates.

Yes! Generally, this is not harmful. However, we recommend avoiding caffeine products for the first 90 to 120 minutes, as there is little added benefit since the pre-workout is already working. Additionally, you risk putting extra strain on your intestines. After 2 hours, it is a good time to use a caffeine gel again.

Always begin with 10 grams and gradually increase to 20 grams. This product varies greatly from person to person, so find your own dosage, but start with 10 grams and then scale up.

Yes, it is often recommended to take omega-3 fatty acids throughout the year. Omega-3 is essential for your health, especially for supporting your heart, brain, and inflammatory responses. Since the body cannot produce these fatty acids on its own, a constant intake through diet or supplements is important.

This is also valuable for athletes to help manage injury-related issues.

You produce vitamin D by converting sunlight into vitamin D. Often, summer is not enough to compensate for the deficiency in winter. Therefore, it is advisable to take vitamin D3 throughout the year. However, if you want to skip a season, summer is the best time to do so.

All Neapharma products are pH-neutral. Without flavoring and acids which affect pH, everything is absorbed faster and more effectively for maximum impact, without stressing your stomach and intestines. In addition, products with a neutral pH are kinder on your tooth enamel.

All Neapharma products are perfectly suitable for children to take. But we would like to emphasize that you should not go overboard with this. We personally are not fans of children taking recovery shakes (which are not cheap either) or omega-3.

Just like adults, children can also benefit from an isotonic sports drink during an effort. They too sweat and exert themselves, just like adults. In fact, some 13-year-old children are training quite hard for their age, making sports nutrition necessary. But if your children go cycling for an easy one-hour ride, there’s not need to equip them like pro athletes.

Pro-Leucine does indeed have a similar effect to BCAAs. After all, BCAAs are a mix of leucine, iso-leucine and valine.

While leucine is only one of the three BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), it is the most powerful of the three (leucine, isoleucine, valine). Leucine provides the most muscle power and is responsible for switching on protein synthesis to build, maintain and repair weak or damaged muscles. In addition, both leucine and isoleucine have the ability to help your body with muscle building and muscle recovery after exercise.

Leucine is most effective when taken in its pure form.

The Pro-Elite Recovery is best used after your hard and/or long workouts. Daily is not necessary. After short, non-strenuous workouts (lasting less than two hours), you’re better off with Pro-Leucine. A full recovery shake would be an overkill for these easier days.