What do people know about the First Endurance line of products? Are they worth the money, if you already have a good diet?
There is quite a bit a chromium in the optygen and multi-v, Im not sure that is good long term.
I thought you liked KFC.
I figured I’d wait a month or 2 before I gave my 2 cents… but…
I stared using the Multi V about a month back… i like it, very much so. I have a good diet (except for my love of cake) and used to do the whole, Multi V and Fish oil routine. I used to get a bit sick feeling from taking the pills so i decided to go the easier/ cheaper route. Again I really enjoy the products… they seem to be top notch with service, and OVERPACKAGED both orders. I thought I was getting bike parts, but no… just small containers which were meticulously wrapped.
I did however also try the EFS bars (they came free with the Multi V order), needless to say I’m hooked… I haven’t had this good of a bar in a long time. It also digests easily, and i never get sick even when eating while running.
I will try the Optygen in the future… but they seem to be a great company… if you are interested in them I’d give it a go…
Been really happy with their products.
Especially Ultragen and Optygen.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1185304;search_string=;#1185304
1st Endurance products have come up a lot recently on this forum. Above is one of the threads. Glyn(my other half) and I use the products. He is sponsored by them so uses everything. Takes Multi-V and Optygen on a daily basis. Then uses the drink and Ultragen on the weekend for the long rides, runs, and bricks.
I only use Multi-V and Ultragen. I am addicted to the Orange Creamsicle Ultragen. It’s really tasty and on Saturday after a long ride and run BRICK it is incredible stuff. The next day on Sunday I can still get up and train for another 2 hour long run and 1-2 ride spin out. I only take Ultragen on the weekends unless I push the limits during the week.
The company is great and we have personally met Robert, one of the founders. Great guy. Great company. Great products.
Read the above thread as there is more information in there.
Margaret
I have used their products since October of 2006. I was able to get a partial sponsorship from them (so take that for what it is). I had used their products before so I had an idea of what to expect. I love their stuff. The bars are great, the muti-v is great. But to me the prove is in the puddin’. Since using their stuff, I was able to take about 45 minutes off my IM PR. My legs feel fresher during long runs and the next day.
I have tried most of the other stuff out there biobuilde, trigenix, Damage Control (that is also very good), etc… Most of the stuff did little or no difference. I do feel that the first endurance products have helped me train and race. A side-note by training partner also uses the stuff and he has also noticed a difference.
We are both over 40 eat fairly well and train hard.
echoing all the other comments: I saw a PR in every single distance last season, from a couple minutes at OLY to close to 90 minutes in IM (OK, so I had a lot to lose there), few seconds in Sprint and a minute at 1/2. Optygen works for me the way that they claim it does, lower HR at LTpower on the bike at at LT pace on the run (yes, I am sample size n=1, before I get bashed)
I take Multi-V daily and think I have a good to very good diet. I actually only take 2 instead of 3 though, kind of as “insurance”, plus it makes a bottle last 1/3 longer.
Love the flavors of everything I have tried. EFS was great as a drink and very, very good as a bar.
Also met Robert at Timberman, gotta love a guy that “talks the talk” and “walks the walk”. These guys really, seem to have legitimate scientific study behind everything they do…that was the selling point for me.
Have used only First Endurance products so I can’t compare but I have been really happy with them. I use the EFS drink and the Ultragen (which I especially love the Cappuccino flavor). I have started to try their EFS power bars. I really like the taste but don’t normally use bars for fuel so not sure if I will stick with them.
My one comment is that I have a difficult time digesting any gels with EFS. If I have any gels in my system and then add EFS I tend to have a slight stomach upset (usually on the run) but very slight. I usually break it up with Gel/water then 10-20 minutes EFS and that works pretty well. The thing that I love is that I contacted the company about it and they said they are coming out with their own gel really soon. They are testing it with athletes right now and was hoping to have it available this spring. I really like the company and their responsiveness to our needs.
Ultragen: love it…notice a big difference and I’m one of those people who tries everything and never gets the results that the other 90% of the population gets. I know that the typical scenario is to use Ultragen after a long bike/run (and I do) but I have noticed it to be particularly useful after a hard T-Pace type effort on the bike/run.
EFS Drink: Has a metallic aftertaste. Not real impressed with it but most sports drinks don’t impress me. What I do is add in a little Gatorade powder to dull the metallic taste.
the only first endurance product that i have used is ultragen. i’ve find it to be very helpful with recovery after long or hard workouts. the only drawback is the price (about $3 a serving).
I’ll chime in. I’ve been using their EFS drink for a few years now and love it. I’ve tried Gatorade, Cytomax, Endurox, Carbo Pro. All good stuff, but I still had either gastric issues or cramping issues. Since using the EFS drink, I’ve yet to experience any of these issues. Seems to have the right formulation for me. I want to try Infinit, but having no complaints with the EFS drink makes this decision hard.
With all the good feedback on Ultragen and their energy bars, I’m thinking about trialing that stuff soon.
The E-3 drink I used for a year or so was very good. Easy to go down, and never a digestive problem.
BUT - when it gets warm it tastes like spit. And when it gets warm in the summer the last thing I feel like drinking is spit. So I switched to Infinit.
I did love the Optygen though.
Good thing I love spit…
frank
What do people know about the First Endurance line of products? Are they worth the money, if you already have a good diet?
There is quite a bit a chromium in the optygen and multi-v, Im not sure that is good long term.
I have use their products they ARE good BUT and this is a HUGE but,
there are MUCH better products out there. I am sure the people who posted how good these products are are telling 100% truth. BUT I would bet dollars to donuts they have not tried the other products I am talking about or they would have switched unless of course they are sponsored by 1st Endurance 
I’m not sponsored by 1st endurance…what are these other products…i’m all ears
.
I was curious reading this thread so I looked at the ingredients.
Ultragen is nothing you can’t make and you can have it at a FRACTION of the price listed.
Get your whey from http://www.allthewhey.com - pick your favorite flavor. You will actually get a higher quality protein from their isolate this way.
Get your dextrose from any online source. I bought a 50 lbs bag two years ago for around $50 and I am still working on it.
Take a mega-man vitamin or similar vitamin.
L-glutamine. You can buy that seperately but I think you are going to get that amount in the protein.
The protein also has a superior BCAA profile.
Cost per serving? Under fitty-cent.
Optygen? Chromium is highly suspect. All of the other ingredients you can get for a pretty cheap. Generic CVS stuff.
Multi-V? See above.
As for claims of knockin 90 minutes off an IM time… ever heard of the training effect?
No? How about astroturfing? Like, this post was started by someone registered yesterday…?
I have use their products they ARE good BUT and this is a HUGE but,
there are MUCH better products out there. I am sure the people who posted how good these products are are telling 100% truth. BUT I would bet dollars to donuts they have not tried the other products I am talking about or they would have switched unless of course they are sponsored by 1st Endurance
I will pass on these “other” products. It is spring training and I already get my B12 injections from Palmeiro.