Kickstart is one of the newest additions to the 1UP family of supplements specifically created to help you achieve your potential and live your best life ever.
However, you might not be sure when to take it during the day, or what benefits the ingredients in Kickstart may offer.
Fear not, as we’re here to give you the rundown on this daily supplement to support health & fitness!
Let’s start with the obvious question on your mind…
Why Should I Use Kickstart?
Are you looking to boost metabolism?
Are you interested in better cognitive performance?
Are you curious what supplements help cleanse toxins and promote a healthy inflammatory response?
Then you’re in the right place!
Kickstart is a natural, non-stimulant supplement to help your mind and body jumpstart the day. Each serving supplies only natural ingredients that nourish your cells and support the body’s natural detoxification processes.
Who is Kickstart For?
Kickstart can be used by anyone -- students, executives, entrepreneurs, athletes, gym rats, you name it!
We created Kickstart with the mindset that it can fit into anyone’s supplementation regiment, no matter if they’re striving to crush it in the gym, office, home, or classroom.
What Are the Ingredients in Kickstart?
Kickstart brings together four powerful foods that have existed for centuries. It just so happens that these same foods are also frequently used to support total body health & wellness.
The four superfoods contained in every serving of Kickstart are:
- Ginger Powder
- Lemon Powder
- Turmeric Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
Let’s now take a little bit deeper look into each of the ingredients in Kickstart…
Ginger
Ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe) is widely used as a spice around the world.
Traditionally, the plant has been used for:
- Diabetes
- Gingivitis
- Asthma
- GI distress
- Neurological complications
The pungent spice is loaded with bioactive compounds, including gingerol and shogaol, that offer alluring pharmacological effects, such as[1,2]:
- Immune modulator
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antiemetic
- Anti-apoptotic
- Liver support
Ginger has also been known to stimulate brown fat thermogenesis, which supports increased energy expenditure and body recomposition. Plus, a 2019 review noted that ginger intake reduced[3]:
- Body weight
- Waist-to-hip ratio
- Fasting glucose
Ginger intake was also associated within better HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Lemon
Lemon hardly needs an introduction. It is a staple in virtually every kitchen and can be added to seemingly endless drinks and culinary dishes.
The juice is rich in several vitamins and minerals, the most well-known of which is Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant (and essential vitamin) that supports nitric oxide production, cardiovascular health, and immune function.[4,5]
In addition to vitamin C, lemons also contain hesperidin and diosmin, which have been found to beneficially impact cholesterol levels.[6,7]
Lemons have also been studied for its utility regarding weight loss, kidney health, and GI support.
Turmeric
Few spices or supplements have garnered the attention that turmeric has the past few years. It’s related to ginger, renowned for its brilliant yellow color and has been a culinary staple in Asian cuisine for centuries.
Turmeric is heralded for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. More specifically, the bioactive compounds in turmeric (such as curcumin) have been noted to increase the activity and expression of PPARγ, which helps limit inflammation and oxidative stress.
FYI, increased levels of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are known associates of insulin resistance and other cardiometabolic conditions.
The age-old culinary staple and healing agent also has been found to modulate the activity of GSH and SOD enzymes active, which supports the body’s production of natural antioxidants, such as glutathione and superoxide dismutase. This ultimately helps neutralize free radicals.
Turmeric (and its primary bioactive, curcurmin) have been studied across a wide range of applications and found to benefit[8,9,10]:
- Joint health
- Cognitive function
- Inflammatory markers
- Muscle soreness
- Pain (meaning it helps reduce feelings of pain)
- Immune function
- Markers of cardiovascular well-being (such as triglycerides and cholesterol)
Cayenne Pepper
Known far and wide for its tongue-tingling effects, cayenne pepper is a staple of Louisiana cooking, particularly in the southern regions of the state.
In addition to the flavor and heat it imbues in culinary concoctions, cayenne pepper also possesses several activities that are of particular interest to those looking to support cardiometabolic health and lose weight.
For starters, cayenne pepper (as well as other chile peppers) contain the fiery alkaloid, capsaicin, which has been noted to[11,12,13]
- Boost metabolism
- Support weight loss
- Relieve feelings of pain
- Improve athletic performance
- Lower blood sugar levels
- Reduce appetite (and therefore calorie intake)
Other research also suggests that capsaicin may offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Besides capsaicin, cayenne pepper also contains other beneficial compounds, including:
- Vitamin C
- Flavonoids
- Carotenoids
Each of these may help protect against cellular damage caused by oxidative stress.[Hamed M, Kalita D, Bartolo ME, Jayanty SS. Capsaicinoids, Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activities of Capsicum annuum: Comparative Study of the Effect of Ripening Stage and Cooking Methods. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019;8(9):364. Published 2019 Sep 2. doi:10.3390/antiox8090364]
What Are the Benefits of Kickstart?
The ingredients in Kickstart have a long history of use and are renowned for the beneficial properties, including:
- Antioxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Gut health
- Immune support
- Weight loss
- Blood sugar management
- Appetite suppression
- Thermogenesis
- Joint Support
- Cognitive Function
How to Use Kickstart
Kickstart contains NO stimulants and can be taken any time of day -- morning, noon, or night.
Personally, we enjoy mixing a serving of Kickstart with Organic Greens and Reds Superfoods in 10 oz of water and sipping it first thing in the morning.
But, if you train first thing in the morning, or embrace the intermittent fasting lifestyle, then you can enjoy this superfood health and wellness drink any other time during the day!
References
- Rahimlou M, Yari Z, Hekmatdoost A, Alavian SM, Keshavarz SA. Ginger Supplementation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Hepat Mon. 2016;16(1):e34897. Published 2016 Jan 23. doi:10.5812/hepatmon.34897
- Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, et al. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):157. Published 2020 Jan 6. doi:10.3390/nu12010157
- Maharlouei N, Tabrizi R, Lankarani KB, Rezaianzadeh A, Akbari M, Kolahdooz F, Rahimi M, Keneshlou F, Asemi Z. The effects of ginger intake on weight loss and metabolic profiles among overweight and obese subjects: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(11):1753-1766. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1427044. Epub 2018 Feb 2. PMID: 29393665.
- Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9(11):1211. Published 2017 Nov 3. doi:10.3390/nu9111211
- Mortensen A, Lykkesfeldt J. Does vitamin C enhance nitric oxide bioavailability in a tetrahydrobiopterin-dependent manner? In vitro, in vivo and clinical studies. Nitric Oxide. 2014 Jan 30;36:51-7. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2013.12.001. Epub 2013 Dec 9. PMID: 24333161.
- Choi GS, Lee S, Jeong TS, Lee MK, Lee JS, Jung UJ, Kim HJ, Park YB, Bok SH, Choi MS. Evaluation of hesperetin 7-O-lauryl ether as lipid-lowering agent in high-cholesterol-fed rats. Bioorg Med Chem. 2004 Jul 1;12(13):3599-605. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2004.04.020. PMID: 15186844.
- Kim HK, Jeong TS, Lee MK, Park YB, Choi MS. Lipid-lowering efficacy of hesperetin metabolites in high-cholesterol fed rats. Clin Chim Acta. 2003 Jan;327(1-2):129-37. doi: 10.1016/s0009-8981(02)00344-3. PMID: 12482628.
- Zeng L, Yu G, Hao W, Yang K, Chen H. The efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements on osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biosci Rep. 2021 Jun 25;41(6):BSR20210817. doi: 10.1042/BSR20210817. PMID: 34017975; PMCID: PMC8202067.
- Mishra S, Palanivelu K. The effect of curcumin (turmeric) on Alzheimer's disease: An overview. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2008;11(1):13-19. doi:10.4103/0972-2327.40220
- Mallard AR, Briskey D, Richards BExSSc A, Rao A. Curcumin Improves Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Postexercise Lactate Accumulation. J Diet Suppl. 2021;18(5):531-542. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2020.1796885. Epub 2020 Jul 24. PMID: 32705925.
- McCarty MF, DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH. Capsaicin may have important potential for promoting vascular and metabolic health. Open Heart. 2015;2(1):e000262. Published 2015 Jun 17. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2015-000262
- van Nooten F, Treur M, Pantiri K, Stoker M, Charokopou M. Capsaicin 8% Patch Versus Oral Neuropathic Pain Medications for the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Literature Review and Network Meta-analysis. Clin Ther. 2017 Apr;39(4):787-803.e18. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2017.02.010. Epub 2017 Mar 30. PMID: 28365034.
- de Freitas MC, Cholewa JM, Gobbo LA, de Oliveira JVNS, Lira FS, Rossi FE. Acute Capsaicin Supplementation Improves 1,500-m Running Time-Trial Performance and Rate of Perceived Exertion in Physically Active Adults. J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Feb;32(2):572-577. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002329. PMID: 29120986
