Asea Oportunity

7/23/2019 Asea Oportunity

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Mens Health Magazine selected Rich Roll one of Americas 25 Fittest Men

ASEA, Redox Signaling & Performance

About a year and half ago, my friend Timothy Harrington started bugging me, doing

his best to convince me to try this new product he was involved with called ASEA.

Sorry buddy. Never heard of it. Not interested. I politely replied, rejecting the offer.

Just take a look. Studies on athletes have shown that it can significantly increase

aerobic capacity in endurance athletes and decrease recovery time between workouts.

I think this could really benefit you.

Whatever. Ive heard it many times before, and Ill hear it again, Im sure. Justanother new product hitting the market making claims it simply cant support. Anyone

who knows me knows that I am incredibly particular about my nutrition an intense

pickiness that extends beyond my whole food plant-based diet to the supplements Ichoose to incorporate into my daily routine. In fact, I do my best to keep my dietary

supplements down to a bare minimum only taking into my body that which is

absolutely required to ensure my system gets what it needs; what I might haveoverlooked due to dietary restrictions; or what I may need to enhance recovery due to

heavy training. And the supplements I do use are generally organic and plant-based as

opposed to chemical in composition things like EFA Oil, plant-based protein


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powders, Chlorophyll, spirulina, and L-Glutamine. But thats pretty much it, other

than the plant-based recovery elixir I have been developing with Ascended Health. SoI cant say I was exactly open to trying a new product I not only had never heard of,

but whose only active ingredient was also something I had never heard of redox

signaling molecules.

What is Redox Signaling?

Im not a doctor. But I was pre-med for two years at Stanford, where I studied humanbiology and organic chemistry. And so to a limited degree, I know a few things. But

redoxmumbo-jumbo. Tims a nice guy, but I wasnt buying. Thanks but no thanks.signaling molecules? What the heck is that? I chalked it up to creative marketing, crypticallydressing up what clearly was nothing more than the latest snake oil with some half-baked

scientific labeling

But Tim persisted. Just try it, he urged, following up by sending me a litany ofresearch materials and scientific studies performed by disinterested third parties on the

science behind redox signaling and reactive molecules. I read them all, then did my

own research. Its very complex stuff, indeed. But Ill do my best to explain what I

learned in the most simplistic of terms.

Lets start at the beginning. The human body is made up of somewhere in the range of

100 trillion cells. Within each cell are mitochondria, which are responsible for the

creation of energy by way of what is called the Krebs Cycle. This process entails theconversion of glucose to ATP. The byproducts of the Krebs Cycle along the Electron

Transport Chain are what are known as redox signaling molecules (RSM).Originally, scientists perceived these byproducts as metabolic waste oxidants andreductants that must be purged from the cell in order to remain healthy. However,

current research suggests otherwise. That in fact a proper homeostatic balance of

oxidants and reductants is absolutely necessary for maintaining cellular health,

including virtually all of the functions of the immune system and tissue regenerationresponse. In the most simplistic terms, they provide a means by which cells participate

in intra- and inter-cellular damage-control communications, activation of antioxidants,

cellular protection and defense against toxins and free radicals, and in the healingresponse. The human body is constantly working to maintain cellular health by

balancing these redox signaling molecules to rid the body of harmful components andto clean up the oxidative stress and free radical damage that occurs at the cellularlevel, while simultaneously ensuring the cells ability to maintain proper

communication with its environment. When these reactive molecules are in the proper

balance, the immune system and healing process function at their optimal level.


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Virtually all disease and bodily challenges are caused by what is called oxidative

stress a increasingly salient reality of living in modern times attributable to a widevariety of factors, including sun damage, excessive exercise, electromagnetic

radiation, food additives and preservatives, x-ray radiation, prescription drugs, heavy

metals, stress, anxiety, air & water pollution, lack of sleep, and toxic industrialized

chemicals to name a few. These factors cause our cells to produce an excess of

oxidants in comparison to reductants thus throwing off the cells homeostatic

balance of RSMs and promoting the proliferation of harmful free radicals. But this

imbalance is how the cell detects damage and is signaled to repair itself. The immune

system is summoned, prompting repair, or replacement of the cell via mitosis (cell

division) of a neighboring healthy cell. Without this excess of oxidants indicating

oxidative stress, the cell wouldnt know to reach out for restorative help. Too many

oxidants leads to a proliferation of damaged cells. But too few oxidants impairs the

cells ability to signal an immune response and to repair damage. Therefore, balance

homeostasis is key.

However, chronic oxidative stress leads to a proliferation of free radicals that unlessneutralized, lead to cell damage that will continue to worsen damaging the cell

walls, vessel walls, proteins, fats and even the DNA nucleus of our cells until the

cell can no longer properly function. The result advances the aging of tissues, leading

to poor health and the potentiality for degenerative disease.

It is for this reason that we are constantly inundated with the health benefits of anti-

oxidants. The idea is that these molecules combat the proliferation of free radicals in

an effort to bring the cell back to healthy homeostasis. But herein lies the rub. First,most antioxidant supplements are molecules far too large to pass through the cell wall,

averaging about 200 atoms in diameter. Therefore, most (some scientists estimate

about 90%) are denied entry to the place where they are needed most inside the cellwhere the free radicals are found. Second, one anti-oxidant molecule is empowered to

combat one free radical molecule before becoming essentially inert. It is thus a 1:1

ratio. However, the body generally harbors about 100 sextillion free radicals a day.Thats a heck of a lot! Due to this restrictive 1:1 ratio, scientific studies show that

your body cant possibly ingest enough antioxidants to eliminate the number of free

radicals your body makes every day. For example, you would have to eat 32 pounds

of strawberries, 31 pounds of raspberries, AND 15 pounds of dark chocolate per dayto achieve the antioxidant power that it would take to eliminate the free radicals that

are created naturally in the body.

ASEA

This is where ASEA comes in as the first and only RSM supplement. As stated

above, stable RSMs are central to the bodys healing mechanisms, mediating multiple


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cellular defense, repair & replacement signaling pathways. ASEA purports to have

determined a completely stable, balanced, bio-available and entirely non-toxicformula of RSMs native to the body that can effectively penetrate the cell wall (unlike

most anti-oxidant supplements), efficiently combat free radicals, stimulate the bodys

production of its own anti-oxidant defenses, and stabilize the proper homeostasis of

oxidants to reductants to optimize cellular communication, repair, and replacement,

thus enhancing the bodys ability to properly function, recover, and simply work as

designed.

Moreover, independent studies show that ASEA when in contact with living cellsincreased the efficiency of some of our bodys most important native antioxidants

inside living cells such as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD)

more than 500%. In other words, ASEA is purported to significantly stimulate the

cells own production of the master antioxidants inside the cells without causing aninflammatory immune system response. What does this mean? It means that the body

becomes empowered to neutralize approximately 70,000,000 free radicals per second

the rate at which native Glutathione Peroxidase is able to process oxidative freeradicals. Quite an improvement over the results that can be achieved by a diet rich in

anti-oxidants.

But let me be clear on one point that is likely on your mind. ASEA is not a vitamin,

mineral, juice, or antioxidant. And yet it is not a drug either, having received the cleancertificates of analysis required by the UCI, the organization that coordinates and

monitors doping in cycling. There is nothing in ASEA that could possibly be

classified as a banned substance. Period. Again, ASEA is entirely non-toxic andnative to the body. In fact, it doesnt force the body to do anything it wouldnt

ordinarily do. Its not a cure to anything, and is not a replacement for proper nutrition.

It merely enhances the bodys innate ability to repair itself. The company describes

the product as follows:

ASEA is the worlds first and only Redox Signaling Molecular Supplement based on

over 16 years of scientific research, 23 patents and approximately $17 million in

research. ASEA is a proprietary blend of naturally occurring reactive molecules in asalt-water solution derived from a patented redox balanced process. This unique

patented electro-chemical process rearranges the salt-water solution constituent

components into a beneficial mixture that is critical to proper balanced cellular

chemistry in the bodyenabling the immune system to function at its optimal level.The ASEA salt-water solution is the same solution found in every cell in the human

body.

The purported benefits of ASEA extend to athletic performance. ASEA studies on

athletes demonstrate:


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* An increase in athletic endurance, as measured by time to ventilatory threshold and

time to VO2max , by more than 10% on average;* A 10% increase in the athletes ability to sustain maximum threshold

* A reduction in heart rate in some cases, evidencing an increase in aerobic capacity;

* A reduction in soreness, inflammation and recovery time; and

* An increase in lactate flushing by 5-10%.

Granted, these are studies conducted by ASEA. So its not surprising that the findings

were positive. Additional double-blind studies on ASEAs effects on athletic

performance are currently in motion under the authority of highly reputable third party

laboratories, so I anxiously await those results.

Fine. All well and good on paper. At least enough to convince me to give it a try. So

about a year ago a short while before ASEA was even officially introduced to the

marketplace I relented and Tim sent me a crate of the stuff. At first taste, I have to

say I was not impressed. The stuff tastes like pool water. But I agreed to give it anhonest go, my expectations limited at best. 4 ounces twice a day. Bear in mind that my

first-hand findings are hardly scientific purely anecdotal in fact. Not a variable-free

double-blind study by any stretch. But I have to say that I did find that my trainingkicked into high gear. I was recovering rapidly between workouts, despite a very

heavy load averaging around 20-25 hours per week, particularly in the lead up to

EPIC5. I did not get sick, injured or overly fatigued. I just got stronger. My power onthe bike continued to escalate, and I did not experience the weariness I had suffered

this same month of training the year prior. To double check, I went through my

training logs from the previous season and evaluated where I stood in comparison. Tobe certain, I understand that there are other factors at play having only been

competing in endurance sports for a few years, it is to be expected that I would

continue to improve, particularly as I learned more about how to perfect my nutrition.But the gains exceeded what I anticipated, and this was reflected in my periodic

lactate tests, which give me an accurate window into my true physical condition.

And so I continued to use the product. I trained for EPIC5 on ASEA. And have been

using it consistently ever since. I realize there will be naysayers and doubters outthere. I dont blame you. I was definitely one of them. But I do believe that I am

realizing tangible performance gains as a result of consistent use, most noticeably in

my ability to recover between workouts.

Despite my inner conviction of the benefits of the product, I remained reluctant to

speak publicly about my experience until I could better understand the science behindASEA. So I reached out to the companys higher-ups, and recently flew out to their

corporate HQ in Salt Lake City to learn more. Despite the gains I knew I had reaped

by using the product, I still had many doubts. But I spent several hours meeting with


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Dr. Gary Samuelson, the scientific mind behind ASEA. A PhD in Atomic/Medical

Physics from the University of Utah with a specialization in the emerging field ofredox signaling science, Gary patiently walked me through the biochemistry and the

research conducted in the field, with respect to ASEA and the field of research in

general. I was impressed, leaving my meeting with Dr. Samuelson even more satisfied

that my anecdotal findings are indeed on par with the scientific underpinnings of the

product. If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Samuelsons perspective on

redox signaling, you can read his book, The Science of Healing RevealedNew

Insights into Redox Signaling.

But there was one more thing I needed to address. The fact that ASEA is structured as

a multi-level marketing company a network marketing business model often

associated with sham products, shady business practices, disingenuous sales tactics

and improbable promises of wealth to naive sales associates. If there was anything Idid not want to be involved with, it was a shady business; and MLMs dont exactly

have the best reputation. My guard was up. However I spent several hours with the

management team, including CEO Verdis Norton and left with a few key insights.First, ASEA is essentially a family run business. Verdis team includes his two sons

Jon and Tyler, as well as his daughter Nancy all people I have come to respect and

hold in high regard, not just for their business acumen, but as human beings. Second,it is an enterprise in which ethics and morals are not just given lip service, but are the

very foundation of their corporate culture. I honestly believe their primary goal is to

help people by improving health and empowering the individual. To be certain, ASEAis a business for profit. But I know that there is a much higher purpose at play that

motivates the Nortons far beyond the promise of a dollar.

Over the last year, I have been approached by many nutrition and supplement

companies seeking my endorsement. Each and every time I have said no. Usuallybecause the products just simply dont live up to their purported benefits. I cant in

good conscience promote a message of optimal wellness and endorse a product that

contains chemicals, preservatives, GMOSs or synthetic sugars, even if it istechnically vegan or tied to some evidence of short-term performance benefit. And

quite frankly, I didnt want to feel obligated to promote something Id rather choose

the foods and nutrition that suit me, and freely share my objective perspective with

whoever is interested without the tether of obligation. But with ASEA I believe I havefound a product I can stand behind 100%. For these reasons, I feel I can

wholeheartedly and proudly endorse this product my first formal endorsement of a

nutritional product as an athlete.

Again, I urge all of you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions. Imnot asking anyone to take my word for it. But if you are inclined, here are a few links

you might find interesting:


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