SERVING ATHLETES AND COACHES SINCE 2004
We deliver world-class health and nutrition solutions to everyone, everywhere.
NOT A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT
Critical Reload is a conventional food; not a dietary supplement. As defined by the FDA, a dietary supplement contains one or more dietary ingredients that may include: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, and amino acids, other substances found in the human diet, such as enzymes. Critical Reload contains none of the dietary ingredients.
Furthermore, conventional foods must have a Nutrition Facts panel while dietary supplements must have a Supplement Facts panel. Label verification delineates Critical Reload’s nutrition panel as Nutrition Facts and NOT Supplement Facts.
GIVE YOURSELF PEACE OF MIND
Critical Reload users who see the Informed Choice logo on our product can be assured it has undergone rigorous checks and regular testing to minimize the risk of contamination and is safer to use.
Critical Reload aligns with NCAA* guidelines and is permissible under NCAA Bylaws, ensuring compliance for collegiate athletics programs.
*NCAA is a registered trademark of the National College Athlete Association. This product is not endorsed by the NCAA.
Critical Reload was founded to provide a safe, high-quality nutrition solutions for the athletes who train every day.
Founded by 22-year Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coach and Specialist in Sports Nutrition, Mike Bewley, Critical Reload’s mission has not changed and has grown to serve the needs of other strength coaches and athletes nationally.
OUR TEAM OF ADVISORS
The Critical Reload Advisory Board is comprised of industry experts who oversee Critical Reload’s product research and education. The Advisory Board ensures that Critical Reload’s entire system is backed by the latest science and research, utilizing only the safest and most effective health and nutrition science.
STEPHANIE FERNANDES
DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION EDUCATION
Stephanie is the Director of Nutrition Education at Critical Reload and a contributor to the Critical Reload Performance Blog. Stephanie joined Toyota’s driver development program as their performance dietitian after serving six years as the ML Dietitian and Coordinator of Nutrition with the Texas Rangers Baseball Club.
MIKE
MARTINO
DIrector oF EDUCATION
Dr. Mike Martino is a full-time Professor and Coordinator of the Exercise Science Program at Georgia College in Milledgeville. He currently serves as a strength & conditioning consultant for all Bobcat varsity sports. Additionally, he is a co-owner of Bodyplex Fitness of Milledgeville.
CHRISTINE ZOELLER
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Since the beginning of Critical Reload, Christine has been involved in the financial and business end of the venture. Her many years of business experience in banking and manufacturing have been a vital part of the success of Critical Reload.
TOM
MATTHEWS
DIrector of Sales
Tom’s career has been in business startups with responsibilities ranging from operations, marketing, product development, and customer service. Of all those competencies, Tom associates customer service as the most critical element. As a result, Tom consistently aims to deliver a “wow-factor” with each Critical Reload customer.
FAQ
Our most frequent questions and answers
Critical Reload differs from milk because it contains three distinct, proportional types of protein: casein and whey proteins (isolate and hydrolyzed). Hence, the user gets a unique sequence of amino acids. Critical Reload scores 100% in all essential amino acids – not limiting or deficient in the essential amino acids. Why does all this focus on amino acids?
First and foremost, your body builds muscle out of amino acids, not whole proteins. Secondly, proteins provide the body with critical amino acids that serve as building blocks for forming new muscles. But not all dietary proteins are equal. Since whey rapidly increases protein synthesis and casein blocks protein breakdown, a combination of both was ideal in the ingredient development of Critical Reload.
Milk proteins are excellent sources of essential amino acids, but they differ in one crucial aspect — whey is a fast-digesting protein, and casein is a slow-digesting protein. Fast-digesting whey means it is emptied from the stomach quickly, resulting in a rapid and significant increase in plasma amino acids. The results are a quick but transient increase in protein synthesis, while protein breakdown is unaffected. Whey also has higher levels of leucine, a potent amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis. Whey protein is superior at augmenting protein synthesis rapidly, but this positive effect is short-lived.
Milk casein protein is relatively insoluble and tends to form structures called micelles that increase solubility in water. During milk processing, which usually involves heat or acid, the casein peptides and micelle structure become disturbed or denatured to form simpler structures. As a result, a gelatinous material gets developed. The basis for whey casein is a slower rate of digestion, which results in a slow but steady release of amino acids into circulation.
Yes, Critical Reload is completely GLUTEN-FREE!!! What is more, Critical Reload President and founder’s wife has Celiac’s Disease and consumes Critical Reload regularly.
No. Critical Reload does contain a low-level of lactose (2-grams per 8-ounce (oz) serving compared to 12-grams per 8-oz searing of low-fat milk). Lactose tolerance varies widely. The majority of athletes I’ve worked with whom are lactose intolerant can take Critical Reload without any gastrointestinal disturbance. There is a minority though that cannot take Critical Reload because of their heightened lactose sensitivity. We recommend you consult your physician before using Critical Reload.
A case of Critical Reload contains six (6), 3.4-pound bags.
Each 3.4-pound bag of Critical Reload contains 24 servings.
No. Critical Reload is considered a conventional food. As defined by the FDA, a dietary supplement contains one or more dietary ingredients that may include: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, and amino acids, other substances found in the human diet, such as enzymes. Critical Reload contains none of the dietary ingredients.
Secondly, Critical Reload is produced in a food manufacturing facility that is GMP certified, and FDA regulated. The acronym GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices, and to be GMP certified means that the manufacturer demonstrates a robust regulatory commitment and compliance to international GMP standards.
Lastly, conventional foods must have a Nutrition Facts panel while dietary supplements must have a Supplement Facts panel. Label verification delineates Critical Reload’s nutrition panel as Nutrition Facts and NOT Supplement Facts.
Some use the honor system; others keep dispenser on a rolling cart in an office and wheel it out to serve at the end of a session. Our suggestion: employ the same measures you would ensure everyone does every set, of every rep you entrust. Permanently, establish the same rule/disciplinary action to those caught skipping reps/sets as you would someone taking a shake. Don’t look at it like something else you have to monitor. Instead, it’s an opportunity to exercise accountability, responsibility, and integrity — pillars of any great team. You can even assign a “Shake Warden” for each training group to monitor — an excellent way to build leadership and accountability that can have significant carry-over to the team culture.
Maltodextrin is technically a complex carbohydrate because of its sugar content, but its high glycemic index means it goes through the digestive system super fast. There are two instances where this is a good thing:
- After a hard workout, maltodextrin will quickly get energy and protein to your muscles – a reason why Critical Reload has both carbs and protein.
- During an intense physical workout, maltodextrin’s quick absorption and low osmolality make it ideal for energy replenishment.
- Due to its rapid absorption, Critical Reload doesn’t sit “heavy” on the stomach and detour an athlete from eating whole foods after a workout.
The creation of Critical Reload was never intended to be a meal replacement. Instead, it’s usefulness is to help manage the athlete’s “window of opportunity” to replenish energy, enhance muscle protein synthesis, and boost recovery.
You cannot replace whole food vitamins with synthetic vitamins like ascorbic acid as Vitamin C, Palmitate as Vitamin A, or cyanocobalamin as B12. Doing so has been proven to cause significant toxic reactions and damage to the body over time. Furthermore, you cannot replace amino acid chelated mineral with synthetic minerals and avoid toxicity.
Critical Reload does contain fructose. However, fructose, not high fructose corn syrup, is an important source of energy for the body. Sometimes called fruit sugar, fructose is found in fruit, some vegetables, honey, and other plants. Fructose is a monosaccharide, or single sugar, that has the same chemical formula as glucose, but a different molecular structure. Even though commonly consumed sugars provide basically the same number of calories, they are metabolized and used by the body in differently. How? Fructose does not increase blood glucose and does not require insulin. In fact, individuals with diabetes can often tolerate fructose better than other sugars (9,10). Studies support that small amounts of oral fructose may actually improve glycemic control in people with diabetes (9-10).
Critical Reload contains acesulfame potassium as a sweetener. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially approved acesulfame potassium for specific foods in 1988, and in 2002, it received further approval as an all-purpose sweetener. Before adopting any new food additive for public use, the FDA rigorously verifies its safety. In the case of acesulfame potassium, more than 100 scientific studies have been reviewed. The National Cancer Institute has noted that the results of these studies indicate that the sweetener poses no risk to human health. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, acesulfame potassium is considered safe when used in moderation. The term “moderation” refers to consuming reasonable amounts. To reach the tolerable upper intake limit of acesulfame potassium, you would need to consume a large quantity of diet soda, approximately 20 cans.
Critical Reload incorporates sucralose. The smallest and least containing ingredient in Critical Reload is sucralose (o.2 grams). It helps adds sweetness without adding calories or carbohydrates and has an excellent safety profile.
More than 100 safety studies, representing over 20 years of research, have shown sucralose to be safe. Furthermore, over 80 government agencies worldwide, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have also reviewed the science on sucralose and found it to be safe for human consumption.
- Critical Reload is meticulously formulated, including a minimal 0.2 grams of Sucralose – an FDA approved artificial sweetener.
- This minor inclusion is within safe limits and doesn’t pose significant health concerns.
- Removal of Critical Reload’s Sucralose would necessitate adding a staggering 45-50 grams of sugar for flavor balance, significantly increasing the product’s sugar content.
- The concentrations of sucralose used in the studies would require a person to consume 8,0000 diet sodas 👀 to experience the harmful side effects of Sucarlose. The water from the sodas would kill you long before the Sucralose.
Doctors often prescribe guar gum to patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as it is known to reduce stomach pain, improve bowel function, and enhance overall quality of life. When taken orally, guar gum in large doses (4-15 grams) can act as a laxative by adding bulk to stool, aiding its passage through the colon. However, in Critical Reload Chocolate, the amount of guar gum per serving is only 0.24 grams, which is insufficient to provide significant relief to individuals with IBS or cause increased gas production, diarrhea, or loose stools in those without IBS. So, why is guar gum included in Critical Reload? In small doses, it serves as a suspending or emulsifying agent, stabilizer, flavor fixative, and inhibitor of sugar crystallization.
Along with being found pretty much everywhere on earth, silicon dioxide is a food additive that serves as an anti-caking agent. In Critical Reload, it’s used to prevent clumping and prevent the various powdered ingredients from sticking together. As with many food additives, consumers often have concerns about finding silicon dioxide on product labels. However, numerous studies have found no health risks associated with this particular ingredient. Not to mention, silicon dioxide is found naturally in many plants, for example, leafy green vegetables, beets, bell peppers, brown rice and oats, and alfalfa.
What does research say? The fact that it is found in plants and drinking water suggests silicon dioxide is safe. Besides, research has shown that the silica we consume doesn’t accumulate in our bodies; instead, it’s flushed out by the kidneys. Many of the studies on silica have found no link between silicon dioxide and increased risk of cancer, organ damage, or mortality. Also, studies have found no evidence that silicon dioxide can affect reproductive health, birth weight, or body weight.
Finally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized silicon dioxide as a safe food additive, as do the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Sodium chloride is an ionic compound found in various foods and commonly referred to as “salt” or “table salt.” It is used as a seasoning in many foods and serves additionally as an electrolyte in Critical Reload.
