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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​

Athletes must be extremely careful about what they put into their bodies. Critical Reload’s vigilant product testing and certification serve the athletes, coaches and parents performance aspirations while never compromising health and safety.

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.

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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

Chocolate milk can be a useful recovery drink. It provides carbohydrate, protein, fluid, and electrolytes. Critical Reload, however, was formulated specifically around the recovery demands of athletes.

The protein profile. Milk protein is naturally approximately 80% casein and 20% whey.

Critical Reload flips that profile. Its protein blend is approximately 96% whey—including whey concentrate, isolate, and hydrolyzed whey—with a small amount of micellar casein.

Why does that matter? Whey is digested rapidly and creates a faster rise in circulating amino acids, including leucine, which helps signal the muscle-building process following training.

Casein digests more gradually and provides a slower, more sustained amino-acid release.

Critical Reload uses a whey-dominant blend to prioritize rapid amino-acid delivery during the early recovery period, while retaining a small amount of casein for a trailing release.

The carbohydrate profile. Critical Reload pairs protein with a fast-digesting maltodextrin-and-fructose carbohydrate blend at approximately a 2:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.

These carbohydrates use complementary absorption and metabolic pathways, helping athletes begin replacing the fuel used during demanding training and competition.

The bottom line: Chocolate milk is a convenient food that can support recovery.

Critical Reload is a purpose-built recovery system—with its protein blend, carbohydrate blend, serving size, and ingredient ratios deliberately selected to help athletes refuel, rebuild, and prepare for what comes next.

Not simply chocolate milk with extra ingredients. Recovery nutrition designed for athletic performance.

Supporting Sources

  1. Boirie, Y., Dangin, M., Gachon, P., Vasson, M. P., Maubois, J. L., & Beaufrère, B. (1997). Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 94(26), 14930–14935. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.94.26.14930
  2. Bower, J. A., Wolf, B., Trapp, S., & Marciani, L. (2017). Gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit compared among native and hydrolyzed whey and casein milk proteins. Journal of Dairy Science. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5748801/
  3. Burd, N. A., Yang, Y., Moore, D. R., Tang, J. E., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Greater stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis with ingestion of whey protein isolate v. micellar casein at rest and after resistance exercise in elderly men. British Journal of Nutrition, 108(6), 958–962.
  4. Churchward-Venne, T. A., Burd, N. A., Mitchell, C. J., West, D. W. D., Philp, A., Marcotte, G. R., Baker, S. K., Baar, K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Supplementation of a suboptimal protein dose with leucine or essential amino acids. Journal of Physiology, 590(11), 2751–2765.
  5. Comerford, K. B., & Pasin, G. (2016). Emerging evidence for the effects of dairy protein on human satiety and body weight regulation. Nutrients, 8(5), 331. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3941822/
  6. Jentjens, R. L. P. G., Moseley, L., Waring, R. H., Harding, L. K., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(4), 1277–1284. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00974.2003
  7. Jentjens, R. L. P. G., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2005). High rates of exogenous carbohydrate oxidation from a mixture of glucose and fructose ingested during prolonged cycling exercise. British Journal of Nutrition, 93(4), 485–492. https://doi.org/10.1079/bjn20041368
  8. Pennings, B., Boirie, Y., Senden, J. M. G., Gijsen, A. P., Kuipers, H., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2011). Whey protein stimulates postprandial muscle protein accretion more effectively than do casein and casein hydrolysate in older men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93(5), 997–1005.
  9. Trommelen, J., van Lieshout, G. A. A., Nyakayiru, J., Holwerda, A. M., Smeets, J. S. J., Hendriks, F. K., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2019). Coingestion of whey protein and casein in a mixed meal. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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.

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 a fast-digesting carbohydrate made by breaking down corn or rice starch into shorter glucose chains, and it’s included in Critical Reload to quickly replenish energy and glycogen after exercise.

Why it works for recovery. Maltodextrin has a high glycemic index (similar to or slightly higher than glucose), meaning it’s absorbed rapidly and triggers a quick insulin response that helps drive glucose into muscle for glycogen resynthesis. Research on post-exercise recovery confirms that high-GI carbohydrates like maltodextrin restore muscle glycogen faster than low-GI carbohydrates in the hours after training. A controlled study also found that carbohydrate ingestion after resistance exercise improved net muscle protein balance by reducing muscle breakdown, supporting recovery even without added protein.

Why not just use table sugar or glucose? Maltodextrin has lower sweetness and lower osmolality than simple sugars like glucose at equivalent carbohydrate concentrations, which allows it to be absorbed with less risk of the bloating or GI discomfort that can come from very sweet, high-concentration sugar solutions.

Is it safe? Yes — maltodextrin is derived from natural food starches, is GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA, and has decades of use in sports nutrition without safety concerns.

Bottom line: maltodextrin isn’t in Critical Reload as filler — it’s a well-studied, fast-digesting carbohydrate chosen specifically to support glycogen replenishment during the post-workout recovery window.

Supporting Sources

  1. Murray, B., & Rosenbloom, C. (2018). Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutrition reviews, 76(4), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy001
  2. Detko, E., O’Hara, J. P., Thelwall, P. E., Smith, F. E., Jakovljevic, D. G., King, R. F., & Trenell, M. I. (2013). Liver and muscle glycogen repletion using 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy following ingestion of maltodextrin, galactose, protein and amino acids. The British journal of nutrition, 110(5), 848–855. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114512005818
  3. Naderi, A., Rothschild, J. A., Santos, H. O., Hamidvand, A., Koozehchian, M. S., Ghazzagh, A., Berjisian, E., & Podlogar, T. (2025). Nutritional strategies to improve post-exercise recovery and subsequent exercise performance: A narrative review. Sports Medicine, 55, 1559–1577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02213-6
  4. Neufer, P. D., Costill, D. L., Fink, W. J., Kirwan, J. P., Fielding, R. A., & Flynn, M. G. (1986). Effects of exercise and carbohydrate composition on gastric emptying. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 18(6), 658–662.
  5. Gisolfi, C. V., Lambert, G. P., & Summers, R. W. (2001). Intestinal fluid absorption during exercise: role of sport drink osmolality and [Na+]. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 33(6), 907–915. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200106000-00009
  6. Børsheim, E., Cree, M. G., Tipton, K. D., Elliott, T. A., Aarsland, A., & Wolfe, R. R. (2004). Effect of carbohydrate intake on net muscle protein synthesis during recovery from resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(2), 674–678. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00333.2003

Critical Reload wasn’t built as a fortified drink with a vitamin pack dumped in — it’s a whole food-based recovery product. Whole foods naturally deliver fiber and other compounds that work together, which is the philosophy behind our formula. We just built Critical Reload around real food, not a vitamin premix.

Supporting Sources

  1. Schölmerich, J., Freudemann, A., Köttgen, E., Wietholtz, H., Steiert, B., Löhle, E., Häussinger, D., & Gerok, W. (1987). Bioavailability of zinc from zinc-histidine complexes. I. Comparison with zinc sulfate in healthy men. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 45(6), 1480–1486. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/45.6.1480
  2. Abdel Moety, G. A. F., Ali, A. M., Fouad, R., Ramadan, W., Belal, D. S., & Haggag, H. M. (2017). Amino acid chelated iron versus an iron salt in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia with pregnancy: A randomized controlled study. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 210, 242–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2017.01.003
  3. Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. C. (2013). Synthetic or food-derived vitamin C–are they equally bioavailable?. Nutrients, 5(11), 4284–4304. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5114284
  4. Carr, A. C., Bozonet, S. M., Pullar, J. M., Simcock, J. W., & Vissers, M. C. (2013). A randomized steady-state bioavailability study of synthetic versus natural (kiwifruit-derived) vitamin C. Nutrients, 5(9), 3684–3695. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5093684
  5. Zugravu, C. A., Macri, A., Belc, N., & Bohiltea, R. (2021). Efficacy of supplementation with methylcobalamin and cyancobalamin in maintaining the level of serum holotranscobalamin in a group of plant-based diet (vegan) adults. Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 22(3), 993. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.10425
  6. Linus Pauling Institute. (n.d.). Supplemental forms of vitamin C. Oregon State University. Retrieved August 4, 2026, from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-C/supplemental-forms

Fructose isn’t just a natural sweetener in Critical Reload — it plays a specific performance role. During exercise, your gut absorbs glucose and fructose through two separate transporters (SGLT1 for glucose, GLUT5 for fructose), so combining them lets your body absorb carbohydrate faster than glucose alone, since neither pathway gets overloaded.

Why that matters for recovery. Research shows glucose-plus-fructose combinations increase carbohydrate absorption and energy use by up to 50% compared to glucose alone during exercise. Even more relevant for recovery: combining fructose with glucose roughly doubles the rate of liver glycogen replenishment compared to glucose alone, which is exactly what your body needs post-workout. This is one of the most well-replicated findings in exercise nutrition, confirmed across multiple independent studies.

Is fructose bad for you? Not in the amounts used here. The health concerns you’ve heard about — fatty liver, insulin resistance — come from chronic overconsumption of added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup in sodas and processed foods, not from the modest, purposeful amounts used in a recovery product. Fructose is also naturally low-glycemic since it doesn’t require insulin for uptake the way glucose does.

Bottom line: the fructose in Critical Reload isn’t just for taste — it’s included because pairing it with glucose is one of the most well-supported strategies in sports science for faster carbohydrate absorption and better glycogen recovery.

Supporting Sources

  1. Taylor & Francis Group. (n.d.). GLUT5. Taylor & Francis Knowledge. https://taylorandfrancis.com/knowledge/Engineering_and_technology
  2. Jeukendrup A. E. (2010). Carbohydrate and exercise performance: the role of multiple transportable carbohydrates. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 13(4), 452–457. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0b013e328339de9f
  3. Fuchs, C. J., Gonzalez, J. T., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2019). Fructose co-ingestion to increase carbohydrate availability in athletes. The Journal of physiology, 597(14), 3549–3560. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP277116
  4. Podlogar, T., Bokal, Š., Cirnski, S., & Wallis, G. A. (2022). Increased exogenous but unaltered endogenous carbohydrate oxidation with combined fructose-maltodextrin ingested at 120 g h-1 versus 90 g h-1 at different ratios. European journal of applied physiology, 122(11), 2393–2401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-05019-w
  5. Wilson, P. B., & Ingraham, S. J. (2015). Glucose–fructose likely improves gastrointestinal comfort and endurance running performance relative to glucose-only. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 25(6), e613–e620. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12386
  6. Gonzalez, J. T., Fuchs, C. J., Betts, J. A., & van Loon, L. J. C. (2017). Glucose plus fructose ingestion for post-exercise recovery—Greater than the sum of its parts? Nutrients, 9(4), Article 344. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9040344
  7. Jentjens, R. L. P. G., Moseley, L., Waring, R. H., Harding, L. K., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(4), 1277–1284. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00974.2003
  8. Jeukendrup, A. E., Moseley, L., Mainwaring, G. I., Samuels, S., Perry, S., & Mann, C. H. (2006). Exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during ultraendurance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 100(4), 1134–1141. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00981.2004

No. We use a small amount of acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) to add sweetness without calories or carbs, helping keep Critical Reload low-sugar and athlete-friendly.

Is it safe? Yes. Ace-K has been reviewed by the FDA, EFSA, and WHO’s food safety committee (JECFA), all of which confirm it’s safe within normal use. The FDA’s safety limit is 15 mg per kg of body weight per day — for an average adult, that’s about 23 packets of sweetener a day, far more than anyone would realistically consume. In 2025, EFSA actually raised its safety limit after reviewing the latest research, reinforcing rather than weakening its safety profile. Your body doesn’t even break it down — it passes through unchanged within about a day.

What about allergies or gut health concerns? True allergic reactions are extremely rare, documented in only a couple of case reports worldwide. Some early animal studies have looked at possible effects on gut bacteria, but these use very high doses not reflective of real-world eating, and no human studies have shown harm at normal consumption levels.

Bottom line: the amount of Ace-K in Critical Reload is well within globally recognized safety limits, and major food safety agencies continue to stand behind it.

Supporting Sources

  1. West, H., & Austwick, M. (2025, March 6). The benefits and risks of acesulfame potassium. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318604
  2. Food Safety Magazine Editorial Team. (n.d.). EFSA reevaluates safety of artificial sweetener acesulfame K, raises acceptable daily intake. Food Safety Magazine. https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10526-efsa-reevaluates-safety-of-artificial-sweetener-acesulfame-k-raises-acceptable-daily-intake
  3. Katsue, H., Higashi, Y., Baba, N., Aoki, M., Sakanoue, M., Matsushita, S., & Kanekura, T. (2014). Allergic reaction caused by acesulfame potassium in foods. Contact Dermatitis, 71(4), 251–252. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12252
  4. Chowdhury, C. R., & Havlik, J. (2026). Beyond sweetness: A review of the health and safety of acesulfame-K. Food Chemistry, 499, Article 147290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.147290
  5. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), Castle, L., Andreassen, M., Aquilina, G., Bastos, M. L., Boon, P., Fallico, B., FitzGerald, R., Frutos Fernandez, M. J., Grasl-Kraupp, B., Gundert-Remy, U., Gürtler, R., Houdeau, E., Kurek, M., Louro, H., Morales, P., Passamonti, S., Batke, M., Bruzell, E., Chipman, J., … Lodi, F. (2025). Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive. EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority, 23(4), e9317. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9317
  6. Chowdhury, C. R., & Havlik, J. (2026). Beyond sweetness: A review of the health and safety of acesulfame-K. Food chemistry, 499, 147290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.147290
  7. Stohs, S. J., & Miller, M. J. (2014). A case study involving allergic reactions to sulfur-containing compounds including, sulfite, taurine, acesulfame potassium and sulfonamides. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 63, 240–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2013.11.008
  8. Elchemy. (2026, April 29). Acesulfame potassium vs. sugar: How this popular sweetener fits into modern nutrition. https://elchemy.com/blogs/chemical-market/acesulfame-potassium-vs-sugar-how-this-popular-sweetener-fits-into-modern-nutrition
  9. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), Castle, L., Andreassen, M., Aquilina, G., Bastos, M. L., Boon, P., Fallico, B., FitzGerald, R., Frutos Fernandez, M. J., Grasl-Kraupp, B., Gundert-Remy, U., Gürtler, R., Houdeau, E., Kurek, M., Louro, H., Morales, P., Passamonti, S., Batke, M., Bruzell, E., Chipman, J., … Lodi, F. (2025). Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive. EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority, 23(4), e9317. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9317

We use a tiny amount of sucralose — just 0.2 grams per serving, the smallest ingredient in the product — to sweeten Critical Reload without adding calories, carbs, or sugar. Removing it would mean adding roughly 45-50 grams of sugar per serving to match the taste, which would work against the low-calorie, athlete-friendly goal of the product.

Is it safe? Yes. Sucralose is one of the most studied sweeteners on the market, backed by 100+ studies over 20 years, and it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The FDA’s Acceptable Daily Intake  (ADI) is 5 mg per kg of body weight per day — for an average adult, that’s roughly the amount in 9 cans of diet soda, every day, for life. The amount in Critical Reload is a small fraction of that limit.

Bottom line: we use just enough sucralose to keep the great taste without the sugar, well within globally recognized safety limits.

Supporting Sources

  1. Magnuson, B. A., Roberts, A., & Nestmann, E. R. (2017). Critical review of the current literature on the safety of sucralose. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 106(Pt A), 324–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2017.05.047
  2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Safe levels of sweeteners [Fact sheet]. https://www.fda.gov/media/168517/download
  3. Calorie Control Council. (2017, June 28). Review of sucralose safety published in Food and Chemical Toxicology. https://caloriecontrol.org/review-of-sucralose-safety-published-in-food-and-chemical-toxicology/
  4. International Food Information Council Foundation. (2018). Sucralose [Fact sheet]. https://ific.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/IFIC_Sucralose_FINAL.Interactive.pdf
  5. NoJunk. (2026, May 21). Is sucralose safe? 2024 research vs. FDA position. https://nojunk.app/encyclopedia/sucralose/

We use a small amount of guar gum (0.24 grams per serving) as a natural thickener that keeps Critical Reload’s texture smooth and consistent, preventing ingredients from separating in the container.

Is it safe? Yes. Guar gum comes from the seeds of the guar bean plant and is GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA, with a safe daily intake of up to 20 grams established in food science literature. Europe’s food safety authority reached the same conclusion for the general population, finding no safety concern and no need for a strict daily limit.

Could it cause digestive issues? Not at this amount. Larger doses (4-15 grams) are sometimes used therapeutically for constipation or IBS because guar gum adds bulk as a fiber source, but the tiny amount in Critical Reload (0.24g) is roughly 1-2% of that therapeutic range — far too little to cause GI effects.ovid

Why it’s there: Guar gum keeps the powder from clumping, helps flavors blend evenly, and prevents sugar crystallization for a smoother mouthfeel and consistent taste in every scoop.

Supporting Sources

  1. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food (ANS). (2017). Re-evaluation of guar gum (E 412) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 15(2), Article 4669. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4669
  2. Kapoor, M. P., Sugita, M., Fukuzawa, Y., & Okubo, T. (2017). Impact of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) on constipation prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Functional Foods, 33, 52–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.03.028
  3. Niv, E., Halak, A., Tiommny, E., Yanai, H., Strul, H., Naftali, T., & Vaisman, N. (2016). Randomized clinical study: Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) versus placebo in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Nutrition & metabolism, 13, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-016-0070-5
  4. Yasukawa, Z., Inoue, R., Ozeki, M., Okubo, T., Takagi, T., Honda, A., & Naito, Y. (2019). Effect of Repeated Consumption of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum on Fecal Characteristics and Gut Microbiota: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, and Parallel-Group Clinical Trial. Nutrients, 11(9), 2170. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092170

Silicon dioxide is a naturally occurring compound found in leafy greens, oats, and brown rice, and in Critical Reload it works as an anti-caking agent — keeping the powder free-flowing so it mixes smoothly instead of clumping.

Is it safe? Yes. It’s GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA, and Europe’s food safety authority (EFSA) has reviewed it multiple times, most recently in 2024, concluding it raises no safety concern for any population, including infants. Studies tracking silicon dioxide through the body show the vast majority passes through unabsorbed and is excreted in stool, with any small absorbed amount cleared by the kidneys within about 24 hours.

What about nanoparticle concerns you may have heard about? A handful of animal studies using very high, sustained doses over many months have looked at potential organ effects, but these doses far exceed anything found in food products like Critical Reload, and regulatory agencies have found no safety concern at actual food-use levels.

Bottom line: the amount of silicon dioxide in Critical Reload is there purely to keep the powder easy to mix, and it’s used well within the safety margins confirmed by international food safety agencies.

Supporting Sources

  1. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food (ANS). (2017). Re-evaluation of guar gum (E 412) as a food additive. EFSA Journal, 15(2), Article 4669. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4669
  2. Kapoor, M. P., Sugita, M., Fukuzawa, Y., & Okubo, T. (2017). Impact of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) on constipation prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Functional Foods, 33, 52–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.03.028
  3. EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS), Younes, M., Aggett, P., Aguilar, F., Crebelli, R., Dusemund, B., Filipič, M., Frutos, M. J., Galtier, P., Gott, D., Gundert-Remy, U., Kuhnle, G. G., Leblanc, J. C., Lillegaard, I. T., Moldeus, P., Mortensen, A., Oskarsson, A., Stankovic, I., Waalkens-Berendsen, I., Woutersen, R. A., … Lambré, C. (2018). Re-evaluation of silicon dioxide (E 551) as a food additive. EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority, 16(1), e05088. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5088
  4. Kwon, R. Y., Youn, S. M., & Choi, S. J. (2024). Oral Excretion Kinetics of Food-Additive Silicon Dioxides and Their Effect on In Vivo Macrophage Activation. International journal of molecular sciences, 25(3), 1614. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031614
  5. European Food Safety Authority. (2024, October 17). Re-evaluation of silicon dioxide (E 551) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of its re-evaluation as a food additive for uses in foods for all population groups [Plain-language summary]. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/plain-language-summary

Sodium chloride (table salt) is included in Critical Reload for two reasons: it enhances flavor, and it replenishes sodium — the primary electrolyte lost through sweat during exercise.

Why athletes need it. Sodium plays a critical role in fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contraction, and losing too much of it during prolonged, sweaty exercise without replacing it can lead to hyponatremia (low blood sodium), which causes cramping, confusion, and in severe cases, more serious symptoms. Research modeling athletes’ sodium needs during exercise shows replacement becomes especially important during long-duration efforts with high sweat rates, like ultramarathons, though it’s less critical for shorter events like a soccer match.

Is it safe? Yes, sodium chloride is a naturally occurring compound essential to the human body, and it’s recognized as safe by global health authorities. The concern isn’t about sodium itself — it’s about excess: the World Health Organization recommends adults keep total daily sodium intake under 2 grams (about 5 grams of salt) to reduce blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. Critical Reload’s sodium content is measured to support hydration and performance during exercise without meaningfully contributing to that daily limit.

Bottom line: the sodium chloride in Critical Reload isn’t just a flavor additive — it’s replacing what your body actually loses through sweat, in an amount well within recommended daily limits.

Supporting Sources

  1. McCubbin A. J. (2023). Modelling sodium requirements of athletes across a variety of exercise scenarios – Identifying when to test and target, or season to taste. European journal of sport science, 23(6), 992–1000. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2083526
  2. World Health Organization. (2023, August 9). Reducing sodium intake to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular diseases in adults. https://www.who.int/tools/elena/interventions/sodium-cvd-adults

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MIKE BEWLEY
MA, CSCS*D, SSN, USWA-I

Critical Reload was founded, by former Director of Basketball Strength & Conditioning Coach and Specialist in Sports Nutrition for Clemson University, Mike Bewley. In 2002, Bewley earned his certification as a certified specialist in sports nutrition through the International Sports Science Association. Since that time, Coach Bewley has culminated an extensive level of experience assisting athletes with their performance nutrition needs while founding Critical Reload in 2004. His proficiencies as a specialist in sports nutrition include:

  • Recognize nutritional factors affecting health and performance that will enable appropriate nutritional counseling with Director of Sports Nutrition for Olympic Sports.
  • Disseminate factual knowledge of performance enhancing substances and provide persuasive evidence to student-athletes as the effects, risks, and appropriate alternatives.
  • Measure and monitor athlete and team body composition.
  • Analyze nutritional habits of athletes to determine the steps necessary to modify and provide a balanced diet.
  • Coordinate meal planning for at home and in-season travel.
  • Serve as liaison between athletics department and food services to oversee all facets of training table nutrition and scheduling.
  • Founded Critical Reload App (formally called NutraCarina), an intuitive on-line platform that seamlessly combines the nation’s top specialists in sports nutrition and sport dietitians with cutting edge technology.
  • Utilize smart phone technology to monitor nutritional habits of athletes for dietary exploration, education, and application.
  • Use product hardware and software to formulate daily caloric expenditure to estimate training table/travel menus, appropriate individual hydration requirements and enhance exercise recovery.
  • All the above nutritional practices virtually eliminate in-season weight-loss while helping enhance performance development year-round.

Furthermore, Bewley has been a Division-I collegiate strength and conditioning coach since 1998 making stops at University of Nevada-Reno (1998-2002), Georgia Southern University (2002-2006), University of Dayton (2006-2012), Georgia Tech (2012-2016) and Clemson University (2016 to present).

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