Update 8/22/19. Have you heard about Stemulite Fitness Formula? I have, via the several emails, I received from people looking for answers about Stemulite so I decided to take a look at it. In this review, you'll discover the research and ingredients in this stem cell supplement to help you decide if it's right for you.
Stemulite Alleged Benefits
There are also several testimonials from Stemulite users including several professional athletes.
According to the Stemulite website, the supplement is supposed to:
- Increase strength
- Improve endurance
- Increased muscle mass
- Improve recovery time between workouts
- Improve sleep – especially deep sleep
Who Makes It?
Metabolic Research is a is a publicly-traded biotechnology company (OTC symbol MTBR.PK) and is the maker of Stemulite. Given that it is a biotechnology company, ironically, no published peer-reviewed studies were found for Stemulite itself. As such, there is really no way of telling (other than the testimonials) how the ingredients in the supplement work in people.
Does Stemulite Grow Stem Cells?
The name of the supplement sounds like a prescription medication but it is not. Stemulite is a dietary supplement. The name of the supplement also gives the impression that it stimulates the growth and differentiation of stem cells, dormant cells which have the potential to repair tissue damage. As you will see below, the name of the supplement is derived from one of its ingredients – not because it turns on the proliferation of stem cells. There is no published peer-reviewed proof that Stemulite activates stem cells.
Stemulite Ingredients
According to Metabolic Research, Stemulite is composed of the following ingredients
- Alpha-Lipoic acid (300 mg)
- Acetyl (L-carnitine amino acid): 200 mg
- Beta Glucan: 50 mg
- SerraPeptase™ (Serratiopeptidase): 50 mg
- Quercitin: 50 mg
- Melatonin: 2 mg
- Eggplant Extract: 10 mg
- Indium: 5 mg
- Mexican Yam Extract
Let’s now look at the evidence for each ingredient.
Alapha lipolic Acid (ALA)
We make ALA in our bodies and it's found naturally in meat and various vegetables. It’s said on the Metabolic Research website that ALA helps the mitochondria produce energy (ATP). This is true, but there don't seem to be any published studies showing that ALA supplements give healthy people more energy.
Metabolic Research also mentions that defects in the mitochondria are implicated in playing a role in the aging process. This is true too. Free radical damage may interrupt mitochondria function, resulting in some aspects of aging.
ALA is an antioxidant and helps us regenerate vitamin E, another antioxidant. But, is alpha-lipoic acid going to reduce mitochondria damage caused by daily living or better yet, exercise? Is ALA the “elixir of life” as is hinted at on the Metabolic Research website? There are no studies showing that ALA slows the aging process or makes people “younger”.
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Acetyl L carnitine is a form of L carnitine. We can convert them into each other as needed. Basically, acetyl L carnitine takes fat from fat cells to the mitochondria where it can be used to make energy. Mostly this supplement is studied in people with dementia where a few studies suggest it may help some people.
This supplement is also found in weight loss products even though most of the evidence says it doesn't work. As far as improving exercise, a little research suggests it may help some people while other research suggests it doesn't work.
Those who take blood thinner medications or who have seizures should use caution with l carnitine.
Beta Glucan
This is a soluble fiber and is one of the reasons why oatmeal helps lower cholesterol levels. Stemulite gets its beta-glucan from mushrooms, To their credit, Metabolic Research Inc does point out that beta-glucan supplements do not prevent or treat cancer, which some pseudo-experts try to make people think happens.
To their credit also, Metabolic Research points out that the research on beta-glucan and cancer is on intravenous beta-glucan – not supplements.
Beta-glucan may ramp up various immune system cells which theoretically may reduce disease risk. Since intense exercise (like running a marathon) reduces the immune system, in theory, beta-glucan may help recovery from exhaustive exercise.
But there do not appear to be any published peer-reviewed studies showing that beta-glucan supplements help recovery time in athletes or other healthy people. Since beta-glucan is also in oatmeal and other foods, would they work just as well? I don’t think anyone knows the answer to this yet.
Serratiopeptidase
Also called SerraPeptase. This is an enzyme that breaks down protein. It may also reduce inflammation. In theory, reducing inflammation may help recovery after exercise. By reducing inflammation and speeding the breakdown of worn-out cells, in theory, serratiopeptidase may help however there are no published peer-reviewed studies that prove this.
Quercitin
This is an antioxidant and it may reduce inflammation too. Quercetin is one of the reasons why people are told that red wine and grapes are good for us. As with ALA mentioned above, antioxidants can help reduce free radicals which can do us harm. But those who exercise regularly tend to have higher levels of natural antioxidants. This is one of the reasons why people who work out regularly are healthier than non-exercisers.
Quercitin does appear to have some health effects (especially when obtained from food) but does it help you exercise better or recover faster? One study found that 1000 mg of quercetin (there is only 50 mg in Stemulite) did not reduce muscle soreness, muscle damage, or inflammation although it may have improved immune system functioning in humans. To achieve this effect 500 mg was taken twice a day for 3 weeks and during 3 days of exhaustive exercise.
Melatonin
This is a hormone made in the brain and is probably the main reason why Stemulite is said to improve “deep sleep”. Many studies show that melatonin will help people fall asleep faster and help regulate their internal body clock. As such melatonin is often used to help jet lag.
Use melatonin and supplements that contain melatonin with caution if you are younger (think puberty and up to age 21 or so). There is some evidence that high levels of melatonin may adversely affect the development of testes (gonads). Since young people make more melatonin than older people, supplemental melatonin may make their levels even higher which may affect gonad development.
Likewise, people with diabetes should talk to their doctor before using melatonin. Melatonin seems to make people less able to use insulin. This is called insulin resistance and is one of the hallmarks of diabetes. Melatonin used to be called the “fountain of youth” but that name has no basis in fact.
Eggplant Extract
Eggplant has many components. What extract from eggplants does Stemulitte have? It is said that the extract will activate stem cells, which, I imagine, would help us repair exercise-induced damage. Quoting Metabolic Research Inc, eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes contain “a powerful alkaloid which acts as an agonist on the acetylcholine (AChR) receptor which when activated is the most effective stem-cell and growth factor combination yet discovered.” This may also be where the “stem” in Stemulite comes from.
Has this claim been tested in humans? That is not known.
Indium
There appear to be no published peer-reviewed studies showing that the mineral indium has any immune system modulating effect in humans.
Mexican Yam
Yams contain small amounts of the hormone DHEA which is a precursor to testosterone (and estrogen). DHEA was very popular in the 1990s when it was called “the fountain of youth” (a debunked claim). DHEA does not improve fitness or strength. I’m admittedly am skeptical of DHEA supplements because I’ve seen them so often marketed over the years to the fitness industry with less than stellar results.
Can You Trust Athlete Testimonials?
The Stemulite website has testimonials from several pro athletes including football players Kevin Boss and Garry Brackett among others. But, I have to ask the question, can you trust the nutrition insights of a pro athlete? I ask this because of several well-publicized instances where pro athletes didn’t seem to know what supplements they were using – and using stuff that just didn't make sense.
Probably the most famous case involved baseball player Raphael Palmiro. When he tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2005, he said that he thought he was injecting himself with vitamin B 12. Why would a professional athlete need vitamin B 12 injections?
Vitamin 12 is stored in the body. It would take several years before the average healthy person would run out of vitamin B12. Unless Palmiro is a vegetarian, he would not likely be in danger of a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Forget graduating from college, how many pro athletes have ever taken a class on nutrition or dietary supplements?
Does Stemulite Fitness Formula Work?
Based on the evidence, I come to the following conclusions:
- Of all these ingredients in Stemulite, melatonin has the most clinical evidence – for helping sleep. There is no proof that melatonin improves recovery from exercise.
- There do not appear to be any published peer-reviewed studies that specifically examine the unique ingredients in Stemulite or the amounts of ingredients found in Stemulite.
What do you think?